DLC Review: Final Fantasy XVI

It’s been just over a year since I talked about Echoes of the Fallen, the first DLC chapter for Final Fantasy XVI. Writing late reviews seems to be the norm for me these days. For that I apologize. But, now that I’m finally finished with my review for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, I was able to shift focus and take a good hard look at the final DLC chapter for Final Fantasy XVI, The Rising Tide.

If you played the first DLC release for the Final Fantasy XVI, then you have a pretty good idea of what to expect here. The Rising Tide is an additional chapter that integrates itself into the main game. It’s intended to be played as part of the main story, but for those that have already completed the game, it is still accessible from a cleared save.

The focus of this new chapter is the Eikon of Water. That’s right, this mysterious summon that was mentioned sporadically throughout the main game is finally obtainable! To access it, players will need to reach a certain point in the main storyline, at which point a quest becomes available that takes the player to the secret village of Mysidia. It is here that Clive is able to learn the truth about the mysterious Eikon, Leviathan, and obtain the summon for himself.

The village of Mysidia and the surrounding area is absolutely gorgeous. It’s by far the prettiest zone in the entire game and it really shows off the power of the PS5. I found both the main story of the expansion and the side quests to be very well done and interesting. Several classic elements of Final Fantasy lore are finally brought to the world of FFXVI with this release. Want to see the FFXVI take on Tonberrys? What about the mystical White Chocobos? They are here!

Of course the main highlight of this DLC release is the battle between Clive and Leviathan. Out of all the Eikon battles in Final Fantasy XVI, I think this one might just be my favorite. The battle is fast paced and filled with white-knuckle action. Leviathan is certainly no pushover and the battle visuals really give the fight an epic feel. I was pretty impressed by what I found here. There’s no doubt that this game is one of the most visually stunning entries in the series.

On the other hand, I found the usefulness of the water abilities to be less impressive than some of the other late-game Eikons. I think Odin is probably still my favorite Eikon to have equipped for general use, alongside Ifrit and Titan. Still, its nice to have the element of water finally available in the game, nonetheless.

Thankfully, this DLC has a little more to offer than just a new quest line, summon, and explorable area. As was the case with Echoes of the Fallen, this DLC also raises the level cap all the way to 60 (or 110 for New Game+ players). There’s also a handful of new obtainable items that are unlocked as well (some instantly redeemable and some that must be quested for).

There’s also a new game mode called Kairos Gate that’s now accessible through the Arete Stone. This addition adds a roguelike mode of play consisting of various optional battles. The ultimate reward for completing these battles is crafting materials required to forge the new ultimate weapon, Original Sin.

Finally, this DLC (in combination with Echoes of the Fallen) also unlocks the ability to obtain the Ultima Eikon for Clive. That’s right. Clive is now able to take on the abilities of the game’s final boss. The way this is explained is a little off the cuff compared to how the other Eikons in the game work lorewise. But still, it’s a fantastic addition.

I enjoyed my time with The Rising Tide much more than I did with Echoes of the Fallen. But, lumping these two chapters in with the main game is undoubtedly the definitive FFXVI experience. Having these included really makes the game feel complete.

Overall Impression: A worthy addition to the main game, but a release that feels a little odd on its own. Excellent visuals and plenty of great content to enhance the Final Fantasy XVI experience.

Value: This DLC costs $20 by itself. For $30 you can obtain both The Rising Tide and Echoes of the Fallen together. This is not really a savings. Personally, I feel like this pack should be priced closer to the $10 mark. But, if you’re a completionist like me, the price is affordable.

Main Game: Final Fantasy XVI Review