Polygon called Final Fantasy XVI one of the best Final Fantasy games in years now that it has joined the PlayStation Plus catalogue. The PC version on Steam still costs full price, the Eikon battles are still as good as they were on PS5, and the long single-player campaign holds up. The wider question for PC players is what to play if you finished the game, walked away halfway through, or want a similar action-RPG with a different flavour.
We played 7 Final Fantasy XVI alternatives on Windows in 2026. The picks lean toward the same shape FFXVI got right: action-first combat with stagger systems, a dramatic story, and a campaign that does not pad itself with open-world checklists. Each pick is ranked on combat depth, story pacing, PC port quality, and how long the campaign actually lasts.
Quick comparison
| Game | Best for | Free plan | Starting price | Standout feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Devil May Cry 5 | The combat lineage FFXVI drew from | No | $29.99 | The stylish combat playbook FFXVI borrowed |
| Final Fantasy VII Rebirth | Companion-driven RPG with great combat | No | $69.99 | Best ARPG combat in the FF7 remake trilogy |
| NieR Automata | Story-first action RPG with replay value | No | $39.99 | Multiple endings reward replays |
| Stranger of Paradise | Bargain Final Fantasy with Souls combat | No | $59.99 | Stagger-system depth in a smaller package |
| Granblue Fantasy: Relink | Co-op action RPG with a tight loop | No | $59.99 | Best co-op JRPG on PC right now |
| Tales of Arise | Story and party-driven JRPG combat | No | $59.99 | Beautiful art direction, great party banter |
| Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth | RPG with a longer playtime and a different tone | No | $69.99 | One of the year’s best JRPG comedies |
Why people leave Final Fantasy XVI
The PC port complaints settled into a few categories after launch. The stutter on shader compilation hit users with mid-range GPUs hardest in the early patches; the latest patch covers the worst of it but the first hour of the campaign still loads heavier than the rest. The side quest design has divided fans since the PS5 release: the game offers fewer optional content threads than most modern FF entries, and the ones that exist are heavy on dialogue.
The combat itself is mostly praised. The complaint here is that the rotation flattens once you have unlocked every Eikon, which is why several picks on this list offer combat systems that stay deep through to the end.
The alternatives
Devil May Cry 5, best for the combat lineage
Devil May Cry 5 is the parent of FFXVI’s combat system. Combat director Ryota Suzuki worked on both. The combo system, the stagger management, the launcher-and-juggle rotations all come from this game. Playing through DMC5 is the closest thing to extending FFXVI’s combat after the credits roll.
Where it falls short: the story is paper-thin compared to FFXVI. The PC port is clean but the campaign is shorter (15-20 hours vs FFXVI’s 40-50).
Pricing: $29.99 base; Special Edition with Vergil DLC $39.99.
Migrating from FFXVI: the muscle memory carries over. Set the difficulty to Devil Hunter on a first run; Dante Must Die is the closest match to FFXVI’s hard mode.
Download: Devil May Cry 5 on Steam
Bottom line: the right pick if the combat was the thing that kept you playing FFXVI.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, best for staying in the Final Fantasy universe
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is the second part of the FF7 Remake trilogy and the cleanest in-franchise alternative to FFXVI. The combat is party-based real-time with ATB pause; the story is the longest in modern FF; the world design lands somewhere between FFXVI’s linear style and an open world.
Where it falls short: the PC port arrived in early 2026 with a few rough edges still being patched. The minigame density is higher than FFXVI’s and some players bounce off it.
Pricing: $69.99 base; Deluxe Edition $89.99.
Migrating from FFXVI: different combat philosophy. ATB-meets-real-time replaces the pure action of FFXVI, which most FF veterans prefer anyway.
Download: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth on Steam
Bottom line: the right pick if Final Fantasy is the brand you came for.
NieR Automata, best for story-first action with replay value
NieR Automata is Yoko Taro’s action RPG with PlatinumGames combat. The first ending is the start, not the finish: the multiple-ending structure means a single playthrough covers maybe 40% of the actual game. The story is the strongest on the list.
Where it falls short: the PC port is the older Steam version with a separate Game of the YoRHa upgrade. The texture work is dated against newer titles.
Pricing: $39.99 base; Game of the YoRHa Edition $59.99.
Migrating from FFXVI: combat is faster and lighter than FFXVI. The story is what brings most players back.
Download: NieR Automata on Steam
Bottom line: the right pick when you want a story you will think about months after the credits.
Stranger of Paradise, best for Souls-flavoured Final Fantasy
Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin is the budget-priced Final Fantasy that nobody talks about. Team Ninja built the combat (the same studio behind Nioh) and the result is a stagger-and-stance system that runs deeper than FFXVI’s at the cost of a less polished story.
Where it falls short: the writing is intentionally B-movie. The cutscenes do not match the combat’s craft.
Pricing: $59.99 base; sales drop it under $25 regularly.
Migrating from FFXVI: the stagger system is the carry-over. Expect a steeper learning curve.
Download: Stranger of Paradise on Steam
Bottom line: the right pick when the combat in FFXVI was the only thing you stayed for.
Granblue Fantasy: Relink, best co-op action RPG
Granblue Fantasy: Relink is the co-op action RPG most FFXVI fans missed at launch. The combat is fast, the character roster is wide, and the post-game grind loops are the best on this list. The four-player co-op is the differentiator: FFXVI is single-player only.
Where it falls short: the campaign is shorter than FFXVI (20-25 hours). The post-game grind is the point but not for everyone.
Pricing: $59.99 base; Deluxe Edition $69.99.
Migrating from FFXVI: combat philosophy is similar but the camera is closer to a hack-and-slash. Multiple party members each run their own combo trees.
Download: Granblue Fantasy: Relink on Steam
Bottom line: the right pick if you want a JRPG to play with friends.
Tales of Arise, best for story and party-driven JRPG combat
Tales of Arise is Bandai Namco’s modern Tales entry and the most beautiful JRPG on the list. Real-time combat with party AI, a story that lands its emotional beats, and one of the most attractive cel-shaded art directions in the genre.
Where it falls short: the difficulty curve dips in the second half. The expansion (Beyond the Dawn) is divisive.
Pricing: $59.99 base; Beyond the Dawn expansion $39.99.
Migrating from FFXVI: more party banter, lighter combat. The story leans warmer than FFXVI’s.
Download: Tales of Arise on Steam
Bottom line: the right pick when you want a JRPG that feels lighter and more hopeful than FFXVI.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, best for a different JRPG tone
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is the most surprising pick on this list and the longest. RGG Studio’s turn-based JRPG sequel runs 70-80 hours of campaign plus dozens of side activities. The tone is closer to a Tarantino film than to FFXVI, and the substory writing is some of the best in the genre.
Where it falls short: turn-based combat. Players who came to FFXVI for action will need to flip the mental switch.
Pricing: $69.99 base; Deluxe Edition $84.99.
Migrating from FFXVI: completely different combat philosophy. The shared ground is “JRPG with a serious story.” The tone is much lighter.
Download: Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth on Steam
Bottom line: the right pick if you want a JRPG that will keep you for 80 hours and make you laugh on the way.
How to choose
Pick Devil May Cry 5 to keep the FFXVI combat going.
Pick Final Fantasy VII Rebirth to stay in the FF franchise.
Pick NieR Automata for the strongest story.
Pick Stranger of Paradise for budget-priced Souls-meets-Final-Fantasy.
Pick Granblue Fantasy: Relink for the only co-op JRPG with FFXVI-style action.
Pick Tales of Arise for a lighter, more party-driven JRPG.
Pick Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth when you want a long turn-based JRPG with great writing.
Stay on Final Fantasy XVI if the The Rising Tide DLC and post-game Final Fantasy mode are still ahead of you; the New Game Plus shifts the combat balance enough to justify another run.
FAQ
Is Final Fantasy XVI on PC worth it in 2026?
Yes. The PC port has settled after early patches, and the latest update improved shader compilation stutter. The full single-player campaign plus the two DLCs (Echoes of the Fallen, The Rising Tide) is around 60 hours of content.
What is the closest game to FFXVI on PC?
Devil May Cry 5 shares the combat lineage. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth shares the franchise. Stranger of Paradise shares the stagger system. The answer depends on what you valued in FFXVI.
Are any of these games free?
No. Every pick on this list is paid. Final Fantasy XIV is the closest “free trial that turns into a full game” experience but it is an MMO rather than a single-player action RPG.
Can I play FFXVI on Steam Deck?
Final Fantasy XVI is Verified on Steam Deck with default settings. Frame rate hovers around 30 fps on the LCD model; the OLED holds steady at 30 with better battery life.
Which alternative has the best combat?
Devil May Cry 5 has the deepest combat on this list. Stranger of Paradise has the deepest stagger system. Granblue Fantasy: Relink has the most varied character roster.
