With 145 hours, and all achievements completed, except for the ones from Comrades - which I've just started - I think I'm more than qualified to review Final Fantasy XV.
Let's start by saying that in this case, Square Enix has outdone itself far and beyond, putting the work into releasing an actual PC version of the game. Not just a port, as is often the case with many AAAs, but an actual PC version. And we all know that, apart from Blizzard titles, few games can boast of doing this. The game since D1 had super solid performance better than many games at their last patch. Far be it from me to say it didn't have or has some minor problems, but when everything works so well, you don't even notice.
The DE-FI-NI-TI-VE version
Do you remember when GTA V came out for PC after years of a console exclusive release and once on PC the game was clearly superior to any of the console versions?
Well, I've read quite a few articles about how FFXV on PC unlocks the true potential of the Luminous Studios engine. And indeed it is true. It's a feast for the eyes, having nothing to be ashamed of compared to that famous PS4 demo, which was barely running on the hardware at the time. The game is graphically spectacular like few on PC, not at the levels that Tabata had declared in a recent interview however, it actually stands out.
With final version I am not only talking about the graphics of the title, but also about the content. On PC has arrived what is known as Royal Edition on consoles - renamed for us Windows Edition - which contains the contents of the Royal Pack DLC and the 3 DLC Episodes: Gladio, Prompto, and Ignis.
While the Final Fantasy community is known for praising the older titles and over-criticizing newer good games like XII and XV, learning more about the development of XV, I almost understand the hatred towards it.
The game had a troubled ten-year development while an anime and a movie about it came out in the meantime to fill in the void. All this, while getting a director change from Nomura to Tabata. The latter had to pick up the shattered pieces of a messy development and put them together. Having such a troubled development means that many things have changed since the start, especially regarding the characters. It's almost "normal" with titles with such long developments that there are changes in the final product. What really shocked me to discover, was that the Royal Pack didn't just add a few new enemies, outfits, or details, but ALL the notes around the world that add lore and details of it, an ENTIRE map and STORY BOSSFIGHTS. And let's not forget the 3h of cutscenes that were added to the game too!
It's therefore clear that a game that is half-released at launch obviously doesn't get a warm reception. Even if, on the other hand, praise must be given to Square for investing so much in completing and now further finalizing a single-player game, not like in other cases in the market - RIGHT KONAMI?!
But for us on PC, lucky, it has arrived in its current complete state and will continue to receive content. I can only review the Final Fantasy XV I played, not what launched in 2016, so now that that's out of the way...
Plot and Gameplay (DLCs included)
The game follows the road-trip journey of four best friends:
Noctis - the heir to the throne
Gladius - King's Shield and devoted protector of Noctis
Ignis - childhood friend and advisor, and
Prompto - gunslinger and photographer of the group.
The purpose of the trip is to lead Noctis to Lunafreya, his betrothed. An unexpected very emotional plot, which hit me harder than I could have thought. The characters are very well written and consistent with themselves, with personalities well-defined both within the game and the other media, and their actions always speak louder than their words.
The road trip would not be complete without the car, in this case, the Regalia. While it's possible with a specific in-game modification to detach from the "rails" and switch to something more GTA-esque, for the majority of the game driving to a new place feels like actually being a passenger yourself. That's because when driving, being Ignis or the player, you're limited only to accelerating without having to worry about much, except where to turn making the road trip even more immersive. One of the things that is certainly best done in FFXV is making you attached to the group and their friendship, so much so that the party rarely changes. Their interaction, their banter, and the way they hang out together are so curated, that I believe often the car has only 4 seats taken because the 5th is for you.
The game features an open-world map with sidequests and hunts that won't be a simple killing of already-known enemies, but will often be unique enemies specific to that hunt. As far as the combat system is concerned is extremely fun, starting from a solid base of action gameplay and adding its own twist to it, from teleporting on enemies with projections to combining with your teammates for combo attacks. It's very arcade-y, and with a skill tree that expands on it.
Prompto has a very cute gameplay mechanic: he takes photos during the day that will be shown to us at the camp allowing us to save our favorites, basically an automatic photo mode if you will.
As in other FF, going towards the end the game becomes much more linear, although justified, in my opinion, by a very emotional twist of the story, finding yourself in smaller open maps. FFXV is definitely one of the games that got me the most, emotionally. From the laughs because of the group interactions, to an amazing ending.
As previously mentioned the game suffered from its development, and at launch it only had Noctis as a playable character, until Episodes DLCs were released. They stage during specific moments of the story where one might be absent, offering another point of view into the characters' actions, with a completely personalized gameplay, especially when it comes to the combat since we will no longer play the role of Noctis. All three are a crescendo, getting better and better than the last one. Fun to play with challenging boss fights and interesting additions.
Sadly, the three extra DLCs that were announced since the PC release have been canceled, instead, only one DLC will come out, one will be canceled, and the new alternative ending will be a book. Sad that all the way to the end, FFXV still suffered from its development.
Comrades
The fourth expansion of the game is multiplayer. It has a separate story set during a specific story moment, in which it's possible to create our own avatar - wonderful editor, by the way - and play a storyline with side quests and hunts that are playable with friends or other players. A nice addition being able to go around the world of Eos with a character of your own while being canon. A semi-Monster Hunter but make it Final Fantasy XV.
Conclusions
FFXV is certainly one of the best games I've played, a varied, fun, and long-lasting JRPG with a very emotional storyline and a group of friends with wonderful and absurdly immersive interaction between them, all in addition to a very solid gameplay.
Flawed until the end, but a gem nonetheless. One I suggest to this day while updating this review in 2024 to everyone looking for not just a game, but a journey. A road trip with some friends.
Highly recommend.
9/10
Let's start by saying that in this case, Square Enix has outdone itself far and beyond, putting the work into releasing an actual PC version of the game. Not just a port, as is often the case with many AAAs, but an actual PC version. And we all know that, apart from Blizzard titles, few games can boast of doing this. The game since D1 had super solid performance better than many games at their last patch. Far be it from me to say it didn't have or has some minor problems, but when everything works so well, you don't even notice.
The DE-FI-NI-TI-VE version
Do you remember when GTA V came out for PC after years of a console exclusive release and once on PC the game was clearly superior to any of the console versions?
Well, I've read quite a few articles about how FFXV on PC unlocks the true potential of the Luminous Studios engine. And indeed it is true. It's a feast for the eyes, having nothing to be ashamed of compared to that famous PS4 demo, which was barely running on the hardware at the time. The game is graphically spectacular like few on PC, not at the levels that Tabata had declared in a recent interview however, it actually stands out.
With final version I am not only talking about the graphics of the title, but also about the content. On PC has arrived what is known as Royal Edition on consoles - renamed for us Windows Edition - which contains the contents of the Royal Pack DLC and the 3 DLC Episodes: Gladio, Prompto, and Ignis.
While the Final Fantasy community is known for praising the older titles and over-criticizing newer good games like XII and XV, learning more about the development of XV, I almost understand the hatred towards it.
The game had a troubled ten-year development while an anime and a movie about it came out in the meantime to fill in the void. All this, while getting a director change from Nomura to Tabata. The latter had to pick up the shattered pieces of a messy development and put them together. Having such a troubled development means that many things have changed since the start, especially regarding the characters. It's almost "normal" with titles with such long developments that there are changes in the final product. What really shocked me to discover, was that the Royal Pack didn't just add a few new enemies, outfits, or details, but ALL the notes around the world that add lore and details of it, an ENTIRE map and STORY BOSSFIGHTS. And let's not forget the 3h of cutscenes that were added to the game too!
It's therefore clear that a game that is half-released at launch obviously doesn't get a warm reception. Even if, on the other hand, praise must be given to Square for investing so much in completing and now further finalizing a single-player game, not like in other cases in the market - RIGHT KONAMI?!
But for us on PC, lucky, it has arrived in its current complete state and will continue to receive content. I can only review the Final Fantasy XV I played, not what launched in 2016, so now that that's out of the way...
Plot and Gameplay (DLCs included)
The game follows the road-trip journey of four best friends:
Noctis - the heir to the throne
Gladius - King's Shield and devoted protector of Noctis
Ignis - childhood friend and advisor, and
Prompto - gunslinger and photographer of the group.
The purpose of the trip is to lead Noctis to Lunafreya, his betrothed. An unexpected very emotional plot, which hit me harder than I could have thought. The characters are very well written and consistent with themselves, with personalities well-defined both within the game and the other media, and their actions always speak louder than their words.
The road trip would not be complete without the car, in this case, the Regalia. While it's possible with a specific in-game modification to detach from the "rails" and switch to something more GTA-esque, for the majority of the game driving to a new place feels like actually being a passenger yourself. That's because when driving, being Ignis or the player, you're limited only to accelerating without having to worry about much, except where to turn making the road trip even more immersive. One of the things that is certainly best done in FFXV is making you attached to the group and their friendship, so much so that the party rarely changes. Their interaction, their banter, and the way they hang out together are so curated, that I believe often the car has only 4 seats taken because the 5th is for you.
The game features an open-world map with sidequests and hunts that won't be a simple killing of already-known enemies, but will often be unique enemies specific to that hunt. As far as the combat system is concerned is extremely fun, starting from a solid base of action gameplay and adding its own twist to it, from teleporting on enemies with projections to combining with your teammates for combo attacks. It's very arcade-y, and with a skill tree that expands on it.
Prompto has a very cute gameplay mechanic: he takes photos during the day that will be shown to us at the camp allowing us to save our favorites, basically an automatic photo mode if you will.
As in other FF, going towards the end the game becomes much more linear, although justified, in my opinion, by a very emotional twist of the story, finding yourself in smaller open maps. FFXV is definitely one of the games that got me the most, emotionally. From the laughs because of the group interactions, to an amazing ending.
As previously mentioned the game suffered from its development, and at launch it only had Noctis as a playable character, until Episodes DLCs were released. They stage during specific moments of the story where one might be absent, offering another point of view into the characters' actions, with a completely personalized gameplay, especially when it comes to the combat since we will no longer play the role of Noctis. All three are a crescendo, getting better and better than the last one. Fun to play with challenging boss fights and interesting additions.
Sadly, the three extra DLCs that were announced since the PC release have been canceled, instead, only one DLC will come out, one will be canceled, and the new alternative ending will be a book. Sad that all the way to the end, FFXV still suffered from its development.
Comrades
The fourth expansion of the game is multiplayer. It has a separate story set during a specific story moment, in which it's possible to create our own avatar - wonderful editor, by the way - and play a storyline with side quests and hunts that are playable with friends or other players. A nice addition being able to go around the world of Eos with a character of your own while being canon. A semi-Monster Hunter but make it Final Fantasy XV.
Conclusions
FFXV is certainly one of the best games I've played, a varied, fun, and long-lasting JRPG with a very emotional storyline and a group of friends with wonderful and absurdly immersive interaction between them, all in addition to a very solid gameplay.
Flawed until the end, but a gem nonetheless. One I suggest to this day while updating this review in 2024 to everyone looking for not just a game, but a journey. A road trip with some friends.
Highly recommend.
9/10