Most of the boss fights in Final Fantasy 16 are undeniably cinematic from start to finish. These visually appealing fights might even make you admire them. But even a game full of breathtaking battles has some that are more memorable than others.
These battles with giants may remind you of Attack on Titan. If they don’t trigger memories of Titans, they might bring back memories of MCU fights that have been buried in your head. Among the biggest fights here are the ones that have stunning effects and shocking transformation scenes that are sure to leave you in awe and speechless.
This article contains heavy spoilers for Final Fantasy 16.
10 Barnabas – the last king
The confrontation with King Barnabas is also a clash of philosophies. King Waloeda is largely a mystery, and this confrontation finally gave meaning to his cause. He is a parallel to Clive, but has taken the path of a slave to fate. Just as good as the battle itself were the philosophical questions and snappy lines that fell before it.
Before continuing to draw blades with Barnabas, Clive tells the king that he should worry about his weakness of will. The fight had its twists and turns and just when you think it’s over, another phase begins. It’s a long battle, but by no means boring — especially when Clive comes to the conclusion the world is fighting for, even if it means killing a god.
9 Eikon Of Fire – Flight Of The Fledgling
The fight between Joshua’s Phoenix and Ifrit was both beautiful and tragic. In a cutscene, you will witness the horrific sight of Lord Rosfield dying in front of his youngest son, prompting him to prepare the Phoenix. Joshua’s fury killed many soldiers that day, but that’s only half the surprise.
Another fire Eikon seemed to stop Joshua, but he ended up overdoing it. The showdown between Phoenix and Ifrit leaves you on the edge of your seat, but it also leaves you reeling in pain at the end of it all. According to Clive’s memory, he was unable to stop Ifrit from killing Joshua, leading to Rosaria’s subsequent downfall. These are nightmares for anyone who loves their siblings.
8 Infernal Eikon – Buried Memories
He fought his own brother, then he had to fight himself. It’s hard for Clive, but it’s better than not knowing the truth about your brother’s death. He is able to come to terms with his past and accept who he is, the Dominant of the second Eikon of Fire, Ifrit.
Only by fighting his own shadow can he accept that he was the monster he’s been chasing all these years, making this battle bewildering to watch. But watching the great action sequences where Clive fights himself makes it all worth going through.
7 Typhon – The Crystal Curse
Cid and Clive are full of surprises, but so is the world of Valisthee. Typhon appears as they smash Draco’s head, and Cid throws his staff right into the titan’s heart. But instead of dying instantly, Typhon gives you one hell of a boss fight with amazing CGI.
It’s a twist to see that titans exist in the world of Valisthea, and another to see that they look incredibly similar to the Attack Titan. Still, this fight is a great showdown between the smaller Ifrit and the giant Typhon. But this fight ends not with a bang, but with a whimper – and Cid dies shortly after protecting Clive.
6 Liquid Flame – Fire and Ice
Jill is a constant figure in Clive’s life after they are reunited, but she has to face demons at Ironholm. Her demon is a man named Patriarch. This cunning priest gleefully slaughtered mounts of all ages, all in worship of the Dragon Fang, the mother crystal of Dhalmekia.
Nothing proved more satisfying than seeing Jill and her majestic Shiva in this fight where fire and ice rain down on the molten battlefield. But the best part of this fight is the patriarch’s death, ending with Jill’s blade.
5 Garuda – Awakening
Clive thought he had tamed the Garuda, but it rose from the cliff and had him in its clutches. Benedikta was strong-willed, but Clive managed to summon Ifrit after a shocking turn of events. He didn’t realize at the time that he was an Ifrit and that he could finally crush Garuda.
But the other part that made this battle interesting was the appearance of the Thunder Eikon. Cid had to stop Ifrit by knocking him out, but not before she could save Benedikta from death. The fight isn’t the only thing that’s pure film here. The way Cid must muster the courage to walk away from Benedicta’s dead body ends up being a bittersweet scene.
4 Hugo – The Death Penalty
Hugo Kupka is a big man with big ambitions. When the head of the person he thought would rule the world alongside him was sent to his doorstep, he was simply furious and decided that cruelty to those associated with the Cid was justified. This hatred spread to Rosario when Hugo learned that Clive had decided to take Cid’s inheritance.
The showdown that takes place in and below Rosaria’s throne room is not something you want to miss with a blink of an eye. Clive is very angry when Hugo crushes Lord Rosfield’s throne and furious when Hugo learns the truth about Benedict’s death. This fight is earth-shattering – literally – and this is just the first part of it.
3 Titan – Into Darkness
The final boss fight between Ifrit and the Titan delivers two of the ultimate story moments in Final Fantasy 16. In this chapter, Clive can finally summon Ifrit at will instead of relying on Eikon to come and go at any time. The epic scene of the transformation at Clive’s will was long overdue anyway.
But from a cinematic perspective, Titan’s final form after drinking the ether gets all the attention. You practically get the Attack on Titan experience when you fight this Titan, except you’ll have to do more than just cut off its head. This fight has a large number of explosions where time freezes, and ends with crystal rain. Barnabas is impressed to the point where he has to comment on how beautiful the crystal’s death was.
2 Bahamut – Fire in the sky
This fight is undoubtedly one of the most breathtaking and most excruciating. Clive is reunited with the person who sold him for dead – his own mother Annabella. The castle wall is spectacularly demolished by the fighting outside, leading to a heart-to-heart meeting between Clive and Joshua.
The combat is literally out of this world and explosive in all its draconian proportions. Zettaflare’s appearance is a shocker – especially for any Final Fantasy fan steeped in the series’ lore. The confrontation between the two brothers is breathtaking, even if Bahamut is especially difficult to deal with.
1 Ultima Prime – Back to their origins
You’ve reached the point where you’ve killed the god of their world, so it’s no surprise that this battle is the most climactic of the rest. Clive once again proves his strength of will when he chooses to fight Ultima, even though Joshua died giving Clive the Phoenix. The battle is multi-phased and definitely works your hands.
All the flying, transformations and explosions are likely to blow your mind during this final fight. But ultimately, Clive’s admirable decision to push through and fight for his world and its freedom, Clive’s memories of Joshua and the death of Ultimo and Clive’s eventual death by magic are what make the fight painfully memorable.