How long is Final Fantasy 16?
Final Fantasy 16 is a substantial RPG, as expected from the long-running series. Here, we’ll outline how long it took different members of the iGV team to finish the main story and what they prioritized during their playthroughs.
Matt Purslow – News and Features Editor
Focusing on the main story, it took me 46 hours to complete Final Fantasy 16. I found the side quests to be rather simple, so I mainly focused on those that improved my gear. I completed about 25 side quests and a few optional monster hunts, which I’d say extended my playtime beyond the main scenario by roughly eight to ten hours. I also spent quite a bit of time reading the in-game lore entries and history lessons, which constantly update as the story progresses. This is likely why I’m not the fastest on this list despite prioritizing the main story.
While I missed out on some of the best weapons and items awarded for completing side content, it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the game, and it didn’t hinder my ability to deal out effective damage on the action-focused difficulty mode. By sticking mostly to the main quests, I reached level 42 by the time the credits rolled. Even on the action-focused setting, Final Fantasy 16 isn’t a difficult game, and the final boss wasn’t particularly challenging at this level. So, if you plan to focus on the main story, you can be confident that you won’t need to grind. However, be sure to do the side quests that increase the number and potency of your healing potions!
Mitchell Saltzman – Senior Producer
I took my time with Final Fantasy 16, systematically completing every side quest on the map until the main quest’s “point of no return.” At that point, around 12 more quests appeared, which I decided to save for after I beat the final boss. In total, it took me about 60 hours to reach the credits. That includes about half of the bounty board, roughly 60 side quests, and some time spent trying to set high scores in FF16’s arcade mode.
I’ve also dabbled a bit in the extensive New Game+ mode, which rearranges enemy locations, increases the difficulty, raises the level cap, and provides new opportunities to upgrade your gear. I still find the difficulty quite easy even in NG+ mode, at least at the beginning, so I’m unsure if I’ll complete a full second playthrough. However, I do plan on revisiting my main save to finish the remaining side quests, hunt down the rest of the bounties, and complete all of the chronolith trials.
Dale Driver – Executive Producer of Video
I powered through the story of Final Fantasy 16 in 29 hours, completing a good number of side quests along the way. In fact, I often prioritized side activities before tackling some of the game’s big bosses. As a result, I frequently found myself overpowered and the enemies lacking much of a challenge.
After the credits rolled, I still had over a dozen side quests and 20 notorious marks to hunt down, so I could easily see myself spending another 10 hours in the world of Valisthea. As a keen trophy hunter, I’ve already set my sights on the platinum prize. I’m close to having most of them complete, but there’s one outstanding gold that will likely double my completion time. You need to complete the entire game again in Final Fantasy mode. If you’re aiming for that platinum trophy, set aside a minimum of 60 hours.
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