Final Fantasy 15’s first 10 hours: A car ride that asks, “Are we there yet?”

More to come, but for now, we talk about new battling system, disappointing plot.

Read the whole story

 

[nabilun]

I'm someone who completed the entire ff13 trilogy, so not really about to judge the game's plot too harshly. That said, I played ff13 lightning returns on pc and the butter smooth 60 fps was a godsend in terms of enjoyment, especially with the newer fantasy games' real-timey battle systems. The ff15 footage and demo on ps4 pretty much gave me a headache with its framerate, which was disappointing given the (arguable) improvements in the combat systems, so I'll pass on this release and hope it sells well enough that more pc ports are in the future of the franchise.

 

[alanmies]

A real-time, team-based battling system in a JRPG? And it's fun?! Get out!

I dunno, I found Xenoblade Chronicles X to be pretty much this. Well, a bit more pseudo-real-time, but definitely team-based, and yes, very much fun.

As to this game, I've only put a few hours into it so far (there's this pesky thing called work, and with digital games unlocking at midnight, there's only so much sleep deprivation I'm willing to have), but as to the battling - real time it may be, but rather clunky at the same time. The lock-on system is unconventional (it's hold instead of trigger) and I find it really hard to remember that square is dodge, circle is attack (it really should be the other way around). PlatinumGames this is not (so looking forward to NieR: Automata in this regard).

Otherwise so far... if you dislike JRPGs, this will not change your opinion. Personally I'm not sure what to make of it yet. It is pretty though.

 

[BasP]

Remember when Final Fantasy was about hunting down elemental orbs in a straight-up fantasy world?

 

[chaboud]

GreyAreaUk[/url]":2zwmugnn]*pedant mode=high* How can they be Final Fantasies if we're now up to 15 of them? Doesn't sound very final to me.




Thank you, my coat's over there.

I'm pretty sure that they're final for a particular context (i.e. planet)....

 

[gigaplex]

chaboud[/url]":2eg5c0eb]

GreyAreaUk[/url]":2eg5c0eb]*pedant mode=high* How can they be Final Fantasies if we're now up to 15 of them? Doesn't sound very final to me.




Thank you, my coat's over there.

I'm pretty sure that they're final for a particular context (i.e. planet)....

Except some of them have direct sequels.

 

[trs8]

GreyAreaUk[/url]":3oaxb1q1]*pedant mode=high* How can they be Final Fantasies if we're now up to 15 of them? Doesn't sound very final to me.




Thank you, my coat's over there.

You're not the first one to have come up with this.

 

[GreyAreaUK]

trs8[/url]":3o496bc7]

GreyAreaUk[/url]":3o496bc7]*pedant mode=high* How can they be Final Fantasies if we're now up to 15 of them? Doesn't sound very final to me.




Thank you, my coat's over there.

You're not the first one to have come up with this.

I probably won't even be the first one _today_.

 

[Rand]

Paul Hill[/url]":27fiop9l]

GreyAreaUk[/url]":27fiop9l]*pedant mode=high* How can they be Final Fantasies if we're now up to 15 of them? Doesn't sound very final to me.

Final in the context of "ultimate"

Legend has it that the studio was broke and only had enough money for one final game, so the actually included the word final in the title. It was a success that saved the studio and spawned a franchise (until they went broke again making a Final Fantasy movie and got bought by a competitor).

 

[orangpelupa]

My first 10 hours on PS4

- unstable framerate or frame time. Whatever. Basically the game stutter in lots of places.
- characters that are bipolar or something. They goes mellow in main storyline but always happy in everywhere else.
- awesome visuals
- bad audio mixing or something (some scenes felt like it was missing SFX)
- utterly boring side quest. Not only the ones from throwaway NPC but also those from main NPC.
- EPIC MUSIC
- fun and engaging battles

Basically the main story felt underdelivered.

 

[WaywardYak]

Sounds like it's pretty much the Final Fantasy equivalent of Metal Gear Solid V. Some great game mechanics and graphics, unfortunately wasted on a pointlessly open-world game with a poorly delivered plot.

 

[Kawag]

WaywardYak[/url]":1c9qhp7e]Sounds like it's pretty much the Final Fantasy equivalent of Metal Gear Solid V. Some great game mechanics and graphics, unfortunately wasted on a pointlessly open-world game with a poorly delivered plot.

Open-world isn't pointless in Final Fantasy, but otherwise spot-on.

A spectacular technology demo paired with something that used to be an epic story, but got stripped-down during development until it was incomprehensible garbage.

 

[orangpelupa]

WaywardYak[/url]":3kmz08i8]Sounds like it's pretty much the Final Fantasy equivalent of Metal Gear Solid V. Some great game mechanics and graphics, unfortunately wasted on a pointlessly open-world game with a poorly delivered plot.

The openworld sandbox also really bad when compared to MGSV.

It's like their mindset is still the classic FF. Instead of properly embracing the sandbox in open world just like MGSV.

They do made the same mistake is delivering the main story tho.

 

[DancingWind]

"You shouldn't expect a rock-solid 30 frames-per-second refresh by any stretch, but the stutters I've encountered have been tolerable, other than during some frenetic battle scenes." I see gaming standards on consoles sure have improved over last few years ...

 

[byuu]

BasP[/url]":kdfj9iw2]Remember when Final Fantasy was about hunting down elemental orbs in a straight-up fantasy world?

Pepperidge Farm 'members!

To me, the series ceased being Final Fantasy after V. That's not to say VI wasn't a fantastic game, but it really had almost nothing to do with the previous games anymore. Went from fantasy to steampunk. VII and onward though ... I really don't see the point of keeping the Final Fantasy title. With the sole exception of a bit of throwback with IX, those games share nothing in common with the classic Final Fantasy games. The entire gameplay engines, the settings, the stories, the music ... they're Final Fantasy in name only.

 

[Unsheept]

Remember when Final Fantasy was about hunting down elemental orbs in a straight-up fantasy world?

That battle music has been etched into my brain almost as deeply as the Legend of Zelda or Super Mario themes.

 

[BulkyZ]

BasP[/url]":2uf7x6w2]Remember when Final Fantasy was about hunting down elemental orbs in a straight-up fantasy world?

Oh ohh I'member!

 

[klexas]

Lifetime fan of the Final Fantasy series, and I have been disapointed by the last few titles, mind you the relaunch of XIV was nothing short of perfect. It was exactly as was required.

XV has been in the making for a while and really has the potential to be the big one. .

I'll be buying it, it's without doubt a triple A game, given the reviews.. As for the storytelling.. Well there have been some problems in that area recently, but depending on how much lore and backstory you want to go into it can always vary.

The remake of VII coming also I think is a good indication that they are listening to what people want.. Even if it takes them forever, and a huge revenue loss to finally come around to reality.

Anyway, thank's for the review! Looking forward to playing! (If only I had the luxury of 10-hour playtime stretches!)

 

[alanmies]

Radcliff[/url]":268g7cku]Maybe they'll slit their writs and I won't have to read about another Final Fantasy.

You're being so edgy I think I just got a paper cut by reading your three (basically the same, but hey, you have a ever-so-important-and-completely-original point to make) comments.

 

[l0rdneek0]

They sure have a lot to say when walking through a side-quest dungeon about how dark and spooky it is, but when it comes to grounding the story, the characters choose instead to bury their faces in smartphones. (No, really. They all have smartphones, and they stare at 'em during idle time.)

Obviously, they are trying to make the game as real life as possible by showcasing exactly what real teenagers, and many adults, do. They cannot have a conversation with the person sitting in the car with them, instead resolving to stare into a flat, glowy box.

By the way, this realism in recent FF games is anti-Final Fantasy, which is why I haven't played FF in a long time.

 

[Red Zero]

I hate to say it, but the drive towards graphic realism in the last 5 FF games has come at the expense of the story content and openness. It's nice to hear that the world in this latest FF is more open, especially after the previous FF that was straight jacketed so much so, that it was like playing through a movie (seriously long cut scenes too).

I wouldn't mind holding back on the graphics and driving more into the story writing and other qualities that made the FF series great to begin with.

 

[solomonrex]

There's a real tension with the fact that these games developed in a 2d/barely 3d graphics world and long time fans (20 years for me, people!) enjoyed the gameplay that were a result of the very limited computers of the time.

1. I liked the cartoony style, esp in IX.
2. I liked the turn based battles - just downloaded FFT to my phone, actually.
3. I liked the 'reasonably closed' open worlds of the old RPG maps.
4. I loved the minigames

If they want to go all modern, they need to go all the way. Skyrim makes sense, GTA makes sense, CoD makes sense, this pastiche of old tropes doesn't. Just look at the driving menu! In an 'open world' game, shouldn't you just drive? Or give them a self-driving car like the old airships, where you just pick a destination?

I haven't played the series in years, maybe I shouldn't get a say at this point. But I don't see the point in a JRPG without the turn-based combat. Yes, FF always reinvented itself, but ALSO it takes more than spikey hair to be Final Fantasy.

 

[Zer0.exe]

Red Zero[/url]":3g6wrxb6]I hate to say it, but the drive towards graphic realism in the last 5 FF games has come at the expense of the story content and openness. It's nice to hear that the world in this latest FF is more open, especially after the previous FF that was straight jacketed so much so, that it was like playing through a movie (seriously long cut scenes too).

I wouldn't mind holding back on the graphics and driving more into the story writing and other qualities that made the FF series great to begin with.

I would recommend Xenoblade Chronicles X and Fire Emblem Awakening/ Fates then. If you haven't played it already, Persona 4 Golden is a must as well.

That said, I'm hoping FFXV is better than XIII was. Based on all the negativity, though, the XII remake may be the superior final fantasy on PS4. I'll still enjoy both.

 

[orangpelupa]

solomonrex[/url]":k0t0xeit]There's a real tension with the fact that these games developed in a 2d/barely 3d graphics world and long time fans (20 years for me, people!) enjoyed the gameplay that were a result of the very limited computers of the time.

1. I liked the cartoony style, esp in IX.
2. I liked the turn based battles - just downloaded FFT to my phone, actually.
3. I liked the 'reasonably closed' open worlds of the old RPG maps.
4. I loved the minigames

If they want to go all modern, they need to go all the way. Skyrim makes sense, GTA makes sense, CoD makes sense, this pastiche of old tropes doesn't. Just look at the driving menu! In an 'open world' game, shouldn't you just drive? Or give them a self-driving car like the old airships, where you just pick a destination?

I haven't played the series in years, maybe I shouldn't get a say at this point. But I don't see the point in a JRPG without the turn-based combat. Yes, FF always reinvented itself, but ALSO it takes more than spikey hair to be Final Fantasy.

Ff15 have turn based combat in the option menu. I have not tried it tho.

 

[WaywardYak]

klexas[/url]":3m5nuqbk] The remake of VII coming also I think is a good indication that they are listening to what people want.. Even if it takes them forever, and a huge revenue loss to finally come around to reality.

So it seemed, until they released some video that showed battles had seemingly been turned into something that looked like Dirge of Cerberus... at which point the people who wanted them to remake FFVII got online and started bitching at them to pretty much just update the graphics and sound and leave the damn rest alone.

To which I'd pretty much agree. As a huge FFVII fan I was excited when it was announced.Then I saw what they were doing with this FFXV and thought, "Well, I guess I won't be playing that one then"... then I saw the FFVII remake video... and Square can pretty much go bash it at this point.

 

[solomonrex]

l0rdneek0[/url]":287x2rs3]

They sure have a lot to say when walking through a side-quest dungeon about how dark and spooky it is, but when it comes to grounding the story, the characters choose instead to bury their faces in smartphones. (No, really. They all have smartphones, and they stare at 'em during idle time.)

Obviously, they are trying to make the game as real life as possible by showcasing exactly what real teenagers, and many adults, do. They cannot have a conversation with the person sitting in the car with them, instead resolving to stare into a flat, glowy box.

By the way, this realism in recent FF games is anti-Final Fantasy, which is why I haven't played FF in a long time.

It's so funny, isn't it? I'm picturing the scene at Square where a Japanese millenial looks up from his phone in a meeting to say that the characters need to be checking their snapbooks during the boring bits of expository dialogue and oh yeah, the art assets from Tokyo have finished downloading.

You know when Gran Turismo gave you autopilot? This is like that, the game is trying to tell you something.

 

[orangpelupa]

Red Foreman[/url]":2l9nf4df]Irony: A game named Final Fantasy that is on it's 15th sequel.

But each numbered game is final. Each numbered game is stand alone.

Final Fantasy series is unlike GTA, or mass effect series.

That's why when I keep reading people asking something like "do I need to play ff blah blah before playing ff blah blah", I blame square Enix for the title...

Or when people got confused how come ff fans have so many different opinions.

 

[puppies]

There's a real tension with the fact that these games developed in a 2d/barely 3d graphics world and long time fans (20 years for me, people!) enjoyed the gameplay that were a result of the very limited computers of the time.

1. I liked the cartoony style, esp in IX.
2. I liked the turn based battles - just downloaded FFT to my phone, actually.
3. I liked the 'reasonably closed' open worlds of the old RPG maps.
4. I loved the minigames

If they want to go all modern, they need to go all the way. Skyrim makes sense, GTA makes sense, CoD makes sense, this pastiche of old tropes doesn't. Just look at the driving menu! In an 'open world' game, shouldn't you just drive? Or give them a self-driving car like the old airships, where you just pick a destination?

I haven't played the series in years, maybe I shouldn't get a say at this point. But I don't see the point in a JRPG without the turn-based combat. Yes, FF always reinvented itself, but ALSO it takes more than spikey hair to be Final Fantasy.

It's always been a bit nebulous to me what "makes" a Final Fantasy game. The game mechanics change, and there's no world or plot continuity save for some recurring elements. Do people really like Cid and Bahamut that much?

Anyway, the tone of this review is pretty relevant to me. I stopped playing after VIII and the last one I truly loved was III/VI. I do hear that IX was delightful so maybe I'll pick that up someday.

 

[mikesmith]

Red Zero[/url]":3o7rwyvy]I hate to say it, but the drive towards graphic realism in the last 5 FF games has come at the expense of the story content and openness. It's nice to hear that the world in this latest FF is more open, especially after the previous FF that was straight jacketed so much so, that it was like playing through a movie (seriously long cut scenes too).

I wouldn't mind holding back on the graphics and driving more into the story writing and other qualities that made the FF series great to begin with.

I have to agree. I haven't finished one of them since FFIX, even though apparently I got fairly near the end on FFX and FFXIII (5-10 hours of game time left) and just didn't care enough about the games to finish.

 

[Geebs]

So, the only Final Fantasy I've played to any extent is X, and I'm not sure I get what the article is trying to say about the plot. As fas as I can tell, the plot of FF games is, taken in isolation, complete gibberish, but the draw is that they manage to make you care about the characters, and have thought-provoking moments, in spite of that. So how is this one different?

 

[orangpelupa]

Btw FF15 is almost perfectly playable HUD-less. The game is so beautiful despite the shortcomings I mentioned a few comments above. Playing hudless is worth it.

The only gameplay that can't be played hud less is the fishing mini game.

I archived all my ff15 hudless playthru on Youtube.com/moreuse

Part 1 mostly main story. Part 2 have lots of horrible side quests. In part 3, I think I spent hours finishing lol.

 

[orangpelupa]

Geebs[/url]":3v57587s]So, the only Final Fantasy I've played to any extent is X, and I'm not sure I get what the article is trying to say about the plot. As fas as I can tell, the plot of FF games is, taken in isolation, complete gibberish, but the draw is that they manage to make you care about the characters, and have thought-provoking moments, in spite of that. So how is this one different?

Ff plot is always gibberish convoluted mess. And yeah, despite that, they do able to make we can relate and care with the characters.

Not in ff15 tho. In 10 hours I just thinks these are just silly moody bipolar boys.

Ideally they should copy what naughty dogs have done in the last of us. Make the characters interaction, body gesture, and conversations topic changes and evolve per chapter.

In ffxv, the characters simply flip flop between moody gloomy to happy go lucky shiny day depending you are in main mission or not. Heck, they still become weirdly happy go lucky when in open world in the middle of depressing main mission.

One huge opportunity they missed early on is Cindy NPC and Cid NPC.

 

[opiate46]

Well this has pretty much been the way it's been since Sakaguchi stopped writing the stories. The guy created FF and wrote the story for every game up and to FFX. The stories for all of those games were wildly better than anything they've come up with since. And until they find someone out there who actually knows how to write a story (which is pretty much the entire point of an FF game) they're all going to fall a little flat.