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Final Fantasy XV Demo Previews/Impressions Thread

D

DarkLordMalik

Member
Some major sites already had the opportunity to play the game and we are getting previews/impressions from them. Will update as most of them are posted here.

IGN (includes new video footage)

Final Fantasy XV: Episode Duscae gives us a brief glimpse of the possibility in Square Enix's eventual open world role-playing game, but the demo isn't just a simple sample of what's to come. Duscae is a deep, rewarding exploration of a gorgeous world, a group of friends, and Final Fantasy XV's complex and challenging combat.
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IGN UK

I came away from my first experience with Final Fantasy XV feeling hopeful. Square Enix has given us something tangible, finally, and it’s looking promising. I may have entered that room not knowing what was coming, but I left with a solid idea of what to expect in future. Combat is nothing like we’ve seen in the franchise before but, thanks in part to a magnificent open world just brimming with curiosities begging to be uncovered, it doesn’t matter. It just feels like Final Fantasy through and through. Unfortunately, Square Enix may have inadvertently shot itself in the foot; while the studio was undoubtedly hoping this teaser would tide us over until the full release, it’s done the exact opposite. So get cracking, Square. After all, I’m not getting any younger.
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Kotaku

I have a lot of thoughts. The short version: Final Fantasy XV is full of smart ideas, and although the tropes are all there—phoenix downs, gysahl greens, peppy victory music—it feels totally different than any Final Fantasy before it, more akin to Skyrim or Far Cry than any JRPG we've seen to date. But can Square Enix's tech live up to their vision? The demo I played was janky, peppered with distracting jaggies, and full of framerate drops that made exploring FFXV's open world feel like more of a chore than it ever should have been.

At least they have time to fix it.
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Eurogamer

It feels like a very long while since a Final Fantasy universe has felt like one I'd want to spend time in. I'm still not entirely convinced by the characters or that their chatter won't begin to grate after a few hours, but the juxtaposition of traditional Final Fantasy tropes and aesthetics with more modernised, realistic elements like the party's car and costumes didn't trouble me nearly as much as I thought it would. Where a few of the past series entries felt like you were being harried down a long corridor, funnelled from one fight to another, Final Fantasy 15 seems to appreciate the quieter moments as much as the whirl of battle or the excitement of exploring: cooking, wandering, telling stories, standing still and looking.
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USGamer
I enjoyed my time with Episode Duscae and I'm waiting for Type-0's launch so I can see more of it. Square Enix representatives told me Episode Duscae is 3-4 hours of gameplay if you only focus on the story, but the demo should have more content that that if you get out and explore the Duscae countryside.
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Gamespot and videos: 1.Exploring and Hunting 2.Combat

I love the idea of four guys on a road trip to save the world. It's refreshing to see a small group that emotionally trusts each other; they're relationships are pre-established before the demo, and the level to which they connect with each other is evident on the surface. This is a positive representation of male camaraderie without machismo, a rare representation of "bromance" that is infrequently used in video games.
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VG247

In many ways, Final Fantasy XV seems to be living up to its original name. ‘Versus’ has its origin in Latin, where it means to turn or to change direction – and that’s what this feels like. It’s a new action-based twist for Final Fantasy that still just about manages to feel reverent to the series’ expansive past. Episode Duscae proves a strong starting point to such a different vision – and now it’s up to Square to double down and expand on it significantly for the final game.
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Nova Crystallis (Kagari) and RPGSite Podcast

There’s a lot to talk about – so rather than a regular article explaining what we played and what we thought, we’ve recorded a special edition of the TetraCast, our sister site RPG Site’s Podcast. This special edition focuses only on Final Fantasy XV: Episode Duscae, with a whopping hour and a half fo in-depth explanations and analysis of the content of the demo – all while remaining spoiler-free.
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Destructoid

During a meeting with Square Enix today in Boston, the publisher gave me over an hour to delve into Final Fantasy XV: Episode Duscae, but it just wasn't enough time. I want to spend more time in this world, leaving no stone unturned, and now I find myself eagerly awaiting the opportunity to do just that when the demo launches alongside Final Fantasy Type-0 HD later this month.
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Wired

Taken as a whole, Episode Duscae is a very promising example of what Final Fantasy XV will offer. It displays a raw ambition the series has been lacking in recent years -- the sheer size of the Behemoth and the staggering battle against it alone is evidence of that. Admittedly, with the final version of the game still undated for release, much could change, and in the case of the lacklustre camera in battles, we hope it does. Any modifications aren't likely to be wholesale revisions at this point though, and based on what's explored here, the game is likely to be the shot in the arm Final Fantasy has needed.
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Demo footage
Kagari said:
Footage from Famitsu: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udNa_qSH9TQ&feature=youtu.be
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Screenshots
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G

GhostTrick

Banned
The demo I played was janky, peppered with distracting jaggies, and full of framerate drops that made exploring FFXV's open world feel like more of a chore than it ever should have been.
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:/
I really hope they fix that :/

Otherwise, it's pretty much exciting ! Seems like the game has more depth than expected.
 
T

TheChaos0

Member
GhostTrick said:
:/
I really hope they fix that :/

Otherwise, it's pretty much exciting ! Seems like the game has more depth than expected.
Click to expand...

I'd imagine they didn't put much effort into optimising the demo, doesn't really make much sense if they wanted to release it on time.
 
Go_Ly_Dow

Go_Ly_Dow

Member
Inorigo said:
Demo sounds rushed in that Kotaku quote.
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It clearly was given the things they cut out.

We can only judge what we're given but I still feel optimistic for the full game from a technical standpoint and that it will take advantage of each hardware to its Max.

XIII original was polished to the teeth and this will also be the same. They've already laid out their targets.
 
J

Jay Sosa

Member
I have a lot of thoughts. The short version: Final Fantasy XV is full of smart ideas, and although the tropes are all there—phoenix downs, gysahl greens, peppy victory music—it feels totally different than any Final Fantasy before it, more akin to Skyrim or Far Cry than any JRPG we've seen to date. But can Square Enix's tech live up to their vision? The demo I played was janky, peppered with distracting jaggies, and full of framerate drops that made exploring FFXV's open world feel like more of a chore than it ever should have been.

At least they have time to fix it.
Click to expand...

Please say it ain't so. And is it really that hard to first make sure that framerate is stable and the build around that? Serious question, I have no idea how that works..

I'll take the hit for dem graphics
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See that's what I don't get. What use are gorgeous surroundings when the downside are framerate drops?
 
S

Squire

Banned
They're going to fix it no doubt, but having every facet of this be in tip top shape should'be been paramount. This is the publics first real impression of the game in an era where people are growing more and more weary of games that don't perform well. It just sounds like they pulled the demo out of the oven before it was ready.

Edit: Especially when people are paying $60 to get access to this.
 
Y

YianGaruga

Banned
Saw the presentation and read impressions from Kotaku and Polygon.
I don't know what to think about FF XV. I don't know who this game is for, but so far I think it's not for me and that sucks. Half of what they're showing is fantastic but the other half kills all my excitement.
Does anyone feel the same way? I hope the demo will convince me.
 
C

Circle Jerk

Member
Jay Sosa said:
Please say it ain't so. And is it really that hard to first make sure that framerate is stable and the build around that? Serious question, I have no idea how that works..
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Framerate is one of the last things locked down in development, never the first.
 
S

sn00zer

Member
The way they are approaching the culture in each town and stop has me far more excited than literally anything else we've seen so far.
 
V

Vanille

Member
TheChaos0 said:
I'd imagine they didn't put much effort into optimising the demo, doesn't really make much sense if they wanted to release it on time.
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First impressions are vital though. They should have delayed the demo to get it running smoothly instead of rushing to get it out day and date with Type 0.
 
B

brandonh83

Banned
I'll worry about optimization closer to the game's actual release. For now I know I'm playing a work in progress and I'm so excited to finally get to play it.
 
X

Xpliskin

Member
If I had to guess, that demo is their first real milestone in years.

Optimizing performance comes later, not to worry.
 
A

arevin01

Member
Meh FFXV is trying be be open world like Skyrim when I would have been perfectly fine with a similar iteration like FF13.
 
S

Squire

Banned
Vanille said:
First impressions are vital though. They should have delayed the demo to get it running smoothly instead of rushing to get it out day and date with Type 0.
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At this point, I wish they'd just gone with $20 for the demo. But I get that the only reason they didn't sell this alone is Type-0 would bomb relative to what FF is expected to sell.
 
V

Voror

Member
Hmm, nice to hear I guess, though I'll be able to see what I think in a little over a week thankfully. Shame about the issues, but I can't say I'm worried about the final version having those quite yet.

I can understand the worry that the banter could get old though.
 
B

brandonh83

Banned
You people backpedal like motherfuckers. We're finally getting a huge open world Final Fantasy. Of course it was going to bear some similarities to other open world games. Now people want the FFXIII corridors back? Oh man.
 
T

the_sun_king

Member
And it's begun...

ITT: FF fanbase doesn't know what the fuck it wants and is never happy with anything ever. In other words, same ol' same ol'.
 
D

DarkLordMalik

Member
This sounds good to me.

I love the simplicity of holding the attack button to unleash combos I've customized to the scenario, but it never makes FFXV feel limited. Adjusting which weapon initiates your salvo, and which concludes it, leads to different results. Stuns, knock-downs, or heavier damage all play their role depending on the sort of enemy you're up against, and I couldn't stop tinkering with which weapons I'd use in which order. It's tactical, but it's live. It's the same stuff people love about Final Fantasy micromanagement married to the fast-paced action I adore in God of War or Ninja Gaiden.
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