Final Fantasy XIV was a disastrous launch for an MMORPG, one that resulted in a complete recreation of its world and has since become one of the most revered online multiplayer games in recent history.
Its successor, Final Fantasy XV, also had a rocky start, but not many have given it another look after Square Enix similarly improved a lot of Final Fantasy XV’s misgivings with a fine tooth comb.
Through its Royal Edition release, Final Fantasy XV became a game that was befitting of its kingly status and ended the growing pains that the franchise has undergone in the HD era that began with Final Fantasy XIII.
With that, right as Final Fantasy XVI releases, let’s take a look at its predecessor and its rocky road to JRPG success.
Stand By Me
Development of Final Fantasy XV began on the PlayStation 3, famously as the highly ambitious spin-off game Final Fantasy Versus XIII. This sleek blend of fantasy and reality, with a high-paced combat system was something that truly captivated fans.
With years of silence and the coming of a new generation of consoles, Versus XIII was retooled to become Final Fantasy XV. This came with a plethora of accompanying media, including a theatrical film and an anime prequel series.
Final Fantasy XV sees Prince Noctis and his loyal group of retainers on the way to his own wedding before an invading force ruins their plans and puts the fate of their world into Noctis’ hands as he must learn what it takes to be a king.
It’s a very focused coming-of-age story, one that is supplemented by the perfect balance of sci-fi and fantasy aesthetics in the game’s world. Final Fantasy XV’s world was the one that mirrors the real world the most, way more than Final Fantasy VII or VIII.
Apocalypsis Noctis
Combat was now fully real-time, though there was the optional Wait Mode for those who weren’t accustomed to action-oriented gameplay. There was definitely a sense of flow in Noctis’ movements as he teleported across the map to dispatch foes.
The game also presented a truly open world, where Noctis and his friends can travel through in their car, the Regalia. This gave Final Fantasy XV a road trip vibe to the adventure, one that is taken away to great effect in the last half of the game.
What was great about the Royal Edition and its accompanying DLC was the added option for players to play as Noctis’ friends, Gladio, Ignis, and Prompto, in combat. This gave the base game a much-needed dose of diversity in combat options.
Noctis’ moveset was broad enough, as he could wield different types of weapons, teleport, and cast some spells. But with the others, Gladio turned the game into Dynasty Warriors, Ignis’ speed was like Dante in Devil May Cry, and Prompto was like putting a Gears of War character into a fantasy RPG.
Too Much is Never Enough
Adding to the already robust tapestry of Final Fantasy XV was a multiplayer mode called Comrades and a DLC episode based on the main villain Ardyn. There were even more planned, but was scrapped in 2018 and was turned into a novel instead.
The Royal Update added a lot more to the base game, much-needed narrative scenes and more endgame content that was sorely needed. Though even then, it might have been a little too late as Final Fantasy XV left fans feeling dissatisfied with its overall bloat in content.
With the game’s development being fully done with no additional content on the horizon, one can finally enjoy Final Fantasy XV in its entirety. It’s a worthwhile experience, with its true sticking point being the downplaying of female characters in its narrative.
Otherwise, Final Fantasy XV may have stumbled at first but it eventually became a truly unique JRPG experience. Fans will be surprised by how much Square Enix learned from Final Fantasy XV and its overall impact on Final Fantasy XVI’s story and gameplay as a whole.
