Final Fantasy XV Live PS4 Gameplay Demo Shows Customisation, Side Activities, and More

I don't want to watch too much of the game, @ShogunRok tell us your impressions.

When I was asking for customization options this isn't what I had in mind...

@Feena @Kidfried Honestly, my impressions are mixed and have been for a while. The world looks really nice and I do like the road trip element. As long as there's a good chemistry between the main characters, I think it should be a pretty inviting and enjoyable adventure.

However, there are a few things that I can't really pass judgement on without playing the finished game. Some of the writing is bad - there's just no way around that fact right now - and the combat still looks iffy to me, like it's stuck halfway between being a proper action game and being some soft of turn based hybrid thing that's way too busy for its own good. Plus, we've all heard that the frame rate and general performance is supposed to be spotty, although it is supposed to run better in the newest build.

Overall, I'm just not sure yet - and that's kind of the problem. Barring Final Fantasy XIII, every mainline Final Fantasy game I've seen before release in the past has immediately grabbed my attention - I had no doubt that I'd love VIII, IX, X, XII, etc. almost as soon as I saw them. With XV, it still feels like Square is still trying to repair the damage done by XIII - it's still trying to do something new while proving that the series is still a juggernaut. But I look at it and I just don't know yet.

I really, really hope it turns out to be great when I finally play the finished thing, but I'm not 100% confident right now and I haven't been for a long time.

@ShogunRok Thank you, I kinda feel the same and I am hoping for the best.
As for the writing: has FF writing ever been good? I think it's just that "realistic" graphics and voice over emphasise the awkwardness ...it's still a JRPG in the end, at least this time I can select Japanese and that way the characterisation will probably seem more natural.
The combat has me REALLY worried, I heard many different things. I didn't care for it AT ALL in the two demos I tried...and to think it was the aspect where XIII delivered.
The frame rate on the other hand is not concerning me too much: I can't really see Square releasing a very rough game, their level of polish is second only to Nintendo, and my time with the Witcher told me I can manage with a little inconsistency in frame rate if the world/art direction is solid.

@Feena It's an interesting point with the writing. There's definitely an argument that the series' writing has always been cheesy, goofy, and maybe a bit crap, but for me it's always come down to the characters. Take Final Fantasy IX, for example. I don't think the actual overarching story is that good, but the characters make it work because they're all so charming and varied. I think games can get away with below average writing if there's enough personality in the cast and the setting.

But yeah, has there ever really been a Final Fantasy with amazing writing? I'm not totally sure!

This game keeps getting better and better. Getting pro just for this, thank you for post!

@shogunrok I feel the exact same way about this release. A movie, a short-form anime series, two different demos. Everything that they've shown off is lacking in some form.

I'm mostly interested to see how this springboards off of Kingsglaive.

@ShogunRok I fully expect daddy issues, terribly acted drama, the death of one of the boys (pulling a FFVII) and a final boss with a god complex and unclear motivations. I am ready.
You're totally right about the characters being the redeeming quality...Yuna and Tidus were goofy as hell and starred in a romantic version of the sixth sense while facing the undead Catholic Church of fantasy Thailand, but I still cared about them.

@Feena That last sentence pretty much sums up Final Fantasy storytelling.

@Feena LOL at the last sentence, so true though. I am still looking forward to this. I think the personalities I think will carry this through are the summons/giants. I have a feeling a lot of the story's punch will come from them.