Square Enix, desperate for a successful Final Fantasy title, has put all of its collective efforts into making Final Fantasy XV the best game they can produce. With the last entry in the series Final Fantasy XIII receiving a general negative reaction from long time fans, Square Enix is hoping Final Fantasy XV will restore the legacy of the once legendary series.
Final Fantasy is considered as the Japanese Role Playing Game that brought the genre to the mainstream popularizing it. It's the most important franchise for Square Enix and failure to live up to its legacy would be a big blow for the company.
From the looks of Final Fantasy XV, Square Enix is doing everything different this time around in hopes of restoring its fortune. Looking at the setting for Final Fantasy XV, it's clear that this is not the typical Final Fantasy world. It looks more closely than our modern world with Final Fantasy featuring cars and without the magical swords that have become a staple of the series. The dark grim feel of the world is also a departure from the bight and awe inspiring cities of the previous entries.
As it turns out, the aesthetic isn't the only thing different for Final Fantasy XV according to Ray Chase, the voice actor for Noctis, the game's lead character. "This game really pulls no punches, and I think that means it tells a much better story than previous titles. The 'deaths' in the XIII series, for example, never felt weighty because people just came back again, and again.
So there was never a sense of real loss. XV is way different, and if you end up triumphing over evil, it's because you deserved it!" said Ray Chase. Perhaps Final Fantasy XV is trying to recapture the horror of Aeris's death in Final Fantasy VII that still haunts players today.
Chase also noted that players will see Noctis "in all sorts of scenarios." He meant that players will see Noctis experience a full spectrum of emotions, from the deepest despair to happiest joy. Again this not the norm for most Final Fantasy protagonist who were brooding and serious.
Then again, in order for players to see the ending, they would have to dedicate 50-100 hours to finish the game as reports have shown. Final Fantasy XV will release on PS4 and Xbox one on November 29, 2016.
