16. Final Fantasy XVI (2023)

The Final Fantasy series has been gradually moving to being an outright action RPG, and Final Fantasy XVI is the culmination of that arc. That shift has made the game pretty divisive among fans, alongside its pivot from the quirky, campy melodrama of previous games into Game of Thrones-esque political drama. But even with those contentious elements, Final Fantasy XVI still has a lot going for it. The fast-paced, combo-driven combat is more akin to something like Devil May Cry, and brings with it the same flair that makes the genre so popular. Square Enix knows how to choreograph a set piece, and XVI has a ton of explosive, memorable fight sequences. But in between all the gravitas, Clive’s story has a lot of heart and soul. Its cast, while also divisive, has some series greats such as its main hero and Cid

The Final Fantasy series is at a crossroads right now, and it’s unclear if XVI is the path forward. But it is, at the very least, an inflection point for what comes next in the series. — Kenneth Shepard