Square Enix's latest mainline installment in the Final Fantasy franchise, Final Fantasy XVI, was released to almost universal acclaim. That being said, some fans have been eyeing the game to see if it is worth its price point, especially when it comes to the time they can expect to spend playing it.
Final Fantasy XVI was not developed to deliver a brief experience. While the heart of its story is the journey of its protagonist, Clive Rosfield, FFXVI's complex and layered narrative typically involves multiple stories being told at once, which inevitably contributes to the game's length. Furthermore, the action RPG is packed with plenty of additional content for players to enjoy. With that being said, here's how long it takes to beat Final Fantasy XVI's story, as well as how long it takes to complete everything the game has to offer.
How Long to Beat Final Fantasy XVI's Story
While Final Fantasy XVI's combat is certainly a highlight, it is largely a story-driven experience. Many of the quests, including those in the main scenario, involve nothing more than traveling between NPCs to witness an exchange of dialogue between characters. As a result, much of a story-focused playthrough of the game will revolve around watching cutscenes, and often lengthy ones at that. That is by no means a negative thing, as the Final Fantasy franchise is known for its compelling narratives. Still, players can expect to spend a great deal of their time watching Final Fantasy XVI's story unfold.
According to director Hiroshi Takai in an interview with Everyeye, players can expect to complete Final Fantasy XVI's story in around 35-40 hours, depending on how much of the game's optional content they choose to do and how much time they spend leveling up Clive to prepare him for the battles ahead. As long as players spend some time exploring Valisthea and defeating the enemies they encounter along the way, they should be well-equipped for every main quest.
How Long to Complete Final Fantasy XVI
Final Fantasy XVI is not the series' largest game to date. But it is still packed with content, including a rather hefty number of side quests (especially near the end of the game) and other optional activities like completing Chronolith Trials and hunting Notorious Marks. Additionally, Final Fantasy XVI includes a New Game + mode with new gear to collect and mode-exclusive content. While a story-focused playthrough of Square Enix's latest mainline Final Fantasy title is perfectly feasible, completionists will find finishing everything the game has to offer can take a considerable amount of time.
Completing Final Fantasy XVI's story and every optional activity in the game can take players upwards of 100 hours during their first playthrough, depending on what they prioritize and whether they use the Chocobo mount as their primary means of transportation. Earning a Platinum trophy for the game will require players to complete a New Game + playthrough on Final Fantasy Mode, which offers a more challenging experience and new equipment and weapons for Clive like the Ultima Weapon. Collecting every piece of gear available in Final Fantasy Mode, as well as completing the optional mode-exclusive content like the more difficult Final Chronolith Trials, can increase that playtime to anywhere between 120 and 150 hours, which largely depends on whether players choose to skip every cutscene in the game.