Final Fantasy XVI Is A Lot Of Things, But Is It An RPG?

gameranx.com:

Final Fantasy XVI has had a rough time. From the very first gameplay trailer long-toothed fans of the series have been spitting more chips than a disgruntled seagull over Square Enix’s latest entry in their long-running franchise. The low rumblings of, “Not my Final Fantasy” and “This is Devil May Cry!”, could be heard like a fart on the wind conjured by Garuda herself. 

After many months and many more reveals, very little has changed. Heck, even after a stellar demo and smooth launch, Final Fantasy XVI continues to be the butt of every joke. Millions of sales, exceptional critical reception, and a vocal majority be damned, the grognards, console warriors, and naysayers continue to relentlessly detract. To them, Final Fantasy XVI is neither an RPG nor a true-blooded Final Fantasy – but is there a bite to their bark?

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Who am I to say either way? I am, after all, just a faceless drone preparing to woo you with fancy words and lame jokes. Put all that aside and you have someone who has an extensive history with not only Final Fantasy, but RPGs across all decades of gaming. I’ve thwarted Sephiroth, slapped Chaos, banished the Dragon Lord, and earned the respect of Lord British himself – both in-game and in person. RPGs are my jam, and this article is going to be a delicious sandwich of somewhat coherent thought. 

So what is an RPG? The term has become very nebulous as of late, with RPG elements being interlaced with all sorts like a confusing bag of liquorice. Everything from racing games to light puzzlers has dabbled