Which Is the Higher Closing Fantasy Sport?

It’s not on daily basis two genre-defining RPGs launch again to again, but it surely’s even rarer to see two top-caliber Closing Fantasy video games launch inside a 12 months of one another. And but, that’s precisely what’s occurred with Closing Fantasy VII Rebirth and Closing Fantasy XVI.

This, after all, has led many to ask which is the higher Closing Fantasy recreation. 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 do exactly 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 Closing Fantasy title is most price your time (a minimum of in our opinion).

Story and Narrative

Closing Fantasy has at all times been hailed for its tales and narratives, however the newest video games actually pull out all of the stops to make theirs the perfect round.

Closing Fantasy XVI delves into decidedly darker territory with a narrative impressed by Sport of Thrones and different darkly real looking 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 utterly by the top of the sport for a extra normal story of crystals, celestial entities, and saving the world. Nonetheless, although, it’s an earnest try and attempt one thing new with the franchise and feels satisfying when all is alleged and performed.

Closing Fantasy VII Rebirth, in the meantime, retells a story followers know all too properly; or a minimum of, it retells a part of it. Selecting up after the occasions of Closing Fantasy VII Remake, it digs into Cloud and his get together’s pursuit of Sephiroth and their eventual discovery of his true motivations.

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

Winner: Closing Fantasy XVI

In comparison towards one another, nevertheless, Closing Fantasy XVI comes out on prime. It extra successfully introduces its new parts 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, but it surely affords a brand new path that future entries can discover versus retreading concepts which have already been explored ad-nauseum.

Primary Solid & 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.

Closing Fantasy XVI is decidedly extra minimal with its characters and forged. The primary get together often consists of three core characters through 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, nevertheless, there are many participating moments created by means of the supporting forged. Whether or not it’s the politically savvy Benedikta or the tragic final days of Cid, the characters gamers meet as their playthrough progresses maintain the world feeling lived in and energetic.

Then, there’s Closing Fantasy VII Rebirth, which arguably takes the other method. The primary get together 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 forged to really feel like totally fleshed-out characters.

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

Winner: Closing Fantasy VII Rebirth

Larger isn’t at all times higher, but it surely’s onerous to not give this one to Closing Fantasy VII Rebirth. Its forged is bursting with oddballs gamers can’t resist spending time with, they usually all make the general recreation a pleasure to participate in for its many hours.

Visuals and Presentation

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

Closing 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 at all times aglow in ethereal sparks and magical parts, and this stays true throughout the expertise. The battles are crammed 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 real looking facial actions and small results like scars or blemishes rendered fantastically. The environments provide real looking depictions of lush forestry and bustling cityscapes alike, and additional immerse gamers into any a part of the story.

Closing Fantasy VII Rebirth affords 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 form 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 depart 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 purposeful than beautiful, and fades into the background in comparison with every thing else.

Winner: Closing Fantasy XVI

We’ve to present this one to Closing Fantasy XVI. Its visible presentation feels extra properly rounded in comparison with Closing Fantasy VII Rebirth, and it affords a greater feast for the eyes consequently.

World & Aspect Content material

On the subject of the world and the facet content material on provide, there’s arguably the largest hole between these two titles.

On one hand, there’s Closing Fantasy XVI, which has a really attention-grabbing new setting on provide. The world of Valisthea and its novel method to Eikons makes for an amazing backdrop, and every likelihood one will get to additional look at its cultures is a splendid alternative. This helps to drive the participant to discover as a lot of the world as attainable 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 may get grating after almost 100 hours within the recreation.

Counter to that, Closing Fantasy VII Rebirth supplies gamers with a large world that sits simply exterior 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 get together 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 moderately, and the plethora of minigames serve to interrupt up even essentially the most dire segments with some levity.

Winner: Closing Fantasy VII Rebirth

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

Fight & Gameplay

Whereas it’d seem to be there’s a transparent winner on this class, the competition is much from a easy one.

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

The Summon fights are additionally a key a part of the sport, they usually don’t disappoint. Whereas they’re stuffed to the brim with wild anime-esque scenes of huge monsters leaping from side to side like zero-G gymnasts, there’s additionally a way of weight and influence that helps to promote the sensation that you simply’re battling with — and as — titanically huge monsters of fable.

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

Whereas this would possibly sound extra gradual and methodical than its competitors’s gameplay, there’s really loads of room for creativity. One can slash and tear their means by means of foes quickly through hot-keyed strikes and skills, which makes it attainable to tug off strikes simply as insane as these seen in Closing Fantasy XVI.

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

Winner: Tie

This class is a bit too near name. Each video games provide the identical type 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 may take dwelling the win.

Audio & Voice Performing

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

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

The voice appearing follows swimsuit, 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.

Closing Fantasy VII Rebirth is equally spectacular. Its voice appearing could be a little extra erratic attributable to 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, nevertheless, is unmatched. Nailing a wide range of tones, it each revels within the themes of the unique Closing Fantasy VII and reinvents them in new and attention-grabbing methods. The result’s a treasure trove of themes and songs which aren’t solely good accompaniments to the sport however stand out as wonderful tunes in their very own proper.

Winner: Closing Fantasy VII Rebirth

Though Closing Fantasy XVI has the higher voice appearing, Closing Fantasy VII Rebirth’s soundtrack units it aside as the higher recreation when it comes to audio design. Its OST might be on many a participant’s playlist for months and years to return, and it deserves all of the accolades attainable for that truth.

Total Winner: Closing Fantasy VII Rebirth

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