For me, Final Fantasy XV was a mixed experience. I remember seeing gameplay footage before picking up the game and was excited for a fresh, new experience but ultimately it left me wanting the classic Final Fantasy gameplay back.
Now, it’s not that Final Fantasy XV is a bad game, in fact it’s quite the opposite. I think it just comes down to what I’ve grown to expect from a Final Fantasy title. Each one is a little different of course, but at their core they have always shared certain qualities.
Until Final Fantasy XV, they always had some sort of turn-based battle system. Whether it was like Final Fantasy X where it would completely wait for you, or like Final Fantasy VII where it was always going on in the background, the battle system still retained its turn-based quality. However, Final Fantasy XV features real-time combat.
Another big difference is the amount of party members. Usually you’ll travel through the world meeting new party members along the way and trying different combinations of active members on the battlefield. In Final Fantasy XV, you just have the main four characters, Noctis, Prompto, Gladiolus and Ignis. While that eliminates the question of who to level up or who to use in combat, for me it also took away from the strategy behind most JRPGs.
See, I enjoy a game that makes me really think about the best way to tackle my enemies. Usually, Final Fantasy games are perfect in doing just that, but this real-time combat takes a lot of the thinking away. Yes, it has its own fair share of mechanics and strategies, but everything is a little bit easier when your party members are attacking on their own and everything is happening all at once.
The one difference I was the most taken back by was magic. I have always enjoyed using magic in Final Fantasy games, but here I don’t think I even bothered that much. Noctis can harness elemental energy from deposits in the open world and then create what are basically bombs from them. It ended up being more of a crafting system, then a magic system and I found myself avoiding it all together unless I absolutely needed it for a certain battle.
Differences aside though, Final Fantasy 15 is a wonderful game. It is a beautiful open-world journey that takes the player on an emotional and action packed ride. Even though the battle system isn’t turn-based, it is still a solid gameplay choice.
The story is amazing too, like every Final Fantasy game. For me this is where the game shined the most. Regardless of all of the changes in this title, the storytelling was still just as good. Having only four characters allowed them to put in more work with each character and really make them come alive. I missed having more party members, but I will say that I enjoyed going on this journey with these four characters and watching their story unfold.
Ultimately, the story had me hooked enough to keep powering through my own personal issues with the game. Issues that were really only formed from comparing this game to other Final Fantasy titles.
Honestly, it isn’t a fair comparison either. They differ so much, it’s almost worth seeing this game as separate from the franchise or a rebirth of it. Much like Final Fantasy VII Remake, this game stands on its own quite well. It is just sad to see the era of turn-based combat leave this beloved franchise.
I imagine they are attempting to reach a wider audience or change with the times, but Dragon Quest XI is a perfect example of classic turn-based RPGs not going anywhere any time soon. As much as I enjoyed Final Fantasy XV, I find myself wishing they’ll return to turn-based combat.
This is the only Final Fantasy title I haven’t replayed and I think that’s because it lacks the possibility of different scenarios and combinations. With Final Fantasy X for example, each playthrough I try to focus on different characters or send them down different paths on the sphere grid when that time comes, but here things are much more linear. It took away a lot of the replay value that I’m used to in most RPGs.
All in all though, Final Fantasy XV isn’t a bad game. It just doesn’t do as well for me when compared to the rest of the franchise. Alone, it is a great game but it doesn’t hold a candle to entries like Final Fantasy X or Final Fantasy VII, at least for me. I’d like to see the franchise return to its roots, but I’m afraid that won’t happen.
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