Final Fantasy XV (PS4) Review

"A Final Fantasy For Fans and First-Timers."

 I'm sorry I promised that I'll review Final Fantasy XV weeks after the game of the Game of The Year awards but didn't so. Thankfully, I've had the chance to recently replay Final Fantasy XV and do the long overdue review, so thank you for your patience. The much long-awaited Final Fantasy XV is finally upon us. Yes, the Final Fantasy that's been in development hell for 10 years is at last here. It came a long way ever since it's conception way back in 2006 as a PlayStation 3 title named "Final Fantasy Versus XIII". Over the past years, the game suffered from a long and shaky development cycle that included financial problems, multiple delays, and internal restructuring. However, the end-product was still something worthwhile. The journey of Young prince Noctis sets out with his three companions on a journey to reclaim his kingdom from the Niflheim empire is interesting despite some major setbacks. So with that said, it's time we cruised in the world of Final Fantasy XV and see what it has in store.


STORY- In the world of Eos, the Niflheim Empire controls much of the land with brute force. Young prince Notcis Lucis Caelum is on a road trip with three of his friends, Gladiolus, Ignis, and Prompto to journey to Altissa, where he is to be wed to Oracle and childhood friend, Lunafreya, also known as "Luna". However, when he receives news at the start of journey that his kingdom is under siege by Niflheim and that his Father and Luna are proclaimed dead. Upon hearing the news, Noctis and his companions set out on a long journey to reclaim their homeland. Final Fantasy XV requires you to at least have watched the  Brotherhood anime and Kingsglaive feature film to better understand the universe of the game. Though when it comes the base story of the game, the narrative is disjointed and disconnected with plot-points being brought up and dropped, characters appearing in one scene then never heard from again, underdeveloped supporting cast, and a third act that loses steam towards the end. Despite these criticisms, I moderately enjoyed the end-plot and I liked the lead cast and the dastardly and charismatic main villain as well.

Though not without its many flaws,

the plot's still decent.

GAMEPLAY- Unlike its predecessors, Final Fantasy XV is an open-world action-JRPG. You control Noctis alongside his A.I.-controlled companions as they explore the land of Eos via his luxury car, the Regalia. Combat takes an action-oriented approach this time called the "Active Cross Battle", which is similar to that of the Kingdom Hearts games, another Square Enix series. Additionally, enemy encounters aren't randomised, as you explore the open-world, you'll come across variety of enemies which you can ignore or fight. Noctis can deal heavy and light attacks to cut down enemies. After collecting a set number of legendary weapons called Royal Arms, Noctis can access "Armiger", which boosts his damage output and grant him brief invincibility. The duration of Armiger is represented by a circular bar on the bottom left and it takes some battles to recharge, so use it accordingly. Galdio, Ignis, and Promto can help out in battle by using Techniques, special attacks that if performed correctly, can include a follow-up attack from Noctis. For those unaccustomed to fast-paced action, the game features a "Wait Mode" in which you can briefly pause the game and plan your strategy. It's a neat mode if you don't plan on rushing things. Also, Summons, powerful mystical beings, can appear and aid the party in critical situations.

The gameplay has you slashing through enemies

in all sorts of flashy manners.

 This obviously wouldn't be a proper Final Fantasy without magic. Noctis can utilise magic dubbed "Alchemy" for the extra boost during combat. Across Eos, there are three elemental magic Noctis can harvest and use in combat. The Ascension system, functioning similarly to that of Final Fantasy X's sphere grid system, allows you to upgrade Noctis and companies' base attributes and their respective skills using Ability Points (AP) which are gained from battles. Speaking of battles, you won't immediately acquire the experience earned in a particular battle. You'll need to make or visit camps in order to rest up and tally up your EXP. Also, by using Ignis' exceptional cooking skills, you can cook various kinds of foods that grant stat boosts in combat.

Make camp and crack open a
cold one with the boys.

 Final Fantasy XV's open world is wide and has some activities to partake in. There are shops that sell you equipment such as weapons and armor, consumables, and even decals for the Regalia. Some even sell the soundtrack of previous FF titles, which you can play while cruising in the Regalia or when exploring on foot. You can accept hunts, which has you tracking down powerful monsters for loot and experience. They're definitely your best source for experience early on. Additionally, you can find special ingredients for Ignis to use when cooking up food. Side-quests encourage you explore much of the world to uncover some new enemy types and weapons to collect. However, as you complete one after the other, they tend to feel repetitive and eventually become boring. The main method of traversal you'll mostly use is the Regalia. It can be driven either manually or automatically, though don't get too excited about driving in manual as the experience is strictly on-rails. Note that you'll need to refuel the Regalia at gas stations should it runs out of gas. The Regalia's performance can be upgraded by accepting various quests given to you by mechanic Cindy. Furthermore, the iconic Chocobos can be used to navigate some of the terrain the Raglia can't pass through. The more you ride a chocobo, the more experience it gains and when at high levels, it can join the action in battles. You can also customize their look as well.

Four guys, one car.

 Final Fantasy XV isn't without its fair share of flaws. I found the combat to be pretty simplistic and lacking depth; it's mindless later on where you're just mashing buttons. Moreover, for a FF game, FFXV is on the easy side, even on Normal difficulty. Some story and optional bosses, despite their menacing appearances, are surprisingly easy to beat with no sweat. A minor annoyance I've experienced throughout my play-through was that the jump and interact actions were mapped to the same button. While trivial at first, it tends to slowly become irritating when you'd want to pick up something from the ground, only to jump out of nowhere. By far the biggest detractor was that after completing the game, I've watched the 2013 trailer of the game which included many plot-related scenes and events that were omitted from the final relase. It's pretty disappointing and would've made FFXV a far more compelling game.   

PRESENTATION- There's no denying that Final Fantasy XV is a stunning game. Thanks to Square's proprietary game engine, Luminous Studio, many towns and wildlife of the game are brimming with detail and variety, the same applies for the many sceneries you'll encounter along the journey. Initially, the game ran on a locked 30 frames-per second with some occasional dips. After patches, it currently runs at an unlocked frame-rate. While the performance more smoother it can be unstable since the game struggles to reach a stable 60 FPS. Voice-work is great, with many commendable performances from highly capable actors such as Darin De Paul and Jim Pirri. Yoko Shimumora of Kingdom Hearts and Mario & Luigi RPG series fame composes the score of FFXV. Without a doubt, it's easily among the best soundtracks of the franchise has to offer. Tracks such as "The Fight Is On!" and the ultra-soothing "Crystalline Chill" are some of the soundtracks' highlights.  

Square knocks it out of the park in

the presentation department.

OVERALL- Final Fantasy XV may have not been the Final Fantasy fans were expecting but nevertheless it's a decent one. The story is confused and convoluted no doubt and the gameplay is decent with a few issues holding it back. However, the production values are some of the best the series has seen. Final Fantasy XV is still full of charm, adventure, and mystery to keep it interesting. Newcomers will most likely enjoyed the most though reluctant fans should still consider joining the adventure.