Final Fantasy 16 is a divisive game for long-time fans of the series. Some love it despite its differences and because of the elements it adds, while others are vehemently against it being a part of the beloved franchise. The game is being review bombed by both sides, clearly demonstrating both sides of the argument.
Review bombing usually brings a game’s review score down, but there’s such a mix of positive and negative reviews being thrown at Final Fantasy 16 on Metacritic that neither side is having an impact. However, all these reviews make everyone’s views extremely clear, showing why the game has caused such a rift.
Related: Final Fantasy 16 Complete Game Guide – Stats, Quests, Characters & Eikons
Final Fantasy 16 Review Bombings Reveal Fans Fiercely Defending Their Views
Metacritic is no stranger to review bombing. The site is open for all users to post a review based on their time with a game, and many have used this in the past to bring a title’s score down by leaving hundreds of negative reviews. In the case of Final Fantasy 16, just as many, if not more, fans are leaving positive reviews as there are leaving negative ones.
At the time of writing, the user reviews for Final Fantasy 16 on Metacritic have 547 negative reviews, almost all with a rating of 0, and 1,262 positive reviews with a rating of or close to 10. A common complaint among the negative reviews is the game’s linear design, “linear and corridor-like ff13 tier level design.” Many are comparing it to Final Fantasy 13, which had a similar, hemmed-in, story and garnered the same sort of reaction from fans.
The positive reviews tell a different story, with fans gushing about how much they love the visuals, the big battles, and the acting, “This is one of the best games in 2023. A beautiful game with stellar combat, a mesmerizing story, and top-notch voice acting.” Of course, some are simply defending the game from the unfair practice of review bombing, acting in an attempt to work against the negative reviews, “Another FF game means it’s time for another round of review bombing!”
In almost all cases of review bombing, the score for a game drops to an abysmal number. This reaction from the Final Fantasy fan base shows that most people want the game to be left alone and give others a fair chance to decide if they like it for themselves. Metacritic has said in the past that it is working to put a system in place to avoid review bombing, but the pushback from fans and newcomers alike here seems to have done the job already.
