WEBVTT

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(lively music)

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- [Claire] Oh, "Final Fantasy XVI,"

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what should I do with you?

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Your story exhausted me,

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your environments bored me,

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but I loved that combat,

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even if it seems I was playing it wrong

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by never using another
Eikon after unlocking Ramuh.

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While I would've preferred
classic turn-based combat,

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"Final Fantasy XVI" surprised me

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with just how tactical and
cinematic its fights could be.

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As in old-school Final Fantasy games,

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I stuck to a formula that worked for me,

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and I deployed reliable
tactics in each fight.

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I never changed my Eikons,

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and I also could never
make sense of the parry,

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but I enjoyed the combat's rhythm,

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and it did feel somewhat methodical,

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the same way Final Fantasy's

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classic turn-based fights always did.

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I had to think several steps ahead,

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cycling through each power

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in a satisfying,
step-by-step, tactical rhythm.

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It wasn't mindless, either.

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Each fight forced me to think about

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how I could make use of
my time and opportunities

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to win each battle.

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Do I use my time to
stagger or partial stagger

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as an opportunity to deal
damage without interruptions,

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or do I use it to heal
quickly, use other items,

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or cast Ramuh's Blind Judgment?

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Devil Trig, I'm sorry, Limit Break,

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felt similarly flexible.

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I rarely used potions,

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and instead, relied on
Clive's Limit Break as my heal

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since I lacked a dedicated cure spell.

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If my health was low, but my
Limit Break gauge was high,

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I could also lean into pushing my enemies

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into a stagger state in
order to pop my Limit Break

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once they fell, and
heal while wailing away.

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Keeping these elements in balance
was surprisingly tactical,

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and while I do prefer "Final
Fantasy VII Remake's" fusion

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of realtime combat with
traditional menu-based options,

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"Final Fantasy XVI" never
managed to feel too much

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like a clone of other
hack-and-slash games,

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and it made a hell of a lot more sense

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than whatever was going on in
"Final Fantasy XV's" combat.

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And it was engaging
the whole ride through.

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I also appreciated the
quick cinematic cuts

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to focus on Clive.

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They reminded me of when
early 3D Final Fantasy games,

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like seven and eight,

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zoomed the camera in and
out on the characters.

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It might not seem like much,

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but those quick camera cuts

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really helped sell a cinematic thrill

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that I've long associated
with Final Fantasy.

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It's just a shame that the
game only focuses on Clive

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during these moments.

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Still, "Final Fantasy
XVI's" combat system managed

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to create an approachable, masterful,

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and surprising tactical experience

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that felt right at home for the series,

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even though I was
probably playing it wrong.

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(thrilling music)