Final Fantasy XV seems to be ticking all the right boxes to be a success in both Japan and the West.
1. The battle system looks engaging.
It's very different from what we expect from a FF game, yes, but the brand is known for reinventing itself with each installment. And honestly, I'm finding it hard these days to revisit some of my favourite titles due to the "press attack to win" battle system. AJRPGs actually require you to mix it up a bit, and I believe this will be XV's strongest point. No matter how good the story, art direction, and characters are, if I'm playing a 40+ hour JRPG, I need to battle system to keep offering something new to keep me from, well, avoiding the genre's biggest aspect; battling, due to boredom.
That, and I trust Nomura's team when it comes to these things. Dissidia is hella fun, and I even downloaded the demo of Kingdom Hearts 3DS just for the addicting game play. There's a sense of freedom, power, and control with his systems, and from what I've seen of XV, it looks to be the same.
2. Characters
From what we've seen so far, there's a character for every type of fan. Noctis and Prompto are standard "love it or hate it" Nomura, but these type of designs seem to really appeal to Japan, and are a staple for present day FF. Then we have Gladiolus, who , despite being stylish, has the rugged, macho man look, as well as Cor, who appears to be a mid-aged man with honed skill and power. These characters should appeal to those, like me, who get tired of the non stop pretty boys in every JRPG nowadays. Ignis, on the other hand, just looks like an average guy you'd meet in real life. Nomura really nailed the modern day strategist look with him.
And, of course, you have to unconfirmed NPCs. Two old stern bastards, Idolacapt and the presently unnamed one. The red haired guy, who, again, looks to appeal to more mature crowd, and the two females, Stella, and dark haired lass. Stella is respectably and realistically dressed, which is sadly uncommon with females in Japanese games nowadays, though I can't judge Mrs. Dark Hair, as we've seen veeeery little of her.
But, obviously, appearance isn't everything. My main issue with XIII wasn't the linearity, but the characters themselves. They were all one dimensional "been there done that" stereotypes who seemed to be defined by their trope (well, except from Sazh). Nomura has stated XV's characters are realistic and deep. We should be able to realate to them, which is always a good start. Noctis looks like the obvious lone wolf character, but in reality, he is supposed be quite shy and reckless.
I honestly couldn't care less what the characters look like as long as I can relate to them. At the moment, my favourite designs are red haired guy and Cor, but hell, Promto could end up as my favourite character due to his story once the game comes out. Here's hoping Nomura's statement isn't just hot air.
A common complaint is lack of female playables, but, again, I couldn't care less. The games narrative obviously needs to focus on the brohood, and I'd rather have a party who actually play a defined part in the story than have one female thrown in there for the sake of it just to pander a certain few. X-2 had an all female party, so it's hardly something new. I have seen people willing to boycott the game over this though, but the fandom can do without those types in the first place. You can go dress up Lightning, I, on the other hand, want a well developed party and great story.
3. The Story and World
The story, at the moment, seems simple enough. The last crystal has helped a country grow more advanced, so neighboring Kingdoms seek to steal it, leading to all out war. Current JRPGs seem to believe the more convoluted the better, which is a huge downfall. They have all this bullshit terminology we're supposed to remember which are used as devices to drive the plot forward instead of focusing on a more simple, realistic approach. From personal experience, this is the major thing that turns casuals and would be fans away. I persuaded one of my mates to get XIII at launch, but he was baffled by the non stop fantasy terminology with no explanation. I know XV uses the same mythos as XIII, but I'm hoping it'll be explained better and be delivered more consistently.
Of course, we haven't got a huge amount of detail on the story, but with this being advertised as a more realistic and mature FF, I have hope it'll keep us entertained from start 'til finish. As long as they stay clear from cliche mechanics, such as "Friendship is power", time travel, and other childish and convoluted themes, I have faith.
Now the world, from what we've seen, doesn't worry me in the least. With stuff like Accordo (the Venice inspired kingdom), ranging to Noctis's Tokyo like Kingdom, and the wilderness seen in some videos, the world not only looks brilliantly designed, but also varied. There's also going to be a locale based on Manchester, which is really cool for us UK fans. That, coupled with the fact it's open world, leaves me with little to fret over and loads to get excited about.
4. Graphics
Shit's amazing.
Despite all this, I know other fans have concerns of their own, and some people just won't buy it due to FF's current stigma, and the genres stigma altogether. So what do you believe XV needs to do to be considered a success? What would make you buy it in a heartbeat, and what are you on the edge about? Can the game appeal to casuals as well as hard core fans, and will FF able to garner back it's lost fans, perhaps even hitting VII numbers?
