It’s actually happening isn’t it? Final Fantasy XV, possibly one of the biggest projects from Square Enix in its legendary history, is coming to PS4 and Xbox One on November 29th. As a long time fan of the series, I’ve been waiting on pins and needles to get my hands on the game, purposefully avoiding any spoilers that come from the leaks and only watching trailers on occasion.
Between now and the game’s worldwide release, there will be a ton of spoilers floating around online, so be aware of that potential. It’s like Game of Thrones season all over again! Luckily, Square Enix has put together a handy video that details out everything we need prior to starting Final Fantasy XV. Yep, this 101 trailer gives us the lowdown in a class-like lecture.
To summarize, Final Fantasy XV is seeking to be a whole new experience that still uses the Final Fantasy legacy as a foundation. We’re not going to get characters we’ve seen before, but instead will get the major ideas behind them. We’ll also be seeing different interpretations of the traditional summon monsters, now known as Astrals, which I always found to be a highlight in each game. A lot of cultural influences go into those designs, so its neat to try to discern where they come from.
For new players, there’s no worry about playing the other games to understand and enjoy what Final Fantasy XV has to offer. In fact, this might be one of the more accessible in the series, as for many casual gamers or those who enjoy the blockbusters of the season, turn based combat might be a bit of a turnoff. Playing the other Final Fantasy games will just bring about more appreciation for the subtle nods, array of beasts, and classic weapons and spells. This is also one of the few Final Fantasy games that is light on the fantasy portion of the name, as XV is grounded in reality. If the demos show anything, Final Fantasy XV will have all sorts of interesting couplings of fantasy tropes in everyday stations, like the trailer park with Chocobos hitched at the gate.
Also given in the trailer’s press release were details on what Square Enix is calling the “Crown Update”, which is that Day-One patch we reported on a while back. This is rumored to be a 7GB download, although Square Enix did not confirm this in their press release. Details of the patch were laid out at follows:
- Improvements to the camera with new options to better assist and track the action in tight space and to improve visibility during battles
- New event scenes and scenes from KINGSGLAIVE: FINAL FANTASY XV™ and the “Omen” trailer have also been added to the game to make the story and timeline of events easier to follow for newcomers
- The addition of an ability tree for the “Wait Mode” function which improves the strategic element of this feature
- Players can obtain the “Beast Whistle” which can be used to call monsters to battle
- A wider variety of recipes and fish with an addition of a gallery for completionist players who enjoy collecting items
- Implementation of social media support, allowing the photos Prompto takes along your journey to be uploaded to Facebook and Twitter
Most interesting is the way the game’s “Wait Mode” has been slightly altered, probably to better align itself with the traditional Final Fantasy formula. Also, we will be seeing a lot of Prompto selfies all over social media, likely to hilarious results. I’m sure how I feel about reusing scenes from Kingsglaive in the game, as that film has a slightly different look that may be jarring when paired with the game’s engine and cutscenes, but we shall see how that plays out. I still haven’t seen Kingsglaive, as I’m saving it to watch while the game is patching, so as to fully immerse myself in Eos, the world of Final Fantasy XV.
Lastly, Justice Monsters Five, a playable pinball machine that will be in various restaurants and such in Final Fantasy XV is available on Apple and Android mobile devices.
What’s the most exciting aspect of Final Fantasy XV shown so far? Let us know in the comments below and across social media.
