This is one of my favourite games of the year and it's one I'd encourage any previous Final Fantasy fan to consider. Besides the brilliant nods to the series past — adorable retro touches like pixel art character menus and classic game soundtracks you can buy in servos and listen to in the Regalia — this is a game that's doing something new and great with what's come before. It's the fondest I've felt about the series since VIII.

Final Fantasy XV hides a convoluted, 10 year-long development behind every corner and desperately struggles with its own identity. Fans of the franchise might find the new open world structure a bit disappointing especially because it hurts a narrative that finds some coherence in the second half of the game and goes straight to an emotional and very divisive ending.

While it occasionally buckles under its own ambition and the game falters somewhat as the plot ramps up, overall Final Fantasy XV is a beautiful, exciting game that I dearly loved. It may not be the best game I've played this year, but it is almost certainly my favorite, and Square Enix has built an incredible, extremely unique open-world.

There is so much good here, so much heart - especially in the relationships between Noctis and his sworn brothers. It just comes with some changes and compromises that were, at times, difficult for this long-time Final Fantasy fan to come to grips with.

Final Fantasy XV is a unique offering, both for the franchise and RPGs in general. Placing the onus on the relationships of your party, rather than the narrative, has meant that this is a game that strikes not just an emotional chord, but a personal one. While Final Fantasy stalwarts will likely balk at the action-heavy combat, the spirit of the franchise remains, and is better served here than it has been in many years.

This isn't probably the Final Fantasy you were expecting, nevertheless it's one worth your time. it is far from being a perfect game, mainly because of a terrible second half, but it succeeds where other Final Fantasy have failed: bringing the saga into the modern era.

Final Fantasy XV is definitely a memorable tale told with impressive production values. However, it's plagued by gameplay that basically plays itself, insufferable wait times, and a story that fails to establish itself before thrusting you into its world.