For those that have already wandered the world of Eos, there is little reason to relive the crown prince’s journey in Final Fantasy XV Pocket Edition HD. It is, however, the perfect choice for those that haven’t and, fearing the need to grind out levels, would prefer to play this condensed option. It’s not without its shortcomings, and, despite the commendable depth, battles soon descend into repetition. But, all in all, it can still charm and entertain.
Probably the most un-Final Fantasy game in the series history XV Pocket Edition HD at least provides a decent game to get us going before more full-fat titles arrive.
Final Fantasy XV: Pocket Edition HD is a weird game to review. While it doesn't exactly fill an RPG-sized hole, it’s still fun to play. The challenge might be lacking, but it is fun going through the motions.
This is an interesting way of discovering Final Fantasy XV, although it’s way too easy and simple. If that’s how you want to experience the game, it’s not a bad option, though.
Is Pocket Edition HD worth it? Yes, it is since it tells the exact same story with greater efficiency. It is missing a lot of the finer qualities, like the fishing and the attention to detail, in exchange for a more focused story experience that lasts about 10 hours. The lack of scope, however, really does underline how weak Noctis' quest really is when all the car riding and fetch quests are cut. The meat of the story involves running a few errands and a few climaxes later on, with only a smidgen of character development.
Final Fantasy XV Pocket Edition HD is the sort of game that you play and then wonder why exactly it needs to exist. Though it does a great job of capturing the spirit of Final Fantasy XV in several ways, it drops the ball in some others, resulting in an inferior facsimile of a game that is already seen as something of a rough gem. There’s very little reason to give Pocket Edition HD a go if you’ve already played Final Fantasy XV, and if you haven’t, we’d give this a tenuous recommendation at best. There are many moments where the live-action combat is satisfying and the cutesy visuals are charming, but this is hardly something that we’d say should be close to the top of your wish list.
SummaryNow you can enjoy the FINAL FANTASY XV story across 10 exciting chapters. Tap to move, tap to talk, and tap to fight
Easy for anyone to pick up and play.