Final Fantasy XV VR Experience
| Final Fantasy XV VR Experience | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Square Enix Business Division 2 |
| Publisher(s) | Square Enix |
| Release date(s) | |
| Genre(s) | Shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Final Fantasy XV VR Experience is an upcoming downloadable content (DLC) virtual reality minigame for the 2016 video game Final Fantasy XV. Developed by Square Enix, it is based around the fictional characters and setting of Final Fantasy XV, but plays as a shooter rather than an open world role-playing video game like the base game. It is currently scheduled to be released for the PlayStation 4 version of Final Fantasy XV, with it requiring the use of the platform's PlayStation VR peripheral.
Gameplay and premise
In the game, the player controls the character Prompto in Final Fantasy XV's fictional world of Eos from the first person perspective.[1] Contrary to the source material, which plays as an open world role-playing video game, the VR Experience is mostly based around teleporting around a few preset locations in an area, and having the player shoot at computer-controlled opponents[2] while assisting computer controlled teammates Gladiolus, Ignis, and Noctis.[3] Aiming is done through the motion control input of a Playstation Move controller.[2] Characters receive damage in the form of lost hit points, with the object of the game being to have the opponent lose all of their health before Prompto. Upon winning the battle, the player is shown a non-interactive scene through the eyes of Prompto riding in the car of game's mechanic Cindy.[4]
Development and release
The game was first announced during at E3 2016.[5] While its initial announcement inferred that the entire game of Final Fantasy XV would be made playable on the PlayStation VR, it was later clarified that the playable VR content was limited to the shooting side game.[6] As such, its release date went from alongside the regular version of Final Fantasy VX on September 30, 2016,[3] to "unlikely to release alongside the game"[7] to "sometime after September 30".[2] to even missing the October launch of PlayStation VR as well.[8] The game was not given a new release date after the main game's delay to November 29, 2016, but is still currently planned to be released as free downloadable content (DLC) for the main game sometime after its initial release.[9]
Reception
Pre-release reception of the game from E3 2016 was generally poorly received. Griffin McElroy of Polygon sharply criticized it for being too simplistic, stating that "The PlayStation VR event was full of upcoming games that are using the hardware to execute some very cool ideas, but the Final Fantasy 15 VR Experience simply wasn't one of them. It was unflinchingly single-faceted, and its single facet wasn't particularly fun. This demo was specifically created for E3 attendees...here's hoping it can turn into something more substantial in the coming months, because right now, that experience is a mess.[2] Patrick Klepek of Kotaku agreed, stating that the game "doesn’t take meaningful advantage of virtual reality" and concluded that "the mechanics aren’t satisfying. You hold down a button, point in the direction of the monster, and win! Perhaps this’ll change when Square Enix delivers the whole thing later this year, but if it’s more of what I played yesterday, temper your expectations."[4] Andrew Webster of The Verge agreed with the sentiment, stating that it was "hard to muster much enthusiasm for the VR element" when the game lacked so much of the common element of the Final Fantasy series and instead felt more like an entry to the arcade shooting game House of the Dead.[7] Jeff Grubb of VentureBeat went as far as to call it "the worst VR game I’ve played from a professional studio", also citing the concern that it was too much like a simple arcade shooter.[6]
Despite the generally negative reception, it did receive some positive feedback. Meghan Sullivan of IGN was generally impressed with it despite conceding simplistic gameplay, citing a sense of immersion and nostalgia impossible to feel without virtual reality, concluding that "...I began to tear up with happiness. This was my first taste of VR, and although I knew I wasn't really in a car, driving down a road in a world where Behemoths dwell and humans can magically teleport, just for a few minutes, it felt like I was.[9]
References
- ↑ Procida, Marco (14 June 2016). "E3 2016: Final Fantasy XV supporterà PlayStation VR" [E3 2016: Final Fantasy XV will support PlayStation VR]. Eurogamer (in Italian). Gamer Network. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 McElroy, Griffin (14 June 2016). "The Final Fantasy 15 VR Experience doesn't make a great first impression". Polygon. Vox Media. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
- 1 2 O'Connor, James (14 June 2016). "Final Fantasy 15 is getting a PlayStation VR experience". VG247. VG247. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
- 1 2 Klepek, Patrick (14 June 2016). "Final Fantasy XV's VR Demo Is Terrible". Kotaku. Gizmodo Media Group. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
- ↑ Taal, Derek (14 June 2016). "E3 2016 - Final Fantasy XV VR Experience onthuld" [E3 2016 - Final Fantasy XV VR Experience Revealed]. Eurogamer (in Dutch). Gamer Network. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
- 1 2 Grubb, Jeff (15 June 2016). "PlayStation VR's Batman, Star Wars, and Final Fantasy games are all deeply disappointing". VentureBeat. VentureBeat. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
- 1 2 Webster, Andrew (14 June 2016). "The Final Fantasy XV VR experience isn't very Final Fantasy". The Verge. Vox Media. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
- ↑ Epstein, Mike (21 June 2016). "The 'Final Fantasy XV VR Experience' is not what Final Fantasy fans were hoping for". Digital Trends. Digital Trends. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
- 1 2 Sullivan, Meghan (17 June 2016). "Final Fantasy 15 VR Made Me Cry". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved 3 December 2016.