I'm also playing FFXVI at the moment. I haven't beaten it yet, but I will say that this is the first new single player addition to the mainline series that I've thoroughly enjoyed since FFX. (I have to specify that since I enjoyed both MMOs and I really liked FF7R.)
I very much vibe with the cast of characters in the game. The soundtrack is awesome. The combat can be very barebones and get you through it, or you can utilize the smaller nuances and mix things up which feels fun; as someone that recently played DMC5 for the first time I can definitely see the combat designer in both games and I do consider that a good thing. While I'm not the biggest fan of QTE's unless it's the whole point of the game, ala Until Dawn, the sheer cinematic quality of them in FFXVI very much pulls me in. Presentation is top notch. The side quests are kinda fetchy as with all JRPGs, but you reach a point where they all come together and I feel like they do a great job of assisting with worldbuilding at a certain point. I've even had my jaw drop a few times with them. Loads of little easter eggs which act like love letters to the whole series.
I'll echo the statements of others in that I miss gearing up and seeing the skills of my allies. They actually do put in work against enemies in the field and I feel their presence, but the fact I can't even see their stat pages and the names of their skills irks me.
In short: As someone that's been playing FF since the days of the NES, this one could very well enter my Top 5. That said it's still fresh and I haven't beaten it yet, so my opinion could plummet depending on how things go.
