PaigeFTW: ‘Final Fantasy XV’ Redefines The Series
The road to Final Fantasy XV has been so long, so turbulent, that I had persuaded myself no small number of times that I just didn’t care. Like, whatever. It’s not Versus XIII anymore. They kicked Tetsuya Nomura off his passion project. It’s not what it originally was supposed to be.
But that was all rhetoric in the end.
I was afraid I would hate it, or that it would fall short of my expectations.
Let me tell you now that No. 15 was the ambitious shot in the arm that Final Fantasy needed.
The game is a rambling, roving epic that shows remarkable sensitivity to the modern trends of RPGs while still retaining the series’ signature touches. Open-world Final Fantasy never seemed so natural, so reasonable a direction for the notoriously linear games to go.
FFXV’s easiest, most obvious strength is the warm, genuine bond between its main characters — Noctis, last heir of a fallen kingdom, and his three retainers, Gladiolus, Ignis and Prompto. They feel real. They feel like your friends. Much of the game is simply them laughing and enjoying a road trip together. And it’s wonderful. I can’t get enough.
The combat is reminiscent of a more tactical Kingdom Hearts, with a lot of emphasis given to positioning. It’s fast-paced and never dull, but is hampered by a wonky camera. (So, just like Kingdom Hearts?) It takes time to get used to all the little quirks, but it’s great fun.
The visuals are sweeping and majestic, even in an HD age where “majestic” is the norm. The world feels real. The soundtrack, composed by Yoko Shimomura, is marvelous.
What isn’t good is … the main story. It’s bewildering and disjointedly told, as well as veering on the ridiculous in typical Final Fantasy style. But given the overall package, it seems a minor flaw, at best.
If this is the future of Final Fantasy, I say bring it on. But not yet. Let me have more time with this one first.
Next week: I share some tips for getting the most out of the game.
