Final Fantasy XV Preview

 “IF THE INTENTION IS TO TEASE EPIC GOD OF WAR III-STYLE BOSS BATTLES, THEN WE’RE 100 PER CENT ON BOARD”

 AT THE TOKYO Game Show, we finally got another look at the elusive Final Fantasy XV and we must say, we’re pretty positive about what we saw. The ‘lads on a road trip’ vibe that we got from the game’s disappointingly homogeneous cast of characters as we saw them cruising in their sleek, black car was a bit odd but, even then, we couldn't help but be rather struck by the game’s extremely impressive visuals.

One thing that’s still not clear from the trailer is the extent to which Final Fantasy XV is a JRPG and the extent to which it is an action game. As we witnessed the game’s protagonists fighting together against armoured humans, giant mammoth like creatures and cave dwelling monsters, we got the impression that it leans towards the latter. That’s not necessarily a good or bad thing, but it will be interesting to see whether Final Fantasy XV will see the series move even further from its RPG core.

Leaving the mechanics of combat aside, the footage hinted at a couple of new elements that we can perhaps expect from the game. At one point, we saw a teleportation mechanic employed to jump from the floor to the top of a tall metal structure, suggesting that there may be some mild platforming and/or exploration elements based around teleportation. More eye-catching, though, was the moment that we saw an absolutely colossal tortoise-like monster (it’s more intimidating than it sounds) rise from the ground. We didn't get to see a battle with that creature, but if the intention is to tease epic God of War III-style boss battles, then we’re 100 per cent on board. 

With Final Fantasy XV being subject to so many delays over the years, we’ve had our concerns, but what we’re seeing now gives us cause for optimism. Square Enix says there’ll be a demo in March, so we eagerly look forward to seeing how the game is progressing then.