Final Fantasy XV Royal Edition brings a nice set of content to a two-year old experience, which includes an extended map, a new/awesome action in Armiger Unleashed, new vehicles to work with and a more open world feel to it all. Be forewarned, though, for those experiencing it for the first time you will also get the flaws that still exist from the 2016 release. The new content does help motivate the continuation of the game and does a solid job of engaging the player, far more than the initial release, but it also sprinkles in lingering thoughts of what could have been, if there had been more time and money spent with the game.
Two years removed and somehow this game is still fascinating to me. Go figure. While we did review the original version of this release on the PlayStation 4, we thought we would give it a go again, but this time on the Xbox One X. The XBX is advertised as featuring a nice visual upgrade, which I have heard, repeatedly, that the system is 30% more powerful than the PS4. When you have that many crazy teraflops, why wouldn’t it? You know? Anyway, so we put FFXV to the test with it. Spoiler alert, unless you own a Windows system, then you won’t benefit from the extra power. It’s still nice to see in motion on the system, though. Definitely comparable to the PS4.
Anyway, if you want the full review of the original release of this game on our site, then click here for Eric Layman’s 2016 review. As all his reviews go, especially for a series that he holds dear to his heart, as is the case with Final Fantasy (Yakuza comes in a close second), he details out its strengths and flaws beautifully. And after two years since its release, the original package score still stands and holds true to those strengths and flaws in the base game.
But, having said that, this is sort of a The Division revisit deal, where maybe some excellent additions and updates make this game much better than it was when it first came out in 2016. Well, there is no maybe to it, the game is better when it is housed under its ‘Royal’ moniker. It brings new content, adds some interesting features that stretch out the enjoyment of the game and promises more in the future, at least for the next two years while the publisher gets Kingdom Hearts III sorted out.
What we are reviewing here is the Royal Edition of Final Fantasy XV, which feels like the originally intended whole enchilada. It adds more credible and useful content to the package, while working on expanding some of the original content that came with the 2016 release. The developers, in short, seem to be more aware of what they want in this release and it shows. Anyhoo, outside of the main game, you get the following with it:
Expanded Map: Insomnia City Ruins — If you were patient enough with the game to make it through the end, then you know of the ruins. You’re a seasoned FFXV gamer and you know exactly what this map was original about. This time around the map is expanded (thus the name) and it features a slew of enemies and side quests with it. It’s a good expansion and it works well within the original content, so it will be worth revisiting for a lot of reasons.
Armiger Unleashed — The next big addition to the pack is the “Armiger Unleashed” action because WOW, that’s a helluva way to do battle. It’s worth the effort of collecting all the royal arms in the game, which is a must before you get it, as it will unleash something truly special and beautiful during battle, if you understand it fully. It’s a good addition and another valuable feather in the hat of the Royal Edition release. It plays off preexisting actions, which makes it grand in the end.
First Person Camera Mode — While I can see why Square Enix did this and went this way, it’s a bit jarring for me. When you shift into this view you do get a good view that you have never experienced before in a FF game. Purest will more than likely still stick with the third person view, which I can’t blame them for, because the history of the FF series does this, therefore it is familiar. That doesn’t mean that the first-person view is bad or anything of the sorts, but it’s probably not something someone would stick with for a long period of time. I find this in the same vein as GTA V’s move to first-person when it was upgraded to current generation systems, as it was a neat gimmick, especially when you rolled a vehicle down a hill, but for the most part you wouldn’t spend any considerable time in that view unless you loved torturing your visual senses, or you wanted to create a dumb YouTube video. The same holds true for this first-person camera view in FFXV. It’s neat, but probably not something you would stay in for a considerable amount of time.
A VR version of this would be fantastic. Probably would want to keep a trash can nearby, though.
Regalia Type-D — One of the best parts of this update is the Regalia Type-D. While it does seem a bit Kentucky (I live there, I can say that), it has its uses. For those not familiar with the transformation of the vehicle, it basically takes the Regalia and adds some gigantic off-road wheels to it. What do you use those for? Oh, my, off-road. You have a lot of control of the vehicle with this add-on to the Regalia and can spend an insane, and almost completely manual time exploring the countryside with this type. Plus, when you punch the accelerator, it lets out gunshots. So American. So country. So Regalia Type-D.
Royal Vessel Boat — If you didn’t enjoy the fact that you could go anywhere off-road, then you should enjoy the fact that you can drive a boat in several places, some unreachable originally. The Royal Vessel Boat offers that off-road experience on the water and allows you to explore everything between Altissia and Cape Caem (sorta a big deal). It is a nice addition to the Royal moniker.
Additional things — More side quests are included in this edition, more weapons and other items of interest that add to the engagement and customizable experience of what FFXV Royal Edition has to offer. This also includes ‘Archive’, which allows you to explore, in-depth, the thick narrative that comes along with the world built in Final Fantasy XV. For me, that latter addition isn’t such a big deal, as you can do the same in games like Fallout and Skyrim, but I have to respect it because it provides a bit more evidence about what type of thought went into the narrative design of this game. You will notice that there is a lot more information scattered throughout the land this time around because of this specifically named feature. I have found several books, magazines and other items of interest in the replay of the game on the XBX, which I didn’t find before in the PS4 version. For story hogs this will be a dream come true. For me, I can appreciate it, but it truly doesn’t affect the outcome of the game one way or another. I like that they cared enough to do it, though.
Honestly speaking, not that I shouldn’t be honest because this is a review, the Royal Edition of the game feels a bit more purposeful and finished than the one released two years ago. It feels like the ideas and intentions of the original game shined through a bit more, gave the world more girth and reason, and actually gives me some excitement about future DLC released. I think this is the scratch of the surface of what people were hoping for in the original game’s 2016 release, but didn’t get. Again, going back to Ubisoft’s The Division’s recent update, where the game feels a lot more balanced and complete, the Royal Edition of Final Fantasy XV brings with it a bigger, gamer-friendly world to work with when playing, and some additional bells and whistles to enjoy along the way.
For those who have purchased the season pass, because you are more than likely a diehard FF fan, you need only look at the Royal Pack ($14.99) to patch the important parts up in your FFXV purchase and get some goodies with it. For those folks that have never played this game before, then this is the time to consider it and the Royal Edition might be the way to go, if you are willing to commit the time and money for a game that is two years old ($44.99 isn’t bad for a gorgeous game with all the bells/whistles (including a season pass), though it does contain those original shortfalls — so, yeah, lots of driving).
Overall, Final Fantasy XV Royal Edition brings a nice set of content to a two-year old experience, which includes an extended map, a new/awesome action in Armiger Unleashed, new vehicles to work with and a more open world feel to it all. Be forewarned, though, for those experiencing it for the first time you will also get the flaws that still exist from the 2016 release. The new content does help motivate the continuation of the game and does a solid job of engaging the player, far more than the initial release, but it also sprinkles in lingering thoughts of what could have been, if there had been more time and money spent with the game.
