Final Fantasy 16 has been praised by many critics and fans, but some players have criticized the game, saying that it straight-up copied Devil May Cry 5.
While the game has received high ratings from reviews, it seems that many fans are split about the game’s new gameplay direction. After all, this is likely the Final Fantasy entry with the least RPG elements.
As with any new mainline entry, there are lots of debates online on whether or not FF16 is a true Final Fantasy game. On the Final Fantasy subreddit for instance, there have been lots of threads criticizing the game for its lack of RPG elements, though there are also others that defend the game.
Among those who dislike the game’s direction, the prevailing sentiment is that the game’s Devil May Cry-inspired combat is not a proper fit for a mainline Final Fantasy title. In fact, some even say that FF16 straight-up copied Devil May Cry 5, as shown in this video which compares the movesets of both games:
While the developers did tap Capcom veteran (and Devil May Cry 5 gameplay designer) Ryota Suzuki, the similarity in the moves and the animations between FF16 and DMC5 is quite egregious.
Of course, that’s based only on the video though as, while a lot of the moves are incredibly similar, it’s easier to pull these moves off in FF16. That’s not to say it’s a watered-down version of DMC5, it’s just that it has other such as the Eikon abilities (that are more akin to the new God of War games) and the stagger bar mechanic that make it play quite differently.
Still, while it’s not just a DMC5 clone, some fans are not happy with this action-focused combat, with some player saying that they wished that this would’ve just been a spin-off instead of a true mainline entry.
Given how passionate Final Fantasy fans are, it’s likely that the debate about FF16 among hardcore fans will rage on in the coming weeks and months.
Final Fantasy 16 is out now exclusively on the PS5.