Final Fantasy 16 vs Final Fantasy 15 - 15 BIGGEST DIFFERENCES

As the first mainline title since 2016's Final Fantasy 15, it's generated endless amounts of hype throughout the years, which has reached a fever pitch in recent months.

But how does it compare to Final Fantasy 15, which also took liberties with the norms when it launched back in the day? Let's look at 15 of the biggest differences you should know about.

[Kaioko_Kerm]

Noctis was my boi but XVI had clearer development path. Square Enix tried to do too much with XV

[jamesmiles]

Is it just me 15 looked more realistic atleast artstyle wise, for a game from 2016 it holds up well

[natebroadus]

FFXVI feels like a return to form--a pre-FFVII form. It's not ATB, or Turn-based, but the aesthetic is right out of the early FF games. I see so much of the early games in FFXVI, especially FFII and FFIV.

I think the only way to get out of the shadow of FFVII is to remind people that the FF legacy started much earlier, and I think that's what this game is trying to do.

[DaneofHalves]

FF16 is a fantastic COMPLETE game. It runs smooth. The story is great. The combat is so much fun to play and experiment with. I am half way through new game + and it still feels fun as hell.

[ItsNummy]

You know I really loved the character designs of FFXV and actually enjoyed playing it throughout my whole play through. It was graphically beautiful stunning and I was always left in awe not too mention Noctis powers to me was the most bad ass and unique from other FF games like the dude can WARP! Thats bending space and time and moving through like a GOD! I feel like he was very underrated and unappreciated. Anyways I just wish that the combat development was better bc XVI looks extremely promising and having it be the same developer as DMC5 really gives me hype! I wish they couldve chose that dmc team for xv cause it wouldve been a hit! Oh well. I hope one day they’ll be a remake of XV but the day will never come 😂

[clydeines]

I'm pretty sure everyone whose ever heard of Final Fantasy versus XIII still want it. The development of the game was absolute hell. BTW, anyone in 2023 playing Ffxv?

[dman]

I am an old FF fan and I habe to go with FF XV, I don't like to be told where to go all the time and play so linear. So even if XV was 'unfinished' I still enjoyed it a lot more than XVI. Final Fantasy genre always contains some kind of exploration and looting and dungeouns. In FF XVI you literary watching a movie with 5min game play, and without any bustling cities to visit. No minigames. Too few items (and how you build them) Everything is like running down a simple road and get pointed out like a dummy where to go consistently. I don't know, I just don't feel it at all. Witcher 3 and God of War are way better battle wise

[klumaverik]

I truly believe that if people don't like xv then it's because they couldn't thoroughly work the battle system. I loved ffxv so much. I beat it and wasn't too happy with it. But my 2nd and third play through years later was by far more enjoyable. Learning how to use team attacks and blindsides on demand made it so much better.

[mouadelmoujaddidi]

An important difference is that FF16 has a beautiful sense of cinematography, camera works and acting, while FF15 had way less focus on that. From the acting to cinematography, it felt really amateur-ish, as if someone was recording the scenes with their mobile phone and the actors (Noctis & friends) were inexperienced

Since the fantasy is important in the franchise, FF16's great cinematography will really help into portraying it well

[xKenBx]

Noctis is one of the coolest characters ever made, too bad the game and the story are missing so much. FFVI has me on the fence, not sure if I really like it and I played most FF games including the original in Nes

[mrpanicattack]

I think one of the problems with 15 is the inconsistency of their character designs. Like the characters that appears in the movie kingsglaive like Luna, looks very different in the actual game. And in the game itself, there are some cutscenes where Luna looked like a different person that doesn’t match the game and the movie. I honestly prefer her look in the movie, she looked like a real person.

Another one is Noctis face, he just looks different as a teen compared to his adult bearded face and long haired. It’s like his face went from looking like a teenage Asian to complete European as an adult haha 😆😂 I honestly like his adult version more with the long hair and beard! I thought it was badass! I think that Noctis adult/older version should’ve been longer in the game. I kinda like the post apocalypse vibes, it reminded me of final fantasy 6.

[FaceMyLogic]

Never played FF but this one just looks so enjoyable, and I respect the time they took to develop this game instead of rushing out a title it's gold certified since March and this is the first time I hear a gold certified game before it comes out

[ilonaramazanova]

The FF15 characters were more relatable. I love Noctis's LaBoutins and the way they had to visit diners after hunts. They looked like some goth club hopper kids (so royal ❤). FF16 was totally different stylistically and the melancholy element was somewhat lacking. Though, the gameplay was engaging and I think the game was longer. I think they should completely remake FF6 in this similar style. It's one of my favorites because the story is very classic....Also, does anyone know what happened to the original trailer that was released for FF16? Seems, it had nothing to do with the game.

[jamestan]

Woa...Good thing U mention this atm. I am replaying 15 on X at 4K and OMG it was and is masterpiece. It feels brand new the royal edition for next gen! U appreciate the works it went thru though. I hope 16 able to surpass it. Graphic wise, 15 is superb and it is smooth fps next gen deserved.

[vogonp]

I like that Final Fantasy XVI is not open world. I feel like a lot of XV's shortcomings were due to it being one.

[ThaNinjazTube]

The Biggest Difference:
Completely different development studio with little to no overlap is people involved in creating it.

There being a large amount of differences is not that strange. Even though, they are both Final Fantasy games, in essence it would be the same as comparing it to God of War or Horizon. Different studio, different people, different experience.

[mhAng]

For me, one thing is for sure, FFXV had the much better soundtrack. Felt more impactful and sets the mood throughout the game

[alexperez]

It wasn’t a secret that Final Fantasy XV was a transition to Final Fantasy versus XIII and for some who played the game they were confused by the story

[fire-typhoon]

I'm loving everything I've heard about ff16 so far. It could be a goty contender imo. I just need the option to turn off damage numbers.

[hkoizumi]

You could also look at it as FF16 is what the team learned from FF14 and applied it to the FF16. The boss fight and mechanics are straight from FF14. Even the story premise is similar to the expansions from FF14. Map travel with aether points and even the moogle is straight from FF14. I would even bet you'll see The Good King Moggle Mog as one of the S tier hunt in FF16.