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

[Wolf Kanno]

I just realized today that I've put in close to 50 hours into the game at this point and I'm still only in Chapter 6. I have seven of the thirteen royal arms, two of the Six Astrals, Hunter Rank 4, and my average party level is 46. I also just noticed last night that the fourth peg in the Elemancy section was for adding items so I've been having more fun with it.

[Kappy]

I'm at level 47 now - is that enough to complete the game?

I'm at Chapter 15 but tried going to (SPOILER)Insomnia and got my arse handed to me, so I've gone back to level up.

I think I might complete the game and then start afresh now I know the game's intricacies, and start doing side-quests and hunts from the beginning. I kind of launched myself into the story straight away

[Sephiroth]

I completed the story in my second playthrough on Level 38. Are you playing on Normal? If that is too hard for you, switch to Easy. I almost spent my entire time on Easy because it really does not matter, except for one trophy. And ha, ha. For one dungeon I went like 2/3 of the way through on Normal without even noticing but when it became harder for me to proceed I just wondered that it was actually on Normal for me and I forgot to change. But in all seriousness, switch to Easy if you are on Normal. This has nothing to do with "being hardcore", if you have no personal preference you can end it on that mode as well.

[Psychotic]

I'm at level 47 now - is that enough to complete the game?

I'm at Chapter 15 but tried going to (SPOILER)Insomnia and got my arse handed to me, so I've gone back to level up.

I think I might complete the game and then start afresh now I know the game's intricacies, and start doing side-quests and hunts from the beginning. I kind of launched myself into the story straight away

I was at 44 when I did it. Just run through that area and into the subway! You're not meant to fight every monster in town. Hope that helps!

[Kappy]

Yeah, I'm on Normal and Active - I quite like the way the combat feels so I'll probably leave it at that. It's just I bumped into a Level 80 something monster almost straight away, so I figured I might be underlevelled!

[Fynn]

Just found this

[Wolf Kanno]

Just reached Chapter 7, Minor Spoilers for Chapter 6.



Pros:

• Iris is so adorable and a total badass in combat. She's like one part Larsa and one part Seifer. Easily my favorite Guest Party member so far.
• Oh my god, she gets her own colored Chocobo as well! She even tends to race Noctis when you're prowling about.
• Really enjoyed the Deep Thicket and Volcano Rock something or other dungeons.
• Holy crap, there is a witch in the woods that sells potions!
• Took down a Catoblepas finally which was quite fulfilling considering how powerful they are in the demo.
• Finally saw the Titan summon. Ramuh appears when either Noctis is at 0hp or if the battle takes too long, while Titan appears when allies are weak.
• The new Highwind does not disappoint. I especially enjoyed the ability to engage her in aerial combat.
• Finally got to see the Chocobo help me fight in battle. He's also Lv. 10 finally.
• Maxed out Cooking and Photography.
• The stealth missions are not so bad.

Cons:

• It's been mentioned by others, but I will also mention that the interface in the game is finicky and will test your patience when trying to mount a Chocobo or interact with an item.
• I keep running into a bug during combat when the Chocobo is around, basically it negates Noctis' ability to move or respond to button commands. Tends to not shop up as long as I engage in battle after leaving the Chocobo a ways away.
• I feel like the Hunter Tags and Royal Arms quests are a missed opportunity for some story telling and expanding the world. Like it's neat to do them but they feel a bit empty afterwards. It doesn't help that the nature of the Royal Arms weapons makes them situational at best.
• Kinda wish the Thicket dungeon had been blocked off since its one of the few dungeons you can bring Iris into and the car trip makes a point to stop off to go see it. Thank god for the Bandersnatch hunt, but I almost feel like I missed some intriguing ambient party banter because I finished the dungeon before continuing the main story.
• I've decided that Noctis has awful pictures taken of him when he poses, his half smile is annoying to look at and just makes me want to punch him in the face. I'm also surprised how few pictures of Ignis and Prompto there seems to be that I actually like.
• Only 150 photos are saveable?! NOOOooooo!!! I need more scrap book fodder.
• Okay game, I seriously need you to stop making me trek halfway cross the damn country only to give me a story quest that sends me back to the other side.

[MarieFantasyx]

SO there's so many things that I love about this game, the first of all ( kinda silly ) is the pictures that Prompto takes. I really love that haha. Sec of all, I've bought a music protable player so I can listen to ff music all THE TIME I WANT. ( Epic in quest ) THAN that your friend can heal you? OMG that's so perfect if you ran out of potions. THE CHOCOBO may be the things that I love the most! It's open landed, easy to easy and cute. Even tho I hate fishing.
So yeah this is my ( at the moment ) review. 10/10

[Loony BoB]

I keep running into a bug during combat when the Chocobo is around, basically it negates Noctis' ability to move or respond to button commands. Tends to not shop up as long as I engage in battle after leaving the Chocobo a ways away.

I *think* - and I'm far from sure - that this might be something to do with your chocobo being able to fight in battle with you once you hit a certain level. They don't stick around, so it's probably just a quick triggerable action that happens (and negates Noctis doing anything while it happens) at the start of the battle.

[Kappy]

Just finished a bunch of quests without resting yesterday and managed to bank a good 275,000 EXP at the Hotel in Altissia. Jumped from Level 39 with Prompto to Level 56 (who had a Moogle Charm on so earned even more)

Part of me really likes the resting to level up thing - it's quite satisfying when it all comes in one go!

[Wolf Kanno]

I keep running into a bug during combat when the Chocobo is around, basically it negates Noctis' ability to move or respond to button commands. Tends to not shop up as long as I engage in battle after leaving the Chocobo a ways away.

I *think* - and I'm far from sure - that this might be something to do with your chocobo being able to fight in battle with you once you hit a certain level. They don't stick around, so it's probably just a quick triggerable action that happens (and negates Noctis doing anything while it happens) at the start of the battle.

I think it was meant to be combat but it glitched and I simply watched the Chocobo run from battle while Noctis chased after it or it simply vanished and Noctis just sat there like a dead log, so I feel it is a glitch but nothing terrible.

Chapter 9, average level 51, 8 of the 13 Royal Arms found.

Pros:

• The third Guest party member also did not disappoint and I especially loved the banter with them.
• Despite all the hate Lunafreya and Cindy got before the game's release, I really love most of the girl characters so far.
• While I was a bit disappointed that Cindy wasn't the only Cid, I do actually like this one.
• Fishing is still super fun, even if I do have a knack for finding the "big ones" Noct has no business trying to catch with his meager tools.
• The plot has finally picked up.
• The new town is massive and really aesthetically pleasing. The team wasn't lying when they said the world would get more "fantasy" as you progressed.
• Have I mentioned how amusing it is that Lunafreya's hand maiden loves to photobomb you?

Cons:

• I'm hoping that (SPOILER) the whole story concerning Gladios departure in Chapter 7 get expanded upon.
• Oh hey, a sewer dungeon, those are never frustrating...
• I feel I've reached the point where I am quest out, I just can't really bring myself to do them anymore. Yet my OCD won't let me stop.
• You know, I'm close to two thirds of the way into the plot at this point and I'm still trying to figure out what the villains really want. What little I see of them is interesting but there is just so little of it, it wouldn't have hurt the devs to switch back to them more often.
• I feel like I should have seen that Adamantoise by now.

[Psychotic]

tbh WK I found it a lot more fun to do the quests post game rather than during the game. I'd have become too burnt out otherwise but now I can go at my own pace without having to know how the story ends and I'm enjoying it a lot more.

Also Adamantoise is this is the most minor of spoilers ever but some people might not appreciate me saying so!post-game. Sorry!

Also also I have still NEVER had Titan appear for me!

[Kappy]

tbh WK I found it a lot more fun to do the quests post game rather than during the game. I'd have become too burnt out otherwise but now I can go at my own pace without having to know how the story ends and I'm enjoying it a lot more.

Also Adamantoise is this is the most minor of spoilers ever but some people might not appreciate me saying so!post-game. Sorry!

Also also I have still NEVER had Titan appear for me!

Adamantoise - (SPOILER)Is he actually post-game? I've done the initial quest and I have the Hunt available to me now and haven't accepted it yet, because it's Level 99. And I've not completed the game yet.

[Sephiroth]

I am certain the summon that appears depends on the number of enemies you have beaten before the summon.

I am just fighting MagiTek Armor-X Angelus 0 to get the MagiTek Suit Version 2. Everytime I summoned during the battle by constantly and without saving, resetting to fight him again (by the way, this enemy is invulnerable to that) Titan appeared. Everytime. Then I happened in one of those battles to kill a Dual Horn inbetween and poof, Shiva appeared.

EDIT: Or maybe not. Now Shiva appeared again. I mean, it could still be, I did not notice if another enemy was defeated inbetween. I have to observe this more.

[Psychotic]

tbh WK I found it a lot more fun to do the quests post game rather than during the game. I'd have become too burnt out otherwise but now I can go at my own pace without having to know how the story ends and I'm enjoying it a lot more.

Also Adamantoise is this is the most minor of spoilers ever but some people might not appreciate me saying so!post-game. Sorry!

Also also I have still NEVER had Titan appear for me!

Adamantoise - (SPOILER)Is he actually post-game? I've done the initial quest and I have the Hunt available to me now and haven't accepted it yet, because it's Level 99. And I've not completed the game yet.

Ahhhh, I see my mistake now. (SPOILER)It pops up if you return to Lucis after Chapter 9, and I did not do so until after the game so I wrongly assumed you only get the call post game.