RGM @ EGX: Final Fantasy XV hands-on impressions

We had the opportunity to try out Final Fantasy XV during our trip to EGX 2016, one of the biggest games of the year, and one of my most anticipated. With 30 minutes of game time, the demonstration allowed us to experience the combat, open-world environment (for one area), levelling up system, crafting elements, and more.

Firstly, the combat system has had a complete overhaul in comparison to previous games in the Final Fantasy series. The public demo released earlier this year showcased this, with the traditional turn based battles and menu system replaced with a more streamlined, fast-paced approach. You attack with one button, dodge or block with another. Whilst this changes the tone set in prior entries in the way you approach battles, it does lead to a much quicker style of gameplay. Magic is accessed with another button, but this was unavailable to us in this demonstration. As part of a four-man team, your brothers-in-arms also do their part in battle. Multiple enemies can be dispatched quickly, and you can call out tactics to help you achieve victory. Your teammates can also give you advice, for instance giving information on your quarry, or pointing out locations to launch a surprise attack, giving you the upper hand. You also get the option to have another teammate use a special move, causing extra damage, and follow this up with another heavy attack of your own. Chaining these elements together can help you overcome the odds, especially against larger foes.

During our play through, we were tasked with clearing groups of scorpion-like enemies from various locations. After an ambush with stronger beasts, we found a character we were asked to find hiding out in a small shack in the wilderness. He then pointed us in the direction of a large monster in a nearby location, and tasked us with defeating it. A choice in dialogue is available, with the options to either do this for free, or for a price. We also had the option to ask our friends what they thought. Obviously, we want something for this challenge, so we didn’t walk away empty-handed. This dialogue tree appeared at other points, so it’s good to see another returning element from previous Final Fantasy games appearing.

Before the boss fight, one of our party members, Ignis, recommended we set up camp before battle in order to rest up, heal, and prepare for the fight. Setting up tent in a nearby spot, Ignis can then cook a meal for the party using items collected in the world. These meals cause special buffs for the whole party, such as an increase in attack power or health. The more items available, the better the meal, and the fried breakfast especially made my mouth water. In-game fried eggs haven’t looked this good since Metal Gear Solid 4. Ignis can learn new meals by collecting ingredients in the environment, or scavenged from fallen foes.

Another member of your party, Prompto, takes photos throughout your journey, and you can look at these during your rest. If you see one you really like, you can then save the image to keep forever. These photos are taken randomly, so can lead to pretty humorous or epic pictures, and ensure no two players see the same ones. During the camping visit, the characters special abilities level up, with cooking for Ignis, photography for Prompto, survival for Gladiolus, and fishing for Noctis.

Final Fantasy XV

After a hearty meal and a good night’s sleep, it was time to tackle the boss. Travelling there on foot, holding the sprint button will deplete stamina. When this bar runs out, you must wait a short while as it fills up before sprinting again. If you let go of the sprint button just before the meter drains, however, gives you an extra burst of speed and instantly refills your stamina bar. This way, you could potentially sprint much greater distances with the right timing.

Using the tactics learned so far, the battle was tough but manageable. The dynamic within the team works well, with each character having distinct personalities and abilities to keep things fresh. After the battle was won, we receive a call to let us know our car is ready for picking up. Making our way back to the garage we started, with dialogue from all four comrades giving exposition to the current situation they find themselves in, we witness an enormous flying creature, like an eagle the size of an airship, as it flew overhead and into the distance. Another battle for another day, perhaps.

The driving itself is something we didn’t get to try out in-depth, as our time with the demo was up. We got the option to drive ourself, or hand control over to Ignis, so we can take a back seat and put our feet up. The demo was over, and left us with a good feel for the early gameplay we’ll experience when Final Fantasy XV releases on November 23rd, 2016 for Playstation 4 and Xbox One.