Highlights
- Final Fantasy 16 is praised for its gameplay, combat, story, and world-building, taking the RPG genre by storm.
- However, some of the game's bosses are underwhelming compared to the rest, with some not meeting the standard.
Final Fantasy 16 has been met with high praise since its release, taking the RPG genre by storm. Final Fantasy 16 excels in gameplay, combat, story, and world-building. The story of Clive Rosfield is filled with twists and turns, growth and grief that take the player on a magical thrill ride facing down god-like beings with nothing but a sword and the help of true friends.
No game is above scrutiny or without issues, and Final Fantasy 16 is no different. With perhaps some of the most polished releases in the last decade, Final Fantasy is a hard nut to crack. However, the game's seemingly only flaw is in its line of bosses. Final Fantasy 16's boss lineup is filled with massive monstrosities, dragons, and even gods themselves, and that is where it takes its first flaw. Of the many bosses in Final Fantasy 16, there are those that just don't meet the standard compared to the rest of the game. Here are some of the most underwhelming bosses in Final Fantasy 16.
7 Akashic Morbol
The Morbol is a classic among monsters in the Final Fantasy franchise, being one of the most recognizable creatures in gaming. Upon entering the Drakes Breath lair for the Mothercrystal, an Akashic Morobol will appear, entrapping Clive and his party.
The Morbol appears with a new line of behaviorisms and more powerful attacks to dodge, but with good timing and reflexes, the Morbol can be made quick work of. While it is nice to relive an early boss fight from the beginning of the game, even the Morbol's new move-set doesn't make it stand out.
6 Fafnir
While traveling through the Greatwood forest with Torgal and Cid, a Fafnir appears and obstructs their path. Players must combat the beast to progress, which at first proves easier said than done.
However, the Fafnir's move set is easily read and not much more challenging to deal with than a Chocobo. As one of the first monsters that appeared during the lead-up to the game's release, the Fafnir did not put up as much of a fight as initially led on.
5 Akashic Dragon
The Akashic Dragon is one of the largest creatures that players will face in Final Fantasy 16 and the first full-sized Dragon to appear in the game overall. While the introduction to the Akashic Dragon is fierce and gets the blood pumping, the fight is easy enough to deal with, aside from a large AOE breath attack.
Unfortunately for the Akashic Dragon, it follows the Typhon boss fight, which is leagues above and even gets out staged by the Red Dragon, Svarog.
4 Hugo Kupka
Hugo is a magnificent villain in Final Fantasy 16; he's brilliantly written with a strong motive and hatred for Clive over the death of his beloved. While Hugo is a mountain of a man whose presence is felt throughout the game, upon meeting Hugo face to face, the inevitable clash between him and Clive kicks off in Clive's hometown.
The first encounter with Hugo is fun but is entirely written off by their second encounter in the land of Waloed as Hugo gives himself over to the Mothercrystals in one of the best Eikon battles in the game.
3 Republican War Panther
After the curtain is pulled away and the players discover an insidious entity pushing the world into chaos, they are pushed five years forward, where Clive now sits as the leader of the Hideaway and is now a world-renowned outlaw.
Upon gaining back control of Clive, players set out to free captive civilians that are being used as bait to draw Clive out of hiding. Upon defeating the wave of soldiers, they release the Republican War Beast. As the first fight after the reveal of Typhon and Ultima, the War Beast just doesn't hold a lot of weight.
2 Coeurl
Final Fantasy 16 has an enormous roster of powerful monsters that populate the world, like the Notorious Marks that Clive must cut through in order to survive. While most monsters have their place, some make more sense to remain B-tier encounters rather than full-on bosses.
During the storming of Rosaria, Clive and his friends are stopped at the gate by a group of soldiers that unleash a Coeurl. While at first, the fast movements and lightning attacks of the monster are a great challenge, it is disappointing that the beast becomes a regular monster in some parts of the game world, making the boss fight lose some of its luster.
1 Control Node
Upon reaching "The Last King" quest and storming the borders of Waloed, Clive will have to ascend an Akashic ruin and cut through endless hordes of Akashic automatons to make it to the top and face Barnabas.
The Control Node is the first boss Clive will face and is just a larger version of the small Akashic spheres. The fight is a bit one-sided as the Control Nodes move set is quickly dealt with and is overshadowed by the Aurum Giant boss that comes almost immediately after.
Final Fantasy 16 is available on PlayStation 5.