I am usually not a strategy gamer by preference, but the impressive graphics and striking visual design of Final Fantasy XV: A New Empire impressed upon me a positive first impression. This new app is a solidly entertaining game of its kind, where the primary objective is to build your own kingdom and strengthen it by completing different quests. These include attacking other empires, fighting monsters, and assisting other online players. The resources that you earn by accomplishing these tasks can be used to upgrade the different parts of your kingdom, and eventually the buildings will start producing resources for itself. Although the gameplay is at times monotonous, Final Fantasy XV: A New Empire has enough complexity and action to remain interesting.
One thing that I did not expect coming into this game is how large and multifaceted each individual kingdom is. There are several different buildings to keep track of, such as the Citadel, Training Grounds, Armory, Hospital, Watch Tower, Bank, Embassy, and University, just to name a few. The goal is to constantly upgrade and improve all of these different institutions, which may seem a little overwhelming given the sheer number of them all. Thankfully at the very beginning of the game, the main character Noctis gives you a tour of the grounds and walks you through the process of upgrading step by step. After that, Noctis becomes your main hero character and leaves you to tend the kingdom on your own, but there is still a helpful reminder bar that tells you which buildings need leveling up. The only problem that I found with this part of the game is that it never told me to do anything else—that reminder bar ceaselessly urged me to fix this or that building, so I upgraded my kingdom for a full thirty minutes before realizing I could stop and zoom out to look at the rest of the world. I had no idea I could take a break from upgrading whenever I wanted to and start a quest, but finally that is exactly what I did.
Going to war in a strategy game is obviously different from an action shooter game; your perspective is looking down at the battle instead of being in it, and you direct an entire army instead of fighting as one soldier. Therefore, I felt much farther away from the action and did not feel the same level of exhilaration when we achieved victory. Still, it was fun seeing my miniature men (and possibly women) marching to the enemy, as well as seeing my opponent’s kingdom go up in flames as a signal of defeat. Interaction with other gamers is not solely limited to combat, however. It is additionally possible to team up with other online players by joining guilds, and you can directly ask for assistance from fellow guild members through the live chat function. I should also add that most of the other gamers on this app are very friendly and willing to help, which is great for beginners like myself. And if you directly assist other guild members, you earn what is called guild loyalty, which allows you to purchase exclusive bonuses like a VIP subscription.
All in all, Final Fantasy XV: A New Empire possesses strong game structure, beautiful graphics, and a friendly playing atmosphere. It is true that I am not an expert on strategy games, and those who are more experienced than I may contest that a different app takes first place in the kingdom-building game genre. But there is no doubt that Final Fantasy XV: A New Empire is enjoyable and enjoyed by many.
Rating: 7/10
FINAL FANTASY XV: A NEW EMPIRE Trailer:
You can download FINAL FANTASY XV: A NEW EMPIRE for free today on the Official Website.
Android Review
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Overall Score - 7/107/10
From the moment I first played Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy on the original Xbox, I have always had an avid curiosity and enthusiasm for video games. I admire their ability to immerse us in completely different worlds, and I am always eager to see how they integrate the newest breakthroughs in digital technology to make virtual reality feel real. I am currently a senior at UC Berkeley, but when I'm not studying I always make time to play Xbox One with my younger brother.
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