We are getting close to the release of Final Fantasy 16. In case you missed it, that game was the sole focus of a recent State of Play presentation. Following that presentation, the game shot up the sales charts. For me personally, that presentation made me want to get the game for launch. So with this game in mind, I decided to revisit its predecessor. That game if you discount a remake for the seventh game is Final Fantasy 15.
Final Fantasy 15 launched in 2016 and was said on loading the game it’s a game designed for fans and newcomers. It was also an open-world action RPG. So with the new game on the horizon, I decided to revisit the last main numbered installment in the series and see how it fairs today. The game doesn’t require you to have played the previous games and this is also the same with the upcoming release. Today we aren’t focusing on the story, but on how this game holds up several years later. To start with let’s look at gameplay.
Final Fantasy 15 – Is It Worth Another Play Ahead Of The Upcoming New Instalment
When this launched I remember picking it up and playing and being most of all impressed with the visuals and the open-world environment. Before this launched I hadn’t even looked at a title in the series since the eighth game. This entry clearly says “A Final Fantasy For Fans and First Timers” soon as you load it. So when I find my last save was in 2017 dated, I was coming back close to how I would have done all those years ago. Visually now it holds its own but when we look at the detail of the upcoming release as shown in the recent gameplay presentation, the 2016 release is not as good as I remembered it. Nothing against the game, it’s just the way technology is today.
So comparing my footage above and some screens below we can see a difference in quality. My footage was captured from PlayStation 5 as well so the hardware for the two games is the same.
Don’t get me wrong the game still looks impressive but if you look at the Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion Remaster, the work done is nothing short of incredible. How easy it would be to update this game to look sharper ahead of the new game in June is up for debate. However, I feel it actually deserves a revisit.
If we look then at the combat, for example, I found the remake of 7 far more fluid. Maybe that’s due to rustiness after six years and the characters. As I replayed through a few fights in the opening open world the combat did feel more natural but I still feel an update would be nice.
A Summary
On the whole, it still plays well and it is an underrated game. It may not have the best story but it certainly set the way for this Summer’s release. Even if the game isn’t updated or upgraded it is still worthy of a place in your catalog. However, the game could be made to shine if they really wanted to upgrade it. It’s not a game I expect to ever see upgraded however I’ve seen less likely candidates get an upgrade. This was the most recent mainline title to be released on Xbox as well. As we know, the upcoming game will only be on PlayStation 5 at launch and then eventually on PC.
