Which Is the Higher Last Fantasy Sport?

It’s not every single day two genre-defining RPGs launch again to again, however it’s even rarer to see two top-caliber Last Fantasy video games launch inside a yr of one another. And but, that’s precisely what’s occurred with Last Fantasy VII Rebirth and Last Fantasy XVI.

This, after all, has led many to ask which is the higher Last Fantasy sport. Even when they’ve very completely different themes and tones, they’re nonetheless the exemplars of the sequence’ present trajectory and what we will count on from it shifting ahead.

That’s why we’re right here to just do that and pit each video games towards one another in a number of classes. When the mud settles, you’ll be able to relaxation assured that you simply’ll know which Last Fantasy title is most value your time (at the very least in our opinion).

Story and Narrative

Last Fantasy has all the time been hailed for its tales and narratives, however the newest video games actually pull out all of the stops to make theirs the very best round.

Last Fantasy XVI delves into decidedly darker territory with a narrative impressed by Sport of Thrones and different darkly sensible fantasy epics. An try is made to look at the ramifications of a world run by magic, and the way social norms would emerge across the remedy of these able to unleashing otherworldly powers at a second’s discover.

Admittedly, it’s nonetheless not an ideal execution. The story by no means totally digs into these themes the way in which you’d need them to, and it forgoes them fully by the top of the sport for a extra commonplace story of crystals, celestial entities, and saving the world. Nonetheless, although, it’s an earnest try to strive one thing new with the franchise and feels satisfying when all is claimed and achieved.

Last Fantasy VII Rebirth, in the meantime, retells a story followers know all too effectively; or at the very least, it retells a part of it. Selecting up after the occasions of Last Fantasy VII Remake, it digs into Cloud and his occasion’s pursuit of Sephiroth and their eventual discovery of his true motivations.

Concurrently, it presents some new components within the type of Zack’s adventures in an alternate timeline and its eventual collision with the primary timeline’s occasions. This new materials isn’t all the time laid out clearly although, and might really feel overwhelming when it’s dumped on the participant late into the sport. It’ll virtually definitely make extra sense when the following sport within the Remake trilogy releases although, and is a welcome addition to the FF7 mythos.

Winner: Last Fantasy XVI

In comparison towards one another, nonetheless, Last Fantasy XVI comes out on prime. It extra successfully introduces its new components to the sequence’ storytelling, and manages to weave a coherent narrative with no need a number of different video games to prop it up. Not solely that, however it presents a brand new course that future entries can discover versus retreading concepts which have already been explored ad-nauseum.

Essential Forged & Characters

Up subsequent are the characters gamers spend their playthroughs with, and each titles take decidedly completely different approaches to how they current their stellar casts.

Last Fantasy XVI is decidedly extra minimal with its characters and solid. The principle occasion often consists of three core characters by way of Clive, Jill, and Torgal, and different characters like Cid and Joshua rotate in because the story permits. This retains the character constructing intimately centered on the core characters, which does admittedly make for some extra private narrative development moments.

On the identical time, nonetheless, there are many participating moments created by the supporting solid. Whether or not it’s the politically savvy Benedikta or the tragic final days of Cid, the characters gamers meet as their playthrough progresses hold the world feeling lived in and lively.

Then, there’s Last Fantasy VII Rebirth, which arguably takes the other strategy. The principle occasion is loaded with completely different characters, all of that are given time to shine and work together with one another. Granted, most of those interactions occur with Cloud as a centerpiece, however they nonetheless permit the core solid to really feel like totally fleshed-out characters.

The supporting solid is rather less fleshed out, however nonetheless simply as fascinating. Gamers can spend time with the bombastic Gold Saucer proprietor Dio, the multi-talented Shinra Center Supervisor, or the numerous Queen’s Blood gamers scattered all through the world, and so they all serve to make the general expertise higher with each scene they’re in.

Winner: Last Fantasy VII Rebirth

Larger isn’t all the time higher, however it’s exhausting to not give this one to Last Fantasy VII Rebirth. Its solid is bursting with oddballs gamers can’t resist spending time with, and so they all make the general sport a pleasure to participate in for its many hours.

Visuals and Presentation

To say each of the latest Last Fantasy video games are visually gorgeous can be a large understatement.

Last Fantasy XVI leans extra into top-notch lighting and particle results. All of its Eikons, whether or not one is speaking concerning the fiery Ifrit or the gargantuan Titan, are all the time aglow in ethereal sparks and magical components, and this stays true throughout the expertise. The battles are stuffed with fantastical assaults that really feel like they may leap off the display, and actually promote the visceral nature of every landed hit.

The remainder of the sport’s visuals are simply as spectacular. Character fashions may be minutely detailed, with sensible facial actions and small results like scars or blemishes rendered fantastically. The environments provide sensible depictions of lush forestry and bustling cityscapes alike, and additional immerse gamers into any a part of the story.

Last Fantasy VII Rebirth presents a lot the identical, however with reverse focuses to its counterpart. The majority of its efforts go into the character fashions and environments, which pop with a sort of hyper-realism that melds with its fantasy setting. One can really get invested within the dramatic story moments because of the painstakingly crafted facial animations for Cloud, Aerith, and Sephiroth, and the quantity of effort put into bringing each setting to life can go away gamers enraptured.

The fight and particle results are nonetheless jaw-droppingly attractive although, and assist the moment-to-moment gameplay really feel all of the extra impactful. It simply feels a bit extra useful than gorgeous, and fades into the background in comparison with all the things else.

Winner: Last Fantasy XVI

We now have to provide this one to Last Fantasy XVI. Its visible presentation feels extra effectively rounded in comparison with Last Fantasy VII Rebirth, and it presents a greater feast for the eyes consequently.

World & Facet Content material

In the case of the world and the facet content material on provide, there’s arguably the most important hole between these two titles.

On one hand, there’s Last Fantasy XVI, which has a really fascinating new setting on provide. The world of Valisthea and its novel strategy to Eikons makes for an awesome backdrop, and every probability one will get to additional study its cultures is a splendid alternative. This helps to drive the participant to discover as a lot of the world as doable and to be taught all they’ll about its many characters and folks.

Sadly, its facet content material is much from must-play materials. Most of its facet quests boil right down to fetch quests that present small bits of lore as a reward, which might get grating after almost 100 hours within the sport.

Counter to that, Last Fantasy VII Rebirth offers gamers with a large world that sits simply outdoors of Shinra’s direct affect. The cramped and soiled passageways and corridors of the Sectors are changed with a large open world to discover, full with completely different villages and settlements which every really feel distinctive from one another in key methods.

Not solely that, however there’s significant facet content material to distract you for hours on finish. The facet quests provide alternatives to deepen Cloud’s relationship along with his occasion members, and are diversified sufficient to all really feel completely different from one another. The World Intel duties can function good methods to interrupt up the open world journey when taken carefully, and the plethora of minigames serve to interrupt up even probably the most dire segments with some levity.

Winner: Last Fantasy VII Rebirth

This one handily goes to Last Fantasy VII Rebirth. It revels within the probability to provide gamers loads of moments to see the corners of its world and makes it endlessly enjoyable to take action.

Fight & Gameplay

Whereas it would look like there’s a transparent winner on this class, the competition is much from a easy one.

To make sure, Last Fantasy XVI is the sport with the sooner and extra dynamic fight system. Akin to Satan Could Cry or Bayonetta, it presents gamers all kinds of strikes and methods they’ll use in fast succession to tear their opponents aside sans-turn-based fight components.

The Summon fights are additionally a key a part of the sport, and so they don’t disappoint. Whereas they’re crammed to the brim with wild anime-esque scenes of large monsters leaping backward and forward like zero-G gymnasts, there’s additionally a way of weight and impression that helps to promote the sensation that you simply’re battling with — and as — titanically large monsters of fantasy.

As for Last Fantasy VII Rebirth, it retains the gameplay model of Last Fantasy VII Remake. Fight skews towards a mixture of turn-based and energetic gameplay, which permits for each hack-and-slash brawls and thoroughly orchestrated bombardments with skills and magic.

Whereas this may sound extra sluggish and methodical than its competitors’s gameplay, there’s truly loads of room for creativity. One can slash and tear their approach by foes quickly by way of hot-keyed strikes and talents, which makes it doable to tug off strikes simply as insane as these seen in Last Fantasy XVI.

And it’s nonetheless greater than doable to go for a turn-based strategy too. One can select to activate a mode which makes it doable to provide orders to the sport’s characters because the battle progresses, turning the sport right into a extremely cinematic alternate between the participant and the enemy.

Winner: Tie

This class is a bit too near name. Each video games provide the identical model of innovation to the sequence’ tried and true turn-based fight, however in very completely different ways in which nonetheless work nice all the identical. As such, both one might take dwelling the win.

Audio & Voice Appearing

Lastly, there’s the audio and voice appearing, and each titles give it their all in these areas.

Last Fantasy XVI’s soundtrack is dire and bombastic, with melancholy tunes for its extra dramatic moments and intense items to associate with the world-ending clashes between its Eikons. Each are used masterfully, and bolster the moments they’re utilized in to really promote the stakes or emotional impression of every scene.

The voice appearing follows go well with, with performances that may vary from Oscar-worthy to proper at dwelling within the climax of an motion film. Explicit kudos goes to Clive’s voice actor Ben Starr, who carries the sport along with his many line deliveries and spectacular vary irrespective of the scene.

Last Fantasy VII Rebirth is equally spectacular. Its voice appearing could be a little extra erratic as a consequence of its bigger roster of characters, however everybody offers stable performances that don’t ever pull the participant too far out of no matter they’re doing.

The sport’s soundtrack, nonetheless, is unmatched. Nailing quite a lot of tones, it each revels within the themes of the unique Last Fantasy VII and reinvents them in new and fascinating methods. The result’s a treasure trove of themes and songs which aren’t solely excellent accompaniments to the sport however stand out as superb tunes in their very own proper.

Winner: Last Fantasy VII Rebirth

Although Last Fantasy XVI has the higher voice appearing, Last Fantasy VII Rebirth’s soundtrack units it aside as the higher sport by way of audio design. Its OST shall be on many a participant’s playlist for months and years to come back, and it deserves all of the accolades doable for that reality.

General Winner: Last Fantasy VII Rebirth

The competition was an in depth one, however Last Fantasy VII Rebirth is the higher Last Fantasy sport in our eyes. It captures the magic of the sequence at its greatest, and nails key areas that any really nice entry within the franchise wants. If you need to decide between the 2 video games, Rebirth is hands-down the one to check out first. As soon as that’s achieved, give the opposite a glance to cowl your bases and enjoy what is definitely a brand new golden age of Last Fantasy.