They undercook the father-son relationship so much. He raised that boy knowing he’ll have to die due to the family curse and he’ll have to take a hand in killing him. There’s one trailer of him holding a younger sleeping Noctis that’s the best we ever get
They should've given us a really intimate scene with Regis and Octis fishing. Would have been enough for me at least, and would finally justify Noctis' fishing skill lol
He probably comes up with reci-puhy’s” like Link does in Breath of the Wild. Just add one extra Ingredient or more of the same and something different pops out
I'm surprised there wasn't a mention about the Luminous Engine, which was created by the same guy who led the creation of the Hedgehog Engine for Sonic Unleashed. He also directed that game!
Don't care what anyone says… Unleashed is STILL the best-looking 3D Sonic game to-date, largely due to its lighting courtesy of the Hedgehog Engine. It's more likely than not Frontiers could overtake it, but still… that'll be a *_14_* year gap between games (Original Colours was great, so was Generations, but all the 2010s games looked cartoony) and… well… I'm _hoping_ the character animation will be as good as Unleashed.
Final Fantasy XV: the first video game to make me cry like a bitch at the end credits. Not because of all that happens or what befalls our characters, but simply because I knew that the journey was over. There was no more to see. And all I could do was shed tears as _Stand By Me_ played on. XV ain't perfect by a long shot, but for some reason it holds a very special place in my heart.
Clement, you have such a captivating approach to commentary. Whether sharing a criticism, gushing about how amazing something is, joking about the little things, or addressing a somber moment, I always feel drawn in to whatever you're saying. I definitely think the adjustment to video essays/reviews is going to overall be a positive one and I really hope that you get the views and reception that you're deserved here on out.
I was JUST thinking about this yesterday. I’m so excited to get into this because XV is my first genuine experience with Final Fantasy, it’s the first final fantasy game I picked up and played on my own with no prior knowledge. My older brothers grew up with it, but as I was born 10 years later than them I was a little late to the party. I know FFXV isn’t the Versus XIII everyone expected, but I thought it was a great experience on its own, with a beautiful story that left me in tears by the end and still can. I’m excited to get into this one Clement!
Oh wow same. It's the first ff game I played. It destroyed me and I loved the characters. I still cry at the ending. I replay it all the time. Definitely got me in the feelings.
But you can definitely see that namore kind of hates his decision that he stepped down as director from this game because of the fact of the character yoza from Kingdom hearts who looks exactly like noctis he also has a lot of similarities to his original design also the ending after his boss fight is literally a scene from the verses 13 trailer so you know yeah because he wakes up in the car so you can definitely tell he is salty about that
@@minnaing5970 Sorry to break it to ya bud but even some old FF players don’t care for FF10. Ironically out of all the FFs I played XV was the only one I genuinely enjoyed other than Type Zero.
You did it Clement. You got it out before the 20th like you said. I've been looking forward to this video. I'm sure your work on this one is great like always
"There is more personality in Ignis saying "I've discovered a new recipeh" than literally everything in Final Fantasy XIII. FFXV, for all its incredible flaws, has a couple characters I actually wanted to hear talk. I could not care less about the cast of XIII, and in an RPG series that is defined by its incredible characterization, that's a problem." - Patrick Boivin
So , you wanting to hear them talk makes them well characterized, well written, well executed, and overall good characters? I could give you 15 moments off the top of my head that gives XIII's characters way more complexity than that. Despite how poorly written they are, they are well conceptualized characters, and are at least fleshed out. Whether you want to card about them or not.
@@sopekaunutoa8210 Well at that point, which one is more important you know? Simpler characters but are more likeable and entertaining overall or characters that are more complex but it's handled poorly and in a boring way? I have no opinion on the specific casts themselves as i dont play this series, but in general I'd much prefer the former.
I miss the Super Best Friends, but I gotta admit, Pat only grew more toxic over time and I think he's the reason they split up. But he's right every once in a while.
@@MagillanicaLouM I'm not necessarily challenging which is better or not. I can't say as I never played 15 enough to know the characters. The point I'm trying to make is that the characters of 13 have personalities, are complex, and are conceptually fleshed out characters. When I say they are poorly written. I mean the dialogue is awful. However, there's moments when you see their personalities pass the awful dialogue by what is already established, and when they are consistent with it. To answer your question, though. I'd take a well written and well executed likeable, yet simple character over a complex, yet inconsistent character. For example, Scar is a better villain than Lotso. Again, I'm not here to say which is better executed and written, I can't say. Just defending characters from a game that I enjoy. From criticisms that seem unfair to them.
She’s one with the crystal. There was gonna be a whole dlc about Noctis and Luna living life in the crystal and as well as the episode Arenea. But once one of the developers left in charge of the project left the whole thing was done after Ep:Ardyn. Also a masterful video by Clement
By that point I had actually grown quite attached to the main cast, so while I may not have known Luna very well, I felt I DID know Noct. And seeing him break down like he did, my heart went out to him.
Who the hell mastered the audio for this game? We've got this big dramatic scene between Noctis and Ardyn, where Ardyn reveals his true identity and his evil plan, except I can't hear a single fucking thing that he is saying because he's WAY lower in the mix than both the music and Noctis's weird grunting! One of the most dramatic scenes in the game, and some audio engineer decided that both the soundtrack and the hero's grunts of pain were more important than the main villain's monologue. I know it's a relatively minor thing, but I feel like it is a perfect microcosm of the baffling decisions that make up so much of Final Fantasy 15.
Really love how much positive things you have to say about this game. Final Fantasy XV is a rushed, unfinished mess that wastes a lot of its original potential, but it still has so much heart into it, i can't help but feel nostalgic every time it's brought up.
1:18:28 Actually when I saw that death scene I was making comparisons with FF XII. The princess Ashelia and Rasler had pretty much the same time together that Noctis and Lunafreya, but still I think I could understand Ashe's feelings better in the end, because of the much welcomed flashbacks that showed their interactions as lovers, and not as just a princess and a prince. Guess thats expected for a game that has Matsuno as the main writer.
I think it also helps that most of Ashe's and Rasler's time together is off screen so we assumed they had a good relationship while here we can clearly see Noctis and Luna barely interact at all.
@@skyblade7438 Rasler's death is also before the story begins and thus easier to swallow in its role as a motivation/formative event for a party member than something the audience is invested in in its own right. There's a way to do deaths like that well, but treating them like a death in the invested cast is not it. Lunafreya dies very far into XV's plot despite having no presence in the plot and explicitly none in the characters' lives unseen since it's established she and Noctis haven't seen each other for years since they were kids. It makes it confusing if this is supposed to be like Aerith's death, since she has nothing to grasp for the player, and it's all "tell don't show" for her dynamic with the characters in-game and informing how they react (hell Noctis is the only one in the party who seems to care anyway compared to Aerith's loss breaking a lot of the cast of VII). Like the reaction they were clearly going for might have made sense to me if it was one of the 4 Bros that died or otherwise was horribly crippled by the event. I think they might have even been going that direction with Ignis losing his sight, and the reaction to Episode Ignis by a lot of XV players definitely confirms it was more effective.
Even with the games flaws, I will never forget this game. From the demos to the full release its left an amazing impression on me. The ending will never not make me shed a tear. And I really liked Noctis as a protagonist, a royal child that isnt cocky, he just didnt wanna take on the responsibility but ends up growing up and facing everything head on.
Wait what, he is cocky though. You’re probably mistaking the fact that “there’s a reason for it” as him not being it. He is absolutely a cocky royal child at the start
I really tried to like this game but coming from kingdom hearts this combat is a complete downgrade. Holding o for combat doesn’t feel as satisfying and honestly the hits don’t feel that impactful
For 1:18:12 onwards, (long read btw) Luna’s death scene always came across as underdeveloped because I can remember thinking even back at launch days that not only was her character on the weak side and we didn’t see her interact with hardly anyone, most notably Noctis, but that her death was the main reason we had to mourn for her. Like you said, it is a sad scene where Noctis has lost the person he was searching for this whole journey, coming so close yet missing the mark because of Ardyn’s intervention, but it came off ultimately as novel since your general premise of her as a player watching the story unfold is “What drives this character besides her duties as a princess?” Like, they BARELY touch on it in Kingsglaive how she is being used as a pawn for Niflheim and she knows it to a degree, but it always comes back to her righteousness and devotion as an Oracle to her people. It’s like a poor satire of Princess Diana. Then we arrive to the death scene, which immediately as a new Final Fantasy fan at the time (introduced through Kingdom Hearts in 2012-3) I had the gut feeling they were paying homage to Aerith sinking after Cloud lets her drop through the water. The cinematography isn’t what bothers me so much, it’s that it comes back to why we’re suppose to mourn for this character. However, Aerith was a party member, we saw how she interacted with the world and her role in story as a Cetra, her relationship with Cloud and by extension, to an extent Zack and how much that unfolds. Generally speaking she was much more of a component to the story and how it unfolds in relation to the minimal character development that what is entailed in FFXV. Luna ultimately comes to be the person for Noctis to miss in hindsight for what COULD’VE been, and for the Ring of the Lucii to be handed when he was ready to confront his fears as heir to the throne.
Ardyn'svoice acting is the best in the game. Reminds me of the stellar performances of Raziel, Kain and the eldritch god monster under the pillars in the soul reaver series
Final Fantasy XV... yeah, I remember playing it and that was back in 2016. It was an alright experience but I had no idea that the game would add so much more. I really hoped that it would mean more but yeah, like you said, Hajime Tabata left Square-Enix in 2018. There's also another reason why the Dawn of the Future DLC was cancelled. It was due to two factors. Hajime Tabata leaving Square-Enix was one of them. The other was that Square-Enix, at the time, suffered a massive financial loss when Luminous Studios went public. And because of that, they had to scrap everything. But it wasn't the end. Want to know what happened to Dawn of the Future? Guess what. All of it was integrated into a novel. I'm dead serious. I guess Square-Enix had to do something since they cancelled the rest of the DLC due to their own fuck-ups. And the fact that with Square-Enix now wanting to get into NFTs, yeah... let them keep fucking shit up. The whole debacle with Versus XIII and XV also had an affect on one other person: Tetsuya Nomura. Nomura-san really felt hurt when Square-Enix kicked him off the project. He actually went into a depression because of it. But I also think that due to this, he decided to lash out against the company so it's a reason why we have Yozora as well as Quadratum in Kingdom Hearts. This was his response to Square-Enix giving him the boot. I'm happy he's at least doing alright but god damn... that was a lot to take in for this guy. I feel for Nomura-san. Can't wait for the finale of this. I keep watching these because well, I actually got into playing Final Fantasy XIII and I'm going to Plat it for sure.
I know you can’t play it because copyright, by Florence and the Machine doing “stand by me” is a song I still can’t listen to because it reminds me of the ending of this game too much
Overall, i did really enjoy 15. So much that I not only purchased the Pocket Edition, but played through the game three times. That being said, 15 really disappointed me. Audio issues during areas that mattered, the handling of the DLC that would've made this game incredibly good. Man... What an experience. These guys remind me of the Chemistry I have with my own 3 best friends.
Also yeah this is the same thing with Kingdom hearts 3 at least for the next RPG square made after final fantasy 7 remake they did not a bunch of years ahead of it instead they reviewed the game the year it was coming out so you know they seem to learn from their mistake with Kingdom hearts 3 final fantasy 7 remake and final fantasy 15 with the fact that they revealed Neo the world ends with you the year it is coming out which is also a lesson a lot of companies learn recently and a lot of game reveals of for stuff that is coming out this year which I love because that way you don't get the people being disappointed after years of waiting for a game I'm also fine with a delay if it's one year is excusable if it is my opinion is game should be revealed close to when they are done because it makes it easier for people to get excited for a game when it is announced to be that way
The real problem of FF15 is just the story. But speaking for myself i mostly enjoy rpgs for the story. There are like 100 moments in the game that tease interesting characters that never do anything. Kafka's betray not just was good because it proven him to be even more evil and crazy as the emperor. It was good because you actually struggled a lot to deal with the empire. And once you finally in reach to finish the fight a even stronger oponent arises. In FF15 you never have a fulfilling moment between luna and Noctis. And the downfall of the empirr never felt earned by yourself. I felt betrayed as i was not allowed to fight even a single general of the Enemy or see how the people of the empire live. And how cool would it have been to be allowed to explore some parts of the dark world. But no we head straight to the final "dungeon". So we have a RPG without a good story. With a unfulfilling battle system and a quite samy looking world except some dungeons. The bros are nice character. But they can only save this much.
What a pleasant surprise this is. I won't lie, I kind of miss the LPs but I've always really enjoyed the video essay style and I think you do a really great job of it in a unique way, Clement. I'm excited to watch this video and whatever else you put out there!
I think that through the flaws and shortcomings of FF15, it does end on a satisfying and high note. It is pretty disappointing that the story never truly got to end with Ardyn's redemption. Once you play Episode Ardyn you realize that it really should've been him who was heir to the throne. But the gods were assholes. It would've been nice for both Noctis and Ardyn to change fate and become masters of their destiny. In a lot of ways I feel like it would also "free" Lunafreyna as well. Despite all of her conversations with Noctis about their destiny and responsibility as future rulers, you never truly get the sense that it is something that she even wants to do, and she only accepts it because she does not have a choice as it is what the gods had intended. Defeating the gods would free both of them from that fate and they get their freedom. Would've made for an even stronger ending.
Well square seems to be doing that with every of their games now that is an RPG like Kingdom hearts 3 final fantasy 7 remake and Neo the world ends with you have this so it kind of made sense
Did you ever read the novelization based on the same ending the DLC was intended to build up to? That seems the concept they were going for with those two at least, albeit even more clumsily realized than the game with its own ending.
I wish this game will get a remake one day with the whole story being told, everything in episode Noctis would of been great to see with a happy ending.
FF15 is definitely the game in the franchise that needs a full remake the most so we can see the full original vision or at least as close to it as possible.
I am in the camp of loving XV. I acknowledge the flaws and the messy state that was the expanded universe and the patch/DLC cycle, but I still enjoy it greatly. For anyone else who enjoyed it, I recommend reading the Dawn of The Future novel, as it tells the story of the DLCs that were cancelled, and shows what could have been.
This was a really nice retrospective/review/overview. One of the best I've seen. It highlights the strengths of the game while deservedly coming down hard in the missteps in the game and the mangagement of this "ffxv franchise". It really explains why the game has such diehard fans as well as those who claim this is the worst game in the company's portfolio. TBH I beat it in 2017 and played the DLC as it came out, but I really wanna jump in again. I'm mostly hoping for a PS5 remaster of the game that would eliminate the loading times to really push me back. With Forspoken using the same engine, it gives me a bit of hope that it will happen sometimes.
I hate FFXV more than FFXIII. I played 2 hours and returned this "game". I actually enjoyed the Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV movie more. It seems even the producers hated this game. Also what turned me off was Freya omg she was ugly. Something about her I just didn't like at all. Like you said... FREYA is nothing.... She is just there to be there just to waste space. No one likes her and when she died no one even cared.
Man. I really don't like this game. The whole experience just feels confused. It wants to be an action game, but it drags you across an open world that is a bit too big. It wants to retain some RPG elements, but there is no point to strategizing because even the super bosses can just be brute forced. It wants to look like Advent Children, but forgets that in video games, the camera doesn't always work properly. It wants to tell a story about brotherhood, but shoehorns a loveless romance and pointless characters. This game right here, is peak modern day Final Fantasy. So much style. So little actually worth engaging with. And let's be honest, the only reason FF7 Remake is saved from some of this game's problems is because the characters were written over 20 years ago. Speaking of that, not looking forward to the gushing over FF7 Remake, a game that doesn't even count as a remake of the game it claims to be of because it wants to tell a new story with old characters and settings.
Considering what’s gushed over in these videos, all it takes is a few tweaks to make these games just fine (Tone is where I feel the modern games fail because I see what the game is trying to make the audience feel and what side it takes in terms of selling itself) the story is secondary next to presentation and speed of questing the game offers You want the content and secrets, without any overstaying their welcome. You want some conflict moments only for the end goal of taking on the big bad together, to get the sense of accomplishment And you want the depth without it becoming pretentious and to have the silly and colorful fullness to declare the game has “personality” regardless of tone and depth
Hey, Clement! Hope you're doing well. Not gonna lie -- your retrospective videos allowed me to look at the Final Fantasy games with more than a roll-of-the-eyes (being a Sega dork and then busy with school, I only played X and X-2 directly). Thank you for your continued insight.
My favorite patch was adding a flashback to remind you who the old butler dude is when he dies off screen because initially you have no idea who they are talking about when you come back and they say the Empire killed him and you must avenge him 😂
On the note of the whole "musical rhythm game" bit from around 27:40, Nomura actually almost had FF15 be a musical because he was so moved by Les Miserables that he wanted to restart development and make it more in line with an opera with music combat. No joke.
Yeh the problem about Nomura is. He is just not a very good writer. He is the type of guy that make up a twist and comes up with a explanation afterwards. This kind of writing works for KH most of the time. Becausd KH is a silly world with Disney, hearts and darkness. So Nomura can get away with adding a lot of cryptic not well developed plot. Nomura is able to create some emotions if you are able to ignore the logic holes. For FF15 this was a big problem. As FF15 wantef to be a serious plot. So Nomuras style just not fitted at all. And i fear he may also will ruin FF7 if he continues to much on the path he set up with part1
@HundeBerg7 he didnt write 15 or 7 remake, Hajime Tabata did 15 and Kazushige Nojima and Yoshinori Kitase did 7R. He's also stepping down from directing to give future 7 remake games to his co director, he directed 7 remake and the combat and general game but they had the script since Advent Children. Also he was kicked of FF15 because he kept restarting development
This is the first one i'm going to watch without having played the game at all (some, like 3 or 5, i already knew most of the story and had given it ago in sim). Honestly, i don't think i'd ever find time to play it so i really going to appreciate this as a substitute. Maybe you convince me to give it a go some years down the line. Thank you
wanna know the main difference between 15 and say the nier games? you can fully understand whats going on in both replicant and automata with out reading the supplementary material. all it's really there for is fleshing out the backstory of both games.
Hey! It's been too long! Final Fantasy hasn't been a franchise I've paid much attention to, but now I'm quite interested in the franchise. Looks like I've been a lot of binge-watching to do now! ❤
This makes me wonder how Nomura will retell FFVersus13 in the Kingdom Hearts universe now as "Verum Rex". Yup, Nomura never got over that Saltiness and decided to retell Versus 13 as Verum Rex in the KH universe now... this is gonna be interesting people.
39 minutes in and am confused, the magic may slow the combat and be weird to get used to but, even without the 3 best spells. having a quad cast or quintcast high potency spells is insane and when you upgrade magic on the ascencian board, you get more potency and more magic from camps and enemies. magic in my opinion is incredibly busted in 15.
I really feel like Square Enix has just completely forgotten _how_ to tell a story. They’re great at building worlds and coming up with interesting characters, but it’s been so many games now since I remember feeling the story was told in an appropriate way.
@@TheKpa11 both are awful. FF7R for making unnecessary changes and additions that dont actually add anything worthwhile and really just make the story worse and SoP.....i just....how in tf did they think that was worth any amount of money
@@557deadpool Strangers of Paradise won’t get much defense, but FF7 remake can make up for its story-Tisms easily. Music, voice acting, gameplay, and graphics are still at their high peaks for the remake, that’ll be enough for many
@@TheKpa11 music: aside from the Airbuster, the remixes all suck, even OWA which even AC didnt fuck up voice acting: gasping every 5 seconds doesnt count as good VA, also the VA is ok, not enough to be considered an actual positive gameplay: LMFAO no!! the gameplay is actual dogwater any actual skillful play that action RPGs are known for are as plentiful as in FFXV, only difference being that you have to actually time your parry instead of holding down a button....for Cloud and only Cloud. Barrett and Aerith are boring as fuck since they'll NEVER get hit, Cloud and dont really have any combos and you just button spam to win and Yuffie is just a mix of both groups while being AGGRESSIVELY annoying to the point where muting the game was the only real option to endure that shitty fucking DLC. It doesnt help that most enemies follow two camps, dmg sponges or 1 shot, and that's all. The only enemy that required some form of thought to beat where the shield soldiers which fooled me into thinking most enemies where going to be like that....they weren't. graphics: only on PS5 and PC and even then the game still runs inconsistently ESPECIALLY on PC which makes 0 fucking sense. and saying "that'll be enough for some people" yeah and so was FFXIII, so excuse me if i give few fucks about what "some people" may like
I've got to disagree on the "We're not taking away the series from you, you still have the older ones" argument, and you actually almost raise my point for me whether you meant to or not. You mentioned that while we may not get another Metal Gear Solid game, you're looking forward to playing them with your girlfriend and seeing her experience them for the first time. That's the key to the whole thing: Experiencing it for the first time. You use Star Trek as another example. You loved the experience when you first watched The Next Generation. When you started watching Picard, you wanted something more like The Next Generation, didn't you? You wanted to experience something similar to it for the first time. There's a difference between experiencing something for the first time, and just watching/playing it again. I love Kingdom Hearts. When I play a new Kingdom Hearts game, I have certain expectations based on what the past games were like. I can enjoy new mechanics or abilities, or streamlining certain things. If Melody of Memory was meant to be Kingdom Hearts 4, and every future game would be like Melody of Memory, there will be people who will enjoy the series because they like rhythm games. They'll tell me that they aren't taking the series away from me, the originals are still there for me to play. But they are taking it away from me. They're taking away any future instance of experiencing a Kingdom Hearts game for the first time. The closest I'll ever get will be to find a friend who's never played the games, or finding a new Let's Play from somebody who's playing them blind. I've told my family multiple times that I plan on writing an Alzheimer's list. If I ever get Alzheimer's and my memory goes bad on me, I want my family to have a list of my favorite movies, books, and video games. I want them to bring me those things, and I'll have the purest way ever to experience all of my favorite things again for the first time. And if too many series or franchises decide to make major changes to catch a more modern crowd, like Final Fantasy becoming permanently action-oriented instead of traditional turn-based to some extent, going to that kind of extreme may be the only way to re-live those experiences to any extent, and it's kind of disappointing that it requires that kind of extreme.
Gameplay-wise, FFXV caters way more to my tastes than the previous games. Turn-based RPGs are very hard for me to get into without a specific hook, like an excellent story (Final Fantasy VI) or a more action-y combat system (the Mario & Luigi games), since I generally find turn-based combat very dull. Action RPGs just appeal more to me in general, since their combat is far more engaging, which is why I generally prefer Kingdom Hearts to Final Fantasy. FFXV is one of my favorite Final Fantasy games to play for that reason, even though the story’s a giant mess, likable characters notwithstanding.
Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive edition, Astral Chain, Kid icarus Uprising, Legend of Zelda Skyward(Switch),Fire Emblem Three House,Xenoblade 2 and Kingdom Heart 2 has better game play and Story!
Superb video!! Been so hype for this Personally I wasn't a huge fan of the combat in 15. Specifically how just holding down a button did automatic combo strings for you. Blech! I much prefer that moves correspond only with each time you tapped a button. You press 3 times, you do 3 moves. If an enemy catches you off guard, you can shorten your combo and dodge/counter/block or w/e. In this game, since all you do is hold down a button and wait, it was rather inconvenient and imprecise trying to gauge when your combos would stop and when you'd be allowed to switch to other actions like spell casting (which was also VERY awkward) or dodging on a dime. The irritation just kept mounting for me until eventually I put the game down. That said the game is beautiful and I did enjoy the characters as well so there's that.
Final Fantasy 15 is a game who's development was so turbulent from so many issues from mismanagement to entire pieces of the story getting fractured between different writers/directors that it's a miracle the devs had enough to salvage to make something coherent at all. All the multimedia stuff was just Square trying to make SOME profit off of a game that was eating money and resources for years. While the final game ended up being decent it's still needs to be looked at as a prime example of what happens if sunk cost fallacy is allowed to take hold. Side note- I'm really happy Square seems to have learned from their mistakes with FF15 and is letting the vision of a single director guide 16's development and marketing. Even if FF16 doesn't live up to the hype it at least is going to feel more focused and confident in what it is.
Believe it or not, Luna does NOT have a phone. Mobile phones only exist in Insomnia. I'm not kidding. It's kind of neat lore though, in an amusing way.
This game feels better than it actually is, but that in itself is a great feat. The cinematics and the music carry a lot of the emotional storytelling even when the script doesn't overtly do it some of the time. Also not sure about the odds but throughout THE ENTIRE GAME I got a summon like, twice, not counting the scripted ones.
GREAT REVIEW, CLEMENT! Although, I'm surprised you didn't mention the cancelled Dawn of the Future Season Pass 2 DLC. For those who don't know, Dawn of the Future was going to give us four DLC episodes. Much like how Season Pass 1 was 3 DLC episodes of the boys, Gladio, Ignis and Prompto. So, who were these 4 episodes going to focus on you ask? Well, it was going to be Episode Ardyn, Episode Luna, Episode Aranea and....Episode Noctis! Yes, that's right. Since Luna had so little screen time in the actual game, we were going to play through the game through her prospective in her DLC episode. In Episode Aranea, we were going to experience her adventure through areas that wasn't explorable in the base game. And then, the MOST exciting one of all, in Episode Noctis, we were going to get his prospective on what he went through when he fell in a deep sleep while he was in the crystal for 10 years. And it was said, he was experiencing an "alternate universe" of his world. This being, the ORIGINAL Final Fantasy Versus XIII world! NO SHIT! With Noctis' original 2006 outfit and everything! This Season Pass 2 looked promising! But sadly, it never saw the light of day. When Tabata left Square. However, before he left, they still released the Episode Ardyn DLC. Why? Well, since Episode Ardyn was nearly 95% completed, they decided to release it, instead of just throwing it away. Now, despite the Dawn of the Future DLCs being cancelled, it did SOMEWHAT saw the light of day...through a book. Yes, Dawn of the Future was all translated into a book. And yes, it's all in English and you can actually buy it. It's pretty cool to see, but it's just a sad reminder that we'll never experience these moments in the game.
It feels like half of the characters you meet along the story should be becoming party members but it never happens because they didn't want to dilute the boy group dynamic or whatever.
And when i was just reviewing all your videos again, you publish the XV video. Finally... Its complete... Well, minus VII remake and the upcoming XVI but still!
If you liked Persona 5 you should try Shin Megami Tensei V it plays the same but it’s harder and requires a lot of strategy. By Far it’s the most challenge I had playing a turn based RPG game
Prethoughts of FF XV before finishing the video review: Lack of details really screw this game over and it shows. Compare the story beats of Episode Duscae in the demo vs the full game, the demo tells a better story.
This game made me appreciate FF13 more which says a lot. 15 felt unfinished, side quest sucked & I couldn't stand the combat cause it's built for children and treats you like your 5.
@@colinnixon7739 I liked 13 but I felt like it was lacking content. 15 is full of useless content and things that generally didn't improve the game and combat. I truly started to despise FF15 with that cringe Cup Noodles mission.
VII Remake was my first game in the series, got into it coming off playing KH for the first time. And I love that combat, I think it is a great balance of turn based and action...but it is ultimately still action. And having now played a handful of games in the series, I can definitively say that the PS1 trilogy is my favorite. ATB turn based is now my favorite style of gameplay, it is a perfect balance of being able to plan out moves, and still feeling the slight pressure of something happening. So while I do love VII Remake, am super excited for part 2...I would love to go back to a more turn based style, at least at some point. ....Also XV is a lot of fun until like chapter 10, where it becomes one of my least favorite games of all time.
The game has many, many flaws, and it's probably why I never played it again after it came out, but it really did nail the character dynamics between the guys. I think that alone managed to salvage XV from being another flop into being a game a lot of people love. I've often found myself wishing the game really was just "four guys on a road trip to a wedding being harassed by an evil empire along the way" with a less serious overall story.
Ay look, Boy Band Game! Kind of glad 16 looks to be more Dark Fantasy inspired, kind of gettin' tired of these modern-based FF games...they kind of just blend together to me... (Maybe I'll live long enough to see it come out? Eh heh heh… …But I'll be honest, I NEVER realized how LONG it took 15 to come out. To me, I knew of the game coming out and it did, but I never knew of its Hellish Development Limbo...I was out of the loop clearly)
You know, your comment on Square Enix believing turn-based RPGs to be a thing of a past draws further evidence that we'll never get a Super Mario RPG sequel despite the game's director supporting such an idea.
This is honestly my favorite Final Fantasy game. It's pretty fantastic all the way through. Even the other FF games that I love (X and IX) fall apart near the end.
No sorry this is just wrong. You may can hate the secondary antagonist in FF10 but everything else just beats ff15 main story. The game never loses focus. And FF9 just has a stupid last moment real end boss reveal. But except this its a solid rpg. FF15 plot is just rushed as hell. And you not even know most of the cast without the film and anime. I would even say the game on its own has the worst plot of any rpg i ever played. The onlz saving grace are the main 4 characters. But without the dlcs you not even learn everything about them.
@@mrcaos999 Hey, if FFX and FF9 had better endgames, I might have been more inclined to agree. But FF15 was so fun to play from beginning to end, that I could look past its story flaws.
@@funcoolfunfun You said is was your favorite final fantasy so I figured. Chapter 13 was still objectively awful for multiple reasons and FF15 is the most disappointing entry to date.
The fact that one of the only character moments between Noct and Regis comes from a *weapon description* in ANOTHER GAME (Nier: Automata) should be a bit of a warning sign.
I loved this game to death when it was released, I stuck with it for every update and patch and dlc and I'm sure I'll keep loving it for many many more years to come. It's enough to say that there hasn't been a single time I've heard Somnus without getting massive goosebumps and I've cried every single time I've experienced the ending.
Imagine FF6 did the same thing with DLCs: Shadow leaves party: DLC Terra flies away the first time: DLC Gau leaving party and jumps around: DLC I think they can make more DLCs than The Sims does. Glady this trend seemed to be abandoned with FF7 Remake
Kingdom hearts rule. Because I own a keyblade. The keyblade of hearts. And I love final fantasy 15. Also my first Final Fantasy game was Final Fantasy 10. And I hated it. Its was the characters. Totally unrelatable. I found it boring. Payed it for a hour. Was not a fan. Loved Chrono Trigger. My point is. Everyone likes a game differently.
1:41:48 through 1:43:14 - Yeah see this right here? This alone is why I cannot hate this game like everyone else does, this alone is why I'm glad that incompetent hack Nomura got booted off the project. This alone shows more heart and charm than pretty much anything in Kingdom Hearts 3 or the FF7 Remake, both of which were Nomura's handiwork. All they had to offer was cringe and tropes. But this? This actually amounted to something, this took an otherwise inconsequential game feature and made it paramount to the story, this actually got me to appreciate the story of this game warts and all. Had Nomura still been in charge, it's very doubtful this wonderful moment would even be here at all. People think FF15 sucks as is? Well, let's just wait until Kingdom Hearts 4 to see how quickly Nomura's original vision for VERSUS XIII falls apart....
I was a hype 6 yr old watching the Versus 13 trailer I lived for anything remotely related to KH. It came out at the beginning of my junior year of high-school. So yea.
They undercook the father-son relationship so much. He raised that boy knowing he’ll have to die due to the family curse and he’ll have to take a hand in killing him. There’s one trailer of him holding a younger sleeping Noctis that’s the best we ever get
They should've given us a really intimate scene with Regis and Octis fishing.
Would have been enough for me at least, and would finally justify Noctis' fishing skill lol
“I’ve come up with a new reci-puh walked” so “this looks like a good spot to find some ingredients” could fall flat on its face
lmfao
😂 too right
He probably comes up with reci-puhy’s” like Link does in Breath of the Wild. Just add one extra Ingredient or more of the same and something different pops out
Don’t forget “come and buy a pixalizer”
I thought the game played was too boring and automatic. The reason why I never beat it
I'm surprised there wasn't a mention about the Luminous Engine, which was created by the same guy who led the creation of the Hedgehog Engine for Sonic Unleashed. He also directed that game!
Don't care what anyone says… Unleashed is STILL the best-looking 3D Sonic game to-date, largely due to its lighting courtesy of the Hedgehog Engine. It's more likely than not Frontiers could overtake it, but still… that'll be a *_14_* year gap between games (Original Colours was great, so was Generations, but all the 2010s games looked cartoony) and… well… I'm _hoping_ the character animation will be as good as Unleashed.
@@Soufriere84 You're not wrong; Unleashed is a GORGEOUS Sonic game, and it's a shame none of the games since have truly surpassed it.
@@Soufriere84 unleashed is beautiful but forces definitely looks better
Guess that explains the sudden lag once in a while. At least this engine seems a hell of a lot more stable
@@goddessyamato5238 Unleashed looks better in motion, Forces looks better during stop.
Final Fantasy XV: the first video game to make me cry like a bitch at the end credits. Not because of all that happens or what befalls our characters, but simply because I knew that the journey was over. There was no more to see. And all I could do was shed tears as _Stand By Me_ played on.
XV ain't perfect by a long shot, but for some reason it holds a very special place in my heart.
Same here
Agreed ❤
Same bud. Same. I felt like I had to give a final goodbye to a group of friends I got really close with but I wasn't ready to say goodbye yet.
First time? I too cried, but there are other games dad did it for me
Same, plus that it's the first big game that I finish
"Off my chair, jester. The King sits there." gotta be one of the hardest lines in any game ever.
Clement, you have such a captivating approach to commentary. Whether sharing a criticism, gushing about how amazing something is, joking about the little things, or addressing a somber moment, I always feel drawn in to whatever you're saying. I definitely think the adjustment to video essays/reviews is going to overall be a positive one and I really hope that you get the views and reception that you're deserved here on out.
Ross's Game Dungeon has the same vibe but with old school games mostly.
I was JUST thinking about this yesterday. I’m so excited to get into this because XV is my first genuine experience with Final Fantasy, it’s the first final fantasy game I picked up and played on my own with no prior knowledge. My older brothers grew up with it, but as I was born 10 years later than them I was a little late to the party. I know FFXV isn’t the Versus XIII everyone expected, but I thought it was a great experience on its own, with a beautiful story that left me in tears by the end and still can. I’m excited to get into this one Clement!
nob
Oh wow same. It's the first ff game I played. It destroyed me and I loved the characters. I still cry at the ending. I replay it all the time. Definitely got me in the feelings.
Legend play FF 10.
Nobs
But you can definitely see that namore kind of hates his decision that he stepped down as director from this game because of the fact of the character yoza from Kingdom hearts who looks exactly like noctis he also has a lot of similarities to his original design also the ending after his boss fight is literally a scene from the verses 13 trailer so you know yeah because he wakes up in the car so you can definitely tell he is salty about that
@@minnaing5970
Sorry to break it to ya bud but even some old FF players don’t care for FF10. Ironically out of all the FFs I played XV was the only one I genuinely enjoyed other than Type Zero.
You did it Clement. You got it out before the 20th like you said. I've been looking forward to this video. I'm sure your work on this one is great like always
"There is more personality in Ignis saying "I've discovered a new recipeh" than literally everything in Final Fantasy XIII. FFXV, for all its incredible flaws, has a couple characters I actually wanted to hear talk. I could not care less about the cast of XIII, and in an RPG series that is defined by its incredible characterization, that's a problem."
- Patrick Boivin
I mean 15 still sucks as well for other reasons, XIII's combat absolutely shits on XV's. The game treats you like your 5 and the side quest was ass.
So , you wanting to hear them talk makes them well characterized, well written, well executed, and overall good characters? I could give you 15 moments off the top of my head that gives XIII's characters way more complexity than that. Despite how poorly written they are, they are well conceptualized characters, and are at least fleshed out. Whether you want to card about them or not.
@@sopekaunutoa8210 Well at that point, which one is more important you know? Simpler characters but are more likeable and entertaining overall or characters that are more complex but it's handled poorly and in a boring way? I have no opinion on the specific casts themselves as i dont play this series, but in general I'd much prefer the former.
I miss the Super Best Friends, but I gotta admit, Pat only grew more toxic over time and I think he's the reason they split up.
But he's right every once in a while.
@@MagillanicaLouM I'm not necessarily challenging which is better or not. I can't say as I never played 15 enough to know the characters.
The point I'm trying to make is that the characters of 13 have personalities, are complex, and are conceptually fleshed out characters. When I say they are poorly written. I mean the dialogue is awful. However, there's moments when you see their personalities pass the awful dialogue by what is already established, and when they are consistent with it.
To answer your question, though. I'd take a well written and well executed likeable, yet simple character over a complex, yet inconsistent character. For example, Scar is a better villain than Lotso.
Again, I'm not here to say which is better executed and written, I can't say. Just defending characters from a game that I enjoy. From criticisms that seem unfair to them.
Hey! Long time no seek1 It's been a very long while since I've last heard of ya. How are you been doing these days? ^^
The leviathan fight is a glorified cutscene but god damn it’s brilliant. Massive sonic adventure vibes
m.th-cam.com/video/9Z9dAPlAowg/w-d-xo.html
Cause when I think Final Fantasy, I think ... Sonic Adventures.
Their relationship isn’t fleshed out enough, but that cinematic of him losing her is devastating
I wish their relationship was fleshed out more because had it been they cinematic would have been 100% more devastating.
Oh yeah. Definitely fucked me up.
She’s one with the crystal. There was gonna be a whole dlc about Noctis and Luna living life in the crystal and as well as the episode Arenea. But once one of the developers left in charge of the project left the whole thing was done after Ep:Ardyn. Also a masterful video by Clement
It's not fleshed out at all. They somehow forgot to write the script.
By that point I had actually grown quite attached to the main cast, so while I may not have known Luna very well, I felt I DID know Noct.
And seeing him break down like he did, my heart went out to him.
Who the hell mastered the audio for this game? We've got this big dramatic scene between Noctis and Ardyn, where Ardyn reveals his true identity and his evil plan, except I can't hear a single fucking thing that he is saying because he's WAY lower in the mix than both the music and Noctis's weird grunting! One of the most dramatic scenes in the game, and some audio engineer decided that both the soundtrack and the hero's grunts of pain were more important than the main villain's monologue. I know it's a relatively minor thing, but I feel like it is a perfect microcosm of the baffling decisions that make up so much of Final Fantasy 15.
crazy they never fixed it lmao
Ff7 remake next up ?
Really love how much positive things you have to say about this game. Final Fantasy XV is a rushed, unfinished mess that wastes a lot of its original potential, but it still has so much heart into it, i can't help but feel nostalgic every time it's brought up.
FF7 Remake and no pixel remasters as a cute little bonus dang that's sad
1:18:28 Actually when I saw that death scene I was making comparisons with FF XII. The princess Ashelia and Rasler had pretty much the same time together that Noctis and Lunafreya, but still I think I could understand Ashe's feelings better in the end, because of the much welcomed flashbacks that showed their interactions as lovers, and not as just a princess and a prince. Guess thats expected for a game that has Matsuno as the main writer.
I think it also helps that most of Ashe's and Rasler's time together is off screen so we assumed they had a good relationship while here we can clearly see Noctis and Luna barely interact at all.
@@skyblade7438 Rasler's death is also before the story begins and thus easier to swallow in its role as a motivation/formative event for a party member than something the audience is invested in in its own right. There's a way to do deaths like that well, but treating them like a death in the invested cast is not it.
Lunafreya dies very far into XV's plot despite having no presence in the plot and explicitly none in the characters' lives unseen since it's established she and Noctis haven't seen each other for years since they were kids. It makes it confusing if this is supposed to be like Aerith's death, since she has nothing to grasp for the player, and it's all "tell don't show" for her dynamic with the characters in-game and informing how they react (hell Noctis is the only one in the party who seems to care anyway compared to Aerith's loss breaking a lot of the cast of VII).
Like the reaction they were clearly going for might have made sense to me if it was one of the 4 Bros that died or otherwise was horribly crippled by the event. I think they might have even been going that direction with Ignis losing his sight, and the reaction to Episode Ignis by a lot of XV players definitely confirms it was more effective.
Even with the games flaws, I will never forget this game. From the demos to the full release its left an amazing impression on me. The ending will never not make me shed a tear. And I really liked Noctis as a protagonist, a royal child that isnt cocky, he just didnt wanna take on the responsibility but ends up growing up and facing everything head on.
Wait what, he is cocky though. You’re probably mistaking the fact that “there’s a reason for it” as him not being it. He is absolutely a cocky royal child at the start
I really tried to like this game but coming from kingdom hearts this combat is a complete downgrade. Holding o for combat doesn’t feel as satisfying and honestly the hits don’t feel that impactful
15 would have been great if square hadn't fucked with Nomura so hard... I still think it's pretty good.
For 1:18:12 onwards, (long read btw)
Luna’s death scene always came across as underdeveloped because I can remember thinking even back at launch days that not only was her character on the weak side and we didn’t see her interact with hardly anyone, most notably Noctis, but that her death was the main reason we had to mourn for her. Like you said, it is a sad scene where Noctis has lost the person he was searching for this whole journey, coming so close yet missing the mark because of Ardyn’s intervention, but it came off ultimately as novel since your general premise of her as a player watching the story unfold is “What drives this character besides her duties as a princess?” Like, they BARELY touch on it in Kingsglaive how she is being used as a pawn for Niflheim and she knows it to a degree, but it always comes back to her righteousness and devotion as an Oracle to her people. It’s like a poor satire of Princess Diana.
Then we arrive to the death scene, which immediately as a new Final Fantasy fan at the time (introduced through Kingdom Hearts in 2012-3) I had the gut feeling they were paying homage to Aerith sinking after Cloud lets her drop through the water. The cinematography isn’t what bothers me so much, it’s that it comes back to why we’re suppose to mourn for this character. However, Aerith was a party member, we saw how she interacted with the world and her role in story as a Cetra, her relationship with Cloud and by extension, to an extent Zack and how much that unfolds. Generally speaking she was much more of a component to the story and how it unfolds in relation to the minimal character development that what is entailed in FFXV. Luna ultimately comes to be the person for Noctis to miss in hindsight for what COULD’VE been, and for the Ring of the Lucii to be handed when he was ready to confront his fears as heir to the throne.
@@TdotFunkyeah.
I swear this series needs like ten times the views
Clement: "feel free to pause the video and get yourself a meal"
Me, already eating while watching the video: "I'm already three steps ahead" 😆
Ardyn'svoice acting is the best in the game. Reminds me of the stellar performances of Raziel, Kain and the eldritch god monster under the pillars in the soul reaver series
Final Fantasy XV... yeah, I remember playing it and that was back in 2016. It was an alright experience but I had no idea that the game would add so much more. I really hoped that it would mean more but yeah, like you said, Hajime Tabata left Square-Enix in 2018. There's also another reason why the Dawn of the Future DLC was cancelled.
It was due to two factors. Hajime Tabata leaving Square-Enix was one of them. The other was that Square-Enix, at the time, suffered a massive financial loss when Luminous Studios went public. And because of that, they had to scrap everything. But it wasn't the end. Want to know what happened to Dawn of the Future? Guess what. All of it was integrated into a novel. I'm dead serious. I guess Square-Enix had to do something since they cancelled the rest of the DLC due to their own fuck-ups. And the fact that with Square-Enix now wanting to get into NFTs, yeah... let them keep fucking shit up.
The whole debacle with Versus XIII and XV also had an affect on one other person: Tetsuya Nomura. Nomura-san really felt hurt when Square-Enix kicked him off the project. He actually went into a depression because of it. But I also think that due to this, he decided to lash out against the company so it's a reason why we have Yozora as well as Quadratum in Kingdom Hearts. This was his response to Square-Enix giving him the boot. I'm happy he's at least doing alright but god damn... that was a lot to take in for this guy. I feel for Nomura-san.
Can't wait for the finale of this. I keep watching these because well, I actually got into playing Final Fantasy XIII and I'm going to Plat it for sure.
I know you can’t play it because copyright, by Florence and the Machine doing “stand by me” is a song I still can’t listen to because it reminds me of the ending of this game too much
Shall we all agree that "I've come up with a NEW RECIPEHH!" is the best line in any FF game next to "This guy are sick."
You spoony bard
One of my favorites: "How about next?" (From the NES prototype version of FINAL FANTASY II.)
Overall, i did really enjoy 15. So much that I not only purchased the Pocket Edition, but played through the game three times. That being said, 15 really disappointed me. Audio issues during areas that mattered, the handling of the DLC that would've made this game incredibly good.
Man...
What an experience. These guys remind me of the Chemistry I have with my own 3 best friends.
Also yeah this is the same thing with Kingdom hearts 3 at least for the next RPG square made after final fantasy 7 remake they did not a bunch of years ahead of it instead they reviewed the game the year it was coming out so you know they seem to learn from their mistake with Kingdom hearts 3 final fantasy 7 remake and final fantasy 15 with the fact that they revealed Neo the world ends with you the year it is coming out which is also a lesson a lot of companies learn recently and a lot of game reveals of for stuff that is coming out this year which I love because that way you don't get the people being disappointed after years of waiting for a game I'm also fine with a delay if it's one year is excusable if it is my opinion is game should be revealed close to when they are done because it makes it easier for people to get excited for a game when it is announced to be that way
The real problem of FF15 is just the story. But speaking for myself i mostly enjoy rpgs for the story.
There are like 100 moments in the game that tease interesting characters that never do anything.
Kafka's betray not just was good because it proven him to be even more evil and crazy as the emperor.
It was good because you actually struggled a lot to deal with the empire. And once you finally in reach to finish the fight a even stronger oponent arises.
In FF15 you never have a fulfilling moment between luna and Noctis. And the downfall of the empirr never felt earned by yourself.
I felt betrayed as i was not allowed to fight even a single general of the Enemy or see how the people of the empire live.
And how cool would it have been to be allowed to explore some parts of the dark world. But no we head straight to the final "dungeon".
So we have a RPG without a good story. With a unfulfilling battle system and a quite samy looking world except some dungeons.
The bros are nice character. But they can only save this much.
What a pleasant surprise this is. I won't lie, I kind of miss the LPs but I've always really enjoyed the video essay style and I think you do a really great job of it in a unique way, Clement. I'm excited to watch this video and whatever else you put out there!
I think that through the flaws and shortcomings of FF15, it does end on a satisfying and high note. It is pretty disappointing that the story never truly got to end with Ardyn's redemption. Once you play Episode Ardyn you realize that it really should've been him who was heir to the throne. But the gods were assholes. It would've been nice for both Noctis and Ardyn to change fate and become masters of their destiny. In a lot of ways I feel like it would also "free" Lunafreyna as well. Despite all of her conversations with Noctis about their destiny and responsibility as future rulers, you never truly get the sense that it is something that she even wants to do, and she only accepts it because she does not have a choice as it is what the gods had intended. Defeating the gods would free both of them from that fate and they get their freedom. Would've made for an even stronger ending.
Well square seems to be doing that with every of their games now that is an RPG like Kingdom hearts 3 final fantasy 7 remake and Neo the world ends with you have this so it kind of made sense
Did you ever read the novelization based on the same ending the DLC was intended to build up to? That seems the concept they were going for with those two at least, albeit even more clumsily realized than the game with its own ending.
@@papershadow either way both are garbage
The biggest problem with FF15 isn't that it's an action game, it's that it's a bad action game.
I wish this game will get a remake one day with the whole story being told, everything in episode Noctis would of been great to see with a happy ending.
FF15 is definitely the game in the franchise that needs a full remake the most so we can see the full original vision or at least as close to it as possible.
Same
I am in the camp of loving XV.
I acknowledge the flaws and the messy state that was the expanded universe and the patch/DLC cycle, but I still enjoy it greatly.
For anyone else who enjoyed it, I recommend reading the Dawn of The Future novel, as it tells the story of the DLCs that were cancelled, and shows what could have been.
Oh yeah.... the black sheep of the FF series.
FFXIII: 👀
FFII: 🙄
I thought FF8 was the black sheep. Than again. Some say it was 2 or 13.
@@jaretco6423 maybe this is the black sheep because of all the black clothing!
Sorry, I’ll see myself out.
This was a really nice retrospective/review/overview. One of the best I've seen. It highlights the strengths of the game while deservedly coming down hard in the missteps in the game and the mangagement of this "ffxv franchise". It really explains why the game has such diehard fans as well as those who claim this is the worst game in the company's portfolio.
TBH I beat it in 2017 and played the DLC as it came out, but I really wanna jump in again. I'm mostly hoping for a PS5 remaster of the game that would eliminate the loading times to really push me back. With Forspoken using the same engine, it gives me a bit of hope that it will happen sometimes.
27:48 "They were never going to make a musical rhythm game into a numbered one." I see what you did there.
is that a reference to Nomura's original idea about FFXV?
I hate FFXV more than FFXIII. I played 2 hours and returned this "game". I actually enjoyed the Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV movie more. It seems even the producers hated this game. Also what turned me off was Freya omg she was ugly. Something about her I just didn't like at all. Like you said... FREYA is nothing.... She is just there to be there just to waste space. No one likes her and when she died no one even cared.
These vids are a big part of what got me hooked on the series. Thanks Clement
Man. I really don't like this game. The whole experience just feels confused. It wants to be an action game, but it drags you across an open world that is a bit too big. It wants to retain some RPG elements, but there is no point to strategizing because even the super bosses can just be brute forced. It wants to look like Advent Children, but forgets that in video games, the camera doesn't always work properly. It wants to tell a story about brotherhood, but shoehorns a loveless romance and pointless characters. This game right here, is peak modern day Final Fantasy. So much style. So little actually worth engaging with. And let's be honest, the only reason FF7 Remake is saved from some of this game's problems is because the characters were written over 20 years ago. Speaking of that, not looking forward to the gushing over FF7 Remake, a game that doesn't even count as a remake of the game it claims to be of because it wants to tell a new story with old characters and settings.
Considering what’s gushed over in these videos, all it takes is a few tweaks to make these games just fine (Tone is where I feel the modern games fail because I see what the game is trying to make the audience feel and what side it takes in terms of selling itself)
the story is secondary next to presentation and speed of questing the game offers
You want the content and secrets, without any overstaying their welcome.
You want some conflict moments only for the end goal of taking on the big bad together, to get the sense of accomplishment
And you want the depth without it becoming pretentious and to have the silly and colorful fullness to declare the game has “personality” regardless of tone and depth
This game is awful. FF7 is amazing.
@@colinnixon7739 You talking about remake or original?
Hey, Clement! Hope you're doing well. Not gonna lie -- your retrospective videos allowed me to look at the Final Fantasy games with more than a roll-of-the-eyes (being a Sega dork and then busy with school, I only played X and X-2 directly). Thank you for your continued insight.
My favorite patch was adding a flashback to remind you who the old butler dude is when he dies off screen because initially you have no idea who they are talking about when you come back and they say the Empire killed him and you must avenge him 😂
Lmao. This game was a shallow unfinished mess at launch.
@@colinnixon7739 it still is a shallow unfinished mess
On the note of the whole "musical rhythm game" bit from around 27:40, Nomura actually almost had FF15 be a musical because he was so moved by Les Miserables that he wanted to restart development and make it more in line with an opera with music combat. No joke.
Oh, thank god that didn't happen. Nomura, you so silly.
Yeh the problem about Nomura is. He is just not a very good writer. He is the type of guy that make up a twist and comes up with a explanation afterwards.
This kind of writing works for KH most of the time. Becausd KH is a silly world with Disney, hearts and darkness. So Nomura can get away with adding a lot of cryptic not well developed plot.
Nomura is able to create some emotions if you are able to ignore the logic holes.
For FF15 this was a big problem. As FF15 wantef to be a serious plot. So Nomuras style just not fitted at all. And i fear he may also will ruin FF7 if he continues to much on the path he set up with part1
@HundeBerg7 he didnt write 15 or 7 remake, Hajime Tabata did 15 and Kazushige Nojima and Yoshinori Kitase did 7R. He's also stepping down from directing to give future 7 remake games to his co director, he directed 7 remake and the combat and general game but they had the script since Advent Children. Also he was kicked of FF15 because he kept restarting development
This is the first one i'm going to watch without having played the game at all (some, like 3 or 5, i already knew most of the story and had given it ago in sim). Honestly, i don't think i'd ever find time to play it so i really going to appreciate this as a substitute. Maybe you convince me to give it a go some years down the line. Thank you
Fun fact! Lunafreyas move set was recently datamined and is fully playable! (Albeit somewhat incomplete)
Let's go I've been waiting so long for this
wanna know the main difference between 15 and say the nier games? you can fully understand whats going on in both replicant and automata with out reading the supplementary material. all it's really there for is fleshing out the backstory of both games.
Hey! It's been too long! Final Fantasy hasn't been a franchise I've paid much attention to, but now I'm quite interested in the franchise. Looks like I've been a lot of binge-watching to do now! ❤
What about PLAYING Final Fantasy games? I can recommend a few if you're interested.
This makes me wonder how Nomura will retell FFVersus13 in the Kingdom Hearts universe now as "Verum Rex". Yup, Nomura never got over that Saltiness and decided to retell Versus 13 as Verum Rex in the KH universe now... this is gonna be interesting people.
Excellently well constructed and thought out video. Thumbs up to you Clement, cannot wait for FF7R.
39 minutes in and am confused, the magic may slow the combat and be weird to get used to but, even without the 3 best spells. having a quad cast or quintcast high potency spells is insane and when you upgrade magic on the ascencian board, you get more potency and more magic from camps and enemies. magic in my opinion is incredibly busted in 15.
I really feel like Square Enix has just completely forgotten _how_ to tell a story. They’re great at building worlds and coming up with interesting characters, but it’s been so many games now since I remember feeling the story was told in an appropriate way.
What do you think of the FF7 remake then? Or the upcoming Origin anniversary game?
Both aren’t complete, but just from the tone?
@@TheKpa11 both are awful. FF7R for making unnecessary changes and additions that dont actually add anything worthwhile and really just make the story worse and SoP.....i just....how in tf did they think that was worth any amount of money
@@557deadpool
Strangers of Paradise won’t get much defense, but FF7 remake can make up for its story-Tisms easily. Music, voice acting, gameplay, and graphics are still at their high peaks for the remake, that’ll be enough for many
@@TheKpa11 music: aside from the Airbuster, the remixes all suck, even OWA which even AC didnt fuck up
voice acting: gasping every 5 seconds doesnt count as good VA, also the VA is ok, not enough to be considered an actual positive
gameplay: LMFAO no!! the gameplay is actual dogwater any actual skillful play that action RPGs are known for are as plentiful as in FFXV, only difference being that you have to actually time your parry instead of holding down a button....for Cloud and only Cloud. Barrett and Aerith are boring as fuck since they'll NEVER get hit, Cloud and dont really have any combos and you just button spam to win and Yuffie is just a mix of both groups while being AGGRESSIVELY annoying to the point where muting the game was the only real option to endure that shitty fucking DLC. It doesnt help that most enemies follow two camps, dmg sponges or 1 shot, and that's all. The only enemy that required some form of thought to beat where the shield soldiers which fooled me into thinking most enemies where going to be like that....they weren't.
graphics: only on PS5 and PC and even then the game still runs inconsistently ESPECIALLY on PC which makes 0 fucking sense.
and saying "that'll be enough for some people" yeah and so was FFXIII, so excuse me if i give few fucks about what "some people" may like
I've got to disagree on the "We're not taking away the series from you, you still have the older ones" argument, and you actually almost raise my point for me whether you meant to or not. You mentioned that while we may not get another Metal Gear Solid game, you're looking forward to playing them with your girlfriend and seeing her experience them for the first time. That's the key to the whole thing: Experiencing it for the first time.
You use Star Trek as another example. You loved the experience when you first watched The Next Generation. When you started watching Picard, you wanted something more like The Next Generation, didn't you? You wanted to experience something similar to it for the first time. There's a difference between experiencing something for the first time, and just watching/playing it again.
I love Kingdom Hearts. When I play a new Kingdom Hearts game, I have certain expectations based on what the past games were like. I can enjoy new mechanics or abilities, or streamlining certain things. If Melody of Memory was meant to be Kingdom Hearts 4, and every future game would be like Melody of Memory, there will be people who will enjoy the series because they like rhythm games. They'll tell me that they aren't taking the series away from me, the originals are still there for me to play. But they are taking it away from me. They're taking away any future instance of experiencing a Kingdom Hearts game for the first time. The closest I'll ever get will be to find a friend who's never played the games, or finding a new Let's Play from somebody who's playing them blind.
I've told my family multiple times that I plan on writing an Alzheimer's list. If I ever get Alzheimer's and my memory goes bad on me, I want my family to have a list of my favorite movies, books, and video games. I want them to bring me those things, and I'll have the purest way ever to experience all of my favorite things again for the first time. And if too many series or franchises decide to make major changes to catch a more modern crowd, like Final Fantasy becoming permanently action-oriented instead of traditional turn-based to some extent, going to that kind of extreme may be the only way to re-live those experiences to any extent, and it's kind of disappointing that it requires that kind of extreme.
You raise a very good point
Gameplay-wise, FFXV caters way more to my tastes than the previous games. Turn-based RPGs are very hard for me to get into without a specific hook, like an excellent story (Final Fantasy VI) or a more action-y combat system (the Mario & Luigi games), since I generally find turn-based combat very dull. Action RPGs just appeal more to me in general, since their combat is far more engaging, which is why I generally prefer Kingdom Hearts to Final Fantasy. FFXV is one of my favorite Final Fantasy games to play for that reason, even though the story’s a giant mess, likable characters notwithstanding.
Final fantasy 15: the action rpg one .
Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive edition, Astral Chain, Kid icarus Uprising, Legend of Zelda Skyward(Switch),Fire Emblem Three House,Xenoblade 2 and Kingdom Heart 2 has better game play and Story!
no not xenoblade 2
Superb video!! Been so hype for this
Personally I wasn't a huge fan of the combat in 15. Specifically how just holding down a button did automatic combo strings for you. Blech! I much prefer that moves correspond only with each time you tapped a button. You press 3 times, you do 3 moves. If an enemy catches you off guard, you can shorten your combo and dodge/counter/block or w/e.
In this game, since all you do is hold down a button and wait, it was rather inconvenient and imprecise trying to gauge when your combos would stop and when you'd be allowed to switch to other actions like spell casting (which was also VERY awkward) or dodging on a dime. The irritation just kept mounting for me until eventually I put the game down.
That said the game is beautiful and I did enjoy the characters as well so there's that.
Final Fantasy 15 is a game who's development was so turbulent from so many issues from mismanagement to entire pieces of the story getting fractured between different writers/directors that it's a miracle the devs had enough to salvage to make something coherent at all. All the multimedia stuff was just Square trying to make SOME profit off of a game that was eating money and resources for years.
While the final game ended up being decent it's still needs to be looked at as a prime example of what happens if sunk cost fallacy is allowed to take hold.
Side note- I'm really happy Square seems to have learned from their mistakes with FF15 and is letting the vision of a single director guide 16's development and marketing. Even if FF16 doesn't live up to the hype it at least is going to feel more focused and confident in what it is.
Believe it or not, Luna does NOT have a phone.
Mobile phones only exist in Insomnia. I'm not kidding.
It's kind of neat lore though, in an amusing way.
So, finally, the last one? That was one hell of a ride.
"This scene probably affected a lot of people."
Not me. That one was patched in after I finished the game.
Yup.
This game feels better than it actually is, but that in itself is a great feat. The cinematics and the music carry a lot of the emotional storytelling even when the script doesn't overtly do it some of the time.
Also not sure about the odds but throughout THE ENTIRE GAME I got a summon like, twice, not counting the scripted ones.
Yes! Been looking forward to this for a hot minute
GREAT REVIEW, CLEMENT!
Although, I'm surprised you didn't mention the cancelled Dawn of the Future Season Pass 2 DLC. For those who don't know, Dawn of the Future was going to give us four DLC episodes. Much like how Season Pass 1 was 3 DLC episodes of the boys, Gladio, Ignis and Prompto. So, who were these 4 episodes going to focus on you ask? Well, it was going to be Episode Ardyn, Episode Luna, Episode Aranea and....Episode Noctis! Yes, that's right. Since Luna had so little screen time in the actual game, we were going to play through the game through her prospective in her DLC episode. In Episode Aranea, we were going to experience her adventure through areas that wasn't explorable in the base game. And then, the MOST exciting one of all, in Episode Noctis, we were going to get his prospective on what he went through when he fell in a deep sleep while he was in the crystal for 10 years. And it was said, he was experiencing an "alternate universe" of his world. This being, the ORIGINAL Final Fantasy Versus XIII world! NO SHIT! With Noctis' original 2006 outfit and everything! This Season Pass 2 looked promising! But sadly, it never saw the light of day. When Tabata left Square. However, before he left, they still released the Episode Ardyn DLC. Why? Well, since Episode Ardyn was nearly 95% completed, they decided to release it, instead of just throwing it away. Now, despite the Dawn of the Future DLCs being cancelled, it did SOMEWHAT saw the light of day...through a book. Yes, Dawn of the Future was all translated into a book. And yes, it's all in English and you can actually buy it. It's pretty cool to see, but it's just a sad reminder that we'll never experience these moments in the game.
Hm. I need to replay this one on ng+ to see if my opinion holds up. I just Also want to space up to my terrabyte hardrive for my Xbox one
Thanks for the video again, Clement! Glad to hear about this game, and learn more about it. Excited for the future installment!
It feels like half of the characters you meet along the story should be becoming party members but it never happens because they didn't want to dilute the boy group dynamic or whatever.
They have larger roles OUTSIDE the game but that's just stupid.
I like this game but I wouldn’t put this in my top 3 Final Fantasy games.
Nor top 5.
@Jaretco if we counting the spin offs and sequels it's not even top 20 lol
And when i was just reviewing all your videos again, you publish the XV video. Finally... Its complete... Well, minus VII remake and the upcoming XVI but still!
Let’s go
If you liked Persona 5 you should try Shin Megami Tensei V it plays the same but it’s harder and requires a lot of strategy. By Far it’s the most challenge I had playing a turn based RPG game
XV was a game for some Final Fantasy veterans to play when they either hate the XIII trilogy or didn't have a way to play XIV.
The way the game was, XV was more disappointing than XIII. The combat wasn't for vets but 5 yr olds.
Prethoughts of FF XV before finishing the video review: Lack of details really screw this game over and it shows. Compare the story beats of Episode Duscae in the demo vs the full game, the demo tells a better story.
i just tought that maybe 20 years from now square remakes ff15 with a turn based combat.
This game made me appreciate FF13 more which says a lot. 15 felt unfinished, side quest sucked & I couldn't stand the combat cause it's built for children and treats you like your 5.
Yeah but 13 wasn't a bad game. Just a not great ff.
XV is objectively bad
@@colinnixon7739 I liked 13 but I felt like it was lacking content. 15 is full of useless content and things that generally didn't improve the game and combat. I truly started to despise FF15 with that cringe Cup Noodles mission.
@@colinnixon7739 Objectively no I’m not gonna say it was perfect but even then I’d much rather play XV over XIII but to each their own.
VII Remake was my first game in the series, got into it coming off playing KH for the first time. And I love that combat, I think it is a great balance of turn based and action...but it is ultimately still action. And having now played a handful of games in the series, I can definitively say that the PS1 trilogy is my favorite. ATB turn based is now my favorite style of gameplay, it is a perfect balance of being able to plan out moves, and still feeling the slight pressure of something happening.
So while I do love VII Remake, am super excited for part 2...I would love to go back to a more turn based style, at least at some point.
....Also XV is a lot of fun until like chapter 10, where it becomes one of my least favorite games of all time.
44:42 did anyone else get apotos vibes from sonic unleashed while listening to this?
The game has many, many flaws, and it's probably why I never played it again after it came out, but it really did nail the character dynamics between the guys. I think that alone managed to salvage XV from being another flop into being a game a lot of people love. I've often found myself wishing the game really was just "four guys on a road trip to a wedding being harassed by an evil empire along the way" with a less serious overall story.
12:30 I think she was supposed to be this games Cid, until people started complaining, then they introduced her papa as a regular Cid.
I usually don't get emotional over games but the ending and the music and over all tragedy of it all...I enjoyed it
babe cant talk rn new clement remembers dropped
You forgot to talk about Noctis' appearance and the Hammerhead Stage in TEKKEN 7.
My toxic trait is this being my second fave game of all time.
Ay look, Boy Band Game!
Kind of glad 16 looks to be more Dark Fantasy inspired, kind of gettin' tired of these modern-based FF games...they kind of just blend together to me...
(Maybe I'll live long enough to see it come out? Eh heh heh…
…But I'll be honest, I NEVER realized how LONG it took 15 to come out. To me, I knew of the game coming out and it did, but I never knew of its Hellish Development Limbo...I was out of the loop clearly)
You know, your comment on Square Enix believing turn-based RPGs to be a thing of a past draws further evidence that we'll never get a Super Mario RPG sequel despite the game's director supporting such an idea.
Well this comment certainly hasn't aged well...
Okay, that thing about the Adamantoise makes me incredibly angry. XD
This is honestly my favorite Final Fantasy game. It's pretty fantastic all the way through.
Even the other FF games that I love (X and IX) fall apart near the end.
No sorry this is just wrong. You may can hate the secondary antagonist in FF10 but everything else just beats ff15 main story. The game never loses focus.
And FF9 just has a stupid last moment real end boss reveal. But except this its a solid rpg.
FF15 plot is just rushed as hell. And you not even know most of the cast without the film and anime. I would even say the game on its own has the worst plot of any rpg i ever played.
The onlz saving grace are the main 4 characters. But without the dlcs you not even learn everything about them.
@@mrcaos999 Hey, if FFX and FF9 had better endgames, I might have been more inclined to agree.
But FF15 was so fun to play from beginning to end, that I could look past its story flaws.
XV fell part after chapter 8, chapter 13 was straight ass.
@@wiseguy240Winston I thought every chapter was fun.
@@funcoolfunfun You said is was your favorite final fantasy so I figured. Chapter 13 was still objectively awful for multiple reasons and FF15 is the most disappointing entry to date.
The fact that one of the only character moments between Noct and Regis comes from a *weapon description* in ANOTHER GAME (Nier: Automata) should be a bit of a warning sign.
magic can get more charges by using monster loot. I had a unicast 3 that multicasted firaga, blizzaga, and thundaga that had like 23 casts on it.
I have been waiting for this moment
I absolutely despise how square pronounce names Iris is “ee-ris” in this game, Ava is “ah-vah” in KH. It’s just needless to try and look clever
The first numbered Final Fantasy I ever played. Gotta say, didn't really do a whole lot for me. But at least the combat was kinda interesting.
I loved this game to death when it was released, I stuck with it for every update and patch and dlc and I'm sure I'll keep loving it for many many more years to come. It's enough to say that there hasn't been a single time I've heard Somnus without getting massive goosebumps and I've cried every single time I've experienced the ending.
The time has come again!
This unfilled potential game is only 5 almost 6 years old.
I'm a weirdo who actually really likes Final Fantasy 15. It's a mess but it made me a fan of the series and made me curious about the previous games.
Imagine FF6 did the same thing with DLCs:
Shadow leaves party: DLC
Terra flies away the first time: DLC
Gau leaving party and jumps around: DLC
I think they can make more DLCs than The Sims does.
Glady this trend seemed to be abandoned with FF7 Remake
Kingdom hearts rule. Because I own a keyblade. The keyblade of hearts. And I love final fantasy 15. Also my first Final Fantasy game was Final Fantasy 10. And I hated it. Its was the characters. Totally unrelatable. I found it boring. Payed it for a hour. Was not a fan. Loved Chrono Trigger. My point is. Everyone likes a game differently.
1:41:48 through 1:43:14 - Yeah see this right here? This alone is why I cannot hate this game like everyone else does, this alone is why I'm glad that incompetent hack Nomura got booted off the project. This alone shows more heart and charm than pretty much anything in Kingdom Hearts 3 or the FF7 Remake, both of which were Nomura's handiwork. All they had to offer was cringe and tropes. But this? This actually amounted to something, this took an otherwise inconsequential game feature and made it paramount to the story, this actually got me to appreciate the story of this game warts and all. Had Nomura still been in charge, it's very doubtful this wonderful moment would even be here at all. People think FF15 sucks as is? Well, let's just wait until Kingdom Hearts 4 to see how quickly Nomura's original vision for VERSUS XIII falls apart....
I was a hype 6 yr old watching the Versus 13 trailer I lived for anything remotely related to KH. It came out at the beginning of my junior year of high-school. So yea.