2016-11-21T14:46:30 01:00

Final Fantasy 15: Tips for newcomers and veterans

Developer Square Enix has taken on a lot with Final Fantasy 15. A huge game world, a new battle and magic system, and a new universe should excite both fans and newcomers. The story of Prince Noctis, who tries to free his occupied land and reclaim his throne with his friends, is peppered with gameplay surprises and old acquaintances. Because with such a huge game, one or the other question tends to arise, we have answered the most important ones for you here. We'll start with the tips for newcomers, and you'll find the information for series experts right after that.

Final Fantasy for newcomers

Is previous knowledge necessary?

How does the battle system work?

How does the magic system work?

Which skills are the most important?

General tips for newcomers

Do I need to have played the other Final Fantasy games?

No. Originally Final Fantasy 15 was planned as Final Fantasy 13 Versus, that is, as part of the story about Lightning, magic crystals and the end of the world. However, the so-called Fabula Nova Crystallis universe now spans five games (Final Fantasy 13, Final Fantasy 13-2, Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13, Final Fantasy Type-0 HD and the mobile companion Final Fantasy Agito) and has a very complex storyline. In order not to scare off newcomers, Final Fantasy 15 has been detached from the universe and now stands on its own.

Since it's still set in the same world, we'll encounter familiar characters like Cid or creatures like the Chocobos, but prior knowledge isn't required. For a look at the siege of the kingdom from the point of view of the overthrown king, we recommend the CGI movie Kingsglaive, which follows the bodyguard and the king himself. Not only is this one phenomenally animated, but it also boasts a stellar cast: Sean Bean and Jesse Pinkman are in the mix here.

And if you're curious about how Noctis, Ignis, Gladiolus and Prompto became friends, you can watch the four-part anime Brotherhood: Final Fantasy 15 for free on YouTube. We have already picked out the first episode

How does the battle system work?

For the very first time in the history of the series, a Final Fantasy game features an action-based battle system. We control Noctis, the others are controlled by the computer but can be influenced by us in the way they attack. Noctis has a whole range of different attacks up his sleeve: In addition to the classic strike with the weapon, there are also warp attacks, for example.

By means of teleportation to the target, he gets a lot of momentum for powerful blows. But it also works in the other direction: If Noctis' health is low, he can teleport out of the fight to safety and heal in peace. A short breather in a higher place also provides a good overview.

As the game progresses, Noctis also gains access to the King's Weapons. He can summon these legendary artifacts, but using them costs health points. On the other hand, they have a lot of power.

In addition to Nocti's solo attacks, the boys also attack as a team. Each of the friends has a command that triggers special attacks: For example, Ignis can mark all enemies in range for us to take out with Noctis' teleport. Gladiolus' "All at One" command should be self-explanatory, and the "Elementaura" command charges your weapon with the exact element that the enemy has a weakness against. More commands will be unlocked in the course of the game.

A good counterattack also brings everyone together. When we dodge an attack and then skillfully parry it, it triggers a combo with a currently nearby teammate that not only looks cool but also deals some serious damage.

Magic is also back in the game. However, since the magic system has been completely overhauled, it gets its own paragraph.

How does the magic system work?

Magic works differently than before. Whereas before we had to learn spells and then use them, in Final Fantasy 15 they are crafted. Similar to classic spells, anything can be processed there. The spells lightning, ice and fire are combined as magic essence with a so-called catalyst, which assigns an effect to the element. Spells can heal, but with ingredients like a scorpion sting they can also poison or, if we add a booby trap, explode.

The magic cocktail is then filled into a bottle and equipped. In battle, we can select it with the pad, just like any other weapon. The mixing system allows us to add exciting "side effects" to familiar spells like Eisra, Feura or Blitzra.

Which skills are the most important?

When we fight, complete missions or progress in the story, we earn skill points, called FP. With these, we can unlock new attacks at different talent trees, improve status effects and much more. Unlike in previous parts, each character no longer has its own skill tree. Skills are now divided into the categories of combat, team, stats, exploration, magic, healing and commands, and affect the whole party depending on their relevance

For example, when we increase life energy, all party members benefit directly. If Ignis learns to cook better, that's primarily his ability, but indirectly benefits the whole party. Better meals have stronger effects and, for example, improve the attack for a short time.

Which abilities make the most sense depends on one's playstyle. For example, if we like to explore the world around us, it's worth investing in the exploration tree. If we belong to those who prefer to hit rather than cast spells in battle, we can neglect the spells for the time being and increase the attack strength or unlock new attacks. Of course, it's the same the other way around.

Our personal favorites are best found out in the game. For example, with the introduction of king weapons, when we realize that fighting with them is much more fun than with spells, we start investing a bit more in life energy. Basics like more health or better defense are worth it in any case, though.

Finally, a few general tips for newcomers:

Stick to the level recommendations of the missions. A level 30 mission means that you should have reached at least level 30 to start it. It often happens that you will encounter enemies within the quest that are not level 30, but can only be defeated at level 30. Weaker players are often hopelessly outnumbered by the enemies.
Not every enemy can be defeated immediately. In the open world we can roam around to our heart's content. It can happen that we meet monsters whose feet are as big as excavators. They are simply too strong, especially in the beginning. Going up against a level-99 dino when we're still level 30 is the equivalent of an orange laughing and jumping into the automatic juicer.
Talk to people. Communication is important, even in Final Fantasy. The main story and many quests are marked by icons or markers above the heads of the quest givers. However, we only learn about some quests or dungeons by talking to "normal" people (i.e. those who don't have neon hair or elaborate clothing.). So talk to walkers, café-goers or the like from time to time. Maybe they have important info

Final Fantasy 15 for veterans

Is Final Fantasy 15 an open-world game?

What happened to Fabula Nova Crystallis?

What happened to the bestia?

How do the spells work?

How do I play turn-based?

Is Final Fantasy 15 an open-world game?

Yep Final Fantasy 15 is a linear action role-playing game with open-world elements. At the beginning, we move relatively freely on a huge continent on foot, by car or the great fluffy Chocobos. Depending on our taste, we can explore dungeons, accept bounty missions or follow the main story. However, as the conflict for the throne intensifies, the plot also becomes more linear. This makes sense: after all, no one would hunt monsters in the pampas in real life if the world was ending at home.

What happened to the Fabula Nova Crystallis universe?

Originally, Final Fantasy 15 was planned as Final Fantasy 13 Versus, that is, as part of the story about Lightning, magic crystals and the end of the world. However, the so-called Fabula Nova Crystallis universe now spans five games (Final Fantasy 13, Final Fantasy 13-2, Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13, Final Fantasy Type-0 HD and the mobile companion Final Fantasy Agito) and has a very complex plot.

In order not to scare off newcomers, Final Fantasy 15 has been detached from the universe and now stands on its own. Since it's still set in the same world, we'll still meet familiar characters like Cid or creatures like the Chocobos, but prior knowledge isn't required. For a look at the siege of the kingdom from the point of view of the overthrown king, we recommend the CGI movie Kingsglaive, which follows the bodyguard and the king himself.

Not only is this one phenomenally animated, but it also boasts a stellar cast: Sean Bean and Jesse Pinkman are in the mix here. And if you're curious about how Noctis, Ignis, Gladiolus and Prompto became friends, you can watch it for free on YouTube in the four-part anime Brotherhood: Final Fantasy 15.

What happened to the Bestia?

In the previous installments, we were able to summon Bestia from a certain point. The powerful monsters stay by our side for an entire battle. However, we had to earn their favor first. In Final Fantasy 15, it's similar. As we travel through the land following the storyline, they gain the favor of the gods. In return, we are rewarded by each of them with a sigil that will help us in battle.

For example, the Seal of the Giant (from the Titan himself) lets us cast the spell Meteor, and the Seal of the Thunder God Ramuh allows us to use destructive lightning. However, certain conditions must be met for the summoning to take place: We can summon the Titan only when one of our team members is out of action, and Ramuh appears only when the battle has been going on for a very long time. We won't reveal the other seals and their powers here yet

How do the spells work?

Spells are no longer cast, but used. You can find a short summary in the beginner's tips under "Magic System". One more tip: If we also equip our comrades with flasks, they can also cast spells.

Can I play turn-based instead of action-based?

A bit. It is not possible to switch to a completely turn-based battle system, as it exists in Final Fantasy 10, for example. However, it is possible to switch to the so-called Wait Mode. In this mode, we can pause the action at any point in the fight. With the camera, we can view the battle from all sides, mark enemies and cast spells. Changes to the battle tactics of our comrades are also possible. In practice, this plays much like the tactical view of Dragon Age Inquisition.

You can find more articles and all news about Final Fantasy 15 on our main page