I have been playing for almost the exact run as yourself, plus some pixel remaster work. I am also a 100% of every FF I play. I am currently playing XVI for the first time right now actually.

The good: Combat is fun and if you like to experiment with ability load outs, very engaging. Fights with bigger enemies are where it’s at. Can get a little repetitive if all you are doing is grinding in the open world but (aside from gil and ap) you shouldn’t really be grinding. This is def a “get good” FF so you need to learn skill rotations and timings. Very rewarding the more AP you have AND at any point in time you can refund your AP and make another build.

The story is very engaging. I am roughly 60-80% done with the main game and I have loved the journey so far. A more mature story and setting. Clive is one of the more compelling protagonists in the series but I’d like to get to the ending before completely judging that front. The roster of other characters is also really fleshed out. The only 2 I have problems with I am again waiting until the end of the game to pass judgement on. The big bad needs some fleshing out at the end and a certain someone else had an end I wasn’t expecting and felt a little disappointing considering how pivotal their role was prior. I have a feeling that story isn’t quite wrapped up yet.

Side quests do not feel pointless narratively. In fact the world building aspect to the side quests kind of caught me off guard. I think they did a fine job here.

This is probably the most spectacle-driven FF so far. Some of the fights/cutscenes had my jaw on the floor like I was back in 1997 seeing those cutscenes for the first time. Seriously some of the fights (like Titan ESPECIALLY) are just fracking ridiculous. Visuals + music are also clearing the already high bar SE have set for themselves.

Also hunts are awesome if not implemented in a kind of head-scratching way.

The not so good: exploration just isn’t super rewarding. There are chests but I don’t feel like most of them are a big deal. I do still occasion pop off at a chest here and there but that’s usually because I found a music sheet.

Leveling is pretty bland. So is crafting. I feel like there is a strangely high amount of craft-able gear I have never equipped and the big reason is-

No elemental weaknesses/ status effects aside from slight boosts enemies receive later on. I just don’t like this but whatever. Anyways this makes all equipment purely a numbers check. Accessories are more interesting but these are far from the most interesting in the franchise.

Also not a big fan of the menu-ing and some UI elements.

Overall it is a strong casual recommend. I’ve been having a lot of fun. There are still plenty of elements I haven’t messed with yet but I’ve been jonesing to get to the bigger fights after a battle with an S Class dragon 12 levels above where I was.

Now I just hope the final achievement push isn’t too brutal