Review for Final Fantasy XV. Game for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the video game was released on 29/11/2016 The version for PC came out on 06/03/2018
Once again, Square Enix amazes and performs a small miracle: over a year after the release of Final Fantasy XV - a title, we remember, based on a single player experience and not too long-lived for the genre to which it belongs - the community is still in front of the screen to play, be moved and get angry with Final Fantasy XV: Episode Ignis. And the announcement of Episode Ardyn and a second Season Pass - with accompanying support and software updates throughout 2018 - portends that the fifteenth chapter of the saga will not be forgotten very soon.
Avoiding discussing the narrative issues of the main title, now officially recognized also by the developers themselves, it must be said that Final Fantasy XV: Episode Ignis manages to put a significant patch on the lack of characterization of two figures met during the main campaign, one of which, Ravus Nox Fleuret, is also a character of some importance. In Final Fantasy XV: Episode Ignis the player has the opportunity not only to learn the young man's point of view, but also to see him act alongside Ignis Scientia, protagonist of the DLC as well as faithful attendant of Prince Noctis.
The result of some surveys held on Japanese soil made the developers find the desire of the players to be able to live the adventure of Noctis with multiple endings; not being able for obvious reasons to affect the main game, the team working on Final Fantasy XV: Episode Ignis has therefore implemented a Extra Verse, or an "alternative route" placed at the end of the last chapter of the DLC, whose events - not canonical - they allow a different conclusion, almost opposite, compared to the main story, as well as the possibility of knowing information about some characters not obtainable during the official course of events; last, but not least, the presence of a respectable boss fight, in some respects even more technical and accurate than the final battle of the base title.
The "canonical" version of Final Fantasy XV: Episode Ignis instead offers a new and in-depth perspective on the events of Chapter 9, however much present heavy spoilers of the game's ending and it is therefore not recommended to start the DLC unless the adventure is over. Surely the bitterness of those who, day-one user of this game, had to live the story of Final Fantasy XV in a much more hasty, fragmentary and superficial way cannot be hidden, but the work done with this DLC from a purely narrative point of view borders on the perfection achievable in a product with internal weaknesses that are now incurable.
The entire Final Fantasy XV: Episode Ignis seems to point to being "The final piece", more than any other additional content released so far: dynamic gameplay and (almost) without framing problems, boss fights very different from each other and linked to the events of the story also in the mechanics that constitute them; wide-ranging game map with strong vertical component; collectibles of pure flavor and absolutely optional, but visible on the screen and with accurate descriptions; several cutscene with excellent direction and animations of excellent models, unlike some - too many - ingame films, clearly of B series compared to more important and masterfully made scenes.
Everything, from the interactions with the various supporting actors to the very useful possibility of collecting objects from the ground even during clashes, seems like a demonstration of how Square Enix has understood and learned from its mistakes and tried to offer the best gaming experience possible in this latest DLC.
Obviously Final Fantasy XV: Episode Ignis is not without its flaws. The developers have implemented a "minigame" thanks to which it will be possible to reconquer the various districts of Altissia, snatching them from the imperial clutches; the problem is that the liberation of the city does not require any effort or tactics beyond the simple "kill without getting killed" and the completion of the subquest does not offer any reward to the player, other than an increase in the score at the end of the chapter.
Different styles of goggles can be purchased to equip, each of which will cause variations in the protagonist's stats; unfortunately also in this case the game is not worth the candle, since the collection of objects to resell to make money is long and tedious, the parametric changes of these equipment are negligible, their acquisition is not maintained at the time of a new game and above all the crucial part of the DLC does not allow to use them, making the acquisition limited almost only to an aesthetic and temporary effect.
The overall longevity (but especially the replayability) of Final Fantasy XV: Episode Ignis is also not part of the strengths. For the cost of additional content (4,99 Euros list on the PlayStation Store) the expense is fully justified and the optional challenge against Prince Noctis, accessible only after finishing the story, is undoubtedly the best of the hat trick of Episodes dedicated to the companions of the protagonist, but it cannot be denied that the really interesting section of the DLC is the last chapter (in both its variants, canonical and not) and that therefore the whole initial exploratory and tactical section, although engaging at the first experience, does not in any way tempt to be repeated a second time.
As already mentioned, Final Fantasy XV: Episode Ignis gameplay is the smoothest and fastest of the three Episodes. Ignis Scientia will make his way through the streets of Altissia armed with daggers, spear and grappling hook. The main weapons are undrinkable of one elemental power at a time, with a choice of fire, ice and electricity; depending on the situation, the use of one element over the others will be the best choice, as not only will some enemies be weak or resistant to that specific type of attack, but the protagonist's own moveset will change drastically.
Hitting attacks will increase the damage multiplier up to a maximum of 4x during "standard" situations, although at certain moments in history it will be possible to see abundant three-digit numbers. Keeping the pace of attacks constant and avoiding getting hit adds strategy to otherwise very simple encounters that, thanks to a careful use of elements, skills, counterattacks and damage multiplier, can be completed much faster than you might expect .
Ignis has two types of special attacks available: the first, Total Clarity it will have different effects depending on the active element on the daggers; the second type of action is the classic Techniques bar on the left of the screen, which will fill up gradually during the clashes and will allow you to perform a High Jump in full Dragoon style or theoverclock, temporary enhancement of the effectiveness of the elemental weapon buff.
It also exists a third "secret" technique, unlockable only during the second game and after purchasing three - expensive - kitchen utensils: the much advertised "Quick Recipeh" is the random combination of multiple effects on the battlefield, the result of which depends only on the RNG: a successful recipe will make Ignis a real death machine, while a poor dish will weaken it and, in some cases, even poison it… literally.
Beyond the comic component (and very "meme culture") caused by seeing the attendant of the Chosen One struggling with the stove in the midst of a magimilitary assault and a divine cataclysm, it must be said that the Quick Recipeh is a totally out of control variable during battles, so it should be considered more like a challenge, an extra gamble and little else. Even the Overclock will randomly enhance one of the three elements available, risking in turn to be useless according to the situation.
The clashes, however elementary, still manage to give satisfaction thanks to responsive controls, splendid animations and a soundtrack that saw the participation of Yasunori Mitsuda, already known for being the composer of several Square Enix titles, including Chrono Trigger, Xenogears, Chrono Cross. The excessive simplicity of the base title is slightly dampened in Final Fantasy XV: Episode Ignis, although obviously the most experienced players will find themselves in front of the only real obstacle. unlimited length of intra chapter uploads.
Final Fantasy XV: Episode Ignis is undoubtedly the most successful DLC and the only one to add narrative elements that are actually important to the main title. With the first two chapters fun but without too much bite, he recovers great in the final stages and offers memorable scenes and epic boss fights both in the canonical and in the alternative route. It is a must have for fans of the Square Enix title and a pleasant - and inexpensive - breath of fresh air for all other users. The optional battle with Prince Noctis is a well thought out challenge with some hidden gems.
► Final Fantasy XV is an Action-JRPG game developed and published by Square Enix for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the video game was released on 29/11/2016 The version for PC came out on 06/03/2018
