Developers open the game with a splash screen that says a "Final Fantasy for fans and first timers." With reverence for the old and a courtship for the new video gamers, high expectations have been placed on Final Fantasy XV. For nearly a decade since its rumored creation in 2006, Final Fantasy XV has been reinvented and redesigned.
Final Fantasy XV is a solid J-RPG engaging you in a touching journey that spans over a decade involving a fallen prince and his bond with 3 friends. The main story centers around Prince Noctis journey of self discovery, uniting with lost love, becoming powerful to handle evolving challenges, and path to claim the throne. It seems like developers reached into too many plot lines to make a longer game. FF XV commitment to the protagonist bond as four brothers in arms keeps the game glued together even when some of the game's design and story elements threaten to fall apart.
What's Old and New : Summons, MP, and Combat
The standard expectation from Final Fantasy games are breath taken summons, a lot of side quest, legendary monsters, and discoveries. Unlike most side quests in Final Fantasy, FF XV quest keep you engaged and interested in exploring all the new open world has to offer. During quest, clear on screen markers tell you where to go and what's next on the agenda. You can speak to locals tipsters to acquire useful information about quest, and they will highlight areas of interests, find rewards and special creatures as reward for your interaction.
The summons are not like the prior games. You can't get Knights of the Round table and rock the legendary bosses boats. Summons appear late in the game, and they come upon triggered moments. Summons like Leviathan must have open environments near water to be summoned. When the summons arrive they do high damage to all enemies and save the day. When summons appear they dominate the combat system, so you sit and watch them not control them.
A major new change is the magic spells and combat system. Magic specials are no longer connected to MP, and anyone can use them. Spells must be synthesized from raw materials, but the game encourages you to experiment and have fun. Add a health potion to a fire potion, and you have a hot item that heals you and burn everything around including your friends in the damage area. There is an element called death magic that takes the life out of enemies instantly, but developers might remove this element to balance the new combat system.
The main characters combat system is very diverse being able to use various swords, guns, and warp all the place to get better positioning or discover locations. Full real-time combat replaces the turn based systems of the past. It doesn't feel like a traditional Final Fantasy and any regard, but this game rewards cohesiveness to deliver a payoff. Often on solo mission you hold down the action button, and do a lot of well timed button mashing to defeat an enemy. Some old school fans might not be a fan of the battle system, but it gets the job done to me.
Disappointments
Developers warned FF15 is a completely new game from what we are expecting and got spoiled on. That being said, there are some expectations that a good can must have to be complete that I felt FF 15 fell short on. FF 15 story line progression had you making tough choices between advancing the story and having fun. There were changes and comprises that will make a long time Final Fantasy fans hearts break, and would really annoy new fans. I felt a 2 hour Leviathan to complete one solo mission to progress the main storyline was a bit much.
The main story had a lot of plot holes that are filled by the Kingsglaive and animated movies on FF15 that are released separately. I do not like that personally. I feel the game should stand alone, and give you all you need without paying for another source. The main journey for involves you seeking and acquiring relics to prove your heritage as the next king. These royal arms are plot mechanics to increase your powers and come as a cost to your HP when used in combat. I guess this is the developer way of making you understand power with sacrifice.
Overall
Final Fantasy XV is a new game and new experience that samples elements from the old and what you are used to seeing in every Final Fantasy. You can tour beautiful world, feed animals, fish, cook meals, pick fights with legendary creatures, gain friends, and have a journey that is worth remembering. The game has enough depth to hold your attention and keep you interested for 100s of hours. It's not a perfect game like FF 7, but Final Fantast XV is a step in the right direction for the franchise to stay competitive with the action and shooter driven AAA titles on market. I give Final Fantasy XV at 8.5 out 10.
