Final Fantasy XV Earning Substantial Reviews

Final Fantasy XV is making great reviews despite semi-rushed production.

   With one of the best combat systems, fantastic music and easy-to-love characters, gaming sites like IGN and Gamespot are giving Final Fantasy 15 a 8/10.

   The breathtaking graphics and complex manner in which the weapons and tactics make the game as beautiful as it is. This game is not only challenging, but it’s also visually appealing.

   Even better, anyone who’s never played a Final Fantasy game before can easily get into it without any confusion.

   Most of the people I’ve talked to have praised its new features, which add flare, entertainment, and support to the game.

   “I’d say the ability to cover was a good addition,” says Matthew Garcia, 20. “This was something lacking in the previous games. It allows you to duck behind cover to regain strength, and it flows seamlessly with the new action-oriented take of the game.” This may not sound like an interesting addition, but it’s extremely helpful.

   “It’s one of the best combat systems I’ve ever played.” He added.

Aside from previous games, this one allows you to freely engage in battle, having to use increasingly complicated strategy to defeat your foes. It’s quite challenging, but beautifully made as well.The manner in which you transition weapons and use spells are visually stunning and elegant. The weapons materialize out of thin air in a dazzling manner, and the spells are phenomenal in damage. It’s definitely appealing to the aesthetic senses.

If you’re a person who doesn’t like to have to apply complex strategy and a lot of effort into battles, this might not be your ideal game. It takes a minute to learn how to play, but a lifetime to master.

Another addition people love is the ability to explore the countryside by car, as well as finding countless side quests and colossal beasts along the way. Although, it has been said that the side quests seem pointless and have too little reward for doing them. If you get easily distracted and like to stray from the main path, they’re usually quite fun though.

Picture of Gladiolus leading the attempt to sneak past a behemoth in a sidequest to take it down.

After a long day of adventuring, quests, and kicking butt, your team can camp out and train. One of your team members, Ignis, will even cook delicious, stat-boosting food for your team, and Prompto will show you the pictures he took that day. You can save 100 of them to commemorate memorable moments during your journey.

Gladiolus and Ignis posing for a picture outside the Crow’s Nest diner.

This addition to the franchise takes a whole different approach to the norm of the series. Even so, it doesn’t exclude long-loved articles from it, such as chocobos. If you’ve never played any of the Final Fantasy games before, a chocobo is a giant, lovable bird-like creature that you can befriend and ride around.

Noctis (far left) and the team at the chocobo farm.

Typically, in the franchise, the plot will put you right in the middle of a war between countries, and that’s exactly what it does in this one as well.

Prince Noctis is departing Lucis on a roadtrip to a neighboring country, Accordo, to marry the princess there to bring peace to their countries. Shortly after they leave, however, a news broadcast states that Lucis’ capital has been taken over, and that Noctis and his father have perished.

Unable to stand up to the empire with this current strength, Noctis and his three friends must travel to his ancestor’s burial sites to obtain the royal bloodline’s powers. That’s not all to it, of course, but it’s a short summary of the protagonist’s goals.

Throughout the story there is a lot of rushed story sequences, and the plot itself is a little patchy. This is due to the rushed production of the game, which has displeased many anticipating fans for the lack of emotional appeal.  Being a fanatic of emotional stories, it would personally gain a 7/10. Thought rest assured, it’s not all stone. There is a fair deal of emotional moments.

I asked two friends of mine what they would rate this title and if they would recommend it. Matthew responded with a “solid 8/10” while Jessica Beckett, 19, tells me a 7/10. “I’d recommend it,” she tells me. “It’s something pleasant to play on something like a Friday night. It’s light-hearted and heart-warming at some times, and dark and challenging another. I think it’s fun.”

It hasn’t made a huge historical mark in Final Fantasy history, but it’s definitely a great game!