Is Final Fantasy 15 a Good Starting Point for Newcomers?

Yes, Final Fantasy 15 represents an excellent entry point into the acclaimed Final Fantasy RPG franchise for those new to the series. With its action-oriented real-time combat, massive open world, and engaging characters, FF15 offers one of the most accessible and enjoyable FF experiences ever created.

As someone who‘s been playing Final Fantasy games for over 25 years, I think FF15 serves as the perfect introduction to the storied franchise for today‘s gamers. In this detailed guide, I‘ll explain what makes FF15 such an inviting starting point for both RPG beginners and veterans.

What Makes Final Fantasy Special

First released in 1987, Final Fantasy from Japanese developer Square Enix has become one of the most popular, influential, and highly-regarded RPG franchises in video game history. The mainline entries are epic roleplaying adventures set in fantasy or science fiction worlds, with engrossing stories, innovative gameplay mechanics, and memorable characters.

What sets Final Fantasy apart is its willingness to reinvent itself with each numbered sequel. The settings, characters, combat systems, and stories essentially change with each installment. Yet certain elements persist that define the essence of Final Fantasy – lush worldbuilding, emotional character drama, strategic depth, and absolutely spectacular music.

Over 155 million Final Fantasy games have been sold worldwide during the franchise‘s 35+ year history. Many titles are considered among the best RPGs ever made, like Final Fantasy VI, VII, and X. It‘s a beloved series with new fans discovering it every year.

FF15‘s Accessible Real-Time Combat

Final Fantasy 15 represents a major evolution for the franchise, with a real-time action-based battle system that replaces the classic turn-based mechanics of earlier entries.

In most Final Fantasy games, combat occurs on a separate battle screen and players select actions from a menu to attack, use magic, or items. FF15 features open real-time battles against enemies you can see on the field. You directly control protagonist Noctis as he performs combos using various weapons, dodges attacks, and summons magic against foes.

This immediacy of controlling a character in live combat makes FF15 far more accessible for today‘s action-oriented gamers compared to old-school turn-based systems. It avoids the more slow-paced and technical combat of previous FFs, lowering the barrier to entry for newcomers while still providing depth in weapon swapping, magic mixing, and linked attacks with Noctis‘ allies.

Freedom to Explore a Massive Open World

Another major evolution FF15 brings is its continuous open world environments. Previous Final Fantasy games were more linear affairs with separation between towns, dungeons, and the overworld map. FF15 features vast and seamless open landscapes like lakes, deserts, and forests that Noctis can freely explore at his own pace.

You can choose to progress the story or spend hours roaming FF15‘s world taking on side quests, gathering resources, fishing and camping at havens, and finding hidden secrets. This open-ended approach encourages exploration and discovery missing from most earlier Final Fantasies. The ability to drive the Regalia car adds to the sense of freedom and adventure.

Storytelling That Appeals to Veterans and Newcomers

FF15‘s story focuses on Noctis, the prince of Lucis, as he embarks on a journey to reclaim his kingdom. He‘s supported by his three closest friends – Gladiolus, Prompto, and Ignis – who join him on his quest. Their brotherly camaraderie helps ground FF15‘s epic fantasy tale in emotional relationships.

Noctis himself is a relatable and appealing protagonist for new players, starting out as a unsure princeling who grows into a responsible leader. The core narrative touches on classic FF themes like fate, destiny, and sacrifice in engaging ways.

The world also contains many references to characters and lore from past Final Fantasy titles. Longtime fans will appreciate these details through reoccurring elements like magical crystals, summon creatures, and character names. But the story is self-contained enough for new players to fully understand.

Impressive Technical Achievement Despite Flawed Execution

Despite a troubled development, FF15 stands as a remarkable technical achievement and the best looking FF game to date. The environments are photographically realistic with weather systems and day-night cycles that showcase the graphics technology.

Unfortunately, the storytelling itself has notable issues in FF15‘s poorly paced latter half. After an excellent first chapter focused on Noctis‘ roadtrip with his friends, the game starts to rush through plot points haphazardly. This likely stems from FF15‘s choppy development cycle and the need to ship the game after nearly 10 years in production.

Yet even with the flawed narrative execution, FF15 succeeds on the strength of its central characters. Their emotional journeys still come to poignant conclusions. For all its stumbles, FF15 delivers a Hollywood blockbuster-esque experience that stays engaging if not wholly satisfying. The weaknesses don‘t outweigh what makes the game so enjoyable.

How FF15 Compares to Other Roleplaying Games

As an open world action RPG, FF15 has often been compared to western contemporaries like The Witcher 3 and Dragon Age: Inquisition. While it doesn‘t quite reach those games‘ heights for worldbuilding and narrative complexity, FF15 provides extremely fun and flashy combat missing from those slower-paced titles.

And when looking at previous Final Fantasy entries, FF15 stands out for its accessibility, freedom of exploration, and modern visual presentation. Longtime fans may miss nuanced turn-based battles or 2D sprite graphics, but FF15 lowers the barrier for entry significantly. You don‘t need deep knowledge of FF lore or roleplaying systems to enjoy FF15 like with earlier complex FFs.

Critical Reception and Sales Show Mass Appeal

Final Fantasy 15 received generally positive reviews upon its 2016 release. Critics praised the action combat, characters, and open world despite narrative issues. It currently holds aggregate scores of 85/100 on Metacritic and OpenCritic.

Commercially, FF15 has become the 2nd best selling FF game in the mainline franchise with over 9.9 million copies shipped. This demonstrates it successfully attracted new players in addition to hardcore Final Fantasy fans.

Final Fantasy XV Sales Figures

(As of April 2021 via Square Enix financial reports)

A Veteran‘s Perspective: FF15 as an Entry Point

As someone who‘s played through almost every Final Fantasy game, I believe FF15 offers the perfect entry point for newcomers based on its combat accessibility, open world freedom, and story presentation.

My first FF was Final Fantasy VI (released as FFIII in the US) on the SNES. That 2D sprite-based classic remains my personal favorite, but I understand modern gamers may have trouble relating to its turn-based battles and old-school visuals.

FF15‘s cinematic presentation and real-time action combat represent a logical evolution of the franchise for today‘s audiences. The ability to control Noctis during action-packed battles brings FF combat into the modern era.

And while FF15‘s story isn‘t quite as layered and multifaceted as the best FFs like VI, VII or X, it still delivers endearing characters. Their personal journeys resonated with me as a longtime devotee even if the overarching plot was messy. FF stories have always emphasized emotion over logic.

So in summary, don‘t be daunted by the sheer scope of the decades-old Final Fantasy series. FF15 offers the perfect starting point with its forward-thinking approach that maintains the franchise‘s core essence. Give this one a shot and I‘m confident you‘ll be eager to explore more of the renowned RPG saga afterwards!