Final Fantasy XV (2017) Review

Spoiler Free

Final Fantasy XV is a very infamous game for many. If your like me then you waited for over 10 years to see this game finally released. FF15 originally released over a year ago now on the 29th of November 2016. When the game finally released it was met with mixed reception, some people loved it and some were disappointed due to the rushed nature of the games contents and lack thereof. Over the past year the game has had multiple free updates and DLCs, how does the game stand one year since its release? Is it better or hasn’t it made a difference? Let’s find out!

This review will be different in comparison to my other reviews, here I will be going through each individual part of the game and giving my opinion on how it adds to the game. For my full review of the game when it first released, check it out here.

The Main Game (Pre-Updates)

I’m going to give you all a quick overview of the main game, this won’t be in-depth but i want to share my thoughts on the main section of the game before the updates rolled out. Final Fantasy XV was a mess when it released, the story was inconsistent and so was the gameplay. The story starts out strong but as you go further into the game, it loses focus on specific major characters and you never really see them again.

In terms of gameplay, the game is set in an “open” world. I say it's an open world but it really isn’t open to you fully until you’ve completed the main story of the game. But the kicker is that only 50% of the game is open world, the next half of the game is completely lineir even though it seems like at some point in development it was going to be an open world section of the game.

Overall the main game when it released was honestly very disappointing. Which is why Square Enix promised updates and DLC which would help to build on this unpolished game, but… Did they succeed?

22/12/16 - Update

On the 22nd of December, the first major Final Fantasy XV update was released. This new update added the much requested New Game + into the mix, it also released some “Holiday Packs” for those who had the season pass and a free version for those who didn’t have the season pass. The holiday pack includes new weapons and accessories for the player to use and wear, doesn’t add much to the overall experience but it is still a welcome addition.

Chocobo Carnival

In the 22/12/16 update we also got the “Chocobo Carnival” which is another free addition to the game. It transforms one of the major cities in the game in a festival where the player can explore, win prizes and so much more! For something that's free for everyone it is actually really good, although its novelty wears off after as certain amount of time, it is still a really charming piece of DLC for those looking for something to do that isn’t the main section of the game.

DLC #1 - Episode Gladiolus

Episode Gladiolus is the first major DLC release for FFXV and this DLC isn’t free (Unless if you own the season pass). This DLC pack in my opinion is definitely the weakest out of the DLC packs which we get throughout the year but that doesn’t mean it's bad. You play as Gladio in this DLC (Obviously) and his gameplay is slightly different from the main game. His combat is more like a “Western” RPG than the main game is. You play mostly with one character in this DLC with no other party members joining you.

The story is set during the main games storyline and it adds a new layer onto the story of Final Fantasy XV. It did a lot to enhance Gladios character and his motives. The only disappointing thing about this DLC is the volume of content which it offers. Now considering this game is only a couple quid over here in the UK, I can be a little easier on this DLC content volume. But it's just a shame because when it feels like the DLC is really getting interesting it just ends. It only takes roughly an hour to beat most of this DLCs content.

We do get the special Chapter 13, Verse 2 content which adds story content directly into the main game itself for free. This new section of the game allows you to play as Gladio as you uncover new story segments which you would not have seen before by just playing the base game. Overall Episode Gladio is a pretty decent DLC pack. However it pales in comparison with the upcoming packs and the main game itself. It does however add lots of new story content which really improves certain parts of the game.

DLC #2 - Episode Prompto

Episode Prompto is the next big DLC pack for Final Fantasy XV and in some ways it improves on Ep. Gladio but at the same time it takes a step back in the gameplay department. You play as Prompto in this DLC and his gameplay style is well…. Different to say the least. This DLC gameplay takes direct inspiration from third person shooter games with the gameplay now including improved guns. The gameplay is playable but it is definitely not as good as it could have been, it feels wonky and unpolished but this is my only complaint about the Episode Prompto DLC.

The volume of content is where this DLC really shines. There is an area in this DLC which becomes open to you very early on and it offers many different quests for you to do. It is really impressive when compared to both Ep. Gladio and Ignis. The story for this DLC also adds some nice character development for Prompto as this also takes place during the main games story.

The update which came with this DLC also adds the Regalia Type D which allows the player to drive off road in the main game which is a huge improvement. Overall this episode is a really strong package and if not the best DLC package. The only thing that lets it down for me is the gameplay, but it adds in enough story content and content in general for me to keep coming back to this DLC.

The Assassin’s Festival

The Assassin’s Festival is a new addition which came with a free update in August. The festival is the result of a collaboration with Square Enix and Ubisoft. The festival itself is a welcome but odd addition to the game. It features a small story line which makes it stand out from the previous festival, the story is fairly good for free DLC.

There are some pretty cool new gameplay features aswell such as with the introduction of parkour moves in the festival. It is just a shame that this gameplay mechanic didn’t make its way into the full game as it would add depth and layers to the pretty (sometimes) stale exploration.

This update also adds a chapter selection menu and a bestiary which are two highly requested features which in my opinion should been in the game since day 1 but at least they finally got around to adding it. This update was pretty surprising, it certainly added some much needed features into the main game.

Chapter 12 Content

During September, a new update was released which added new cutscenes into the 12th Chapter of the game. Without revealing anything, i'll say that this update added just enough story content to make me want more. If these cutscenes were in the game to begin with then it would have immediately made the story of the base game much better. We need more updates like this!

Multiplayer Expansion: Comrades

The multiplayer expansion for Final Fantasy XV was teased very early on in the year and since then many people were excited to get their hands on it. After playing it, I can honestly say that Comrades is a fairly good expansion, but the only is that people are going to either love it or hate it. Its vastly different from what the main game has to offer. If you haven’t got friends to play this game with then unfortunately you are to struggle to deal with countless boring quests which you have to go through.

The character creator in this is excellent, you can honestly make your dream Final Fantasy XV character in this creator, it is certainly the highest point of the DLC for me. However the rest of this expansion is let down by repetitive gameplay and the fact of the matter is… I enjoyed the game better when I play on my own, this style of game in my opinion doesn’t suit the game which is Final Fantasy XV. The story plays a huge part in this DLC however and it covers a major event from main game, in that respect the expansion is very important to building on the base game, I just wasn’t a big fan of it but I could see why people will enjoy this.

DLC #3 - Episode Ignis

Episode Ignis is the final DLC for 2017 and boy does it save the absolute best for last. Releasing in December this DLC follows Ignis during a very important time during the games story. This is definitely the most important piece of DLC released for the game as it greatly enhances the story and certain characters.

The DLC has different endings and routes which you can take which makes this DLC so much better than the previous ones this year.

You can definitely see that the developers have learnt from their mistakes with the previous DLC’s and have done everything they can to make the last one of the 2017 cycle to be the best one yet. In terms of gameplay, its good and it's pretty solid but it's nothing to revolutionary but it's definitely my favorite out of all the DLCs this year.

This DLC also brings very big gameplay feature and that is the Character Selector. Previously in the main game you was only able to play as Noctis but now during battle you can change character and use any member of your party. This is a really exciting feature which we’ve wanted since the Versus XIII days. It is just a shame that you can’t use the Character Selector outside of battle.

The Main Game (Post 2017 Updates)

So, I’ve given you all my opinion on each major update and DLC for the game this year, but what is my overall verdict? Does it make the overall game better? Yes it absolutely does. If you were to go and buy FFXV today it would definitely feel like a more polished and complete experience than it did a year ago. Square Enix have done really good during 2017 to listen to fans and give them the updates which were definitely needed to make Final Fantasy XV more than just a disappointing mess. But… The game isn’t quite there just yet.

Now originally this game was supposed to end in 2017, meaning no more updates in 2018. However Square Enix have reconsidered and they will be releasing new updates and episodes during 2018, only then will we get the complete Final Fantasy XV experience.

Final Fantasy XV in 2017 is a great game, it's better than calling it an okay game which it was in 2016. I hope that the next waves of updates will continue to improve the build on the framework of Final Fantasy XV. Keep at it Square, your doing a good job.

8/10 - Brilliant

Pros:

Every update has managed to make the base game better.

Gameplay enhancements

Story enhancements

Episode Ignis

FREE Story Cutscenes

Cons:

Multiplayer isn't as good as it could have been

Short DLC episodes

Still doesn't feel like a complete game.

#finalfantasyxv #ffxv #ff15 #squareenix