I decided to make this a regular forum post, as this game just isn't old enough to discuss as an article, but I figured someone here would want to see it.
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The wind through your hair, orange skies above your black convertable, the threat of daemons draws near. It’s the end of the world and you feel fine.
I picked up this game on a whim. I had just moved with my recently acquired PS4 slim, and was used game hunting at GameStop. I saw Final Fantasy XV Royal Edition, and remembered all the commotion about how it didn’t live up to the Final Fantasy name. Well, seemed like an interesting use of fifteen bucks.
I loaded the disk in, underwent the usual installation fuckery of modern consoles, and was immediately taken aback by the beauty of it all. The grand architecture of Insomnia inspiring awe. After Noctis and his friends said goodbye to the King, we cut to a very un-grand start to our adventure: pushing our car to the repair shop. But I was charmed and intrigued as I caught my first glimpses into their personalities, before the title drop to the tune of Florence + the Machine’s rendition of “Stand By Me”.
After an admittedly slow start, my road trip was well underway. The rolling fields, 50‘s automobiles, and the mix of the mundane and the extraordinary captured my imagination, all driven by one of the most compelling and heartwarming friendships I’ve ever witnessed in a game. The banter felt genuine and fun, the sharing of feelings at night so personal and real. Each personality felt distinct and likable. Ignis, the responsible one who loved to cook. Prompto, the fool with a sharpshooter and sharper aim. Gladio, the greatsword wielding survivalist with a love for Cup Noodles.When one of us was down and feeling worthless, the other’s were always there to tell them why they mattered, be it Noctis feeling unfit to be a king or Prompto believing his origins to make his worthless. Their comradery felt unbreakable even as it bent, as challenge after challenge forced Lucian royalty out of their well-to-do and secure comfort zones and into the real world. From beating high level slimes by the skin of our teeth for money, to wielding the might of Lucius against the mightiest of Daemons and the most powerful forces of Niflheim, from being unable to drive off the road to exploring every inch on Chocobo and monster truck, our strength grew as did our bond. . The world was our canvas...
Then that canvas was burned...
I found myself traversing corridors with nothing but a mysterious family ring. Cut off from the power I’ve worked so hard for, and the friends I had come to rely on. Slinking around like an outgunned rebel way in over his head. The lonliness crushing, only staved off by determination.
The game’s stakes went from 0-60 so fast, that before I knew it, years had passed in it’s world, and Noctis had awoken with stubble and an even more solemn look than before. As I set up camp, alone, with nothing but a can of food seasoned with tears, I knew what I had to do. I then made the trek to finaly reunite with my old friends, but it would be the final time.
We camped together one last time and said our goodbyes, wondering if we could even put the pieces of this fallen world together. Would this sacrifice even be worth it? We had to try. It was our duty. After one last campfire together, we stormed the remains of our old home, our skills sharper than ever. The full might of Lucius once again unleashed, the forces of Daemonkind were no match for us. Ardyn made one last stand against the prince, no, king of Lucius, but he too was nothing compared to the hero and ruler Noctis has become.
Then, just like that, it was over. Noctis gave his life to seal away the curse plaguing the land, for just a sliver of hope the the ashes of war would give life to a kingdom anew, entrusted to the three people that were there for him since the beginning, his spirit sat upon the throne with his queen, finally together in peace.
Then “Stand by Me” played again in full, and the credits rolled. I just sat there reflecting, melancholic that it was over, but glad I got to experience it.
I then unlocked a post game. More adventures with Noctis and friends. I most certainly dumped dozens of more hours into the game from here, but it all felt bittersweet. It didn’t feel like a road trip with the bros in the moment, but a memory, like I was living in the past. And that’s because, even in the context of the game, I was. The post game was accessed via a dog that would let you return to your old adventures, reliving them as memories. But that’s all they were now. Yes, I know this is all a video game, and that this was already past tense the whole time to millions of people, but to me it seemed like a journey ended, and that I was now just wallowing in nostalgia.
For whatever flaws that this game has, and there are many that have been covered by far better writers and content creators than I, this game had a soul. It captured the feeling of comradery, adventure, and eventually the feeling of loss that they intended. I’m not normally a big fan of remakes, but I do hope that one day, people look back more fondly on this game, and that Square Enix finally gives the four bros of Lucius their due. Until then, rest in peace Noctis, true king of Lucius.
RageBurner
