The highly anticipated Final Fantasy XVI has finally made its way to Steam, and early impressions are overwhelmingly positive. Having already downloaded the game, I was eager to dive into the PC release, especially after experiencing the PS5 version’s occasional performance hiccups. Thankfully, the PC port showcases a significant leap in optimization, boasting impressive graphics options and smooth gameplay on modern hardware. However, there are a few areas where the game still shows its PlayStation 5 origins, particularly in its cutscenes.
One of the most notable issues is the locked 30fps framerate in cutscenes, which replicates the juddery experience seen in the PS5 version. While many PC games feature 30fps cutscenes, it’s often less noticeable due to the separation between gameplay and cinematic sequences. In Final Fantasy XVI, the rapid transitions between cutscenes and gameplay during battles and story sequences can create a jarring shift in smoothness. Furthermore, the game utilizes real-time rendering for some cutscenes, further compounding the issue. This inconsistency in frame rate can disrupt the immersive experience, especially for players encountering the game for the first time.
Another concern arises during the game’s Cinematic Strikes, quick-time events that trigger during intense battles. While the frame rate generally remains smooth during gameplay, it plummets significantly at the start of these Cinematic Strikes, only returning to normal afterward. This stark frame rate drop is unique to these sequences and doesn’t occur during other battles or cutscenes, suggesting a potential optimization issue. While the 30fps cutscenes might be due to pre-rendered video files, it’s possible that Square Enix can address the Cinematic Strike issue with further optimization.
Despite these shortcomings, Final Fantasy XVI looks and runs remarkably well on PC. I tested the game with an RTX 4090 at 4K resolution and the Ultra graphics preset, achieving a smooth 80fps with Deep Learning Anti-Aliasing (DLAA) enabled. Even with this powerful GPU, achieving 60fps on the Ultra preset of other demanding PC titles like Black Myth: Wukong proved challenging. The inclusion of DLSS 3, AMD FSR 3, and Intel XeSS 1.3 upscaling technologies adds further flexibility for players seeking optimal performance. Moreover, the game features a dynamic resolution option, which automatically adjusts the internal resolution in real time to maintain the desired frame rate.
Beyond the graphics options, I was particularly impressed with the game’s CPU utilization. Testing with a Ryzen 7 7800X3D, I observed an even distribution of workload across all 16 threads, indicating efficient CPU resource management. This is a welcome change from games that tend to rely heavily on a few specific threads, often leading to bottlenecks. However, the game’s memory usage was slightly concerning. While playing at 4K resolution, I observed around 10GB of VRAM usage, which significantly decreased at lower resolutions and graphics settings. However, I consistently registered approximately 19GB of RAM usage. Though the game requires 16GB of RAM, I recommend a system with 32GB if you plan on playing at resolutions higher than 1080p.
The developers have specified a minimum requirement of an 8GB graphics card, leaving some players to question whether further optimization is still underway. Despite the lingering concerns, my time with the demo has been immensely positive. Further testing with various CPU and GPU configurations will provide a clearer picture of the game’s overall optimization, but the initial impression is that Final Fantasy XVI delivers a well-optimized and feature-rich PC port, promising a truly enjoyable gaming experience.
