My two Gils on Final Fantasy

Never have I been more excited about a Square Enix games since Final Fantasy X.  With their latest installment XV it’s like a breath of much needed fresh air into their franchise.  When you start the game the opening words reads for fans and first time gamers alike. Which makes the game friendly to folks new to the franchise, and old heads like me. Again I haven’t played Final Fantasy so passionately since X and I got to say it’s like riding a bicycle.

My brief history with the game…

My first Final Fantasy game was surprisingly not the one everyone seems to remember or even care about.  I was too young to understand the 16-bit game. VII AND VIII were amazing for their times, but I just had no interest at all for them.  It  wasn’t until IX  that I fully engaged in a Final Fantasy story. Being a rouge inside of a game was the best time I had playing an JRPG in ever. X was the first to have mostly speaking voice lines so I had to play that. Honestly the rest afterwards just didn’t seem worth playing.

First things I noticed about FFXV…

XV changes the rules a bit, but it still has that FF feel. They seem to really want to  appeal to their western fans because XV is basically Final Fantasy in America. The first thing I really noticed was that I was driving on the right side of the road, and the steering wheel was on the left. The new yet familiar look of an American landscapes when driving throughout the world all feels like the developers said. “America will be a great base for our games.” and so far its paying off.

Characterization...

Playing with these characters feels genuine. It’s almost like you’ve known these guys for years. Their personalities are a bit on the anime side, but everyone still feels like their own person. Prompto is the classic goof-ball and the weakest character as far as HP (HIT POINTS) but he surely makes it up in a fight. His support weapons make short work of the enemy, and they do it fast. Ignis is my personal favorite because of his style and cooking skill. He comes off like some kind of butler or mother figure, yet he makes sure our characters are always well feed and battle ready when the time is needed. Gladiolus is the brute of the crew, but he’s no idiot, This giant of a man is loyal to his friends  and will always protect them no matter what. He decided to be Noctus shield long ago and he wants Noctus to be as decisive. Noctus is our main character. He’s the typical emotional kid who doesn’t want to accept his responsibilities. Throughout his journey, as he grows, he comes to accept his fate and becomes the man he’s meant to be.

Overall I’m thrilled to play this game.  Unlike most people who rushed the story, I will be taking my sweet ass time.  I am going to enjoy every aspect of this game to it’s fullest.  Final Fantasy XV will have you deeply engaged. In this long and winding adventure you can easily forget that there is an actual world outside your house. As you are reading this I am probably still playing this game... that’s how good it is. So in all honesty it is, hands down, the best game of 2016