Trying again - Final Fantasy XVI

Not sure about the rest of you, but for some games, I buy them, play them for a bit, then go 'nah' and put them away. I tend to do that with all the bigger games that take time, from Dragon Age through to Elden Ring and onto Final Fantasy.

I think part of it, is like playing the old demos that you used to get. You get a feel for the game and then return later when you have bought the full game. I put it down to that, I also use the 'short' play to test what effort is required. Elden Ring took a lot for example, as it's a game that requires precise moves against even the lesser opponents let alone bosses.

But I digress. I've reinstalled FF XVI on my PS5 and took Clive for another drive (a pun from FF XV). The one thing about FF games is the richness of the story, and the cinematic cutscenes spread all throughout the games. I also like that each group of games is based in a different world, with different characters making the games feel bigger. I'm one of the folks who actually like XIII/XIII-2 though I never got on with Lightning Returns.

FF XVI has lots and lots of cutscenes, the first couple of hours feel like 80% watching and 20% playing, though after two hours you get to the title screen being displayed (no spoilers as to what happens to finish the opening sequence).

Anyway, it's one of those questions I'll ask myself as I play through it, how good is this, is it as good as VII, or X/X-2 (my personal favourites), though so far it's better than XV - which I found to be quite dull as a story. Even though it felt like a car journey that I've been on with friends.

So is this the start of me going back to older FF games, and playing/replaying the latest re-builds (like VII - Rebirth) or am I just wanting to complete a game?

Right, I need to charge my controller, get a brew, take a break and then get back in there, mashing buttons and getting trophies.

As I think about my own lists of FF games, what are other's favourites? I do also play some XIV though it's getting dull as I wait for the Endwalker release.