Final Fantasy XV takes the setting of the modern world, which is loaded with millennial technology and culture.
The people in this game are accustomed to using smartphones, they often take self-portraits, eat delicious food, drive cars, almost everything that happens in this game is almost done man in the real world.
Even so, elements of the royal empire still carried Square Enix as a central element of Final Fantasy XV.
For those of you who have watched the Final Fantasy XV prequel movie, Kingsglaive, definitely understand why the kingdom holds a big role in this game.
Final Fantasy XV's location setting takes place in a world called Eos, where two kingdoms: Lucis and Niflheim, are opposite camps.
Niflheim is a provocateur kingdom ambitious to take over the land of Lucis, more precisely Insomnia as its capital.
But as a form of 'peace' deal, Niflheim wants to take over Insomnia by offering her captive daughter, Lunafreya Nox Fleuret, to marry the prince Lucis, Noctis.
In short, Niflheim's offer was just a cover. Their main motive is simply to take Lucis crystals and kill Regis Lucis Caelum, the father of Noctis.
The conflict began when the collapse of the Lucis empire came to Noctis, who was about to be told to run away, went to Altissia to marry Lunafreya.
On the way, Noctis with his best friend 's bodyguard': Gladiolus, Prompto and Ignis, had to accept the bitter tragedy in which his kingdom collapsed, and his father was tragically killed.
Final Fantasy XV in our eyes is not an arbitrary game about a group of youths darting through the streets, enjoying camping with snack foods, or just tempting a sexy mechanic to receive a car upgrade discount.
Indeed, all that has been mentioned is an element that reinforces the story, making it even more real.
Final Fantasy XV is precisely the story that focuses on the struggle of Noctis who must re-seize the royal throne that Niflheim has captured, so he finally knows that there must be sacrifices made in order not only to save Lucis, but also Eos.
This game has a story and a strong conflict, unfortunately the execution of the story line divide is divided into several parts.
On the one hand, Square Enix is clever enough to perform strategic monetization methods. They can share the plot of the story into sections, such as the Kingsglaive movie, Brotherhood anime series, and a prequel game called A King's Tale.
That way, if players want to know what's really going on in Final Fantasy XV, they have to try all the pieces in full.
Unfortunately, there are too many 'holes' in the game's main story. Many scenes that should be visualized in the cutscene, in fact only narrated in the form of sentence text.
Worse, the excerpted footage in the Final Fantasy XV trailer had Square Enix cut off mercilessly. I can say, only 20 percent of the scenes in the Final Fantasy XV trailer appear in the final game version.
It would be better Square Enix takes more time - about six months - so they can fill the plot hole that felt dropped the storyline just like that.
Unfortunately it seems to see the story narrated so 'jor-rod' in Kingsglaive, immediately feels flat and not optimal in the game version.
Game Mode
Final Fantasy XV features Action RPG gameplay, unlike the previous Final Fantasy series that carries the turn based element.
This made us skeptical with what this game mode game looks like. At least, this game brings an open world scheme that can be explored. Imagine, Final Fantasy XV comes with a world map concept, just more realistic.
Actually, after playing this game more than a month, can say Final Fantasy XV is more than just Action RPG. The way Tabata packs this game is quite unique, it is able to embellish additional game elements that are quite enliven the gameplay.
When playing Noctis first, driving the streets, driving the car, talking to the NPC (Non Playable Character) character, it turns out that this game is not as bad as it thinks. Graphics are so fascinating to be 'medicine' that makes us 'comfortable' play this game.
Unlike the other Final Fantasy series that rely on a fleet of train or airship to explore the open world, Final Fantasy XV relies on cars as its main transportation fleet.
But that does not mean, you can not enjoy the sensation of aboard or fly with airship. Everything has its time. Only, if you want to fly, you should upgrade the Regalia (Noctis car) with additional components that can be searched in a special sidequest.
Fun, this car can also be modified at will you. You can change the color of the car, the tire, until redecorating the interior.
Uniquely, this car can play the old Final Fantasy music. Imagine, travel the world of Eos with Final Fantasy music by Nobuo Uematsu. What more do you ask for?
As described above, this game has an additional gameplay element that can maximize the playing experience. The four characters have skills that each can be sharpened.
Skill can be maximized through experience gaining done during camping. Therefore, kamping is one of the important features players have to do for grinding levels.
Noctis can fish. Throughout the game, he can collect fishes from locations around the world.
Reliable Gladio on Survival skill, which this man's big pitched skill is of little importance. If you have any intention (or indeed want) to maximize his Gladio Survival skills, he says he can pick up rare items throughout the game.
Well, the skill that we think is interesting is the skill of his Ignis. Yup, this skill was again regarded as one of the features of the success of Final Fantasy XV, the cooking skill.
During camping, Noctis et al will be served Ignis cooked food. The higher the skill level, the more delicious the food he cooks.
Fun, there are so many different types of food that can be found throughout the game. Each food has the effect to maximize the status or simply cure HP (Health Point).
Additional Battle and Mission System
As mentioned earlier, we were skeptical of the game mode - let alone the battle system - in Final Fantasy XV.
In fact, we were wrong. Fight Final Fantasy XV has a real fighting sensation. A bit ridiculous indeed if the game with graphics sememukau is still carrying a turn-based battle system.
The main pawn of the fight will be held intact by Noctis. Players can replace at least four arsenal (weapons) that can be deployed....
So, call Noctis could have used Shuriken, sword, spear or dagger at the same time. Oh, pulling Noctis can do warp strike. He can perform attacks simultaneously with his ability to teleport. This is what makes the nuance of the fight more intense.
The attack mode goes hack and slash. Unfortunately, this game does not give opportunities to players to play Gladio, Prompto or Ignis.
They will fight NPC to accompany Noctis. However, it does not mean Noctis can not cooperate with them. Tech Attacks feature, allows us to instruct the other three colleagues to deploy special Attack.
The magic system in Final Fantasy XV also becomes more value and an innovation. Final Fantasy XV carries an Elemancy system in which players can crafting (gathering) basic magic such as Ice, Lightning and Fire to form a stronger magic.
In fact, the opportunity to make the magic attack power deployed increases with Dualcast, Tricast, Quadcast and Quintcast. That way, the magic that Noctis et al can deploy Firaga, for example, five times if using Quintcast.
To be able to perform craft magic, Noctis must also take elemental magic from some 'post' spread in Eos. For the record, he can accommodate at least up to 99 elemental magic to mix it in crafting.
It seems, incomplete talk Final Fantasy XV without the presence of summon. This is actually very unfortunate. The existence of a summon or more often called Astral in this game, does not seem too concerned. In fact, they also appear and have a large portion along the storyline.
This game has six Astral: Ramuh, Titan, Leviathan, Shiva, Bahamut and Ifrit. Unfortunately, the only ones who can only be cast along the battle are Ramuh, Titan, Leviathan and Shiva.
Even then they appear only under certain conditions and are not given the control to call them. Say fighting in the area of Cleigne, which appears could be Ramuh or Titan.
Then what about Bahamut and Ifrit? They just play the role of 'sweetener' at the end of the story. In fact, if they can be called, can complete the sequence of summon attacks in the game.
Sidequest inside this game is rated to be an additional point for this game. Surprisingly, sidequest more 'free' done when the game has been rescued first.
Actually, there are many sidequest that can be done along the game before finally finishing Final Fantasy XV.
However, again grinding the character level so consideration why we should do it after finishing the game.
Most sidequest require between: characters with level 90 up, or have a fleet of flying like Regalia Type-F.
Music
Finally, music becomes the point of why Final Fantasy XV is ultimately mandatory. In our opinion, Square Enix's decision to invite veteran composer Yoko Shimomura is right.
Shimomura and Final Fantasy XV are two inseparable elements. Every scoring he created, feels so fitting to walk with a series of scenes that take place throughout the game.
His favorite work we love so much is Somnus and The Niflheim Empire.
It is also the first Final Fantasy XV series to have more than two battle themes, and Shimomura is so skilled at performing the perfect, bold and full of character composition. It is no exaggeration to call Shimomura a successor of Nobuo Uematsu.
In conclusion, regardless of any shortcomings, Final Fantasy XV can actually be better than this. More perfect than already played.
And, one of the biggest scourges that this game carries is the plot hole, the loss of the story throughout the game. If only Square Enix really adds cultivation time, maybe Final Fantasy XV will have a more complete and meaningful story. That way, you could say Final Fantasy XV became the result of hard work Square Enix, in terms of placement of the story.
With all the added points mentioned, this game is worth playing just to fill the time by fulfilling the sidequest, or simply amuse yourself with the eye-catching sweet graphics, but not the game that can meet the player's expectations in terms of story distribution.
