Final Fantasy XV SPOILER THREAD

I'm having a hard time going back after finishing the game and doing open-world stuff. It was my favorite part of the game, and everything after Chapter 9 I wasn't a fan of gameplay wise. I spent the remainder of the game anxiously waiting for the end knowing I could go back.

But the ending narrative, of all things, is making it hard for me to go back. Knowing all of the characters are dead, and you're doing some weird BS "going back in time" thing to return to the open world...

Like, I get it. Normally narrative and mechanics I can separate really well and just play the game because I'm having fun. There's something about this specific instance that's really halting me though. I don't like when open world games have a definitive end to the characters or world that prevents you from continuing after the final quest. I prefer in an open world game that the narrative supports your return to that world. I honestly really wanted to return to the open world 10 years later as the aged characters. Running around as King hanging out in diners would've been hilarious.

I'm sure as soon as I do it I'll be having a blast again and won't think about it, but for now it's halting me from coming back.
 
jennetics said:
Ignis' voice actor for the Japanese dub is 100x better than the English dub. In fact, I'd say that every actor for the Japanese dub does a better job than the English voice actors (except for maybe Noctis. Ray Chase did a fantastic job).

If you haven't already, I'd recommend replaying in Japanese!
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Ardyn's voice dub in english is the best!
 
Delaney said:
I don't think the plan was to make the game episodic, though. My impression, from Nomura's comments, was that the universe would have been developed like the Kingdom Hearts series, with a core game (that would be FFXV, or multiple core games, FFXV-2...) and then multiple side stories told in less expensive formats.

Something like FFXV ending with Noctis going into the crystal, then a 3DS sequel with the bros in the World of Ruin, a browser game in which you create your own character to fight in the Solheim wars, a Nintendo Switch prequel with Ardyn that ties to the end of FFXV, and then FFXV-2 gets released and begins with Noctis waking up in that island.
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So glad this didn't happen. How much developer time, how much opportunity cost was spent in order to get XV out the door in a barely working, obviously compromised state?

Really don't want to see any more effort spent on trying to realize this vision. It's time to declare the Fabula Nova Crystalis era officially over and move on to something new.
 
jennetics said:
Ignis' voice actor for the Japanese dub is 100x better than the English dub. In fact, I'd say that every actor for the Japanese dub does a better job than the English voice actors (except for maybe Noctis. Ray Chase did a fantastic job).

If you haven't already, I'd recommend replaying in Japanese!
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I just watched Brotherhood and I agree. Ignis and Gladio sound fantastic in Japanese. I kinda missed the exaggerated English accent though so I wouldn't play the whole game in Japanese. Gladio's English voice really sucks though. It's such a generic muscle dude voice. In Japanese he at least sounds normal.
 
jennetics said:
Ignis' voice actor for the Japanese dub is 100x better than the English dub. In fact, I'd say that every actor for the Japanese dub does a better job than the English voice actors (except for maybe Noctis. Ray Chase did a fantastic job).

If you haven't already, I'd recommend replaying in Japanese!
Click to expand...

Personally I find the dub in this game to ridiculously bad when considering the game's status as a AAA RPG. And I usually consume Japanese media dubbed. I can't take any of the characters seriously and I feel like none of the character's voices match their faces, while in Japanese they do perfectly.

Really glad I made the choice to play it subbed. If I played the game dubbed I feel that I would've had little to no connection to the story at all. The game has storytelling problems that extend beyond the voice acting but at least scenes like the last campfire hit me, because the main cast is well done overall when you play the game subbed, IMO.

Cid and Dino's make me burst out laughing, it's so bad lol.

Also I have two questions:

1. Can someone explain the ending a bit to me? Here's what I'm confused about:

The continuity. How does the following progression make any sense: Noctis absorbing the past king's souls as a way to sacrifice himself (why does he not absorb his father? Why is his father looking away?)-->the campfire scene (shouldn't Noctis already be dead?) --> Noctis and Luna in the throne room (the afterlife looks exactly the same as the throne room for some reason? I was confused as to whether or not Noctis actually died).

2. DId anyone else get the glitch where you can't see any of the photos when Prompto offers them to you at the end? Because mine were just a bunch of black shots and then after the ending I was able to view all my photos again lol. I thought the idea was so good and was super conflicted when I realized that I couldn't see any of them. So I just clicked on every one and waited until the gang commented that the photo was of all four of them, and got one where they pose in front of the Regalia. I was satisfied, but it was a scare lol.
 
jennetics said:
Ignis' voice actor for the Japanese dub is 100x better than the English dub. In fact, I'd say that every actor for the Japanese dub does a better job than the English voice actors (except for maybe Noctis. Ray Chase did a fantastic job).

If you haven't already, I'd recommend replaying in Japanese!
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Nah, tried both and overall I like english voices better, maybe ignis and Cindy are the exceptions. The rest of the bros sounded better in english to me. Even Aranea sounded more badass in english.
 
decisions said:
The continuity. How does the following progression make any sense: Noctis absorbing the past king's souls as a way to sacrifice himself (why does he not absorb his father? Why is his father looking away?)-->the campfire scene (shouldn't Noctis already be dead?) --> Noctis and Luna in the throne room (the afterlife looks exactly the same as the throne room for some reason? I was confused as to whether or not Noctis actually died).
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1. Regis doesn't want to watch his son suffer. He is the last king that stabs him.
2. The campfire scene takes place before they go to Insomnia.
3. It's their spirits in the ruined throne room. Noctis is dead.
 
pashmilla said:
Gladiolus is such a toxically masculine gaping asshole, like jfc. I was expecting him to be one of my favourites and instead I just hated him. Prompto and Iggy best bros (although Iggy's accent sometimes became way too much to handle).
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I just wanted to suggest that you play with Japanese voices, since much of Gladiolus' macho/alpha male demeanor comes actually from the English localisation. But then I realized that the English subtitles would be the exact same...
Gladio does appear more jovial and softer in certain situations in the Japanese version. Of course he still gives Noctis an ear full at times but it sounds less macho and more genuinely worried/anxious and thus more relatable.
 
WrenchNinja said:
1. Regis doesn't want to watch his son suffer. He is the last king that stabs him.
2. The campfire scene takes place before they go to Insomnia.
3. It's their spirits in the ruined throne room. Noctis is dead.
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1. OK well I guess my memory just failed me for 1 I guess. That's an effective story point, but I don't think it's really conveyed effectively because the relationship between Noctis and his father is so underdeveloped and ambiguous.
2. This does not come across well at all IMO. I mean how was anyone supposed to believe strongly enough that this is the case that it wouldn't just seem like a guess to them. Great scene though, on its own. Unless you are saying that the scene literally plays in-game before you go to Insomnia, which I don't think is the case but once again I guess my memory could be failing me.
3. Never ever would have thought this.

Cool ending, but I don't think it is well-told at all. Of course I was also frustrated by the linear section of the game when I saw these scenes, so it could be that I just didn't want to really think about the scenes - I wanted the game to be over after ch.13, unfortunately.
 
decisions said:
1. OK well I guess my memory just failed me for 1 I guess. That's an effective story point, but I don't think it's really conveyed effectively because the relationship between Noctis and his father is so underdeveloped and ambiguous.
2. This does not come across well at all IMO. I mean how was anyone supposed to believe strongly enough that this is the case that it wouldn't just seem like a guess to them. Great scene though, on its own. Unless you are saying that the scene literally plays in-game before you go to Insomnia, which I don't think is the case but once again I guess my memory could be failing me.
3. Never ever would have thought this.

Cool ending, but I don't think it is well-told at all. Of course I was also frustrated by the linear section of the game when I saw these scenes, so it could be that I just didn't want to really think about the scenes - I wanted the game to be over after ch.13, unfortunately.
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Right before they go to Insomnia, don't they talk about "one last camp?" I swear they said something to that effect, because it was completely obvious to me that the campfire scene happened before they went into the city.

EDIT: Looked it up. You get a "final campsite" and get to choose one last meal. There's no discussion during it, which they just saved for the ending.
 
Ourobolus said:
Right before they go to Insomnia, don't they talk about "one last camp?" I swear they said something to that effect, because it was completely obvious to me that the campfire scene happened before they went into the city.
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Maybe. But wait a second, now that I'm thinking about it, I'm pretty sure this scene plays after some credits have rolled. I dunno, it didn't feel obvious to me. Especially considering that I was further confused about Noctis' status by the final scene with him and Luna. I did love the ending logo trick though.

EDIT: Saw your edit. OK makes sense now. I remember choosing that meal, had no idea that that was the same camp that was shown during the ending, and I don't even feel like placing the scene at the ending really even adds that much.
 
Oh yeah, it's most definitely poorly told. The Regis and Noctis relationship is barely there in the game. We get the one freakout when Noctis gets the first Royal Arm but that's it. If they had put scenes from Kingsglaive talking about how much he wanted to protect his son, or shown the stuff from Brotherhood of how Regis came to rescue his son when he was attacked as a child, or those dinner time scenes from the first E3 trailer, or Regis hugging his son from that other trailer, then that scene and relationship would have been properly built up. But since they're not in the game, it just feels empty.

The campfire scene while touching, would have been more effective placed where it belongs. We should have gotten some kind of cutscene telling us how things have been for all of them the last ten years and Noctis ending with admitting his feelings. Right now it's jarring and confusing.
 
And the context of the campfire discussion is all about how Noctis doesn't want to leave his friends, but he knows he has to. There's no time that could have happened except before the final battle.
 
Ourobolus said:
And the context of the campfire discussion is all about how Noctis doesn't want to leave his friends, but he knows he has to. There's no time that could have happened except before the final battle.
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Yes, so why not put it before the final battle, as opposed to after it? Makes no sense. All that scene would have done is amplify the Adryn fight more, if placed before Insomnia.

Totally agreed WrenchNinja.
 
decisions said:
Yes, so why not put it before the final battle, as opposed to after it? Makes no sense. All that scene would have done is amplify the Adryn fight more, if placed before Insomnia.
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I think it's an either/or here. I think ending the game on just Noctis/Luna would have been a weird choice since the entire journey was Noctis and his bros. Ending with them, just sitting around the campfire, with one last discussion after all that has happened, I think that punctuated that general theme.
 
I have no problem with Gladio. Gets gruff and loud later on but it is a frustrating ordeal near the end and each responds differently. He sees it as his role as the physical bodyguard/trainer friend to be the tough one on Noctis, and takes his own lumps for it. Still a bro.

All four do come across as genuine, individually flawed friends. That plus there always being Cindy a short drive away to brighten the day (and work her mechanical expertise) or Aranea (a personal favorite) popping up to add some extra kickass, etc. Meaning, the game seemed at a glance like it would be four "bro" douchebags on the way to a concert but ended up a solid adventure with real bros--no quotes--and a variety of nice people to visit.
 
Ourobolus said:
I think it's an either/or here. I think ending the game on just Noctis/Luna would have been a weird choice since the entire journey was Noctis and his bros. Ending with them, just sitting around the campfire, with one last discussion after all that has happened, I think that punctuated that general theme.
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Yeah the scene is definitely more impactful where it is now. Knowing Noctis was now dead and seeing that that was their final discussion together was heavy.
 
Thinking about places where they can patch in some cutscenes without having to redesign the game, I feel like the end of Chapter 13 would be a great time for some exposition.

While Noctis is adrift in the crystal, have Bahamut and the past kings show him visions of what happened.

Bahamut shows him visions from the time of the Cosmogony, with Ifrit bringing the scourge, Solheim getting ruined by it, the Astral Wars, Ardyn being chosen by the Aetherean (why is he called Aetherean in some languages and Draconian in others?) and absorbing the scourge, Izunia demonizing him and being later chosen as king, and then the little bits of lore the Royal Arms tell us in their descriptions, Izunia building the wall and creating Insomnia, the second king conquering the land that is now known as Lucis, and all of that.

Come Regis, we could get a few scenes of his journey with Cid, Cor and Weskham, maybe reuse a few more Kingsglaive scenes, with his dialogue with Nyx and Luna, saying that he didn't send Noctis away just to save his son, but for the fate of the world. It would also briefly present Nyx for people who only played the game, before they see his body. He was no king, but he did use the ring.
 
jennetics said:
Maybe because Noctis doesn't know Nyx, would be my guess. If Ardyn was wanting to taunt/show off his powers, Gladio's dad would've been a better pick. That way at least Gladio would've had a response.
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Nyx is clearly a member of the Kingsglaive though. And the prologue novella shows they know each other.
 
BuckRobotron said:
I have no problem with Gladio. Gets gruff and loud later on but it is a frustrating ordeal near the end and each responds differently. He sees it as his role as the physical bodyguard/trainer friend to be the tough one on Noctis, and takes his own lumps for it. Still a bro.
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Yep. Gladio takes pride in his responsibility to protect the King, after watching his father do the same for Regis. He pushes Noct to accept his own responsibilities because he feels that's part of his job, and because he wants to be sure Noct is just as dedicated as himself.

I mean yeah, his voice is stereotypically masculine, but Ignis is pretty much a stereotypical British butler. Prompto's best bro title is secure. :P
 
Astral said:
Wait who's Gladio's dad?
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latest


You can hardly be blamed for not knowing. I'm struggling to remember if he was even shown in the game...
 
superNESjoe said:
I'm having a hard time going back after finishing the game and doing open-world stuff. It was my favorite part of the game, and everything after Chapter 9 I wasn't a fan of gameplay wise. I spent the remainder of the game anxiously waiting for the end knowing I could go back.

But the ending narrative, of all things, is making it hard for me to go back. Knowing all of the characters are dead, and you're doing some weird BS "going back in time" thing to return to the open world...

Like, I get it. Normally narrative and mechanics I can separate really well and just play the game because I'm having fun. There's something about this specific instance that's really halting me though. I don't like when open world games have a definitive end to the characters or world that prevents you from continuing after the final quest. I prefer in an open world game that the narrative supports your return to that world. I honestly really wanted to return to the open world 10 years later as the aged characters. Running around as King hanging out in diners would've been hilarious.

I'm sure as soon as I do it I'll be having a blast again and won't think about it, but for now it's halting me from coming back.
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Don't feel alone. I and a few other voiced this same thing earlier in the thread. Its hard to play the game after beating it because you know whats up. You know Noctis is doomed. Its pretty disheartening which is why I hope the DLC for Noctis is fun and a good time. He deserves happy memories.
 
OrionX said:
latest


You can hardly be blamed for not knowing. I'm struggling to remember if he was even shown in the game...
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Oh that guy lol. I remember now. He's not in the game because he's killed in Kingsglaive anyway. Or maybe he shows up in that weird flashback scene that just showed bits of the movie.
 
Darksol said:
Literally nothing in the game remotely moved me. I liked the bromance, but the plot was so fucking awful. To be moved by a game I have to connect with the characters and empathize with them on a deep level.

Games that have moved me: FFX, FFVIII, FFVII, FFT, The Last of Us, The Last Guardian, Life is Strange, Gone Home, Ico, Shadow of the Colossus, MGS3, MGS4, Journey, Season 1 of The Walking Dead, etc, etc.
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guess it's pretty subjective. none of the others you noted except the Ico trilogy and FFX moved me.
 
Games where the ending moved me:

- FFXV ("walk tall" scene, throne room scene, Noct vs Ardyn in afterlife scene, "Stand By Me" during credits, campfire scene, wedding scene, logo change, new title screen/music)

- The Last of Us
- Zero Escape: 999
- Majora's Mask
- EarthBound

There are probably more, but yeah
 
if i could rewrite some things related to Luna here is a rough bit of it
- Luna is at the battle with Titan on the other side and at the end gets captured
- Go get Ramuh like normal then after go to rescue the car and Luna from that base. Ravus shows up to kick your butt and you fight him to let Luna and Gintiana escape and she says she'll meet you in Altissia.
- In Altissia you meet with Luna get get some feelings stuff going. She can join party to explore city and do hunts. Wedding postponed cuz Empire shows up and you have to rush to summon Leviathan. She don't die there but Ravus takes her to Tenebrae.
- Prompto gets captured maybe in a different way but still captured.
-Tenebrae explorable and you're there when everything goes to hell. You learn Ardyn is behind the city burning and he has Luna and Prompto with him in the city. Ravus fights you but you can beat him now and he gives you the sword. You go to fight Ardyn, see dead Prinya on floor and witness him killing Prompto and so you stab him, but turns out it was an illusion. You stabbed Luna, not Ardyn and Prompto was just a random MT. She gives you the ring and says something like it's ok and she still puts holy on Ardyns arm somehow. Building starts to collapse and bro's show up to help you carry out Luna and Prinya. Very sad and much revenge is needed.
- At Shiva's corpse there is a dungeon or area to go through and Umbra joins your party through that area.
 
decisions said:
2. DId anyone else get the glitch where you can't see any of the photos when Prompto offers them to you at the end? Because mine were just a bunch of black shots and then after the ending I was able to view all my photos again lol. I thought the idea was so good and was super conflicted when I realized that I couldn't see any of them. So I just clicked on every one and waited until the gang commented that the photo was of all four of them, and got one where they pose in front of the Regalia. I was satisfied, but it was a scare lol.
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I thought that was a really dumb thing to do right before the climax, I personally hated all of the photo stuff and avoided it every chance I could, never bothered to look at my photos.

But I saved the very first one that is shown to you (the one of Cindy's cleavage), because I thought the game was prompting me to save it.

I never saved any other pictures, so when I'm about to walk into the final boss battle and Noctis wants to take a memory with him, I laughed my ass off when the only pic selectable was the cleavage shot lol. Then laughed even harder when Noctis shares that with Luna later after the battle lmao
 
Gbraga said:
I mean, the emperor was there as well. Feels more like Ardyn's collection than exclusively an attempt to make Noctis care.
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Yeah I think that was just as much for Ardyn as it was for Noctis.

"look upon the flesh of the fools who thought they could stand in my way" type deal

The hanging bodies is probably the most cruel thing i think a Final Fantasy villain has done. At least, just for the sake of being cruel.
 
Astral said:
I just watched Brotherhood and I agree. Ignis and Gladio sound fantastic in Japanese. I kinda missed the exaggerated English accent though so I wouldn't play the whole game in Japanese. Gladio's English voice really sucks though. It's such a generic muscle dude voice. In Japanese he at least sounds normal.
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Main problem with gladio's English voice is the guy who is voicing him can't maintain the voice when he starts yelling/getting emotional.

I also think the English voice is missing some of the playfulness that the Japanese actor injects at times.
 
Gladio's voice is fine until it isn't. They should have had him do a more natural tone, because it can start to fall apart when he has to stress it.

Ignis just seems to be lacking context in delivery in many of his lines.

Luna was great too, very glad she didn't sound the way she looked.

Noctis, Prompto, and Ardyn carried the whole game


Edit:

Prompto's "DOT DOT DOT" line is probably the only bad one he has in the game. Unfortunately it happened at the worst possible moment.
 
I just read more FNC connections:

  • Ravus turns into a Cie'th when you fight him (he literally looks like Cid Raynes and Snow's Cie'th forms)
  • Noctis "going into the crystal to sleep" i.e., turning into a crystal like Serah, Fang, Vanille, and Lightning did voluntarily in XIII-2
 
Lights and Waves said:
I just read more FNC connections:

  • Ravus turns into a Cie'th when you fight him (he literally looks like Cid Raynes and Snow's Cie'th forms)
  • Noctis "going into the crystal to sleep" i.e., turning into a crystal like Serah, Fang, Vanille, and Lightning did voluntarily in XIII-2
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Not so much a connection as it is a slight nod or wink. (Also Ravus doesn't turn into a Cie'th. How a person becomes a Cie'th and how a person becomes a daemon are very different.)
 
Tyaren said:
They deserve more flak in general. I can't tell you how many of my friends play FFXV with these stupid black bars around their screens after the newest patch. There are of course ways so fix it (and I did) but in some cases it doesn't seem to work. How much more casual gamers are out there that don't have a clue how to fix this? Did something like this ever happen with a game before?
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I didn't even realize the black bars were there until I started taking screenshots with the share button. I know why they were put there because I know on my TV at least when the game came out my TV wouldn't display the whole screen, while that was fixed after the patch. Are you saying that after the patch there are people who always see the black border while playing as well?
 
I think the only voice I liked in the game was Ardyn. Felt leagues ahead of anyone else in the game. Gladio's bothered me basically any time he spoke because it sounded so…unnatural? I guess, Iggy's was okay. Prompto's was kind of an achievement in that it actually didn't make me hate the character. And then Noctis's was ruined by the constant fucking slurping, any time he pauses, or is in pain, or is tired you get that grating slurp.
 
PshycoNinja said:
Not so much a connection as it is a slight nod or wink. (Also Ravus doesn't turn into a Cie'th. How a person becomes a Cie'th and how a person becomes a daemon are very different.)
Click to expand...

Obviously, Ravus doesn't turn into a Cie'th...they don't exist in this game. I'm not stupid. What I'm saying is that if you were to tell me that Ravus was inteded to turn into a Cie'th in Versus XIII, I wouldn't doubt you for a minute.

Snow as a Cie'th: https://theinsightfulpanda.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/chaos-cieth-snow.png

Ravus as a "Cie'th": https://i.ytimg.com/vi/sZpBcRu_lKc/maxresdefault.jpg
 
Out of the major characters the only English voice I thought was bad was Gladio, for the same reasons a lot of people have said. He sounds like a guy doing a fake macho voice instead of an actual person. I thought Ignis was fine but definitely inferior to his Japanese counterpart. Noct and Prompto are both great in either language.

There was some spotty voice acting among the more minor characters, the biggest offender I think being the woman you talk to in Altissia to negotiate what to do about Luna and Leviathan.
 
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