The launch of Final Fantasy XV is a story in itself, being stuck in development hell for well over a decade before Hajime Tabata took over the reins and finally managed to flesh out a title that is equal parts beloved and aggravating — a statement that can be used to describe the franchise itself in the modern era. While the game did have its fair share of flaws, no one could deny the quality and technical achievements on display in Final Fantasy XV.
Now, with the (delayed) launch of Final Fantasy VII Remake on the horizon, one can only hope that Square Enix has learned some valuable lessons from the release of Final Fantasy XV — lessons that can hopefully be incorporated into the remake to ensure that the level of quality present in this much-anticipated title is at the highest level possible.
Here are 10 such learnings from Final Fantasy XV that should be utilized in the development of the Final Fantasy VII Remake.
10 Fixing The Camera
One of the biggest nitpicks of Final Fantasy XV upon launch was the camera, which was perhaps the biggest and most constant boss fight faced throughout the entire game.
A fast-paced combat system mandates the need for a good camera, but Final Fantasy XV's camera was very much below standards upon launch. Thankfully, it was fixed later on through patches.
If Final Fantasy VII Remake wants to establish itself as one of the greats, then making the camera functional is a must.
9 A Combat System That Feels More Engaging And Less "Floaty"
Speaking of Final Fantasy XV's combat system, it must be said that fights in the game were all style and no substance. Most enemies could be dispatched by holding the attack button and pushing the left analog stick towards a foe. In a way, one might argue that the game pretty much played itself in this regard.
The Final Fantasy VII Remake demo was already promising in this regard, showcasing a combat system that felt more grounded as compared to Final Fantasy XV. Hopefully, this is a sign that fights in the game will demand more urgency from the player.
8 Placing A Limitation On Item Usage
Another aspect of Final Fantasy XV that makes it even less challenging is the fact that items can be used on the fly with little to no repercussions. This is a mechanic that pretty much ensured no player would ever get a game over unless they weren't paying attention.
Final Fantasy VII Remake is already poised to fix this problem by using an ATB charge for items. This will ensure that players don't spam healing items and negate any challenge the game might be trying to provide.
7 Ramping Up The Difficulty A Notch
Final Fantasy games aren't known for being difficult at all. In fact, most JRPGs share the same reputation. However, Final Fantasy XV completely removed the notion challenge, mainly due to the reasons already discussed above.
Square Enix needs to realize that gamers prefer some challenge nowadays and, at the very least, add a hard mode that Final Fantasy XV was lacking.
6 A Wide Variety Of Enemies
One thing that Final Fantasy XV nailed was the sheer variety of enemy types. From classic enemies in the franchise to new additions, the fifteenth mainline entry of Final Fantasy had no shortage of unique foes to fight.
We're entirely hopeful that Final Fantasy VII Remake will include the swath of enemies present in the original title and allow us to form one of the most diverse bestiaries ever.
5 Summons That Aren't Random
Final Fantasy XV's summons are awe-inspiring astrals that wreak absolute havoc on the battlefield, pretty much defeating every enemy in one fell swoop. However, while these summons might be marvelous to behold, there's literally no skill involved on the player's end to bring these astrals forth into battle — rather, they just appear randomly.
The reveal of the summoning mechanic in Final Fantasy VII Remake was already promising enough as is, and one can only hope that Square Enix doesn't repeat the same mistake with their summons all over again.
4 A Plot That Doesn't Feel Disjointed Or Incomplete
One of the biggest criticisms of Final Fantasy XV was the fact that the story felt absolutely disjointed and almost incomplete. The fact that crucial story segments were divided into a movie and an anime series was horrendous — although props must be given to the anime for doing a pretty good job of detailing out Noctis' bond with his comrades.
Final Fantasy VII Remake is almost guaranteed to not make this mistake again, given the fact that the plot is being told throughout numerous games as opposed to on a single disc.
3 Diligently Turning The Game Into A Live Service
Treating Final Fantasy XV as a live service had its pros and cons. While fans were able to experience new content that this development brought forth, a lot of this content was temporary for some reason. Fans who missed out on a particular event had to deal with it instead of simply being able to access it whenever they wished.
Final Fantasy VII Remake should emulate the good aspects of turning a game into a live service and provide excellent content to its fans, as opposed to just randomly releasing and removing content at a moment's notice.
2 Characters That Are Fleshed Out And Feel Real
Final Fantasy XV's main cast is the heart and soul of the game, showing a bond that feels entirely real and natural. The manner in which all four friends interact with each other is incredible to witness and goes to show the care that has gone into developing these characters.
Final Fantasy VII Remake should look at this game and try to emulate this relationship between their characters as well, while simultaneously giving their characters a more fleshed-out personality.
1 A World That's Made For A Video Game And Not Solely For Pretty Scenery
Let's get this out of the way first — the open world of Final Fantasy XV is one of the most beautiful landscapes around. However, it is also one of the most barren open worlds in any video game. It almost feels like the world was designed to look pretty without paying any heed to the fact that this is a world in a video game, not real life.
Final Fantasy VII Remake is using Midgar as their backdrop for the entire game, with promises that the area is going to be more fleshed out than ever before. As long as they don't make the egregious mistake that Final Fantasy XV did when it came to developing its open world, Midgar might prove to be a very interesting place to explore indeed.