The factor about Remaining Fantasy, is that there is plenty of them. Not counting the numerous spin offs and sequels, there’s roughly 16 of them (within the mainline collection, a minimum of), and with that many video games not all of them will be bangers – even when plenty of them are. You all have a favorite, that one entry you swear is the perfect one, warts and all, however evidently since Remaining Fantasy 13, the beloved collection has been a bit tough across the edges. Solely factor is, I am a Remaining Fantasy 13 defender, and as you may need guessed I am the identical relating to 15 too – a lot in order that I actually do assume it is higher than Sq. Enix’s newest, Remaining Fantasy 16.
I lastly acquired round to taking part in Remaining Fantasy 16 over the vacations, months after all people else, and, nicely, it was high quality! Perhaps even good, should you like video games with all of the tough edges sanded off, however I am not that type of individual. Greater than something it’s refined, a whole image not ruined by years of troubled improvement, clearly laying out what it desires to be: God of Conflict, however Remaining Fantasy. Sadly, what that has ended up doing is providing up one thing that I in the end assume is a bit boring in comparison with its predecessor, even when as a remaining product it is much more cohesive than 15.
Clive Rosfield is mostly well-performed by English voice actor Ben Starr – there’s even some gorgeous moments from him in there – however he feels very let down by some poor writing. He is a fairly uninteresting protagonist, together with his defining character trait being “grump,” and it by no means actually evolves previous that time. The sport would not assist itself by not likely creating its supporting forged both, though we in some way spend hours price of cutscenes with characters like Jill. It is points like these that basically exhibits how a lot 15’s writing shines.
Belief me after I say I understand how a lot of a multitude 15 is as a recreation. The open world portion of the title hardly pushes the plot forwards at any level, the motion fight is not for everybody, and there is additionally the truth that half of the DLC was cancelled, with the director leaving Sq. Enix for good. However! To today, I’ve a lot love in my coronary heart for these boys.
I do assume it was a sensible selection to stay to only 4 characters for the principle group in 15, as you spend a lot time with them within the Regalia, the principle car of selection, and it actually permits every of them to shine. Prompto taking pictures of the gang as you fend off baddies, Ignis arising with a brand new recipe, Gladio being so extremely captivated with Cup Noodle, it is all so charming and makes them really feel like such actual folks. I actually by no means refused every time Prompto would ask to cease and take a photograph, and people who have overwhelmed the sport perceive how a lot the pictures matter for one of many recreation’s most emotional moments.
And are not the characters actually essentially the most memorable factor for many Remaining Fantasy followers? Certain, there are issues like Eikon fights, supplexing trains… blitzball. None of that issues as a lot because the characters, although, as they’re the by way of line all through all of it. It is why I nonetheless tear up fascinated by 15’s ending, realizing what these boys have been by way of, even when it was a multitude, and even when it did not ship on Versus 13’s promise.
I did not care a lot for 16’s story both, because it type of fumbled the slavery storyline, later opting to concentrate on the vaguer idea of free will and never having something insightful to say about it. Nor did I believe the Satan Might Cry-style fight was all that good; extra concerned than 15’s, positive, however solely marginally, the fundamentals not providing a lot selection. So once you put these two issues, together with underwritten characters, even if you cannot precisely name it dangerous, it simply would not excel.
Remaining Fantasy 15 did not excel in lots of locations, however it actually did when it got here to its character writing (a minimum of for the principle boys), and in a collection like Remaining Fantasy, that is not simply what I need, however what I want. So, I am sorry to return into 2024 with a little bit of a sizzling take, however hey, a minimum of we will all agree that the perfect Remaining Fantasy is– oops, sorry, no time left, I am positive we’re all pondering the identical factor!