Final Fantasy 16 was highly anticipated, and the wait was well worth it. The latest entry into the legendary Final Fantasy franchise has been a rousing critical success and paved a new way forward for the series. Final Fantasy 16 tells a darker, more mature story centered around the new protagonist, Clive. Partly a tale of two brothers, and partly an epic saga full of political upheaval, treachery and injustice, Final Fantasy 16 boasts one of the best plots in the franchise in a while.
Final Fantasy 16 is a breath of fresh air in terms of its story and art direction, but it has also made some huge gameplay changes. The combat system is vastly different from the traditional Final Fantasy archetype, and the party system is also a bit different. The party members or companions are largely AI controlled, with some player influence. Moreover, there isn't a wide variety of different companions to choose from. However, the ones that are available are fully fleshed out in terms of both combat utility and influence on the story. Bearly every party member has their own uses, so none of them are truly mediocre. That being said, here's how they stack up.
8 Otto
Otto isn't around as a party member for long, but he's a memorable character. His main highlight is the initial scenes where he essentially acts as a grumpy old man, acting distant and bossing Clive around. However, the more players interact with Otto, the more they see how important he is to Clive and understand his role in Cid's hideout. Otto's relationship with Clive quickly improves, and he eventually becomes of Clive's most trusted allies.
Otto's gameplay role is limited, mainly focused on the quest Letting Off Steam where he helps Clive gather stardust and later has some interesting dialogue. While Otto is a valuable ally to both Clive and Cid, his role as a party member is not as versatile as some others.
7 Sir Tyler
Sir Tyler is a stereotypical knight: honorable, trustworthy, and extremely loyal. He plays an important role in the earlier part of the story as a loyal shield of Rosaria. His interactions and dialogue with Sir Wade and Clive in particular are memorable. Sir Tyler is pivotal in the events at Phoenix Gate, and his role as a party member does not last long after this.
The potential was there for Sir Tyler to be a useful companion. However, the way the A.I party system works in this game, coupled with how certain story events follow through, means he's not much more than a fun cameo.
6 Dion Lesage
Dion is the crown prince of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque, one of the institutions Clive is fighting against. Dion at first comes off as rude, arrogant, and aggressive, and his monstrous Eikon Bahamut definitely raises eyebrows. As the story progresses, however, players get to see more and more of Dion. He even joins Clive's party for a short time, where he gets to show off his combat prowess.
Dion is a well-meaning prince who tried to steer his father clear of his cold-hearted ways, and he was even aware of Empress Anabella's nefarious designs. Dion eventually pledges his allegiance to Clive and leads his Dragoons in aid of Clive and his party's quest. Overall, Dion is a very well-developed character who shows that there's more to a fantasy prince than his pompous appearance, and he acts as one of the standout characters in this game.
5 Sir Wade
Players meet Sir Wade around the same time as they meet Sir Tyler, and he has an important role in story from the start of the game. Wade is thought to be dead after the attack at Phoenix Gate, but he re-surfaces later as the leader of rebel alliance. Wade joins Clive's party on a handful of occasions and shows how useful he can be. The key moment is when Clive and Wade defend Eastpool from both bandits and the purges.
Sir Wade is a solid character with some memorable appearances, and he stands as one of Clive's closest companions. He also gets a spot in the party for much longer than some others.
4 Gav
Gav is a scout and tracker who works for Cid. He's shown to be extremely selfless and loyal, helping out the player at every turn. He quickly becomes one of Clive's closest companions and is a fan favorite for some of his more memorable interactions in the story.
Particularly, if players choose Gav to accompany Clive in the Letting of Steam quest, the two men share some heartfelt dialogue. Gav pops up during a multitude of quests and, aside from the main trio, features as one of the most prominent party members in the game.
3 Torgal
Everyone loves Torgal, Clive's loyal and lovable frost wolf. Torgal is a mainstay in Clive's party and is extremely powerful as well, calling on Eikon to transform into a more powerful being when necessary.
Torgal and Clive were separated for 13 years but re-united through Cid, a common theme in party members. Torgal is also unique as players can control certain movements of his from time to time, acting as a unique auxillary weapon for Clive.
2 Cid
Cid is one of the most important characters in the game, especially in the first act. Cid acts as Clive's mentor and also leads his band of freedom fighters from his famed hideout. Characters such as Otto and Gav are all initially working for Cid as well. Cid has some extremely powerful lightning abilities which are always useful.
Cid has one of the best character arcs in the game, and stands out in a game full of incredible characters. His role as a liberator, mentor, and warrior mesh well together, and he serves as an important driver of the game's plot. He'll easily be remembered as one of the best companions in the series.
1 Jill Warrick
It was a toss up between Jill and Cid, but she wins in the end. Jill grew up with Clive and his brother, and is easily Clive's closest friend. Jill holds the powerful Eikon of Shiva which gives her mastery over ice magic. She stays as a party member for nearly the entirety of the game, and she remains useful and powerful throughout.
Along with her combat prowess, Jill is a major character in the story and her own character arc is exceptionally well-written with solid payoff. Jill is selfless and kind, and acts as the sort of moral compass of the story. She'll easily become a fan favorite due to her incredible ice magic and how important she is in the narrative.