Retrospective: I Wish I Could Play Final Fantasy XV For The First Time Again

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Despite not being the most powerful installment in the Final Fantasy series, Final Fantasy XV holds a unique charm that lingers. The anticipation leading up to its release, the debates over its development timeline, and the intense emotional resonance of its concluding moments have left an indelible mark on me. I yearn for the opportunity to relive that initial experience once more.

The Journey

There was tremendous excitement surrounding it. After Final Fantasy XIII, the spotlight shifted to Versus XIII, which introduced us to Noctis and Square Enix’s ambitious Fabula Nova Crysalis project (RIP). The announcement of Versus XIII ignited a cultural craze throughout the internet in the mid-2000s, where characters with an edgy and brooding demeanor were particularly popular.

2006 marked a time when gaming was a largely unexplored landscape. Platforms such as Tumblr, Twitter, MySpace, and YouTube were dominating the thoughts of many young adults at that time.

Initially, social media platforms were teeming with fan-written stories (fanfiction) and romantic pairings (character ships), most notably those involving Noctis and Lunafreya. This period was also marked by an abundance of Anime Music Videos (AMVs), during which Noctis gained prominence, replacing Cloud and Tifa as the symbol of tough gaming personalities.

Veteran video game enthusiasts can recall the captivating allure that Noctis exuded during his initial unveiling, with those soaring swords and the teleportation abilities – it embodied all my gaming desires as a teen.

Even before its release, Final Fantasy XV had piqued my interest, whether it turned out great or not. With no new Kingdom Hearts content in sight for years, it became the game I eagerly anticipated. The wait seemed interminable, but I remained patient and even saved up for a PlayStation 4 to play it.

When Final Fantasy XV (originally named Versus XIII) was ultimately released, it sparked a frenzy of opinions, both positive and negative. However, these varied responses held no sway over me.

The Destination

The very first game I played on my PlayStation 4 was none other than Final Fantasy XV. In fact, I bought the console primarily for this reason, second only to Kingdom Hearts III (which I thought would never be released). My anticipation for Final Fantasy XV was high as I was eager to witness what Square Enix had prepared with Noctis and his crew.

For me, that moment was truly enchanting. In those days, the PS4 stood as the peak of gaming experiences. Watching Noctis, Ignis, Gladio, and Prompto embark on their adventure reminiscent of a traveling pants troop was not only soothing but also brought a sense of nostalgia – it felt like a contemporary nod to the old-school JRPG style of overworld exploration.

From hordes of adversaries, to repetitive battle banter, to riding chocobos – it encompassed everything I’ve longed for in a Final Fantasy game. The internet’s opinions didn’t matter to me. All I wanted was to live this tale I’d been anticipating for a decade. And every second of the experience was delightful.

Instead of playing the Royal Edition with its additional content and downloadable packages, I skipped it because I felt like I had already experienced enough. While I could always replay it, I’m aware that the initial excitement and discovery of a new game on a fresh platform would be lost—seeing the future of Final Fantasy unfold on the latest hardware for the first time.

As a devoted fan, my affection for Final Fantasy XV didn’t stem from its ranking as excellent or subpar – it was all about the experience. Despite the lengthy development time, the disjointed narrative, and the evident traces of discarded content, Final Fantasy XV strived tirelessly to weave a compelling Final Fantasy tale that resonated deeply with themes of love, camaraderie, and heritage.

Despite some skepticism about its overall cohesion, it effectively touched the right emotional nerves. The closing moments, particularly the scene where Noctis bared his emotions by the fireside, were incredibly moving for me.

For several days, it deeply affected me emotionally. In truth, if there was a means to erase all my knowledge about Final Fantasy XV – including its lengthy development period filled with challenges, its shortcomings, its rich history – I would love to re-live the adventure of Noctis and his companions across the world of Eos without any prior knowledge.

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2025-04-11 18:14