Final Fantasy XV was a long time coming. During the ten years since it was first announced as Final Fantasy Versus XIII, the game has grown and changed. While it would be impossible for the game to fully live up to the hype surrounding it, Final Fantasy XV is a solid entry in the series and it is easily the best in a long time.
STORY
In Final Fantasy XV, you play as Noctis, a prince, who is sent out to marry a princess in a political marriage serving to broker a peace treaty between the Kingdom of Insomnia and the empire that controls all of the territories beyond the isolationist Insomnia. While it is by no means necessary, I would advise that anyone who is really interested in the story take the time (perhaps while the game is installing and downloading the large day 1 patch) to watch some episodes of the Brotherhood anime online and Kingsglaive, the feature film that released in July of 2016. The events of the anime and the movie provide some great background. If you are only going to pick one, I'd personally recommend the anime because it gives you a greater appreciation for the four core protagonists and their relationship.
That relationship between Noctis and his compatriots is the heart and soul of the story. This has the perhaps unintended consequence of minimizing the roles of other characters. However, in the context of the story that Final Fantasy XV is telling, that does not matter--the core team is great. They have some anime tropes, such as Prompto's occasional silliness, but the characters sell the story so well, and they are just a fun group with whom to spend time. There is fast travel in Final Fantasy XV, but I honestly advise against using it if you can because the banter between the group while driving or running on the maps is so enjoyable.
The core story can be finished in 15-20 hours if you skip the side quests. Skipping the side quests and side events is not really advisable because they help break up the action. However, there are not any missable side quests (or, for that matter, trophies/achievements for those who are interested in collecting them). There is a point where the story becomes very linear, almost to the point that it becomes reminiscent of Final Fantasy XIII, but you always retain the option to go back to the open world and do more quests, fish, and generally hang out with your team.
GAMEPLAY
Combat may be a sticking point for some gamers, and that is completely fair. If you played the demo that came with Final Fantasy Type-0 or the Platinum Demo, I can report that the actual in-game combat is better, but it's not too terribly far removed from the Platinum Demo. If you hold the circle button, Noctis will auto-combo enemies. Frequently during combat, enemies will try to flank Noctis, so you have to execute a relatively well-timed press of the square button to dodge, after which you can execute a counterattack. The triangle button allows you to warp to different points on the battlefield and to perform Warp Strikes, which are the flashy attacks that occur when Noctis throws his weapon toward an enemy, disappears, and reappears right next to it to execute an attack.
Magic is relegated to a handful of spells, which are consumable items for all intents and purposes. There is not much benefit to hoarding them--magic is easy to replenish, though its usefulness is limited.
The biggest criticism that can be leveled against the game is that the combat is not tactical, something even the oft-maligned Final Fantasy XIII trilogy managed to incorporate to decent effect. It is fair to say that this game is the least Final Fantasy of any Final Fantasy when it comes to the battle system. It's more Kingdom Hearts than Final Fantasy. I would submit that to a limited extent, it is also a Dark Souls-lite combat system because so much depends on proper timing of dodges and blocks and following that up with effective counterattacks. It is obviously far removed from the Souls/Bloodborne combat systems, and falls more into line with Kingdom Hearts, but the element of timing makes it a little less of a button masher, or in this case, a "just hold circle." There are three difficulty settings, so the higher you go, the more mindful you have to be of your timing in combat. I played the game on easy for the most part, but I spot checked the difficulty on higher levels and it definitely requires more focus.
One thing that makes this game very much unlike Kingdom Hearts is that your party is not entirely useless. Ignis, Prompto, and Gladiolus are great help in combat. In stark contrast to Donald, Goofy, and the world-specific NPCs in Kingdom Hearts, they will actively contribute to battles, killing enemies, healing, and fighting intelligently.
The bottom line on combat is that if you want something a little more tactical, the turn-based World of Final Fantasy has a surprisingly deep combat system that might better suit your tastes. If you want something fun and quick, Final Fantasy XV really succeeds.
Outside of combat, Noctis controls well and the driving controls work just fine. You don't unlock the ability to fly until after finishing the game, but once you do, the car controls effectively enough to help you reach side quest locations or wherever else you want to go.
GRAPHICS
Final Fantasy XV is a gorgeous game. One of the things SquareEnix delivered on is that this is one of the best looking games of the generation. I have to assume that it looks even better on a PS4 Pro with a 4K TV. Since I have neither of those things, I can only comment that on my 60" HD TV from 2012 with my standard PS4, the game was really stunningly gorgeous. The environments looked great, the characters' clothing and hair looked excellent, and the enemies all looked really cool.
SOUND
Yoko Shimomura has been composing game soundtracks for years. Arguably best known for the Kingdom Hearts series, she nonetheless manages to capture just the right tone for Final Fantasy XV. The music is really good, and everything has a great feel to it. The other thing about the game is that excerpts from many of the prior Final Fantasy soundtracks are available as in-game items to purchase (in the form of CDs), which you can then listen to as you drive in the car. There's also a portable music player you can purchase from a vendor. It's a great throwback to fans of the series, and it is implemented in a really smart manner.
I liked all the voices in the game. I listened primarily in English, but I felt everything was well-done. The character Prompto may get on players' nerves, but whenever he busts out an acapella version of the classic Final Fantasy victory music after winning a battle, he is likely to make you smile. One relatively minor criticism is that having seen the English language version of Kingsglaive, it felt a little weird to not have some of the bigger named actors reprise their roles, such as Sean Bean and Lena Headey as King Regis and Lunafreya, respectively. The voices in the game are perfectly fine, but I would have preferred some better continuity given that the projects were developed concurrently with one another.
Lastly, the sound effects in the game really enhanced the worldbuilding. There is an art to doing sound effects correctly, and this game nails it. From the sound of the car to the sounds of the chocobos to the enemy cries, everything really felt like it fit into the world and helped bring it to life.
CONCLUSION
It would likely be impossible for Final Fantasy XV to successfully live up to ten years of hype. It is not the unabashed masterpiece that the hype train might have hoped for. When the story gets to be more linear, it falters a bit. The battle system will not please everyone. Some players might get annoyed by the constant quips from the core characters. To me, in the end of the day, these are minor complaints that really do not detract from the big picture, and the big picture is this: Final Fantasy XV is a phenomenal game, a joy to play, and a great accomplishment even when removed from its own lineage and build-up. History will decide where it ranks in the Final Fantasy hierarchy. While I do not necessarily believe it surpasses IV, VI, or VII, I would definitely rank it on the top half of the list. This game has a lot of heart, and unlike so many RPGs that love to put the romantic interest or the whole save the world plot front and center, at the core of this game are four guys with a great relationship who genuinely feel like they're friends. Video games have always been able to tell stories about good vs. evil and big, epic journeys. Final Fantasy XV succeeds on a different level entirely: it tells the story of four friends who fight together and have a good time doing it. Their fun becomes the player's fun, and for that reason, I feel that Final Fantasy XV is a must-play entry in the franchise.
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From the manufacturer
Reclaim Your Throne
As the Crown Prince Noctis and his three best friends set out on a journey to wed his fiancée Luna, a terrible tragedy befalls his country. Under the guise of peace, the neighboring Niflheim Empire invades the kingdom of Lucis, severing his connection to his father King Regis and Luna.
Season Pass - (Sold Separately)
The Final Fantasy XV Season PASS gives you access to three original episodes and an online co-op multiplayer mode. Gladio, Ignis and Prompto will become playable characters for the first time ever and a new play mode for up to 4 players will be added to the game.
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Massive Open WorldExperience a vast open world with a variety of different landscapes that resemble real world locations. |
Unique MagicCraft, combine, and obtain elements from around the world to create devastating magic. |
Intense CombatReady yourself with a variety of different weapons never before experienced in Final Fantasy. |
Huge MonstersThe universe of Eos is rich with diverse landscapes, mysterious dungeons, and intimidating beasts to battle. |
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Final Fantasy XV
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Final Fantasy 15 is an open world miracle
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Reviews with images
98 hours into the game
Very happy with it.The story is well done but there are A LOT of side quest. Last I read over 200 but none of that is needed to finish the game or advance the story, other than help you gain money, level up and grab special items. Some are unavoidable due the fact that you need to complete some quest to move the story along. But for the most part, you can focus on sidequest and the main story (highlighted in red) in your quest selection. You have to balance both because the game can pull you in doing quest after quest and not move the story along. You can choose what to pursue highlighted red on the map, same for side quest. I know the biggest complaint about this game was the amount of side quest it has but YOU DO NOT NEED TO DO EACH ONE TO ADVANCE THE STORY.The magic system gets a little getting use to since it can hurt you and the party. You can unlock skills that pull the party away from the main fight, regroup or join you which allows you to use magic without effect everyone else. Those skills will not automatically unlock. You have to use AP points to purchase them. Using those skills in battle is some of the best ways to use magic without hurting the party. Magic also has to be created by the player (in the menu, not a store) you can pick up elements fire, lightning and ice from elemental points scatters all over the map. When you mix them, you can add items like potions etc to give it a boost or dual cast and even attack and heal the party. To get better effects like DEATH, MULTICAST etc you have to add them into the flask before creating them. They even allow you to just highly the item before mixing them and it will show the bonus effects to avoid guessing. I love the fact that when you use magic, the enemy will fry, pulse thunder or have ice cling on them. The environment also gets coated in the magic giving it a real world effect.I started playing the game with update 1.02 and the new one released 12/20/2016 1.03 which fixed a ton of bugs that I never encountered but nice to know they were fixed. The new 1.03 update allows NEW GAME+ which carries everything over. (minus story related items). Square is also releasing another update that adds CGI and story elements giving you the chance to beat the game and later do a full playthrough with all your gears, points, weapons, etc from the previous game. If you own a PS4 PRO the 4K looks incredible ESPECIALLY WITH HDR! I love the summons. But as a warning, summons choose when to help you, you don't summon them the traditional way. You have to meet certain requirements for them to appear and based on location some are more prone to jump in.As for the "long load times" it's really only if you die. As for the "Long car rides" you can quick travel, but you will miss random events since tend to appear while you're in the car. This will also trigger the load screen, but not as long as the initial load time. (which to me break the immersion so I just let the card drive itself)The only time i've quick traveled has been when i'm already familiar with section or leaving a dungeon. It quickly starts you at the start of the entrance with very minimal load time and you can bypass the long walk back.
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2016
Platform For Display: PlayStation 4Edition: StandardVerified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on December 23, 2016
Platform For Display: PlayStation 4Edition: StandardVerified Purchase
Top reviews from other countries
Felix
O jogo funcionou perfeitamente
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Un buen juego de Final Fantasy.
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