Final Fantasy XV

This is a good article. Click here for more information.
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
(Redirected from Final Fantasy XV: Comrades)

Final Fantasy XV
Developer(s)Square Enix Business Division 2
Publisher(s)Square Enix
Director(s)Hajime Tabata
Producer(s)Shinji Hashimoto
Designer(s)Takatsugu Nakazawa
Artist(s)
Writer(s)
  • Saori Itamuro
  • Akiko Ishibashi
  • Takumi Nishida
Composer(s)Yoko Shimomura
SeriesFinal Fantasy
EngineLuminous Engine
Platform(s)
Release
  • PlayStation 4, Xbox One
  • November 29, 2016
  • Windows
  • March 6, 2018
  • Google Stadia
  • November 19, 2019
Genre(s)Action role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Final Fantasy XV[a] is a 2016 action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix. The fifteenth main installment of the Final Fantasy series, it was released for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in November 2016, Windows in March 2018, and as a launch title for Stadia in November 2019. The game features an open world environment and action-based battle system, incorporating quick-switching weapons, elemental magic, and other features such as vehicle travel and camping. The base campaign was later expanded with downloadable content (DLC), adding further gameplay options such as additional playable characters and multiplayer.

Final Fantasy XV takes place on the fictional world of Eos; aside from Insomnia, the capital of Lucis, all the world is dominated by the empire of Niflheim, who seek control of the magical Crystal protected by the Lucian royal family. On the eve of peace negotiations, Niflheim attacks the capital and steals the Crystal. Noctis Lucis Caelum, heir to the Lucian throne, goes on a quest to rescue the Crystal and defeat Niflheim. He later learns his full role as the "True King", destined to use the Crystal's powers to save Eos from eternal darkness. The game shares a thematic connection with Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy, a subseries of games linked by a common mythos which includes Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy Type-0.

The game's development began in 2006 as a PlayStation 3 spin-off titled Final Fantasy Versus XIII.[b] Tetsuya Nomura served as the original director and character designer. After a development period of six years, it was changed to the next mainline title in the series in 2012; Nomura was replaced as director by Hajime Tabata, and the game shifted to eighth generation platforms. Due to the changes, the story needed to be rewritten and some scenes and characters were repurposed or removed. The setting of Final Fantasy XV was "a fantasy based on reality", with locations and creatures based on elements from the real world.

To supplement the game, Square Enix created a multimedia project called the "Final Fantasy XV Universe", which includes a few spin-off games, as well as an anime series and a feature film. Gameplay and story-based DLC was released between 2017 and 2019. Upon release, Final Fantasy XV was well received by critics. Widespread praise was given for its gameplay, visuals and soundtrack, while reception towards its story and presentation was mixed. As of May 2022, the game has sold ten million units worldwide, making it one of the best-selling Final Fantasy games of all time.

Gameplay

Final Fantasy XV is an open world action role-playing game where players take control of protagonist Noctis Lucis Caelum during his journey across the world of Eos. While accompanied by his three companions Gladiolus, Ignis and Prompto, Noctis is the only character directly controlled by the player: he can navigate through movement, jump over small obstacles, sprint for a limited time, and perform context-based actions such as taking cover behind objects.[1][2] The kingdom of Lucis is a large connected landmass that can be explored on foot, by using the party's car "Regalia", or chocobos, recurring galliform birds in the Final Fantasy series.[3][4] Both the Regalia and chosen Chocobos can be customised by the player, and Chocobos can join in battles if their connection to the characters is strong enough. While Chocobos are controlled manually, the Regalia can be either manually or automatically controlled. The party can also fast-travel to areas unlocked on the world map. The Regalia must be refueled periodically at petrol stations.[5][6][7] In towns the party can visit, there are inns and hotels where they can stay, shops where items and equipment can be purchased with the in-game currency gil, and local tipsters, non-playable characters (NPCs) who provide information on quests, from main story missions to side quests. Side quests are also available from individual NPCs found in towns.[1][7] During some story sequences, dialogue choices appear for Noctis, with the selected option altering the response from NPCs.[7] The game also contains two difficulty modes, with players being able to freely switch between the two.[1]

Battle system

The Active Cross Battle system in action, showing Noctis attacking a hostile soldier in one of the game's environments

The game uses an action-based real-time battle system, called the Active Cross Battle system. Instead of using a menu interface, the player selects commands directly mapped to buttons on the controller, such as "Attack", "Defend", and "Item".[2] Battles take place within the current environment rather than transitioning to a separate arena, and can range from open plains to enclosed building interiors.[1][8] When approaching enemies, a threat meter appears on the top of the screen, growing in intensity the closer the party gets to the enemy. When the party gets close and attacks or is detected, the battle begins. Running away from enemies and out of the combat zone in normal battles ends combat. During battle, each character has health points (HP), and Noctis also has magic points (MP). HP is depleted whenever a character is attacked, while Noctis's MP recovers over time when not in combat or when not using associated abilities such as warping or special weapon skills. If a character's current HP reaches zero, they enter Danger Mode, during which the maximum HP cap steadily decreases; the character is defeated when all of their maximum HP is lost. Some enemies, such as Daemons, are able to lower the HP cap with their attacks. If Noctis is defeated, there is a brief period where a revival item must be used. Should the player fail to do so, the game ends.[1]

Noctis can perform four actions in battle: the standard attack; defending, which blocks and parries attacks; warping, which takes Noctis to a targeted area such as another enemy or an out-of-the-way warp point, and using items. There is a "Wait Mode" option available, where if all player input stops the battle pauses, and players are able to select new enemies to attack or actions to take within a time limit.[1][8] An option available for both Noctis and Ignis in Wait Mode is Libra, an ability which displays an enemy's health, strengths and weaknesses.[1] Noctis can find and equip a wide range of weapons, including single and double-handed swords, polearms, axes, shields, firearms, daggers and Royal Arms. The weapons manifest from thin air as Noctis fights, and can be manually shifted by the player. The type of weapon equipped determines the attack speed and the amount of damage on normal attacks. In addition to normal attacks, there are attacks that deal more damage based on Noctis' position such as "Side Strike" or "Blindside", in addition to the Warp Strike attack. Attacks from enemies can be parried, and depending on the quality of the parry Noctis can counterattack. If wielding a shield-type weapon, a successful block staggers an enemy, leaving them vulnerable to attack. Noctis can launch a special attack with the Royal Arms dubbed "Armiger", when the meter fills during combat: while more powerful than standard weapons, Royal Arms consume HP with each use.[1][5][6] Noctis can also use two classes of firearms—Guns, which range from handguns like pistols to rifles; and Machinery, powerful weapons that have varying effects depending on the type used, from generating a powerful shockwave to dealing high melee damage.[9]

Noctis's companions, controlled by the game's artificial intelligence (AI), can perform contextual commands. When Noctis successfully parries an enemy attack, or performs a Side Strike or Blindside, cooperative attacks between him and his companions called Link-strikes can be triggered. During battle, a meter called the Tech Bar fills. When full, Noctis can command his companions to perform special moves called Techniques: Gladiolus performs a sweeping attack with his sword, Ignis uses his daggers to mark enemies so Noctis can perform a warp strike attack, and Prompto uses his firearm to fire a powerful shot that pierces through tough opponents. After each of these, Noctis can initiate a follow-up attack. Noctis can also trigger an Armiger Chain, where he splits his Royal Arms between his companions before launching a single attack.[5][10]

Magic is separated into two types: Elemancy and Arcana.[10] Elemancy is separated into three types: Fire, Ice and Lightning. Elemental energy is drawn from points across the world map, being absorbed into special flasks and used to craft magical bombs that can be used on enemies. Elemancy can also be combined with specific items to add new effects, such as healing party members while damaging enemies. Both Noctis and his companions are able to use Elemancy.[1][10] Arcana, accessed when Noctis has acquired and equipped a story-related item called the Ring of the Lucii, has access to more powerful magical abilities such as "Death", which drains an enemy's health.[10] After a certain point in the game, Noctis can call upon summoned monsters called Astrals, which aid the party by launching a devastating attack. The summons featured are series regulars including Titan, Ramuh, Leviathan and Shiva. Their types of attack, and even whether they assist at all, is dependent on the environment: for instance, Leviathan can only be summoned in the open when there is a body of water nearby.[6][10][11] At certain points in the story, Noctis is joined by guest characters who have their own Link-strikes and Techniques.[12]

Character progression

After each battle, characters earn experience points (EXP), but they do not automatically level up when a certain amount of EXP has been gathered. Instead, the party must go to safe zones called "Havens", namely rest sites like inns or campsites. When the party rests at night, each character gains levels depending on the amount of EXP earned. If defeated in battle, all EXP gained up to that point since the last level up is permanently lost. Activities in the overworld earn the party Ability Points (AP). AP is spent on the Ascension Grid, the game's leveling system, which is divided into skill trees called "Astralspheres". Each Astralsphere is sorted by type, being associated with magic, combat or passive abilities. Spending AP opens up nodes within the Astralsphere, which in turn grants access to further nodes which require higher amounts of AP to unlock.[1][6]

Noctis' companions each have their own skills which themselves level up based on usage, and affect equipment. Noctis' fishing ability improves the more times he fishes and the better items he uses, which in turn spreads to his equipment. Gladiolus' Survival skills increase based on the distance the party has travelled in a day, which improves the quality of their equipment and items. Ignis' cooking can be improved based on ingredients either purchased at shops or found in the wild, and his meals grant stat boosts to the party. Prompto takes photos during the party's journey, and the quality of his own skills increase over time.[1][6] A post-release update enables control of all four characters during battle after unlocking a dedicated node in the Ascension Grid; each character uses specific weapon types and abilities tied to them.[13]

Multiplayer

See also: Final Fantasy XV Multiplayer: Comrades

A multiplayer mode called Comrades was released as an expansion, with gameplay and combat lifted from the main game and tailored for multiplayer; rather than a pre-set character, players take the role of a customizable avatar who takes part in a portion of the story skipped over by the main narrative. The game begins with players choosing their gender, hairstyle, clothing and other aspects. Using the in-game city of Lestallum as their base, the player is assigned missions with three other characters—either other players or AI-controlled. During missions, the player fights monsters either on sorties or to defend transports; at the end of each mission, the player is awarded Gil, materials used for crafting and enhancing weapons, and "Meteorshards" which can power up settlements around Lestallum and open up new quests. Some areas unlock Royal Tombs which grant the player a Royal Sigil; these Sigils both increase specific statistics and grant new themed abilities such as healing or increasing combat moves. The player has access to a variety of weapon types from normal swords to maces and shurikens, which are enhanced using materials to increase passive abilities such as their damage capacity.[14] The multiplayer mode was shut down in June 2020, though the Comrades campaign can still be played with NPC party members.[15]

Plot

Setting

Final Fantasy XV takes place on the Earth-like world of Eos,[16] which is divided between four nations: Lucis, Accordo, Tenebrae and Niflheim. Lucis, occupying a whole landmass, possesses a magical artifact known as the Crystal, gifted to the reigning Caelum dynasty by the world's deities in antiquity and accessed through the hereditary Ring of the Lucii. Accordo, located in the southern part of Eos, is an island nation formed through a union of free trading cities. The western continent is home to the technologically advanced empire of Niflheim and the nation of Tenebrae, which is ruled by the Oracle—a priestess who can commune with the gods. The Oracle's main task is curing the Starscourge, a plague that absorbs all natural light and turns those infected into nocturnal monsters known as Daemons.[17][18][19]: 318–319 

Central to the lore of Eos are the Astrals, six divine beings who serve as the guardians of the natural world and are based on summoned monsters from the Final Fantasy series;[6][20][21] and the True King, a legendary figure prophesied to appear when the Starscourge threatens to plunge Eos into eternal night.[22] A key part of Eos's backstory is the Great War of Old, a conflict born when the ancient human civilization of Solheim turned on the Astrals, one of whom was Solheim's patron Ifrit. Ifrit's subsequent attempt to destroy humanity defied the Astrals' duty to protect Eos, forcing their leader Bahamut to kill him. This conflict is implied to have caused the spread of the Starscourge across the planet, hastening the fall of Solheim.[19]: 318–319 [22]

For centuries, Lucis has been at war with the militaristic Niflheim, who seek to emulate Solheim's glory. To that end Niflheim has subjugated most of Eos, including Accordo and Tenebrae; Tenebrae retains limited political autonomy due to the Oracle's influence. Only Lucis's capital city of Insomnia remains unconquered due to the use of the Crystal's power, which is slowly draining the current king's life force. At the game's beginning an armistice is declared between the two nations due to the king's failing health; as part of the peace agreements, Niflheim will gain control of all Lucian territories outside Insomnia, and a marriage is arranged between the heirs apparent of the royal families of Lucis and Tenebrae.[17][18][22]

Characters

Main article: Characters of Final Fantasy XV
Promotional artwork featuring the core and supporting cast of Final Fantasy XV and its expanded media

The game's protagonist is Noctis Lucis Caelum, the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Lucis, who loses his father in the Niflheim invasion. Noctis is accompanied on his journey throughout the world of Eos by his three friends: Gladiolus Amicitia, the scion of a family sworn to protect Noctis's family; Ignis Scientia, a prodigy military tactician and Noctis's aide; and Prompto Argentum, a childhood friend of Noctis from a lower social class. Guest characters include Cor Leonis, a legendary warrior of Lucis and the leader of the Crownsguard who acts as an early guide to Noctis's party; Iris Amicitia, the younger sister of Gladiolus; and Aranea Highwind, a mercenary dragoon in service to Niflheim. Other key characters are Lunafreya Nox Fleuret, the current Oracle and former Princess of Tenebrae who is betrothed to Noctis; Regis Lucis Caelum CXIII, king of Lucis and the father of Noctis; and Gentiana, Lunafreya's attendant. The empire of Niflheim is ruled by Emperor Iedolas Aldercapt. Aldercapt's notable subordinates include Ardyn Izunia, the imperial chancellor and the game's main antagonist; Ravus Nox Fleuret, Lunafreya's brother and the high commander of Niflheim; and Verstael Besithia, the empire's head researcher.

Story

Noctis and his three friends begin their journey to Altissia, the capital of Accordo, where Noctis's wedding to Lunafreya will take place. Finding the local boat services stopped, they receive news of Niflheim's attack on the city of Insomnia and theft of the Crystal; King Regis has been assassinated, and both Noctis and Lunafreya are declared dead.[23] Meeting up with Cor, Noctis is tasked with retrieving the Royal Arms—the magical weapons of past Lucian kings—to rescue the Crystal and reclaim his throne.[24] While staying in the city of Lestallum with Iris, Noctis is contacted by the Astral Titan; encouraged by Ardyn, Noctis endures Titan's trial and earns his power, learning that Lunafreya is traveling ahead of Noctis to awaken the Astrals from their slumber.[25][26] The group continues to travel across Lucis, retrieving the Royal Arms and meeting the Astral Ramuh with assistance from Gentiana. He is also confronted by a hostile Ravus, spars with the mercenary Aranea, and receives further aid from Ardyn.[27][28][29] The group eventually recover parts to repair Regis's old yacht, using it to travel to Altissia.[30]

The party arrives in Altissia, where Lunafreya has taken sanctuary. Lunafreya awakens the Astral Leviathan so Noctis can obtain her power, only for Leviathan to go on a rampage when Niflheim attacks. Ardyn appears and mortally wounds Lunafreya, disrupting the ritual, but she succeeds in awakening Noctis's powers, allowing him to defeat Leviathan. While unconscious, he is visited in a dream by Lunafreya's spirit, who gives him the Ring of the Lucii. Noctis wakes to find Lunafreya dead, Altissia in chaos and that Ignis was blinded during the battle.[31] The party continues towards Niflheim's capital of Gralea by train. Ignis' blindness and Noctis's mourning of Lunafreya cause friction with Gladiolus until Ignis forces a reconciliation. It is also revealed that the nights are growing longer, causing more Daemons to appear.[32] Ardyn tricks Noctis into pushing Prompto off the train, and holds Prompto and the Crystal captive in Gralea's military fortress Zegnautus Keep, the primary laboratory where Niflheim creates its military infantry, cybernetic robots which use daemonic energy. Noctis discovers that the Crystal's power can destroy Daemons.[33][34] Noctis continues to Tenebrae, where Aranea is aiding refugees from across Eos. There, Noctis learns that Lunafreya was dying from waking the Astrals, and that Ravus now supports him. On the final journey to Gralea, the train is ambushed by Daemons. After defeating them, Noctis receives the Astral Shiva's blessing from Gentiana, revealed as Shiva's human form.[34]

Arriving to find Gralea overrun by Daemons, Noctis is separated from his friends and forced to use the Ring of the Lucii and survive Zegnautus Keep. After reuniting and rescuing Prompto, the party continues through Zegnautus Keep, defeating Ravus and Emperor Aldercapt, who have been transformed into Daemons. Forcefully leaving his friends behind, Noctis reaches the Crystal, only to be pulled into it. Ardyn appears and reveals himself as Ardyn Lucis Caelum, a healer ostracized with support from the Astrals and the Crystal, after being infected by the Starscourge. He sought revenge on the family bloodline and the Crystal, spreading the Starscourge while waiting for the True King to appear so he could destroy them both.[35] Within the Crystal, Noctis meets Bahamut, and learns that he is the True King of prophecy, who will cleanse the Starscourge and restore light to Eos at the cost of his life. Noctis returns to Eos after ten years, finding the world engulfed in darkness. Reuniting with his friends, Noctis heads for Insomnia, fighting Ifrit—revived and corrupted by the Starscourge—before facing Ardyn. After killing Ardyn in single combat, Noctis ascends the throne and sacrifices himself, using the Crystal and Ring of the Lucii to purge the Starscourge from Eos. In the afterlife, with the help from Lunafreya, Noctis destroys Ardyn's spirit. In mid-credits and post-credits scenes, it is revealed that Noctis opened up to his companions before the final battle, and finds rest with Lunafreya in the afterlife.[36]

Development

Main article: Development of Final Fantasy XV

Final Fantasy XV was primarily developed by Square Enix's Business Division 2.[37] Additional studios that helped with development included HexaDrive, XPEC Entertainment, Plusmile, and Streamline Studios.[38][39][40][41] Staff included director Hajime Tabata; producer Shinji Hashimoto; main writer Saori Itamuro, who wrote the scenario based on the original draft by Kazushige Nojima; and art directors Tomohiro Hasegawa, Yusuke Naora and Isamu Kamikokuryo.[42][43] Character designs were by Tetsuya Nomura and Roberto Ferrari, with later revisions by Naora.[42][44][45][46] The main characters' clothing was designed by Hiromu Takahara, lead designer for Japanese fashion house Roen.[44] The soundtrack was composed primarily by Yoko Shimomura, while both real-time and CGI cutscenes were directed by Takeshi Nozue of Visual Works, Square Enix's in-house CGI production studio.[42][47] Logo illustration was by regular series artist Yoshitaka Amano.[18]

Development began in 2006 as a spin-off for the PlayStation 3 called Final Fantasy Versus XIII, as part of the Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy, a subseries of games linked by a common mythos, and ran in Square Enix's proprietary Crystal Tools engine. Developed by the team behind the Kingdom Hearts series, it was intended to be a darker entry in the Final Fantasy series than allowed in the main series.[48][49][50] Nomura was the original director, designer, and created the initial concept and scenario.[42][44] The project suffered from a prolonged and troubled development, only making fragmentary appearances over the following six years.[51][52] As early as 2007, the project's scale prompted talks of rebranding it as the next mainline entry. With the internal unveiling of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, it was decided to change it into a mainline entry, with a proposed PS3 version being scrapped due to technical troubles. The game's engine also changed, shifting to the company's new proprietary Luminous Engine.[2][53][54] At the time of its rebranding and shift to next-generation consoles in 2012, Versus XIII was described as being on 20-25% complete, with Tabata saying it never took shape.[55][56]

When Tabata took over from Nomura, the entire development team was reshuffled and development started over again, although he worked as a co-director with Nomura until late 2013 to ensure the project remained as true as possible to its original vision.[2][51][57] Among the changes were the removal of the original story's opening, and the replacement of the original heroine Stella Nox Fleuret with the similarly named Lunafreya.[58][59] The connection to Fabula Nova Crystallis was also reduced, with branding and mythos-specific terminology removed to aid in the game's marketing. Thematic, aesthetic and design elements were retained due to their core place in the world and backstory.[18][22]: 592–597 [55][60] The main concept behind Final Fantasy XV was "a fantasy based on reality", with the world being very similar to Earth and having fantasy elements gradually intruding into an otherwise normal setting. In pursuit of this, locations in Eos were based on real-world locations such as Tokyo, Venice and the Bahamas.[4][18][38]

Final Fantasy XV Universe

Main articles: Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV, Brotherhood: Final Fantasy XV, Monster of the Deep: Final Fantasy XV, and Final Fantasy XV: A New Empire

Due to the scale of the game's narrative and Tabata's wish to release a single game rather than a series of games similar to Final Fantasy XIII, aspects of the planned narrative were refashioned into supplementary media projects.[61] Known as the "Final Fantasy XV Universe", the projects were split into two parts; media designed to reach a wider audience than the game might manage alone, and additional game-related content such as ports to other hardware and DLC.[62] The project was first revealed at a March 2016 press event called "Uncovered: Final Fantasy XV".[63] Tabata later stated that those who just played the game would miss context for story events shown in other related media.[62]

The two central parts of the "Final Fantasy XV Universe" are the feature film Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV and the original net animation Brotherhood: Final Fantasy XV.[61] Brotherhood was produced by anime studio A-1 Pictures under supervision from Square Enix;[64] the narrative focused on the backstories of Noctis and his companions.[65] The series was released online between March and September 2016.[66][67] Kingsglaive, which received a limited theatrical release in 2016, was a collaboration between Visual Works and Western studios including Digic Pictures and Image Engine;[68][69] the story, which mainly focused on original characters, recycled story elements cut from the opening narrative of Final Fantasy XV.[70]

Also forming part of the project were Platinum Demo: Final Fantasy XV, a game demo detailing an incident in Noctis's childhood which tied into the events of Brotherhood;[61][71] Justice Monsters Five, a mobile game based on a minigame from Final Fantasy XV which was active from August 2016 to March 2017;[63][72][73] A King's Tale: Final Fantasy XV, a promotional beat 'em up featuring Regis as the playable character;[74] Monster of the Deep: Final Fantasy XV, a virtual reality simulation game released in 2017 for PlayStation VR;[75] and Final Fantasy XV: A New Empire, a massively multiplayer online strategy game published by Machine Zone in 2017 and developed by their Epic Action subsidiary.[76][77]

Release

See also: Final Fantasy XV: Pocket Edition

Initially announced in 2006 alongside XIII and Type-0, the game was publicly rebranded at E3 2013, with regular updates on the title beginning the following year.[52] A demo titled Final Fantasy XV: Episode Duscae was released in March 2015 as a limited addition to Final Fantasy Type-0 HD.[78][79][80] The game's localization was handled by Dan Inoue, who used different accents for characters to denote their origins on different parts of Eos.[81] In addition to English, Japanese and European languages, the game was localized for Latin America with Latin American Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese text: this was the first time a Final Fantasy title was localized into these languages.[82]

Its initial worldwide release, September 30, was announced at the "Uncovered" event.[63] Despite this intended date, further polishing work resulted in the date being pushed back to November 29.[83][84] Further fixes were applied to the game through a Day One patch released concurrent with the game.[85] The game was published in multiple editions, called "Day One", "Deluxe", and "Ultimate Collector's Edition".[86] The "Deluxe" edition included a Blu-ray edition of Kingsglaive, while the "Ultimate Collector's Edition" included both Kingsglaive and a version of Brotherhood with additional footage related to Luna.[64][86][87] In 2018, a version of the game called Royal Edition was released, which contained both all DLC published to that point in addition to further story and gameplay additions alongside technical improvements.[88]

A version for Windows was released on March 6, 2018. Square Enix developed the port with Nvidia using an upgraded version of the Luminous Studio engine, featuring graphical enhancements and all DLC.[88][89][90] These improvements and additions were also released as part of the console-exclusive Royal Edition.[88] The game was also ported to the streaming-based Stadia platform, releasing on November 19, 2019, as a launch title.[91] Another version, titled Final Fantasy XV: Pocket Edition, was released in February 2018 for iOS and Android.[92] The game was co-developed by Square Enix, SummerTimeStudio, and XPEC Entertainment.[93][94] Development began in 2015 following the release of Episode Duscae; the game was produced by Kosei Ito, who was producer on Tabata's first major Square Enix title Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII.[94][95]

Downloadable content

Main article: Final Fantasy XV downloadable content

Multiple pieces of downloadable content (DLC) were created for the game by a smaller development team from the core Final Fantasy XV staff. The team was supervised by Tabata and headed by new producer Haruyoshi Sawatari.[96][11] Among the DLC were additional story elements intended to address player criticisms of the game's narrative structure and missing details.[88][97] The journeys of Noctis' friends during their absence in the main story are expanded through the character-driven DLC episodes—Episode Gladiolus, Episode Prompto and Episode Ignis—which were released respectively in March, June and December 2017.[98][99][100] A story-driven multiplayer mode called Comrades was released in November 2017, with Final Fantasy XV becoming the first mainline single-player Final Fantasy to include multiplayer content.[101][102] A standalone version of Comrades was released for PS4 and Xbox One in December 2018 to replace the DLC version of Comrades.[103]

Episode Ignis was intended to be the last story-based DLC, but positive player feedback resulted in Square Enix wanting to develop further content focusing on other main characters, such as Ardyn.[104] Episode Ardyn was released in March 2019, and was the final post-release update for Final Fantasy XV.[105][106] Originally part of a tetralogy of story-based DLC episodes dubbed The Dawn of the Future, the other episodes were cancelled due to structural changes within Square Enix.[107] Story material for The Dawn of the Future DLC has been turned into a novel of the same name.[108][106] It was first released in Japan in April 2019, and worldwide in June 2020.[109][110]

Reception

Final Fantasy XV has received "generally favorable" reviews from critics for all versions, according to review aggregator Metacritic.[113][112][111] Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu gave both versions of the game a score of 38 points out of 40.[117] Various game designers stated Final Fantasy XV was their favorite game of 2016, including Final Fantasy series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, Atlus' Shigeo Komori, Koei Tecmo's Takashi Morinaka, and Sony Interactive Entertainment's Teruyuki Toriyama and Shuhei Yoshida.[126]

Opinions on the story of Final Fantasy XV were mixed, although the main cast was praised for its chemistry.[115][118][123][121][125] Game Informer's Andrew Reiner praised the change to a simple straightforward plot after the complex lore of Final Fantasy XIII.[118] Peter Brown of GameSpot and Philip Kollar of Polygon praised the mundane activities and character interactions, with Kollar calling Noctis's companions the game's "beating heart".[120][124] In contrast, Jonathan Leack of Game Revolution found the characters lacked interest during the early parts of the campaign,[119] and Hardcore Gamer's Adam Beck called the main story a "monumental disappointment" despite enjoying the lead cast.[122] The minimal representation of supporting characters was also frequently faulted.[115][116][120][121] David Roberts of GamesRadar, Electronic Gaming Monthly's Mollie L. Patterson and Destructoid's Chris Carter also noted the crucial part played by the game's expanded media in grounding or fleshing out the main story.[115][116][121]

The visuals and realistic style were positively received, with IGN's Vince Ingenito enjoying the unusual use of realistic aesthetic details for the towns and environment.[123] Roberts, Brown, Leack, Beck and Kollar praised the open world design and depth of detail, in addition to its scale and similarity to open worlds from recent Western games.[119][120][121][124][122] Beck also noted the setpiece moments as beautiful in appearance despite weak narrative elements and confusing or convoluted gameplay.[122] Leack positively noted the main cast's eye-catching design, which he felt helped maintain a connection during the early sections of the game.[119] Shimomura's score was also positively received by critics.[116][118][122]

The gameplay was praised for its fast pace and engaging mechanics despite a lack of depth compared with other action games, with several reviewers comparing it to Kingdom Hearts;[115][118][120][123][124] Patterson positively compared normal battles to the CGI cutscene-exclusive battles of earlier Square Enix titles,[116] while Leack called the combat system "Kingdom Hearts meets Dissidia" and praised its depth and accessibility.[119] Digital Spy's Kirk McKeand praised the behaviour of Noctis's companions in battle, saying they were effective supporting units.[125] The linear second half drew criticism, with Roberts predicting that it would be one of the game's most divisive elements.[121][124][122] The summons were seen as spectacular, but either lacking meaning in gameplay or being too difficult to activate.[115][116][120][123] Several reviewers noted the in-game camera's occasionally erratic behaviour.[118][119][124]

Sales

In Japan, the PS4 version topped Japanese gaming charts, selling 690,471 units. The Xbox One version sold nearly 3,800 units. Total sales of both versions came to 694,262 units, with the game's release boosting console sales for the PS4 over the previous week by over 42,000 units.[127] Second week sales in the region were 79,792 units, down 88% from launch week and causing the game to drop to fifth place.[128] Different rankings in January the following year placed the Japanese sales of Final Fantasy XV as between 900,000 and one million copies.[129][130] In the United Kingdom's all-format gaming charts ending December 3, Final Fantasy XV was the second biggest launch for the series after Final Fantasy XIII.[131] According to the December data released by the NPD Group, Final Fantasy XV was the second best-selling title of the month behind Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare. The game also became the month's best-selling PS4 title, and saw the best console launch month in the franchise's history.[132]

Within the first twenty-four hours, Square Enix reported that Final Fantasy XV had shipped five million units worldwide in both physical shipments and digital sales—a figure which allowed the game to "break even" on development costs.[133] This gave Final Fantasy XV the biggest launch in the franchise to date, the most first day digital sales in Japan for a game up to that point, and set records for physical shipments and downloads in mainland Asia.[134] Commenting on the large numbers, Tabata revealed that the strong sales saved the Final Fantasy franchise as a whole, which had seen declining commercial success in recent years.[135] According to Square Enix, shipments had reached over six million worldwide by January 2017.[136] In May of the same year, the game and Rise of the Tomb Raider helped to increase sales and profits for the 2016-2017 fiscal year.[137] By May 2022, Final Fantasy XV had sold ten million units worldwide across all versions, making it one of the best-selling Final Fantasy games of all time.[138]

Awards

Final Fantasy XV won numerous awards from various gaming publications, including "Game of the Year" from RPG Site and RPGFan,[139][140] and "Best RPG (People's Choice)" from IGN,[141] PlayStation Blog awarded Final Fantasy XV awards in the categories of "Best PS4 Game", "Best Use of Pro", "Best Soundtrack", and "Best Visuals";[142] and in Game Informer's 2017 RPG of the Year Awards awarded the game for "Best Post-Launch Support".[143] At the 2017 National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers Awards the game won Game, Franchise Role Playing and Song, Original or Adapted.[144] It was also nominated for "Best Original Soundtrack Album" and for "Best Original Instrumental" ("Valse di Fantastica") at the 15th Annual Game Audio Network Guild Awards.[145] In 2017, the game was nominated for "Best Visual Design" at the Golden Joystick Awards,[146] and for "Best Role-Playing Game" at The Game Awards 2017, but lost to Cuphead and Persona 5, respectively.[147][148] The Comrades DLC was nominated for "Best Add-on" at the Gamescom 2017 Awards.[149] The game was also nominated for "Evolving Game" at the 14th British Academy Games Awards.[150][151] At the 2017 Japan Game Awards, Final Fantasy XV was one of eleven recipients of the "Award for Excellence".[152]

In 2019, NHK conducted a Final Fantasy poll in Japan with over 468,000 voters, including 51% male and 49% female voters. Final Fantasy XV was voted the tenth best game in the series, with over 71% of its votes coming from female audiences, a higher proportion than any other Final Fantasy title.[153]

Notes

  1. ^ Japanese: ファイナルファンタジーXV, Hepburn: Fainaru Fantajī Fifutīn
  2. ^ ファイナルファンタジーヴェルサスXIII, Fainaru Fantajī Verusasu Sātīn

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Final Fantasy XV Digital Mini-guide" (PDF). Square Enix. 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 15, 2016. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d Slayton, Olivia (October 2, 2014). "Final Fantasy XV director addresses fan concerns, new gameplay". Gematsu. Archived from the original on October 2, 2014. Retrieved October 2, 2014.
  3. ^ Sato (April 4, 2016). "Final Fantasy XV PC Release In Consideration, Plans For Paid And Free DLC". Siliconera. Archived from the original on April 4, 2016. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
  4. ^ a b Corriea, Alexa Ray (January 22, 2015). "Final Fantasy XV's Map Is One Giant, Connected Land Mass". GameSpot. Archived from the original on August 10, 2015. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
  5. ^ a b c Romano, Sal (November 25, 2016). "Final Fantasy XV details Phantom Swords, chocobo and Regalia customization, and Ally Commands". Gematsu. Archived from the original on November 26, 2016. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Kishimoto, Matt (November 22, 2016). "15 spoiler-free things you need to know about Final Fantasy XV". PlayStation Blog. Archived from the original on November 24, 2016. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  7. ^ a b c Romano, Sal (July 21, 2016). "Final Fantasy XV details Ravus, Iris, dialogue choices, shops, and more". Gematsu. Archived from the original on August 16, 2016. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  8. ^ a b Sato (June 14, 2016). "Final Fantasy XV Details About Its Road Trip, Adventure, And Combat". Siliconera. Archived from the original on July 1, 2016. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  9. ^ Romano, Sal (September 2, 2016). "Final Fantasy XV introduces gun and Machinery weapons". Gematsu. Archived from the original on November 12, 2016. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  10. ^ a b c d e Romano, Sal (October 27, 2016). "Final Fantasy XV details elemental magic, ring magic, daemons, travel, more". Gematsu. Archived from the original on November 26, 2016. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  11. ^ a b Romano, Sal (June 16, 2016). "Final Fantasy XV director answers 16 fan questions at E3 2016". Gematsu. Archived from the original on June 18, 2016. Retrieved August 12, 2016.
  12. ^ Sato (November 16, 2016). "Final Fantasy XV Shares More On Leviathan, Guest Characters, And Unique Skills". Siliconera. Archived from the original on November 19, 2016. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  13. ^ Knezevic, Kevin (December 12, 2017). "Final Fantasy 15 December Update Out Now, Adds Character Swapping". GameSpot. Archived from the original on December 23, 2017. Retrieved February 13, 2018.
  14. ^ Wallace, Kimberley (November 20, 2017). "Should You Play Final Fantasy XV's Multiplayer Expansion Comrades?". Game Informer. Archived from the original on February 13, 2018. Retrieved February 13, 2018.
  15. ^ 『FINAL FANTASY XV』一部オンラインコンテンツ終了のお知らせ [Notice of the end of some online contents of "Final Fantasy XV"]. Square Enix (in Japanese). April 1, 2020. Archived from the original on April 1, 2020. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  16. ^ "Final Fantasy XV - What is Final Fantasy XV?". Final Fantasy XV Website. Archived from the original on April 3, 2016. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  17. ^ a b Square Enix (July 9, 2016). Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV Promotional Art Book Program (in Japanese). Square Enix. pp. 16–17.
  18. ^ a b c d e Juba, Joe (May 2016). "Final Fantasy XV - The Clearing Storm". Game Informer. No. 277. GameStop. pp. 38–64.
  19. ^ a b Final Fantasy XV: The Complete Official Guide Collector's Edition. Piggyback Interactive. November 29, 2016. ISBN 978-1-9110-1500-0.
  20. ^ Corriae, Alexa Ray (August 29, 2015). "16 More Things We Learned About Final Fantasy 15". GameSpot. Archived from the original on August 30, 2015. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  21. ^ 『FF15』にはキーアイテムが存在する。チョコボは戦闘を回避することも可能【TGS2015】 [There are key items in "FF15". Chocobos can also avoid battle [TGS2015]] (in Japanese). Dengeki Online. September 22, 2015. Archived from the original on November 24, 2016. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  22. ^ a b c d ファイナルファンタジーXV アルティマニア -シナリオSIDE- [Final Fantasy XV Ultimania: Scenario Side] (in Japanese). Square Enix. December 28, 2016. ISBN 978-4-7575-5214-2.
  23. ^ Square Enix (November 29, 2016). Final Fantasy XV (PlayStation 4, Xbox One). Square Enix. Level/area: Chapter 1: Departure.
  24. ^ Square Enix (November 29, 2016). Final Fantasy XV (PlayStation 4, Xbox One). Square Enix. Level/area: Chapter 2: No Turning Back.
  25. ^ Square Enix (November 29, 2016). Final Fantasy XV (PlayStation 4, Xbox One). Square Enix. Level/area: Chapter 3: The Open World.
  26. ^ Square Enix (November 29, 2016). Final Fantasy XV (PlayStation 4, Xbox One). Square Enix. Level/area: Chapter 4: Living Legend.
  27. ^ Square Enix (November 29, 2016). Final Fantasy XV (PlayStation 4, Xbox One). Square Enix. Level/area: Chapter 5: Dark Clouds.
  28. ^ Square Enix (November 29, 2016). Final Fantasy XV (PlayStation 4, Xbox One). Square Enix. Level/area: Chapter 6: A Way Forward.
  29. ^ Square Enix (November 29, 2016). Final Fantasy XV (PlayStation 4, Xbox One). Square Enix. Level/area: Chapter 7: Party of Three.
  30. ^ Square Enix (November 29, 2016). Final Fantasy XV (PlayStation 4, Xbox One). Square Enix. Level/area: Chapter 8: Seaworthy.
  31. ^ Square Enix (November 29, 2016). Final Fantasy XV (PlayStation 4, Xbox One). Square Enix. Level/area: Chapter 9: Callings.
  32. ^ Square Enix (November 29, 2016). Final Fantasy XV (PlayStation 4, Xbox One). Square Enix. Level/area: Chapter 10: The Heart of a King.
  33. ^ Square Enix (November 29, 2016). Final Fantasy XV (PlayStation 4, Xbox One). Square Enix. Level/area: Chapter 11: In the Dark.
  34. ^ a b Square Enix (November 29, 2016). Final Fantasy XV (PlayStation 4, Xbox One). Square Enix. Level/area: Chapter 12: End of Days.
  35. ^ Square Enix (November 29, 2016). Final Fantasy XV (PlayStation 4, Xbox One). Square Enix. Level/area: Chapter 13: Redemption.
  36. ^ Square Enix (November 29, 2016). Final Fantasy XV (PlayStation 4, Xbox One). Square Enix. Level/area: Chapter 14: Homecoming.
  37. ^ Valdes, Giancarlo (June 12, 2016). "Final Fantasy XV director on keeping a flagship Japanese series relevant in 2016". VentureBeat. Archived from the original on June 16, 2016. Retrieved July 9, 2016.
  38. ^ a b Ike, Sato (April 6, 2015). "Type-0 HD Developer Helping Square Enix With Final Fantasy XV Development". Siliconera. Archived from the original on April 6, 2015. Retrieved April 6, 2015.
  39. ^ 『ファイナルファンタジーXV』はアジアにも本気で取り組む！ 田畑端氏が台湾の地から世界初出し情報を多数発信【台北ゲームショウ2016】 ["Final Fantasy XV" is seriously working on Asia! Hajime Tabata sends out a lot of world's first information from Taiwan [Taipei Game Show 2016]] (in Japanese). Famitsu. February 1, 2016. Archived from the original on February 1, 2016. Retrieved February 1, 2016.
  40. ^ "Umbra improves frame-rate performance in Final Fantasy XV". Umbra. March 25, 2016. Archived from the original on March 25, 2016. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  41. ^ Batchelor, James (July 12, 2016). "Streamline Studios co-developing Final Fantasy XV". Develop. Archived from the original on July 12, 2016. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
  42. ^ a b c d 体験版『FF15』エピソード・ダスカ2.00でカトブレパスと戦える？ストーリーについて重大発表も [Can you fight Catoblepas in the trial version of "FF15" episode Dasca 2.00? A big announcement about the story] (in Japanese). Dengeki Online. June 4, 2015. Archived from the original on June 6, 2015. Retrieved June 6, 2015.
  43. ^ Lada, Jenni (December 2, 2015). "Final Fantasy XV's Satoshi Kitade Says The Pre-Beta Build Can Be Played From Beginning To End". Siliconera. Archived from the original on December 2, 2015. Retrieved December 2, 2015.
  44. ^ a b c Romano, Sal (August 6, 2010). "Final Fantasy Versus XIII – all the details so far". Gematsu. Archived from the original on August 1, 2013. Retrieved September 11, 2014.
  45. ^ "Final Fantasy XV: La frustration de Roberto Ferrari" (in French). Final Fantasy Dream. August 29, 2016. Archived from the original on August 29, 2016. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  46. ^ Goldfarb, Andrew (August 6, 2016). "8 Gorgeous Photos of Final Fantasy XV's Characters". IGN. Archived from the original on August 6, 2016. Retrieved August 6, 2016.
  47. ^ Spencer, Yip (April 3, 2015). "Final Fantasy's Cinematic Mastermind On Making Advent Children And FFXV's Cutscene Balance". Siliconera. Archived from the original on April 6, 2015. Retrieved April 6, 2015.
  48. ^ Gantayat, Anoop (May 31, 2006). "Gaimaga Blows Out Final Fantasy XIII". IGN. Archived from the original on December 25, 2014. Retrieved February 10, 2010.
  49. ^ Kristine, S. (June 2, 2006). "An Interview with the People behind Final Fantasy XIII". Qj.net. Archived from the original on July 7, 2007. Retrieved June 2, 2006.
  50. ^ Jackson, Tyrell (February 22, 2008). "GDC: Square-Enix announces Crystal Tools". PlayStation Universe. Archived from the original on February 26, 2008. Retrieved April 1, 2009.
  51. ^ a b Parkin, Simon (November 2, 2016). "Finishing Final Fantasy". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on November 2, 2016. Retrieved November 2, 2016.
  52. ^ a b Juba, Joe (March 17, 2015). "Where is Final Fantasy XV (Versus XIII)?". Game Informer. Archived from the original on May 23, 2015. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
  53. ^ 今週のスクープ ファイナルファンタジーXV [This Week's Scoop Final Fantasy XV]. Weekly Famitsu (in Japanese) (1281). Enterbrain: 11ff. June 20, 2013.
  54. ^ Soichiro (June 12, 2013). "E3 2013: Tetsuya Nomura spricht über Final Fantasy XV" [E3 2013: Tetsuya Nomura talks about Final Fantasy XV] (in German). JPGames.de. Archived from the original on April 19, 2015. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
  55. ^ a b "Gamescom 2015: Hajime Tabata Interview (English)". Finaland. August 11, 2015. Archived from the original on August 11, 2015. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
  56. ^ Goldfarb, Andrew (August 31, 2015). "Pax 2015: Versus XIII was '20-25%' Done Before It Became Final Fantasy 15". IGN. Archived from the original on August 31, 2015. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
  57. ^ Ike, Sato (April 5, 2016). "Final Fantasy XV's Release Date Was Already Decided Back In 2013". Siliconera. Archived from the original on April 19, 2016. Retrieved July 2, 2016.
  58. ^ 「FINAL FANTASY」は再びゲーム業界の最先端を目指す。田畑 端氏と野末武志氏が語る「FFXV」の展開戦略と物作りとは. 4Gamer.net. April 9, 2016. Archived from the original on October 22, 2016. Retrieved February 13, 2018.
  59. ^ Sahdev, Ishaan (June 4, 2015). "Final Fantasy XV Is Not Final Fantasy Versus XIII Any More, Says Director". Siliconera. Archived from the original on June 4, 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  60. ^ "30 Minutos Con Hajime Tabata" [30 Minutes with Hajime Tabata] (in Spanish). La Capital Ovidada. October 13, 2016. Archived from the original on October 22, 2016. Retrieved October 22, 2016.
  61. ^ a b c Corriae, Alexa Ray (March 31, 2016). "15 New Things We Learned from Final Fantasy 15's Director". GameSpot. Archived from the original on March 31, 2016. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  62. ^ a b Smith, Mat (August 26, 2017). "The director of 'Final Fantasy XV' isn't finished yet". Engadget. Archived from the original on August 26, 2017. Retrieved August 26, 2017.
  63. ^ a b c Kishimoto, Mat (March 30, 2016). "Final Fantasy XV Out 9/30, Feature Film and Anime Series Announced". PlayStation Blog. Archived from the original on March 31, 2016. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  64. ^ a b "Les dessous d'une compilation: Brotherhood, Kingsglaive..." [The following is a compilation: Brotherhood, Kingsglaive...] (in French). Final Fantasy Dream. April 4, 2016. Archived from the original on April 4, 2016. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
  65. ^ Corriae, Alexa Ray (September 13, 2016). "The Story Behind Brotherhood, the Final Fantasy XV Anime". GameSpot. Archived from the original on September 14, 2016. Retrieved September 13, 2016.
  66. ^ Goldfarb, Andrew (March 30, 2016). "Final Fantasy 15 'Brotherhood' Anime Series Announced". IGN. Archived from the original on April 12, 2016. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  67. ^ Square Enix, A-1 Pictures (September 17, 2016). Brotherhood Final Fantasy XV - Episode 5: "The Warmth of Light" (Video) (in Japanese). Crunchyroll. Archived from the original on August 25, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2018.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  68. ^ Sato (March 30, 2016). "Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV Revealed As An Advent Children-Style CGI Film". Siliconera. Archived from the original on March 31, 2016. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  69. ^ Ike, Sato (March 31, 2016). "Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV Is Being Directed By Advent Children Director". Siliconera. Archived from the original on March 31, 2016. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  70. ^ Shreler, Jason (June 20, 2016). "An In-Depth Q&A with the Director of Final Fantasy XV". Kotaku. Archived from the original on June 20, 2016. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
  71. ^ Lada, Jenni (March 30, 2016). "Final Fantasy XV Platinum Demo Follows Young Noctis In His Dreams". Siliconera. Archived from the original on March 31, 2016. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  72. ^ "Final Fantasy XV Spinoff Game Justice Monsters Five Arrives on iOS/Android on August 30". Anime News Network. August 28, 2016. Archived from the original on August 28, 2016. Retrieved August 28, 2016.
  73. ^ Romano, Sal (December 27, 2016). "Justice Monsters Five to end service on March 27". Gematsu. Archived from the original on December 27, 2016. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
  74. ^ Matulef, Jeffrey (June 14, 2016). "Final Fantasy 15 is getting a beat-'em-up spin-off". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on June 15, 2016. Retrieved June 15, 2016.
  75. ^ Salbato, Mike (September 20, 2017). "Monster of the Deep: Noctis Meets [Your Name Here] in TGS Trailer". RPGFan. Archived from the original on September 21, 2017. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  76. ^ Romano, Sal (November 7, 2016). "Final Fantasy XV mobile MMO in development at Mobile Strike developer Machine Zone". Gematsu. Archived from the original on November 7, 2016. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
  77. ^ Romano, Sal (June 28, 2017). "New Final Fantasy XV Spinoff Out Now". GameSpot. Archived from the original on June 29, 2017. Retrieved June 29, 2017.
  78. ^ Romano, Sal (February 20, 2015). "Final Fantasy XV: Episode Duscae demo special reveal live stream – full report". Gematsu. Archived from the original on February 20, 2015. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  79. ^ Saed, Sherif (February 5, 2015). "Final Fantasy 15 Episode Duscae demo releases on March 17". VG247. Archived from the original on August 8, 2015. Retrieved February 6, 2015.
  80. ^ Martin, Liam (February 16, 2015). "Final Fantasy XV demo playable at launch of Type-0". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  81. ^ Tabata, Hajime (October 14, 2015). "The English Translation". Final Fantasy XV Forums. Archived from the original on December 2, 2016. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
  82. ^ Romano, Sal (March 23, 2016). "Final Fantasy XV to be localized in Latin American Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese [Update]". Gematsu. Archived from the original on March 23, 2016. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
  83. ^ Romano, Sal (August 15, 2016). "Final Fantasy XV delayed to November 29". Gematsu. Archived from the original on August 15, 2016. Retrieved August 15, 2016.
  84. ^ Donaldson, Alex (September 1, 2016). "Final Fantasy 15 interview: Tabata talks delays, Versus, fan expectation and more". VG247. Archived from the original on September 1, 2016. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
  85. ^ Makuch, Eddie (November 21, 2016). "Final Fantasy 15's Day One Update Detailed". GameSpot. Archived from the original on November 22, 2016. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
  86. ^ a b Romano, Sal (March 30, 2016). "Final Fantasy XV release date, Platinum Demo, anime, CG movie, and more officially announced". Gematsu. Archived from the original on March 31, 2016. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  87. ^ "Kingsglaive, Brotherhood: détails à Japan Expo" [Kingsglaive, Brotherhood: details at Japan Expo] (in French). FFRing. July 8, 2016. Archived from the original on July 8, 2016. Retrieved July 9, 2016.
  88. ^ a b c d Robinson, Martin (January 16, 2018). "Final Fantasy 15 Royal Edition announced, PC version dated". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on January 16, 2018. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
  89. ^ PC版『ファイナルファンタジーXV WINDOWS EDITION』の発売が決定！2018年発売予定、4K（最大8K）解像度をサポートし、HDR10にも対応する“究極の『FFXV』” [PC version of "Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition" will be released! Scheduled to be released in 2018, "Ultimate FFXV" that supports 4K (up to 8K) resolution and also supports HDR10]. Famitsu. August 21, 2017. Archived from the original on August 23, 2017. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
  90. ^ Hood, Vic (August 21, 2017). "Final Fantasy 15 confirmed for PC early 2018". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on August 21, 2017. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
  91. ^ Batchelor, James (November 18, 2019). "Stadia nearly doubles line-up just days before launch". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on November 18, 2019. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  92. ^ Ike, Sato (January 29, 2018). "Final Fantasy XV: Pocket Edition Launches On February 9 For iOS And Android". Siliconera. Archived from the original on January 29, 2018. Retrieved January 29, 2018.
  93. ^ "《Final Fantasy Pocket Edition》has formally launched on iOS and Android". XPEC Entertainment. February 13, 2018. Archived from the original on February 13, 2018. Retrieved February 13, 2018.
  94. ^ a b SummerTimeStudio (January 20, 2018). 1/19(金)・20(金)に開催されたIT津梁まつりにて、弊社代表の弘津がトークショーに出演しました！ [Our representative Hirotsu appeared in a talk show at the IT Tsuryo Festival held on 1/19 (Friday) and 20 (Friday)!] (in Japanese). Facebook. Archived from the original on February 13, 2018. Retrieved February 13, 2018.
  95. ^ 『FF15』Windows版でMODはどうなる？『Pocket Edition』のプレイ時間なども聞いた [What happens to MOD in the Windows version of "FF15"? I also heard about the play time of "Pocket Edition"] (in Japanese). Dengeki Online. August 22, 2017. Archived from the original on November 2, 2017. Retrieved February 13, 2018.
  96. ^ Romano, Sal (October 27, 2016). "Final Fantasy XV goes gold, 'Omen' CG trailer and DLC details". Gematsu. Archived from the original on October 27, 2016. Retrieved October 27, 2016.
  97. ^ Tabata, Hajime (December 7, 2016). "Announcing Free Updates for Final Fantasy XV". Square Enix. Archived from the original on December 19, 2016. Retrieved February 2, 2017.
  98. ^ Hall, Charlie (March 11, 2017). "Hands-on Final Fantasy 15: Episode Gladiolus". Polygon. Archived from the original on March 11, 2017. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  99. ^ Romano, Sal (June 19, 2017). "Final Fantasy XV DLC 'Episode Prompto' trailer". Gematsu. Archived from the original on June 19, 2017. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  100. ^ Romano, Sal (October 30, 2017). "Final Fantasy XV DLC 'Episode Ignis' launches December 13". Gematsu. Archived from the original on December 18, 2017. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  101. ^ Lumb, David (November 6, 2017). "'Final Fantasy XV' multiplayer DLC pushed back to November 15th". Engadget. Archived from the original on January 2, 2018. Retrieved February 13, 2018.
  102. ^ Arnold, Cory (September 20, 2017). "Final Fantasy XV multiplayer expansion 'Comrades' launches on Halloween". Destructoid. Archived from the original on September 23, 2017. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  103. ^ Donaldson, Alex (November 8, 2018). "Final Fantasy 15 shake-up: director quits, DLC cancelled and PC support stripped back". VG247. Archived from the original on November 8, 2018. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
  104. ^ Romano, Sal (September 23, 2017). "Final Fantasy XV development to continue through to 2018". Gematsu. Archived from the original on September 23, 2017. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  105. ^ "Final Fantasy XV Marks Second Anniversary With New Content And An Important Announcement". Square Enix. November 7, 2018. Archived from the original on November 8, 2018. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
  106. ^ a b Romano, Sal (February 17, 2019). "Final Fantasy XV DLC 'Episode Ardyn' launches March 26, 'Prologue' anime short now available". Gematsu. Archived from the original on February 17, 2019. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
  107. ^ Romano, Sal (November 7, 2018). "Final Fantasy XV DLCs 'Episode Aranea', 'Episode Lunafreya', and 'Episode Noctis' cancelled". Gematsu. Archived from the original on November 8, 2018. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
  108. ^ 『FFXV エピソード アーデン』開発スタッフに訊く見どころとこれから――物語は“ファンのために書かれた”小説へとつながる [Asking the development staff of "FFXV Episode Arden" What to see and what to do—The story leads to a novel "written for fans"] (in Japanese). Famitsu. March 27, 2019. Archived from the original on March 27, 2019. Retrieved March 27, 2019.
  109. ^ "FFXV Episode Ardyn Prologue disponible, les DLC annulés en roman" [FFXV Episode Ardyn Prologue available, DLC canceled in novel] (in French). Final Fantasy World. February 17, 2019. Archived from the original on February 17, 2019. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
  110. ^ "Square Enix Announced NieR:Automata Novel For Fall 2020". Gamasutra. November 18, 2019. Archived from the original on November 18, 2019. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  111. ^ a b "Final Fantasy XV: Windows Edition for PC Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on June 16, 2018. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  112. ^ a b "Final Fantasy XV for Xbox One Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016. Retrieved November 28, 2016.
  113. ^ a b "Final Fantasy XV for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on November 28, 2016. Retrieved November 28, 2016.
  114. ^ "Final Fantasy XV: Royal Edition for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on September 29, 2018. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  115. ^ a b c d e f Carter, Chris (November 28, 2016). "Review: Final Fantasy XV". Destructoid. Archived from the original on December 11, 2016. Retrieved November 28, 2016.
  116. ^ a b c d e f L. Patterson, Mollie (December 6, 2016). "Final Fantasy XV review". Electronic Gaming Monthly. Archived from the original on December 21, 2016. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
  117. ^ a b Romano, Sal (December 13, 2016). "Famitsu Review Scores: Issue 1463". Gematsu. Archived from the original on December 14, 2016. Retrieved December 14, 2016.
  118. ^ a b c d e f Reiner, Andrew (November 28, 2016). "Final Fantasy XV - Cruising To Success". Game Informer. Archived from the original on November 28, 2016. Retrieved November 28, 2016.
  119. ^ a b c d e f Leack, Jonathan (December 2, 2016). "Final Fantasy XV Review". Game Revolution. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
  120. ^ a b c d e f Brown, Peter (November 28, 2016). "Final Fantasy XV Review". GameSpot. Archived from the original on November 29, 2016. Retrieved November 28, 2016.
  121. ^ a b c d e f Roberts, David (November 28, 2016). "Final Fantasy XV Review". GamesRadar. Archived from the original on December 12, 2016. Retrieved November 28, 2016.
  122. ^ a b c d e f Beck, Adam (December 1, 2016). "Review: Final Fantasy XV". Hardcore Gamer. Archived from the original on December 2, 2016. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  123. ^ a b c d e Ingenito, Vince (November 28, 2016). "Final Fantasy XV Review". IGN. Archived from the original on December 5, 2016. Retrieved November 28, 2016.
  124. ^ a b c d e f Kollar, Philip (November 28, 2016). "Final Fantasy XV Review". Polygon. Archived from the original on December 13, 2016. Retrieved November 28, 2016.
  125. ^ a b c McKeand, Kirk (December 5, 2016). "Final Fantasy XV review - did it Noct our socks off?". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on December 6, 2016. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  126. ^ 149人のゲーム業界著名人に聞く，2016年の回顧と2017年への展望。4Gamer恒例の年末企画をお届け [A retrospective of 2016 and prospects for 2017, interviews of 149 game industry celebrities. Delivering 4Gamer's annual year-end plan] (in Japanese). 4Gamer.net. December 28, 2016. Archived from the original on December 28, 2016. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
  127. ^ Romano, Sal (December 7, 2016). "Media Create Sales: 11/28/16 – 12/4/16". Gematsu. Archived from the original on December 7, 2016. Retrieved December 7, 2016.
  128. ^ "Final Fantasy XV sees 88% sales drop in second week, Yakuza 6 takes top spot". December 14, 2016. Archived from the original on December 22, 2016. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
  129. ^ Dunning, Jason (January 11, 2017). "Japanese Sales Chart: PS4 Sales up, Final Fantasy XV Crosses 900,000". PlayStation Lifestyle. Archived from the original on February 15, 2017. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
  130. ^ Duwell, Ron (January 26, 2017). "Final Fantasy XV breaks a million copies in Japan, twice as many sales as every other PS4 hit". TechnoBuffalo. Archived from the original on January 27, 2017. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
  131. ^ Dayus, Oscar (December 5, 2016). "Top 10 UK Sales Chart: Final Fantasy 15 is Series' Second-Biggest Launch, But Can't Beat FIFA". GameSpot. Archived from the original on December 5, 2016. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  132. ^ Minotti, Mike (January 19, 2017). "December 2016 NPD: Final Fantasy XV shows it has a new recipe for franchise's sales". VentureBeat. Archived from the original on February 1, 2018. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
  133. ^ Sato, Ike (February 7, 2017). "Final Fantasy XV Broke Even With Development Costs On Its Launch Day". Archived from the original on February 7, 2017. Retrieved February 7, 2017.
  134. ^ Sato (December 1, 2016). "Final Fantasy XV Tops 5 Million In Worldwide Shipment; Fastest-Selling Title From The Series". Siliconera. Archived from the original on December 1, 2016. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  135. ^ Farokhmanesh, Megan (March 1, 2017). "Final Fantasy XV was Square Enix's 'last chance' for the series". The Verge. Archived from the original on October 1, 2017. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
  136. ^ "Final Fantasy XV Game's Physical Shipments, Digital Sales Exceed 6 Million Copies". January 10, 2017. Archived from the original on January 11, 2017. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
  137. ^ "Final Fantasy XV And Rise of the Tomb Raider Helped Square Enix Bring In Big Sales And Profits". Siliconera. May 11, 2017. Archived from the original on May 12, 2017. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  138. ^ Croft, Liam (May 17, 2022). "Final Fantasy XV Hits 10 Million Units Sold Worldwide". Push Square. Archived from the original on May 17, 2022. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  139. ^ "RPG Site Awards 2016: Readers' Choice in Detail | RPG Site". RPG Site. January 3, 2017. Archived from the original on January 18, 2017. Retrieved January 17, 2017.
  140. ^ "RPGFan Feature - Games of the Year 2016: Best RPG of 2016". RPGFan. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
  141. ^ "Best RPG - Best of 2016 Awards (People's Choice) - IGN". IGN. December 8, 2016. Archived from the original on January 7, 2017. Retrieved January 6, 2017.
  142. ^ Massongill, Justin (January 12, 2017). "The Winners: PlayStation.Blog Game of the Year 2016". PlayStation.Blog. Archived from the original on January 17, 2017. Retrieved January 17, 2017.
  143. ^ Wallace, Kimberley (January 7, 2018). "The 2017 RPG Of The Year Awards". Game Informer. p. 2. Archived from the original on January 8, 2018. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
  144. ^ "NAVGTR Awards (2016)". National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers. Archived from the original on May 4, 2017.
  145. ^ "2017 Awards". Game Audio Network Guild. Archived from the original on September 26, 2018. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
  146. ^ Gaito, Eri (November 13, 2017). "Golden Joystick Awards 2017 Nominees". Best in Slot. Archived from the original on January 10, 2018. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
  147. ^ Weber, Rachel (November 17, 2017). "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild scores big at the 35th Golden Joystick Awards presented with OMEN by HP". Gamesradar. Archived from the original on November 17, 2017. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
  148. ^ Makuch, Eddie (December 8, 2017). "The Game Awards 2017 Winners Headlined By Zelda: Breath Of The Wild's Game Of The Year". GameSpot. Archived from the original on December 9, 2017. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
  149. ^ Khan, Zubi (August 21, 2017). "Gamescom 2017 Award Nominees". CGM. Archived from the original on January 20, 2018. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  150. ^ deAlessandri, Marie (March 15, 2018). "Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice at forefront of BAFTA Games Awards nominations". MCV. Archived from the original on March 16, 2018. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  151. ^ Makedonski, Brett (April 12, 2018). "BAFTA names What Remains of Edith Finch its best game of 2017". Destructoid. Archived from the original on April 13, 2018. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
  152. ^ Strawhun, Aiden (September 24, 2017). "Zelda: Breath Of The Wild Nets Nintendo Second Game Of The Year Award At TGS". GameSpot. Archived from the original on December 9, 2023.
  153. ^ "全ファイナルファンタジー大投票" [All Final Fantasy Big Vote]. NHK (in Japanese). 2020. Archived from the original on March 13, 2020. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
Wikiquote has quotations related to Final Fantasy XV.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Final Fantasy XV.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Final_Fantasy_XV&oldid=1256729489#Multiplayer"