Let's share our first (spoiler free!) impressions!

[tony12]

It's obvious from the reviews of the game out so far (by both gamers and professional reviewers) is that this is just a very niche style of game. Some will like it if it has what they are looking for in a game but it definitely is not a game for the masses.

It's just weird to think of Final Fantasy as a Niche type of game these days. It used to be one of the most highly praised series out there. Now it just seems that it is stuck in place watching everything pass it by hoping to get one last great hurrah.

I know it is not a game for me given the fact that I put story and character development above most everything else and that definitely seems to be the weak point for FFXV.

[Fynn]

I don't think it's any more niche than normal. FF has never been a huge mainstream hit, no matter how much it may have seemed like it within the fandom. And the fandom being as it is, it's just as polarizing as any other FF starting from VIII

[Marshall Banana]

I'm enjoying this game much in the same way that I enjoy the Twilight movies. It's not good but makes me laugh and I'm getting a sense of enjoyment out of it, in some mean spirited sort of way.

[Psychotic]

Got to Chapter 3, still enjoying it! Some good parts, some little gripes.

I do still genuinely enjoy the talking between the main characters and Prompto is the star. It seems people either love him or hate him and I unashamedly am in the former camp. He's a dork with a heart of gold. I also think the voice actors did a great job.

With that said, some of the NPCs are... awful. Like Dino, a guy you meet early and he talks like a cheesy mafia wise guy? ...why? I... what? What is the point of that? Is it meant to be funny or am I just meant to be suspicious because he's Italian, or...? Trying too hard!

A lot of the side quests seem to be pointless busywork that exist for their own sake. Which is a criticism you can label at pretty much any open world game these days. Never really got the appeal.

There have been some really enjoyable and memorable moments. Exploring a cave as Prompto freaks out was great, and I've now done a couple of nice boss fights which I had a good time with. On the whole I still think the combat system is good, although sometimes it can feel a little overwhelming.

Why the smurf do I jump when I want to interact with things?! I think Marshall Banana made this point somewhere and she was spot on. People must think Noctis has some sort of problem when he comes up to them like he wants to talk and instead prances about for a few seconds before engaging in conversation. When the Press X prompt comes up on screen, pressing X shouldn't do anything but activate that prompt! It's basic stuff!

Finally, chocobos. Customisable chocobos. smurf. yes.

[Yar]

Why the smurf do I jump when I want to interact with things?!

A fantasy based on reality?

[tony12]

I don't think it's any more niche than normal. FF has never been a huge mainstream hit, no matter how much it may have seemed like it within the fandom. And the fandom being as it is, it's just as polarizing as any other FF starting from VIII

I think it hit mainstream from about games VII-X. After that when it started to try to delve into online play combined with mature material started becoming a little more common place around that same time period is when it fell off the mainstream charts a bit.

Quite honestly it is hard not to poke a little fun at some of these characters final fantasy XV has when we have had games like Last of Us and TellTale's Walking Dead (amongst many more) released in recent years.

[Fox]

Aaaah, I'm more than 2/3rds in so I'm now at that really awkward point where I can no longer post 'first impressions' but I also can't go into any spoiler threads! *grumble grumble* xD

[Aulayna]

smurfed off exploring for a bit and got up to chapter 3, just focused on doing hunts and sidequests.

I have to go to Lestallum now, for a main story thing which recommends level 10. My characters are now level 23... whoops.

It definitely roped me in more with the couple of the more traditional "dungeon" type things.

The banter is generally enjoyable, and I'm seeing a bit less repeated dialogue now I'm not exploring as much.

Combat is still hit and miss, it most hits and is fun, but when it misses my gosh it's annoying. Had an epic ongoing battle with some Garula's, some beasts I forgot the name of, and 3 different squads of Magitek being dropped in at various points. That was a lot of fun. Then in another fight a Garula was pretty much chain stunning me against a rock due to the square button doing nothing. Only got out of it one I had enough tech to get Glad to Tempest it.

[Noctis Caelum]

Extremely addicting. I think the trophies are far too easy, but I don't even care because the game is so damn enjoyable.

[DMKA]

I've been playing for about four hours now and I can honestly say all my fears have been put to rest. It's a very fun game with a very likable cast of characters. I really enjoy listening to the banter between them. I also love just how vast and open everything is. Sometimes it's fun to just run around aimlessly and see what you find. I explored the first dungeon from top to bottom, with absolutely no hurry to move on. I can't tell you off hand the last time a game gave me that feeling.

Kitty Catering is my favorite side quest so far.

[Fynn]

Aaaah, I'm more than 2/3rds in so I'm now at that really awkward point where I can no longer post 'first impressions' but I also can't go into any spoiler threads! *grumble grumble* xD

Just tell us if you're enjoying yourself

[Shauna]

Matt and I played about an hour last night (I didn't get a hands on go at the game because my mother chose that as the inopportune time to phone for a chat) and from what I saw it seems pretty fun, and the main guys seem likable enough. I don't think we'll be putting too much time into it at this point - the endless backlog exists. xD

[Fox]

Aaaah, I'm more than 2/3rds in so I'm now at that really awkward point where I can no longer post 'first impressions' but I also can't go into any spoiler threads! *grumble grumble* xD

Just tell us if you're enjoying yourself

I am absolutely enjoying myself. However that comes with a few Titan sized caveats that would, by necessity, take us into spoiler territory unfortunately. They will have to wait for another thread

[Loony BoB]

I have spent two days playing this basically endlessly. I am up to chapter six or seven, pretty much on the switch point of the two. I've been streaming it as DrAssenov wanted to see what it was like.

Impressions go like this...

- J-Pop Skyrim. I am going to spend forever in this game purely because there is so freaking much to do.
- This may be the most perfect chocobo music ever.
- Unlock all the FF soundtracks. It's so great that way.
--- But that makes you realise just how poorly some of the older songs have aged. It would have been nice if they put in the orchestra versions instead of the MIDI files.
- Love the little 16 bit character icons on the weapon store menu.
- Disappointed at the lack of insane fantasy environments that I'm used to enjoying in a Final Fantasy game, but I must say the environments really grow on you and a lot of the scenery is beautiful.
--- Case in point, go to that place at the bottom of the desert region at night and feel like you're at a honeymoon venue. Utterly beautiful.
- Fishing is actually kinda fun.
- Despite Cindy being hated by so many people for her attire, she's actually the most "real" girl in the game. I say this despite favouring another girl. Also, bit of a harem anime vibe going on in this game.
- Night time travel is a butt. Darn you Fire Giant. Darn you to heck. I am literally typing this as I wait for a Fire Giant to expire at dawn so I can finally get back to my non-fast-travel AP mining on my way to the next quest. Fast travel is for suckers.
--- Also, daytime auto drive is the perfect thing for when you have to do chores but want to game. I kick it off and scrub down a few dishes. Lookit me, being productive.
- Chocobo colouring was never so much of a conundrum. I mean Noctis obviously gets Honey Yellow, but what about the other guys? The important questions. I think I'll make a thread about this.
- That moment when you finally get a girl in your party as a guest party member? Yeah, okay, that was the most real moment of this brotrip. Because when you spend forever with your dudebros and then a girl enters the mix, you all suddenly get on this weird high.
- Love that when you wake up in a town, you aren't immediately surrounded with your bros, but they are waiting for you when you get out.
- Hunts are cool I guess.
--- Unless they're Flans.
----- I don't really use magic.
- What the hell Psy you get graded on Defence and Stealth? I get graded on Time and Finesse. I also get A+ pretty much every single battle, the other two can kind of mix up a bit.
- That was a massive bird.
--- Oh thank goodness I don't have to fight that bird yet.
----- Oh I can fight that bird now!
-------- Oh okay not yet then.
---------- Okay this time it's for realsies.
------------- ...Right. I'll reattempt that in about 20 levels then.
- Prompto says what I'm thinking when I get Ramuh after the epicness of Titan.
- Okay Fire Giant is gone, back to the game.

[Fynn]

yeah, apparently they changed the Defense and Stealth to Time and Finesse with an update