Final Fantasy XV

Final Fantasy XV is one of 2016's best games, and definitely a must have. Its story will catch you and make you go through Noctis’s troubles, and it is worth playing till the end to discover how all is ended. The side quests are enriching and interesting too. This ten-years-long wait has been worth it.

It corrects all the missteps the series has taken over the past few iterations and offers an accessible game for fans and newcomers alike.

After a decade of work, Square Enix has succeeded in delivering a Final Fantasy experience that can please long-time fans, while simultaneously luring in a new generation of adventurers. The game isn’t quite perfect, but it is close enough that it will very likely be a game of the year contender on many lists.

Final Fantasy XV had quite a lot to live up to after so many years, and while it may have taken a decade to get here, the journey was worth the wait with this phenomenal entry in the series.

As an RPG, Final Fantasy XV has everything you’d expect: a compelling, emotional story; a tapestry of complimentary mechanics; a significant lifespan; a cast of relatable and well-written characters and a world that’s dense enough to be a character in and of itself. As a Final Fantasy game, it lives up to all the tropes, despite the variations it’s taken from the more ‘classic’ games. Final Fantasy XV is a title that's aimed super high, and although maybe it hasn’t quite hit the targets it set for itself, it certainly doesn’t disappoint, and is a strong enough RPG experience to stand aside The Witcher as one of the best open-world role-playing games of this generation.

Final Fantasy XV is a tremendous return to the franchise and includes a lot things we love about the series. I experienced a few missteps here and there, but it didn’t deter from an overall great experience.

As an open roleplaying world Eos is just in the minor leagues. Beautiful to look at but filled with redundant and basic fetch- and kill-quests, it is too evident, that Square’s open world experience stems from MMOs. Nonetheless, the fresh real-time battle system is a risk that I truly can appreciate, while storytelling and imaginative characters showcase the return of Square’s strengths that have been forgotten during the FF13-trilogy.

Final Fantasy XV is not the game Square Enix promised us. It’s not an open world game that everyone would enjoy, and even though it looks like they have done a great deal in making it more accessible to newcomers, it has more improving to do. If you are a die-hard Final Fantasy fan, you will have a great time thanks to a beautiful world, easy to learn and fun combat mechanics and a classic story about friendship and love.

FFXV mostly delivers. While it takes some getting used to, its combat is infectious and fun. Its artwork is utterly breathtaking, and some of its set pieces are awe-inspiring. Its characters are fun and memorable, and the plot is engaging enough to keep pushing you forward. FFXV trips over its own character lore on occasion, with key details either missing or poorly explained, but it's not enough to hinder the experience as a whole.

Even if taking advantage of a solid gameplay and a very satisfying open world structure, Final Fantasy XV suffers from a too patchy design, with an underwhelming second half and an uneven storytelling. It lacks balance and an unified vision, but all in all it's an entertaining game and a first step in the right direction for the franchise.

The developer wanted to make a game for fans and newcomers alike and they made many changes to the typical Final Fantasy formula. The result is a game that is not like what you would expect, but for those who want to find something to love here, there's something to find.