Is Final Fantasy XV Worth Playing in 2026? An In-Depth Guide
Final Fantasy XV is absolutely worth playing in 2022, especially the expanded Royal Edition. Despite some lingering weaknesses, FF15 offers an emotional journey and engaging open world JRPG experience that has only gotten better thanks to extensive post-launch support from Square Enix.
Overview of Final Fantasy XV
Final Fantasy XV follows Prince Noctis and his three closest friends on a road trip across the world to reclaim Noctis’ homeland in an epic fantasy tale meets coming-of-age journey. First released in 2016, FF15 shifted the series to an open world action RPG format with impressive results.
Noctis can equip four different weapon types, warping around the battlefield in real-time combat that is faster and more visceral than previous Final Fantasy games. The open world is packed with optional activities like bounty hunts, fishing, cooking, and chocobo racing between main quests.
But where FF15 truly shines is the relationship between Noctis, Gladiolus, Ignis, and Prompto. Their brotherly bond, full of teasing banter and emotional support, grounds the grandiose fantasy story in relatable humanity.
Post-Launch Improvements Expand the Story and Content
FF15’s initial release disappointed some fans with its thin main story full of plot holes and an open world bloated with repetitive side content. But Square Enix addressed these shortcomings with substantial post-launch updates.
Free patches fixed bugs, added cutscenes to explain story gaps, and upgraded the combat with new weapon switching and techniques. Paid DLC episodes focused on each party member provided meaningful backstory and character growth.
The Royal Edition bundles all this new content for the definitive FF15 experience:
- Expanded Map Areas: New areas to explore like Insomnia City Ruins and registration of the Regalia airship.
- New Story Scenes: 50+ cutscenes and dialog scenes added to clarify plot points and character motivations.
- Character Focused DLC Episodes: New chapters spotlighting Gladiolus, Prompto, and Ignis. Each 3-4 hours long.
- New Bosses and Gear: Tougher new epic boss fights, royal arms, and outfits to discover.
- New Quests: Dozens of new side quests including post-game content.
- Play as Other Characters: Directly control each party member in battle with their unique movesets.
- Off-Road Driving: All-terrain upgrade to the Regalia car for exploring off the beaten path.
- First Person Mode: New way to experience the journey from Noctis’ perspective.
| Content | Estimated Playtime |
|---|---|
| Main Story | 35-50 hours |
| Main + Side Quests | 60-80 hours |
| Full Completionist Run | 100+ hours |
Key Strengths: Visuals, Combat, Characters, and Open World
Jaw-Dropping Visual Presentation
From sprawling fantasy cities to lush natural landscapes, FF15’s world is downright gorgeous, especially on new consoles and PC. Vistas like towering bridges, windswept coastlines, and dense forests are stunning examples of how good an open world JRPG can look.
Satisfying Real-Time Combat
Combat in FF15 is fast, flashy, and fun. Warping around the battlefield while juggling different weapon types keeps encounters exciting. Fighting gigantic beasts like lumbering behemoths or ferocious dragons is an absolute blast.
Endearing Main Characters
Noctis and his friends have incredible camaraderie. Their constant teasing and emotional conversations during long car rides make you truly care about their bond. It grounds the fantastical plot in relatable humanity.
Packed with Activities and Exploration
The open world is dense with side content. You can spend hours just fishing, racing chocobos, or cruising around listening to classic Final Fantasy soundtracks in the Regalia. Then there are dungeons to discover and bounties to hunt.
As an open world RPG veteran, I appreciate the freedom FF15 provides between story beats. It captures that road trip vibe perfectly and gives you plenty of rewarding diversions.
Weaknesses: Story Presentation, Simplistic Side Content
For all its strengths, Final Fantasy XV is not without flaws even after post-launch updates. The scattered plot presentation leaves some holes, and side content remains simple padding rather than meaningful gameplay.
Fractured Storytelling
FF15 opts for an open world format instead of a linear narrative, revealing plot details slowly over the course of the whole journey. This creates some story gaps and confusing motivations.
The added cutscenes improve cohesion, but some plot points still seem to come out of nowhere. You have to really pay close attention to fully understand everything.
Uninspired Side Content
Outside of bounty hunts against interesting monsters, most side quests boil down to fetch quests or basic hunting tasks. You‘re usually just gathering ingredients or thinning wild animal numbers.
I would have loved to see more unique side quests that expanded on the world and characters. The open world is gorgeous but feels underutilized for meaningful content.
Verdict: An Emotional Journey with Thrilling Gameplay
Despite flaws, Final Fantasy XV Royal Edition succeeds as an emotional experience with satisfying real-time combat and a beautiful open world. The central bond between Noctis and his friends makes for a touching coming-of-age tale within an epic fantasy setting.
For JRPG fans, FF15 is absolutely worth playing today. It provides 40-50 hours of an endearing road trip adventure plus dozens more hours of open world activities. Streamlined combat and exploration create an accessible experience compared to earlier Final Fantasy titles as well.
If you play games more for gripping storylines than gameplay enjoyment, FF15 may still leave you wanting. But there are enough heartfelt character moments to balance out the fragmented plot.
Overall FF15 offers a unique blend of fantasy, friendship, and fun that has only improved thanks to Square Enix‘s impressive post-launch support. It‘s an unforgettable journey filled with big set pieces, emotional resonance, and satisfying action combat.