Final Fantasy XV Reviews
With such a lengthy and troubled development cycle, it was really anyone's guess how FFXV would turn out in the end. Even though I'm relatively pleased with the outcome as the four friends carry the moment to moment gameplay with grace, the disjointed and lackluster storyline leaves an indelible mark on what is otherwise an incredibly well crafted RPG well worth experiencing.
A strong-willed effort to update the series, Final Fantasy XV rises above its myriad flaws to deliver an odd, beautiful adventure that harnesses the power of friendship to maximum effect. A pleasing return to form for a much beloved series.
It may have problems, but Final Fantasy XV is bursting with personality and it's hard to dislike. Like any true friend, you'll learn to love it despite its flaws.
Some great character depth as well as an overhaul to both the Final Fantasy formula and battle system makes Final Fantasy XV a delight for existing fans and new players.
Final Fantasy 15 is the best single-player Final Fantasy in a decade. The new combat system is more action-oriented, but still surprisingly tactical, while the new focus on open-world exploration brings the game and its world to life. Crammed with character, choice and interest, it's an RPG where the good times keep on rolling down the road.
FFXV's ambition is laudable, but it's flaws are too big to fully cast aside. The result is an interesting and spectacular-looking title likely hampered by a protracted and unfocussed development.
Considering its development history, it's unsurprising that Final Fantasy 15 lacks crucial focus and depth when it comes to its largely stodgy tale of Oracles and Crystals or its unspectacular combat, with both found particularly at fault during the game's dour concluding chapters. Yet like Prompto's incessant nagging to go ride Chocobos, it's easy to give in to the breezy charm of the game's luscious open-world and the whimsical antics of its Tumblr-baiting bro-tagonists.
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.
Final Fantasy XV is a game that chooses to leave its mythology disjointed and its emotions real.
A vast, emotional experience that offers many hours of gameplay. Would benefit from more storytelling in the actual game instead of outside media, as well as a few other minor tweaks, but still a fantastic journey that is lingering with me days after watching the credits roll.
Final Fantasy XV is a product that perfectly combines two opposing and irreconcilable souls. On the one hand there is the desire to revive a once great saga, an RPG focuses on the value of exploration, and on the amount of secondary activities and diversions. On the other hand there is a murky "dark side", made of an ineffective and bleak narrative.Considering the number of hours spent in the Lucis kingdom, you can not help but think that this narrative hitch represents after all a small part of the overall game experience.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Final Fantasy XV wants to be many things together and finally can not shine in any of them. It is not a occidental RPG, and has abandoned the most marked elements of the genre. Now is a good Japanese ARPG. Even so, it's a lot of fun.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Final Fantasy XV is an ideal experience for a new age of the franchise, and I'm looking forward to diving back in to see what I missed the first time.
Final fantasy XV has solid open-world exploration, enjoyable action, and plenty of content, but it's packaged together with awkward gameplay decisions and a mess of a story.
This really is a Final Fantasy for both new and old hats to the franchise alike.
Final Fantasy XV represents a coming of age, not just for its protagonist but a series that was met with a polarized response from Final Fantasy XIII. It shows some courageous risk-taking that breathes new life into the series' aging formula while also encouraging the kind of exploration that was lacking in FF13. Admittedly, the modern settings and new magic system dilute some of the fantasy elements the series is known for, and the hybrid turn-based and real-time combat system can feel like a compromise to fans of the two differing styles. At the same time, this is a worthy addition to the Final Fantasy franchise that looks to the future while also honoring its past.
Final Fantasy XV is nowhere close to the game that we should have received after 10 years of waiting—but it also isn't anywhere close to the trainwreck that it easily could have been. While the storytelling is a mess and the game feels incomplete far too often, there's enough to love here—from combat, to exploration, to the four Japanese pretty boys that make up your main party—to make FFXV a road trip worth going on.
Final Fantasy XV's long, troubled development cycle is evident in some of its rougher elements, but ultimately, none of that really matters. Like many of its predecessors, this Final Fantasy's best elements — great characters, fun combat and a beautiful soundtrack — make its goofier shortcomings blend in as part of the endearing charm.
Final Fantasy XV overcomes its narrative lows with gameplay highs that consume the player's time with engrossing optional quests and frenetic battles. As a whole, it does not represent the best in the series, but it delivers just enough to deserve a place in the mainline series, which is an achievement for a game that originated as a Final Fantasy XIII spin-off.