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Final Fantasy XV: The Dawn of the Future
A volume of all-new, character-driven stories expanding on the world of the hit video game Final Fantasy XV. This deluxe, hardcover edition includes full-color inserts featuring concept art and exclusive content.To oppose the gods or yield to fate? That is the question confronting each of the characters in The Dawn of the Future. Ardyn, having saved countless lives from the Starscourge, means to become the Founder King of Lucis and instead is cast into tragic exile. On the day the Empire falls, as the imperial capital collapses around them, Commodore Aranea is entrusted with the life of a singular young girl. The Oracle Lunafreya, upon awakening from the slumber of death, discovers that her body has undergone an extraordinary transformation. And after gazing upon the eternal, Noctis, the True King, finally comes to terms with his destiny. Herein lie the stories of the dawning of a new world in Final Fantasy XV.
363 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 25, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 224 reviews
September 22, 2020
I know that Final Fantasy XV is divided among fans of the series. But this game is extremely special. I loved it. I could fight and argue over the things you didn't like about it, which I don't mind doing in a respectful way, but no matter what this game will always be special to me. And this book in tandem is too.
The last DLC to reach the game was episode Ardyn, with 3 more DLC's getting cancelled Square decided to release a book to give everything an....extended ending I guess you could call it. What was supposed to be Episode Aranea, Lunafreya, and Noctis has turned into this novel you see before you. And while many complained that it didn't release as DLC for the game, me being one of them, I am extremely happy that they at least got this out there for the fans of the game.
Having played the game I could picture and imagine how the fight scenes in this book went down and it was oddly satisfying. A mixture of a well written book with the images from the game was a surprisingly nice compliment to my imagination. All 4 of the stories inside this book wife together extremely well and when I played Episode Ardyn I didn't realize that there was going to be a connecting thread throughout, and it was cool. Especially once you get to the Lunafreya episode you are hit smack in the face that all of these are intertwined.
I could go on and on about this book and the game and how everything goes hand in hand, but I don't wanna do that here. I feel like it's not the place. But what I do want to say is that if you are a fan of the game then I highly recommend reading this book. It was so much fun jumping back into the world of Eos and I will be eternally sad that we (most likely) won't ever be going back for something new there. Which is such a shame because this is such a well thought out fully realized world that I just want more.
I was hoping for a little more emotion from the ending, but having it down in written form and having played the rest in video game form, maybe it was more emotional and just my brain was confused putting the 2 together. But nevertheless I am still very satisfied.
To reiterate briefly, if you've played the game and want more, read this. If you haven't played the game, it's probably not gonna set your world on fire.
Fun fact: I named my dalmatian Lunafreya 😁
The last DLC to reach the game was episode Ardyn, with 3 more DLC's getting cancelled Square decided to release a book to give everything an....extended ending I guess you could call it. What was supposed to be Episode Aranea, Lunafreya, and Noctis has turned into this novel you see before you. And while many complained that it didn't release as DLC for the game, me being one of them, I am extremely happy that they at least got this out there for the fans of the game.
Having played the game I could picture and imagine how the fight scenes in this book went down and it was oddly satisfying. A mixture of a well written book with the images from the game was a surprisingly nice compliment to my imagination. All 4 of the stories inside this book wife together extremely well and when I played Episode Ardyn I didn't realize that there was going to be a connecting thread throughout, and it was cool. Especially once you get to the Lunafreya episode you are hit smack in the face that all of these are intertwined.
I could go on and on about this book and the game and how everything goes hand in hand, but I don't wanna do that here. I feel like it's not the place. But what I do want to say is that if you are a fan of the game then I highly recommend reading this book. It was so much fun jumping back into the world of Eos and I will be eternally sad that we (most likely) won't ever be going back for something new there. Which is such a shame because this is such a well thought out fully realized world that I just want more.
I was hoping for a little more emotion from the ending, but having it down in written form and having played the rest in video game form, maybe it was more emotional and just my brain was confused putting the 2 together. But nevertheless I am still very satisfied.
To reiterate briefly, if you've played the game and want more, read this. If you haven't played the game, it's probably not gonna set your world on fire.
Fun fact: I named my dalmatian Lunafreya 😁
July 19, 2020
THIS is what the end of the game should have been! I'm so upset that we got the rushed "ending" in game, and what seems to be the true ending canceled, and relegated to story only. It's been awhile since I played the game, so I have some confusion here and there. I know this consisted of Episodes Adryn, Aranea, Luna, and Noctis, and it finally gave Lunafreya some meaning to everything. We only saw her in bits and pieces in the game, and I was never sure if she and Noctis were really in love, or were getting married out of duty, but this story shows that they really did love each other. It gives most everyone a happy ending, which I'm sure some people don't like, but it was nice for me, after flat out crying my eyes out after finishing the game. I was always left thinking "this is is?" and I suppose that wasn't it. THIS was it, I only wish I'd gotten to see it played out on my tv screen.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 14, 2021
5 broken heart stars
Final Fantasy XV is not my favorite game of all time, but it has a very important place in my heart, if not the most important.
I’ve been following the development of the game since 2006 when the first trailer came out, and it wasn’t called “Final Fantasy XV” yet. I waited, and waited, and when it finally released, I went straight to play it after many years of a game-slump.
I remember the game having flaws, as well as the main story. A lot of things could have been done better, and still, I sobbed, laughed, got angry, and loved this tragic adventure with all my heart.
So, when they cancelled the last three DLC, and this full length novel came out instead, I obviously had to read it.
I went into the book thinking I was going to read just 4 short stories from different characters, and I couldn’t be more wrong. Everything is connected in a way that will leave you speechless, more if you played the game, which helped a lot with visualizing the breathtaking fights and scenarios.
Reaching the final pages and seeing all the amazing concept art, left me a little sad and bitter about never seeing this in the game, but it was still satisfying.
This basically contains and tells everything the game didn’t explain. A lot of missing clues, missing feelings, past stories, motivations from the characters, and the most important thing, .
"Yet in spite of this, I would remain with you all. To the very end.”
Final Fantasy XV is not my favorite game of all time, but it has a very important place in my heart, if not the most important.
I’ve been following the development of the game since 2006 when the first trailer came out, and it wasn’t called “Final Fantasy XV” yet. I waited, and waited, and when it finally released, I went straight to play it after many years of a game-slump.
I remember the game having flaws, as well as the main story. A lot of things could have been done better, and still, I sobbed, laughed, got angry, and loved this tragic adventure with all my heart.
So, when they cancelled the last three DLC, and this full length novel came out instead, I obviously had to read it.
I went into the book thinking I was going to read just 4 short stories from different characters, and I couldn’t be more wrong. Everything is connected in a way that will leave you speechless, more if you played the game, which helped a lot with visualizing the breathtaking fights and scenarios.
Reaching the final pages and seeing all the amazing concept art, left me a little sad and bitter about never seeing this in the game, but it was still satisfying.
This basically contains and tells everything the game didn’t explain. A lot of missing clues, missing feelings, past stories, motivations from the characters, and the most important thing, .
July 25, 2020
Never enough
The bane of being a final fantasy fan is that we always want more. I’m happy to leave the mechanics to the game developers, but the story has to be fantastic. I wish that the dlc for Luna had been released. I was satisfied with the ending provided to me originally, and now I want more. I adore that this story has been translated into English, and that the concept art is included in both the digital and physical format. The stories made me want more, wishing I had the ability to play through these sections of story as they were originally intended. The benefit of the written word, though, is that the things that need to be left unsaid can be told. No arguments can abound about what was inferred. Although I guess that’s half the fun of the fandom!
The bane of being a final fantasy fan is that we always want more. I’m happy to leave the mechanics to the game developers, but the story has to be fantastic. I wish that the dlc for Luna had been released. I was satisfied with the ending provided to me originally, and now I want more. I adore that this story has been translated into English, and that the concept art is included in both the digital and physical format. The stories made me want more, wishing I had the ability to play through these sections of story as they were originally intended. The benefit of the written word, though, is that the things that need to be left unsaid can be told. No arguments can abound about what was inferred. Although I guess that’s half the fun of the fandom!
October 7, 2020
This fills in a lot of the blanks in the Final Fantasy XV story, and goes through what the stories of the cancelled DLC packs were going to be. The problem is that it's not terribly well written. I think at least some of the blame for that can be placed on the translation. Japanese does not translate very well to English, or so I've heard. At the end of the day, though, I enjoyed it for what it is. Although, it should be noted that if you need a 5 episode anime series, a DLC pack in addition to the three that were blatantly cut from the main game to weasel a few more bucks out of the fans, another DLC pack that explains the villain's motivation and powers, and a freaking 450 page novel to make the story of the game make sense, maybe the people in charge of the game should not be in charge of any more games in the future. I'm looking at YOU, Nomura!!!! Not the poor sap they dropped it on when Nomura failed to deliver, who had to cobble a game together out of his leavings.
If you enjoyed Final Fantasy XV, and were disappointed in the cancellation of the Luna, Noctis, and Aranea DLCs, or were pretty confused by the game's story and don't mind reading a companion novel to have it explained to you, I'd say definitely pick this one up. Just be aware that the quality of the writing isn't great. It's not terrible, it's just not what I would consider professional level.
If you enjoyed Final Fantasy XV, and were disappointed in the cancellation of the Luna, Noctis, and Aranea DLCs, or were pretty confused by the game's story and don't mind reading a companion novel to have it explained to you, I'd say definitely pick this one up. Just be aware that the quality of the writing isn't great. It's not terrible, it's just not what I would consider professional level.
August 16, 2021
If you’ve played Final Fantasy XV, and experienced the sudden and rather lacking end of it, I’d recommend reading this book.
If not, there’s not much use.
Dawn of the Future does FFXV the justice it should have been dealt, but ultimately never got.
The book fills plenty of blanks, clears confusion and brings out the true moral of the story - unlike what it seems in the first encountered ending of the main game.
It continues the story, presenting an alternate and ‘true’ ending.
I’d call it a ‘good’ one too, and the one presented in the main game the ‘bad’ one, if comparing the two. (Episode Ignis perhaps a ‘neutral’ one?)
Going a bit into each section, originally intended as DLC for each character:
You get the story from Ardyn’s perspective, explaining his motivations as the game’s villain, as well as how and why the grand Prophecy driving the main game plot came to be.
Perhaps most excitingly, you actually get to experience Luna’s character, which was practically non-existent in the main game, despite the supposed female lead(?)
Funnily, she’s written to realise her lack of personal drive, confronting it.
You also get to know Noctis’ development in the Crystal, and further character development.
The only lacking part for me personally was that of Aranea’s part. Reading it was like playing through Episode Gladiolus, but if you had to read through every repetetive battle in there as words on a plain page instead of at least getting to mash buttons and see pretty colours.
Very combat heavy, I definitely see the text as a blueprint for a video game, that’s for sure. Not much fun to read through, though.
She’s still a cool gal, don’t get me wrong.
Man the FFXV would have been awesome if they completed the story as intended here. Way more complete and justified, not to mention way less confusing. Shunning the initial message of hopelessness in inescapable great prophecies and inevitable tragic destiny, in favour of choosing free will and killing an unjust god in true JRPG fashion.
If you felt sad and cheated by the rushing end of FFXV, left with the burning question “why?” - give this a read.
If not, there’s not much use.
Dawn of the Future does FFXV the justice it should have been dealt, but ultimately never got.
The book fills plenty of blanks, clears confusion and brings out the true moral of the story - unlike what it seems in the first encountered ending of the main game.
It continues the story, presenting an alternate and ‘true’ ending.
I’d call it a ‘good’ one too, and the one presented in the main game the ‘bad’ one, if comparing the two. (Episode Ignis perhaps a ‘neutral’ one?)
Going a bit into each section, originally intended as DLC for each character:
You get the story from Ardyn’s perspective, explaining his motivations as the game’s villain, as well as how and why the grand Prophecy driving the main game plot came to be.
Perhaps most excitingly, you actually get to experience Luna’s character, which was practically non-existent in the main game, despite the supposed female lead(?)
Funnily, she’s written to realise her lack of personal drive, confronting it.
You also get to know Noctis’ development in the Crystal, and further character development.
The only lacking part for me personally was that of Aranea’s part. Reading it was like playing through Episode Gladiolus, but if you had to read through every repetetive battle in there as words on a plain page instead of at least getting to mash buttons and see pretty colours.
Very combat heavy, I definitely see the text as a blueprint for a video game, that’s for sure. Not much fun to read through, though.
She’s still a cool gal, don’t get me wrong.
Man the FFXV would have been awesome if they completed the story as intended here. Way more complete and justified, not to mention way less confusing. Shunning the initial message of hopelessness in inescapable great prophecies and inevitable tragic destiny, in favour of choosing free will and killing an unjust god in true JRPG fashion.
If you felt sad and cheated by the rushing end of FFXV, left with the burning question “why?” - give this a read.
February 15, 2022
Stay, or slay? Ardyn or Adryn? Typos, people talking to themselves (works better in games or tv to convey inner dialog than it does in a novel where inner dialog can be written as thoughts) and a real slump to read.
Positives, finding out more about Ardyn and the fact that he wasn’t evil from the beginning.
Cons, it seems I might have needed to play some of the released DLC’s to know about some of the creatures and characters? It felt to me that it was given that I should have known about those things beforehand.
Descriptions felt lacking on Diamond and Sapphire Weapon especially to me.
I’m a fan of the game, so I’m glad I have the book. Not as much about reading it.
Positives, finding out more about Ardyn and the fact that he wasn’t evil from the beginning.
Cons, it seems I might have needed to play some of the released DLC’s to know about some of the creatures and characters? It felt to me that it was given that I should have known about those things beforehand.
Descriptions felt lacking on Diamond and Sapphire Weapon especially to me.
I’m a fan of the game, so I’m glad I have the book. Not as much about reading it.
July 17, 2020
A nice conclusion. *Spoiler alert*
As a fan of the game, I liked how we got to see how the dlcs would have concluded the story. I personally am very satisfied with the ending, its much like ffvii remake in that fate can be changed. My only criticism is the emphasis on defying your faith, but which I think makes sense when you realize the head of hexatheon is the God of war. Regardless, spoiler alert, I'm happy some characters know love and have babies, even if its just fanservice.
As a fan of the game, I liked how we got to see how the dlcs would have concluded the story. I personally am very satisfied with the ending, its much like ffvii remake in that fate can be changed. My only criticism is the emphasis on defying your faith, but which I think makes sense when you realize the head of hexatheon is the God of war. Regardless, spoiler alert, I'm happy some characters know love and have babies, even if its just fanservice.
May 31, 2021
Necessary reading for all fans of this game. It’s perfect ✨
October 22, 2024
Do mind the rambling of a fool that is biased with the love of the game :)
"I can't forgive you or let go of my hatred. But I want all the lives on this star to be saved, and you are one part of this world."
Are the exact words that my heart was screaming yet my mind couldn't put into existence when I finished reading.
This book has broken me, just like the game did a while ago. I will forever mourn how it'll never happen, all of the characters I spent hours with will never get the happy ending they truly deserve. Say what you want about it, but FFXV was, is, and will forever be the Final Fantasy closest to my heart.
This was such a great read. I loved every single idea the creators had for the DLCs (oh how I wish I got to play as Lunafreya and meet Sol) and how perfect was the ending portrayed here. But let's start properly.
"Oh, Aera... Pray be with me always."
This book has made it really hard at times for me to keep the burning rage towards Ardyn. I do not forgive him, or ever will, but I'm glad we got to see a deeper glimpse into his character. Some of his actions are truly justified and I can't help but wonder what could've been had Somnus not slain his beloved.
It's such a horrifying thing how hatred and revenge can cause destruction upon everything.
"It's simple: I really can't stand you"
Aranea, my sweet, my amazing dragoon. I'm so mad the DLC was cancelled. Exploring Niflheim and meeting Biggs, Wedge and Sol for longer than only a glimpse would've been amazing.
When I thought she couldn't get a better morally gray character, she just crashed onto me just like she did with the Diamond Weapon (lol).
Anyway; this might be my 2nd favorite story from this book, I only wish it was longer.
"But tell me. Noctis is safe, yes?"
Lunafreya... oh dear Lunafreya. She was already one of my favorite female characters in this game and this DLC would've saved her the hatred that people give to her.
She's such a baddie, always pushing through, no matter if her body is falling apart. And she's also too good for this world.
I absolutely LOVED her dynamic with Sol and how the two became friends. It was so amazing hearing how Sol is friends with the Chocobros and people taking refuge in Lestallum.
The powers, like Ardyn's, were such a nice twist to me. Also the whole chapter I just wished Bahamut would shut the fuck up and perish. Thank the Astrals that Luna found her own calling at the end - we love to see a girlboss winning.
Also to all the people saying "ohhh LuNoct had no tension, it doesn't even work" shut up would you? Did you even play the game? Read the book?? No. I thought so much.
I just love how Luna's and Noct's relationship is on a deeper level - no obvious romance, yet they still long for eachother even when they couldn't see themselves for 12 long years. It's just so amazing how Luna always thinks of him, makes sure to write letters to him and he has her way of writing memorized <3
I love them so much, I refuse to believe this ending isn't canon.
"Hey, Ignis! Instructions."
These simple three words brought such happiness to my heart. Noct's chapter was by far the most emotional one for me. Everything, from the fact that he knew his fate and had to choose, through the reunion with Chocobros and ending at him finally meeting Luna again. A-MA-ZING!!!
The interaction with Ardyn had me wanting to throw the book away, I was on the verge of tears by then. It's amazing how one stripped down from all kindness can regain it for even a short while (the redemption arc we all wanted and needed!!!).
The standoff with Bahamut was written so beautifully, I was fully screaming in my head for the bastard to just roll off and die. To hell with fake gods.
And the mention of "certain Glaives" saving Lunafreya back when Niffs invaded Insomnia?? My heart - my dear Nyx, my sweet hero who deserves to be known. And Libertus and Crowe, since most people don't even know their names, I wish you got more than a simple mention, nonetheless I'm happy the creators didn't forget about them :]
It's no surprise I loved reading this one. I'm left yearning for more, for a Nyx DLC (cause duh, that'd have been SO COOL), for some way of a happier ending, or just for more stories featuring these amazing characters.
Go read it guys, and get ready for an emotional rollercoaster.
For hearth and home!
"I can't forgive you or let go of my hatred. But I want all the lives on this star to be saved, and you are one part of this world."
Are the exact words that my heart was screaming yet my mind couldn't put into existence when I finished reading.
This book has broken me, just like the game did a while ago. I will forever mourn how it'll never happen, all of the characters I spent hours with will never get the happy ending they truly deserve. Say what you want about it, but FFXV was, is, and will forever be the Final Fantasy closest to my heart.
This was such a great read. I loved every single idea the creators had for the DLCs (oh how I wish I got to play as Lunafreya and meet Sol) and how perfect was the ending portrayed here. But let's start properly.
"Oh, Aera... Pray be with me always."
This book has made it really hard at times for me to keep the burning rage towards Ardyn. I do not forgive him, or ever will, but I'm glad we got to see a deeper glimpse into his character. Some of his actions are truly justified and I can't help but wonder what could've been had Somnus not slain his beloved.
It's such a horrifying thing how hatred and revenge can cause destruction upon everything.
"It's simple: I really can't stand you"
Aranea, my sweet, my amazing dragoon. I'm so mad the DLC was cancelled. Exploring Niflheim and meeting Biggs, Wedge and Sol for longer than only a glimpse would've been amazing.
When I thought she couldn't get a better morally gray character, she just crashed onto me just like she did with the Diamond Weapon (lol).
Anyway; this might be my 2nd favorite story from this book, I only wish it was longer.
"But tell me. Noctis is safe, yes?"
Lunafreya... oh dear Lunafreya. She was already one of my favorite female characters in this game and this DLC would've saved her the hatred that people give to her.
She's such a baddie, always pushing through, no matter if her body is falling apart. And she's also too good for this world.
I absolutely LOVED her dynamic with Sol and how the two became friends. It was so amazing hearing how Sol is friends with the Chocobros and people taking refuge in Lestallum.
The powers, like Ardyn's, were such a nice twist to me. Also the whole chapter I just wished Bahamut would shut the fuck up and perish. Thank the Astrals that Luna found her own calling at the end - we love to see a girlboss winning.
Also to all the people saying "ohhh LuNoct had no tension, it doesn't even work" shut up would you? Did you even play the game? Read the book?? No. I thought so much.
I just love how Luna's and Noct's relationship is on a deeper level - no obvious romance, yet they still long for eachother even when they couldn't see themselves for 12 long years. It's just so amazing how Luna always thinks of him, makes sure to write letters to him and he has her way of writing memorized <3
I love them so much, I refuse to believe this ending isn't canon.
"Hey, Ignis! Instructions."
These simple three words brought such happiness to my heart. Noct's chapter was by far the most emotional one for me. Everything, from the fact that he knew his fate and had to choose, through the reunion with Chocobros and ending at him finally meeting Luna again. A-MA-ZING!!!
The interaction with Ardyn had me wanting to throw the book away, I was on the verge of tears by then. It's amazing how one stripped down from all kindness can regain it for even a short while (the redemption arc we all wanted and needed!!!).
The standoff with Bahamut was written so beautifully, I was fully screaming in my head for the bastard to just roll off and die. To hell with fake gods.
And the mention of "certain Glaives" saving Lunafreya back when Niffs invaded Insomnia?? My heart - my dear Nyx, my sweet hero who deserves to be known. And Libertus and Crowe, since most people don't even know their names, I wish you got more than a simple mention, nonetheless I'm happy the creators didn't forget about them :]
It's no surprise I loved reading this one. I'm left yearning for more, for a Nyx DLC (cause duh, that'd have been SO COOL), for some way of a happier ending, or just for more stories featuring these amazing characters.
Go read it guys, and get ready for an emotional rollercoaster.
For hearth and home!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 18, 2023
Well, that was bittersweet. I'm glad to have this novel and have the story of Final Fantasy XV brought to a decisive close, but, man, these DLCs would have been amazing.
Well, we had Ardyn's, at least. For that I'm grateful (Ardyn Izunia Supremacy).
Of the DLCs we didn't get, though, Aranea's and Noctis' segments were by far my favorites. And I loved the fact that Aranea and Biggs and Wedge adopted Sol as their own. I'm an absolute sucker for the relationship between an adopted child and their adopted parent(s), and I love that the fierce soldier Aranea raised Sol to be just as fierce a warrior.
Also, lowkey, Aranea, Biggs, and Wedge OT3.
And the overarching story was what I had wanted from the main Final Fantasy XV story to begin with. To spit in the face of the gods and their machinations. To decide that humanity would be pawns to the divine no longer, and cut the threads of fate once and for all. Ardyn getting his revenge on the gods was the most cathartic for me, personally. I love that trash hobo man a stupid amount, and I do love that his sacrifice was not fueled by any goodwill whatsoever. He wanted his revenge, and if he had to face destruction to see it through, then so be it. The whole "saving the world and all of humanity" thing was just a byproduct of his sacrifice.
I did love that both Noctis and Lunafreya also had a similar "Hey, the fate the gods have in mind for us sucks, actually. Let's kill them" revelation. They deserved to finally live life how they wished.
It was good to see Gladio and co. again, too. I missed that hunk of a man.
Anyway, this book was by no means perfect, but it also made me dearly miss Final Fantasy XV and its characters. I might have to carve out some time to replay it some time soon.
"Walk tall, my friends."
Well, we had Ardyn's, at least. For that I'm grateful (Ardyn Izunia Supremacy).
Of the DLCs we didn't get, though, Aranea's and Noctis' segments were by far my favorites. And I loved the fact that Aranea and Biggs and Wedge adopted Sol as their own. I'm an absolute sucker for the relationship between an adopted child and their adopted parent(s), and I love that the fierce soldier Aranea raised Sol to be just as fierce a warrior.
Also, lowkey, Aranea, Biggs, and Wedge OT3.
And the overarching story was what I had wanted from the main Final Fantasy XV story to begin with. To spit in the face of the gods and their machinations. To decide that humanity would be pawns to the divine no longer, and cut the threads of fate once and for all. Ardyn getting his revenge on the gods was the most cathartic for me, personally. I love that trash hobo man a stupid amount, and I do love that his sacrifice was not fueled by any goodwill whatsoever. He wanted his revenge, and if he had to face destruction to see it through, then so be it. The whole "saving the world and all of humanity" thing was just a byproduct of his sacrifice.
I did love that both Noctis and Lunafreya also had a similar "Hey, the fate the gods have in mind for us sucks, actually. Let's kill them" revelation. They deserved to finally live life how they wished.
It was good to see Gladio and co. again, too. I missed that hunk of a man.
Anyway, this book was by no means perfect, but it also made me dearly miss Final Fantasy XV and its characters. I might have to carve out some time to replay it some time soon.
"Walk tall, my friends."
December 9, 2024
After finishing my second playthrough of the game along with the DLC, I was in need of more of the chocobros and the world of Eos, and luckily I happened to stumble across this book. As soon as I started reading it, I immediately was glad that I'd only just left the game behind, since the references and details are so frequent, you've got to be a fan of the game to really understand this book.
The first story followed Ardyn and his background, explaining what happened to him and was basically his origin story. It was really well written, and whilst I still hate him, I can't deny that he's such a well developed character. This story did him justice, and gave fans a new layer to his complex personality.
The other two stories are written versions of some scrapped DLC, which definitely should've been made! Aranea's story was as cool and badass as ever, I love her character and the amusing parts with Biggs and Wedge gave the story more life. Another story followed Lunafreya, who comes back to life in order to further help Noctis and save the world.
For obvious reasons this story was a little confusing since fans clearly know her fate and that's that- according to the game we know. However this story brings the whole narrative of the game in a completely different direction, and as the final story in this book continues afterwards, this time giving us an alternate ending to the game of how the story could've been resolved differently.
I enjoyed all the chapters, including the far fetched yet much happier alternate ending, where we get to see Luna and Noctis alive, well and finally married (I adore them together so much). Whilst a little baffling at times, as long as you remember this book is full of 'what ifs' then you're bound to enjoy the content! It was like therapy after sobbing at the ending of the game...
3/5 🌟
The first story followed Ardyn and his background, explaining what happened to him and was basically his origin story. It was really well written, and whilst I still hate him, I can't deny that he's such a well developed character. This story did him justice, and gave fans a new layer to his complex personality.
The other two stories are written versions of some scrapped DLC, which definitely should've been made! Aranea's story was as cool and badass as ever, I love her character and the amusing parts with Biggs and Wedge gave the story more life. Another story followed Lunafreya, who comes back to life in order to further help Noctis and save the world.
For obvious reasons this story was a little confusing since fans clearly know her fate and that's that- according to the game we know. However this story brings the whole narrative of the game in a completely different direction, and as the final story in this book continues afterwards, this time giving us an alternate ending to the game of how the story could've been resolved differently.
I enjoyed all the chapters, including the far fetched yet much happier alternate ending, where we get to see Luna and Noctis alive, well and finally married (I adore them together so much). Whilst a little baffling at times, as long as you remember this book is full of 'what ifs' then you're bound to enjoy the content! It was like therapy after sobbing at the ending of the game...
3/5 🌟
February 21, 2022
I fell in love with the game and characters recently, when I heard of this book I had to give it a go and I wasn’t disappointed. It’s a shame the DLC was never made but I’m glad they wrote this book of what could have been. I love that we get to know characters in more depth, learn back stories and understand why they are the way they are. The ending was perfect, it was nice to see a different version and not the sad ending of the game which I cried my eyes out to. Any fan of the game must read this!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 6, 2024
It is a harsh fairy tale set in the middle of an apocalyptic Starscourge outbreak covering cities and countries in unique combatants that tests the devotion of friends and strength of love. The final stands (plural!) and boss fights are epic.
It isn’t necessary to have played the game, but it would probably help a little for context. Alternatively, there is a great YouTube synopsis video you can watch. Not necessary, but it adds to the experience. An instant favorite. 6 stars counting the Star.
It isn’t necessary to have played the game, but it would probably help a little for context. Alternatively, there is a great YouTube synopsis video you can watch. Not necessary, but it adds to the experience. An instant favorite. 6 stars counting the Star.
October 12, 2020
Must read for fan. Cuốn này phải đọc ngay sau khi hoàn thành game, để biết được mọi thứ lẽ ra đã kết thúc như thế nào. Đây có thể coi là kịch bản hay nhất trong toàn bộ series FF. Thật đáng tiếc khi Square Enix không thể hiện thực hóa nó thành game 😕. 5⭐
June 25, 2022
It would have been 5/5 but not even this book could convince me that Noctis and Lunafreya’s relationship had actual chemistry. So I rate it 4.5/5 because it gave me everything I wanted for an alternate ending to the game. I would definitely recommend reading this book if you are a fan of FFXV.
January 2, 2024
This book has been released to combine the stories that were written for the Final Fantasy XV DLC's that did not happen. The four chapters focus on the characters Ardyn, Aranea, Lunafreya, and Noctis, whom you've already met during your Final Fantasy XV playthrough. The nostalgia for the game hit me, and I loved it, although it isn't the best writing out there. There were moments when I wished for more vivid descriptions. If it has been a while since you've roamed the landscapes of FF XV, it can be a bit tricky to follow this book. But if you're a fan of the game, it's still a worthwhile dive into the universe.
December 14, 2022
May write a review later, but until then: Ardyn Izunia Supremacy!
June 1, 2021
Mi baja calificación no se debe entender como un síntoma de poco disfrute, la disfruté bastante, sino de la tristeza que implica que una novela así sea la conclusión de lo que pudo haber sido una historia increíble.
No entraré en los pormenores que sufrió el juego en lo que algunos llaman sus "10 años de desarrollo", pero la historia repartida en múltiples medios audiovisuales termina encontrando aquí la última expresión de su desastrosa forma de ser contada. Entre animes, películas, dlcs y múltiples videojuegos, el consumidor tiene que hacer un esfuerzo consciente muchas veces en querer disfrutar la historia para no terminar con una ceja levantada. Y gracias a que han pasado cinco años desde su publicación es que ahora tenemos una historia más o menos íntegra, no quiero pensar el horrible hueco que los primeros jugadores sintieron al no saber qué diablos le había pasado a Ignis tras lo de Altissia.
Tan desastroso fue el desarrollo del juego, que esta novela representa los 4 argumentos de la segunda tanda de DLCs que tendría el juego, del cual sólo pudimos disfrutar uno tras su abrupta cancelación. Es en este contexto que debe entender la novela y por lo tanto, es una novela dirigida exclusivamente para los fans del juego, sin dirigirse a una audiencia más amplia. Lo cual es una pena, pues las 4 historias suceden inmediatamente después de que Noctis alcanzara la capital del Imperio: momento que en el videojuego marca el final de la parte más compleja argumentalmente del juego y empieza el final de la historia. Aunque existe un resumen, es más bien escuálido y no transmite absolutamente nada respecto a los otros personajes que conocimos en el juego: Ignis, Prompto y Gladio harán su respectiva aparición en algún momento de la novela, pero a menos de que uno haya desarrollado aprecio por estos personajes en otros medios, acá será difícil hasta recordar los 3 nombres. Más aún, tres de sus protagonistas (Aranea, Noctis y Lunafreya) carecen de un desarrollo que nos explique por qué estamos en el punto donde comienza la novela (y pobre Aranea, la pobre tiene apenas caracterización en todos los medios de esta historia, pese a ser uno de los personajes que más atracción causó). De su cuarto protagonista, Ardyn, hablaré más adelante.
La estructura de 4 historias parece intentar marcarnos cuáles serían los supuestos DLCs y aunque en orden cronológico y con una pizca de entrelazamiento entre cada una de las historias que pueden dar una sensación de continuidad, uno hecha en falta una historia más fluida y menos enfocada en un sólo protagonista con la intención de por fin obtener toda la magnitud de ese mundo que nos imaginamos en el videojuego. Y es que la novela cuenta hechos importantes que en el videojuego se pasaron más bien por encima: la descripción de la caída de una ciudad, de algunos personajes de a pie y en general, una mayor atención a los detalles habrían corregido parcialmente uno de los mayores pecados que el juego principal tiene y es darnos un mundo inmenso pero vacío, donde se siente que más bien uno está jugando en una maqueta más que en un mundo íntegro (salvo los npcs necesarios para la historia, el resto son maniquís con apenas caracterización).
Pero para ello se hubiera requerido una pluma más hábil. Con todo respeto para el escritor, que seguro no es quien inventó todos los detalles de esta historia sino quien sólo la escribió, pero en muchos lados se echa en falta una pluma más poderosa para transmitir. Es la misma historia la que transmite, más que la habilidad del escritor, pues por lo demás, se limita a enumerar una serie de hechos más que a involucrarnos con una historia: como tomar un periódico el día después de los dragones revivieron y leyeramos "el dragón de escamas rasposas se alzó sobre la ciudad y la destruyó" sin mayor dimensión. Y se echa en falta en dos momentos particulares: cuando hace descripciones de las batallas y los poderes (y es aquí cuando otra vez se hace patente que la novela es sólo para los jugadores, de lo contrario frases como "un destello azul con el que apareció su espada" se volverán totalmente irrelevantes cuando no confusas para quien no entienda las armas del juego). El otro momento en el que se hecha en falta es para ahondar en los personajes más complejos.
Y eso me lleva al 4to protagonista del que no hablé antes. Ardyn. Qué tristeza que uno de los mejores villanos de Final Fantasy se vea opacado por todas las deficiencias que aquí he enlistado. Y aun así, su historia es tan potente que sólo él, la dimensión que él le otorga a toda la historia, hacen tolerables todas esas deficiencias. Quien fuera apenas explicado en el juego (y aun así, ya transmitía suficiente fuerza), encontró en el DLC la complejidad que lo hace memorable. ¡Qué oportunidad más desaprovechada la del escritor aquí! Recontar los hechos del DLC, sólo cambiando el final y agregando apenas escenas parece un desperdicio para poder explotar lo mejor de la historia. Sobre todo porque en esta novela él sigue siendo el motor principal, siendo el único que aparece en las 4 historias. Ardyn es la chispa inicial de toda la acción del juego y la historia final, que también tuvo que ser su final, apenas y le dedica tiempo. Obtuve más final de él en las imágenes al final del libro que de la historia misma. Y cuánto se hecha en falta una pluma que justifiqué mejor la transición de Ardyn y que nos haga entender más a un Bahamut que de pronto se convierte en villano con explicaciones más bien endebles: Ardyn siempre fue un personaje ambiguo, pero Bahamut es sencillamente caprichoso.
Pero no se me malentienda. Las 4 historias son entretenidas, siendo la más endeble quizás la de Aranea, pero sosteniéndose al ser la que nos introduce al único nuevo personaje. Están enmarcadas dentro de una misma línea que, como dije, le dan continuidad a la novela y nos conducen a una serie de hechos finales y distintos a los del juego. Dependerá de gustos qué final gusta más, pero al igual que el trailer Omen o el final alternativo del episodio Ignis, no hay mayor justificación de por qué estamos leyendo esa serie de eventos distintos o por qué los eventos del juego fueron posibles. Los fans han hecho más por encontrarle un sentido que Square Enix por intentar justificarse. El final alternativo es satisfactorio respecto a la mayoría de nuestros personajes (aunque como dije, se echa en falta un mejor desarrollo para el final de Ardyn), jugando el rol de "final feliz". El libro es de tapa dura con cubierta, buena calidad y el contenido extra es en interesante para terminar de entender las rutas que los desarrolladores barajeaban como finales para nuestros protagonistas: al menos una de las imágenes conmoverán a más de uno.
Éste es propiamente el final de Final Fantasy XV. Un juego desastroso con una historia llena de potencial y un villano que pese a todo, hará que el juego se destaque en la saga. Es un viaje accidentado que, pese a todo, es increíblemente satisfactorio. Por desgracia, llegar hasta acá sólo será para los más devotos y eso significa que, en general, los méritos de la historia hallan su fuente fuera de este libro, aunque aquí sea donde, por fin, encontramos su desembocadura.
No entraré en los pormenores que sufrió el juego en lo que algunos llaman sus "10 años de desarrollo", pero la historia repartida en múltiples medios audiovisuales termina encontrando aquí la última expresión de su desastrosa forma de ser contada. Entre animes, películas, dlcs y múltiples videojuegos, el consumidor tiene que hacer un esfuerzo consciente muchas veces en querer disfrutar la historia para no terminar con una ceja levantada. Y gracias a que han pasado cinco años desde su publicación es que ahora tenemos una historia más o menos íntegra, no quiero pensar el horrible hueco que los primeros jugadores sintieron al no saber qué diablos le había pasado a Ignis tras lo de Altissia.
Tan desastroso fue el desarrollo del juego, que esta novela representa los 4 argumentos de la segunda tanda de DLCs que tendría el juego, del cual sólo pudimos disfrutar uno tras su abrupta cancelación. Es en este contexto que debe entender la novela y por lo tanto, es una novela dirigida exclusivamente para los fans del juego, sin dirigirse a una audiencia más amplia. Lo cual es una pena, pues las 4 historias suceden inmediatamente después de que Noctis alcanzara la capital del Imperio: momento que en el videojuego marca el final de la parte más compleja argumentalmente del juego y empieza el final de la historia. Aunque existe un resumen, es más bien escuálido y no transmite absolutamente nada respecto a los otros personajes que conocimos en el juego: Ignis, Prompto y Gladio harán su respectiva aparición en algún momento de la novela, pero a menos de que uno haya desarrollado aprecio por estos personajes en otros medios, acá será difícil hasta recordar los 3 nombres. Más aún, tres de sus protagonistas (Aranea, Noctis y Lunafreya) carecen de un desarrollo que nos explique por qué estamos en el punto donde comienza la novela (y pobre Aranea, la pobre tiene apenas caracterización en todos los medios de esta historia, pese a ser uno de los personajes que más atracción causó). De su cuarto protagonista, Ardyn, hablaré más adelante.
La estructura de 4 historias parece intentar marcarnos cuáles serían los supuestos DLCs y aunque en orden cronológico y con una pizca de entrelazamiento entre cada una de las historias que pueden dar una sensación de continuidad, uno hecha en falta una historia más fluida y menos enfocada en un sólo protagonista con la intención de por fin obtener toda la magnitud de ese mundo que nos imaginamos en el videojuego. Y es que la novela cuenta hechos importantes que en el videojuego se pasaron más bien por encima: la descripción de la caída de una ciudad, de algunos personajes de a pie y en general, una mayor atención a los detalles habrían corregido parcialmente uno de los mayores pecados que el juego principal tiene y es darnos un mundo inmenso pero vacío, donde se siente que más bien uno está jugando en una maqueta más que en un mundo íntegro (salvo los npcs necesarios para la historia, el resto son maniquís con apenas caracterización).
Pero para ello se hubiera requerido una pluma más hábil. Con todo respeto para el escritor, que seguro no es quien inventó todos los detalles de esta historia sino quien sólo la escribió, pero en muchos lados se echa en falta una pluma más poderosa para transmitir. Es la misma historia la que transmite, más que la habilidad del escritor, pues por lo demás, se limita a enumerar una serie de hechos más que a involucrarnos con una historia: como tomar un periódico el día después de los dragones revivieron y leyeramos "el dragón de escamas rasposas se alzó sobre la ciudad y la destruyó" sin mayor dimensión. Y se echa en falta en dos momentos particulares: cuando hace descripciones de las batallas y los poderes (y es aquí cuando otra vez se hace patente que la novela es sólo para los jugadores, de lo contrario frases como "un destello azul con el que apareció su espada" se volverán totalmente irrelevantes cuando no confusas para quien no entienda las armas del juego). El otro momento en el que se hecha en falta es para ahondar en los personajes más complejos.
Y eso me lleva al 4to protagonista del que no hablé antes. Ardyn. Qué tristeza que uno de los mejores villanos de Final Fantasy se vea opacado por todas las deficiencias que aquí he enlistado. Y aun así, su historia es tan potente que sólo él, la dimensión que él le otorga a toda la historia, hacen tolerables todas esas deficiencias. Quien fuera apenas explicado en el juego (y aun así, ya transmitía suficiente fuerza), encontró en el DLC la complejidad que lo hace memorable. ¡Qué oportunidad más desaprovechada la del escritor aquí! Recontar los hechos del DLC, sólo cambiando el final y agregando apenas escenas parece un desperdicio para poder explotar lo mejor de la historia. Sobre todo porque en esta novela él sigue siendo el motor principal, siendo el único que aparece en las 4 historias. Ardyn es la chispa inicial de toda la acción del juego y la historia final, que también tuvo que ser su final, apenas y le dedica tiempo. Obtuve más final de él en las imágenes al final del libro que de la historia misma. Y cuánto se hecha en falta una pluma que justifiqué mejor la transición de Ardyn y que nos haga entender más a un Bahamut que de pronto se convierte en villano con explicaciones más bien endebles: Ardyn siempre fue un personaje ambiguo, pero Bahamut es sencillamente caprichoso.
Pero no se me malentienda. Las 4 historias son entretenidas, siendo la más endeble quizás la de Aranea, pero sosteniéndose al ser la que nos introduce al único nuevo personaje. Están enmarcadas dentro de una misma línea que, como dije, le dan continuidad a la novela y nos conducen a una serie de hechos finales y distintos a los del juego. Dependerá de gustos qué final gusta más, pero al igual que el trailer Omen o el final alternativo del episodio Ignis, no hay mayor justificación de por qué estamos leyendo esa serie de eventos distintos o por qué los eventos del juego fueron posibles. Los fans han hecho más por encontrarle un sentido que Square Enix por intentar justificarse. El final alternativo es satisfactorio respecto a la mayoría de nuestros personajes (aunque como dije, se echa en falta un mejor desarrollo para el final de Ardyn), jugando el rol de "final feliz". El libro es de tapa dura con cubierta, buena calidad y el contenido extra es en interesante para terminar de entender las rutas que los desarrolladores barajeaban como finales para nuestros protagonistas: al menos una de las imágenes conmoverán a más de uno.
Éste es propiamente el final de Final Fantasy XV. Un juego desastroso con una historia llena de potencial y un villano que pese a todo, hará que el juego se destaque en la saga. Es un viaje accidentado que, pese a todo, es increíblemente satisfactorio. Por desgracia, llegar hasta acá sólo será para los más devotos y eso significa que, en general, los méritos de la historia hallan su fuente fuera de este libro, aunque aquí sea donde, por fin, encontramos su desembocadura.
November 24, 2022
Okay, so I don't like HEA endings. I'm a sucker for bittersweet endings. For this reason, I have to sadly admit that this conclusion is not for me. However, that doesn't mean that this version wasn't a great (happy) ending. The writing was done well and it 'felt like FFXV, thus I really don't want to complain too much.
Still though, I could have done without Sol and Luna ( to be fair, Luna was more background noise than a character in the game, but I felt that her reappearance in this arc was kinda forced. A lot of fans wanted more of her and I am not sure if that's a good idea. And Sol? Meh...nope.)
I am in love with all the Ardyn revelations and I couldn't put the book down during his chapters. But the ending is still a nope for me.
I would give this book a 3,5...even a 3,75 for the amazing artwork, but that would push the rating to high for me. It's a great addition and I can see fans loving it, but the original canon of the main game will remain a 5* for me (and yes, with all its flaws).
Still though, I could have done without Sol and Luna ( to be fair, Luna was more background noise than a character in the game, but I felt that her reappearance in this arc was kinda forced. A lot of fans wanted more of her and I am not sure if that's a good idea. And Sol? Meh...nope.)
I am in love with all the Ardyn revelations and I couldn't put the book down during his chapters. But the ending is still a nope for me.
I would give this book a 3,5...even a 3,75 for the amazing artwork, but that would push the rating to high for me. It's a great addition and I can see fans loving it, but the original canon of the main game will remain a 5* for me (and yes, with all its flaws).
December 7, 2020
I really was a huge Fan of the Final Fantasy XV universe.
First I would not recommend reading this book if you have not played the Game Final Fantasy XV and its four DLC Episodes.
The book is written really well, the Author captured the characters personalities on point.
I have got nothing bad to say about the Authors writing style.
But - like 80% of the time reading this book it felt like I was reading fanfiction.
I must admit, that I feel kind of betrayed by Square Enix. The first part of the book (which kinda tells what happened in the Ardyn DLC) is a necessity to fully understand FFXVs Story, so in my opinion it is an insolence to bring this part of the story as DLC/Book.
But I can recommend this book to any fan, who also maybe wants some closure to FFXV - to me it was kinda helpful finally letting the game go.
(Sorry if my english lacks at some points, it is not my first language)
First I would not recommend reading this book if you have not played the Game Final Fantasy XV and its four DLC Episodes.
The book is written really well, the Author captured the characters personalities on point.
I have got nothing bad to say about the Authors writing style.
But - like 80% of the time reading this book it felt like I was reading fanfiction.
I must admit, that I feel kind of betrayed by Square Enix. The first part of the book (which kinda tells what happened in the Ardyn DLC) is a necessity to fully understand FFXVs Story, so in my opinion it is an insolence to bring this part of the story as DLC/Book.
But I can recommend this book to any fan, who also maybe wants some closure to FFXV - to me it was kinda helpful finally letting the game go.
(Sorry if my english lacks at some points, it is not my first language)
October 9, 2020
True King’s Legacy
After trial and error, Square Enix (S-E) has provided a satisfying ending to FF XV story, not without of some controversies and game planning decisions that were cut from main game and forthcoming DLC’s.
----- COMMENTARY MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS-----
Well, some people say that DLC are exactly what we don’t need in games, as much of a game content is now expanded by this way of working. Some companies (Ubisoft, EA, among others, mainly) use this method to also increase their revenues by cutting some of the ideas originally planned by game developers and dump them in a following downloable content for the sake of fans and mostly, money.
So, why am I speaking about DLC on this review? Because, if you don’t know it (or want to be reminded), this book contains ideas that were supposed to be added content for Final Fantasy XV, a tale of a Prince travelling the world of Eos in order to fulfill his destiny and free mankind of an ancient scourge that is plaguing the planet ifself. The chapters here match the same episodes that were intended for the Dawn of the Future DLC’s. As S-E sales’ plans did not perform as expected on the first row of content, (episodes Gladious, Ignis and Prompto) development was stopped at Episode Ardyn and the other 3 episodes were re-estructured as the present book (adding to this read Episode Ardyn with a plot twist at its end).
In First Chapter, we are witnesses of the Episode Ardyn account made into novella. This is the story a kind man that sacrifices himself in order to heal people. A young Ardyn intended to be King that is deceived and ultimately betrayed by his brother Somnus, who wants to be seated as the ruler of growing kingdom of Lucis. Then we see as the Accursed is imprisoned for 2,000 years and being rescued by Niflheim empire, reaching to the year that he met Noctis. So this part of the book is basically the same as Episode Ardyn, with some expansions and a subtle change in the end to be closer to next Chapters. All Ardyn account is easily a quick read, without putting many efforts is a fun and delivers a great story.
Second, we have Aranea’s Highwind account that starts in a daemon attack inside the Imperial city of Gralea and most importantly the link between her and an important character for the story: Solara Aldercapt Antiquum (late’s emperor granddaughter). Aranea later adopts the child as his own daughter. Rash and Impulsive, Sol proves to be an interesting character and major game's loss for the sake of the plot. I had a hard time reading Aranea’s story, as I did not feel that her participation (aside of meeting Sol) was of big importance.
Third, we have a roller coaster account of Lunafreya, joined by an older Sol that starts very slow and with the running of pages starts to get interesting. Luna awakes 10 years after her death in Altissia, just to run into Sol and find a new calling by the God of War, Bahamut. Later she finds that the Bladekeeper’s plan is catastrophic and outsmart herself to do something to prevent it. This chapter features a forging friendship between Sol and Luna (interesting, in Spanish those words are Sun and Moon respectively) meanwhile they explore a world in a permanent night. Interestingly enough, this chapter leads the story further and proves to be fun after the initial confusion.
Lastly, there was planned another view of Noctis’ story in which he will change his mind after learning that Luna is alive and Bahamut’s plan. As thing are getting worse, Noctis’ is able to deliver another solution for freeing Eos of a never-ending night and severing the fetters of Mankind. This might be the greatest loss for all FFXV’s fans on the book, as this chapter features another set of events that are far more rewarding that current ones that are in the game.
Bottom line, this read is good enough to be approach by players of the original game, most of it should be read by the ones that were engaged and captivated by FFXV world. As a result of cut DLC’s still has a lot of dependency of main game, so reading it without ending FFXV is not endorsed as a lot of places, names and events are referenced in the process of reading this book.
In my opinion, this work has way too great ideas for FFXV but due to some decisions were cut, I felt frustrated that some of them never saw the light. This is something to ponder, as there was a lot of pressure that this game would meet all the expectations that were generated back at 2006. Furthermore, all changes on plans and re-structures threathened this project to go into a "development limbo". It is a remainder for doing a better planning and development of games and never overpromising the features of a work-in-progress software. Hope S-E gets a better understanding of it on their next work.
After trial and error, Square Enix (S-E) has provided a satisfying ending to FF XV story, not without of some controversies and game planning decisions that were cut from main game and forthcoming DLC’s.
----- COMMENTARY MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS-----
Well, some people say that DLC are exactly what we don’t need in games, as much of a game content is now expanded by this way of working. Some companies (Ubisoft, EA, among others, mainly) use this method to also increase their revenues by cutting some of the ideas originally planned by game developers and dump them in a following downloable content for the sake of fans and mostly, money.
So, why am I speaking about DLC on this review? Because, if you don’t know it (or want to be reminded), this book contains ideas that were supposed to be added content for Final Fantasy XV, a tale of a Prince travelling the world of Eos in order to fulfill his destiny and free mankind of an ancient scourge that is plaguing the planet ifself. The chapters here match the same episodes that were intended for the Dawn of the Future DLC’s. As S-E sales’ plans did not perform as expected on the first row of content, (episodes Gladious, Ignis and Prompto) development was stopped at Episode Ardyn and the other 3 episodes were re-estructured as the present book (adding to this read Episode Ardyn with a plot twist at its end).
In First Chapter, we are witnesses of the Episode Ardyn account made into novella. This is the story a kind man that sacrifices himself in order to heal people. A young Ardyn intended to be King that is deceived and ultimately betrayed by his brother Somnus, who wants to be seated as the ruler of growing kingdom of Lucis. Then we see as the Accursed is imprisoned for 2,000 years and being rescued by Niflheim empire, reaching to the year that he met Noctis. So this part of the book is basically the same as Episode Ardyn, with some expansions and a subtle change in the end to be closer to next Chapters. All Ardyn account is easily a quick read, without putting many efforts is a fun and delivers a great story.
Second, we have Aranea’s Highwind account that starts in a daemon attack inside the Imperial city of Gralea and most importantly the link between her and an important character for the story: Solara Aldercapt Antiquum (late’s emperor granddaughter). Aranea later adopts the child as his own daughter. Rash and Impulsive, Sol proves to be an interesting character and major game's loss for the sake of the plot. I had a hard time reading Aranea’s story, as I did not feel that her participation (aside of meeting Sol) was of big importance.
Third, we have a roller coaster account of Lunafreya, joined by an older Sol that starts very slow and with the running of pages starts to get interesting. Luna awakes 10 years after her death in Altissia, just to run into Sol and find a new calling by the God of War, Bahamut. Later she finds that the Bladekeeper’s plan is catastrophic and outsmart herself to do something to prevent it. This chapter features a forging friendship between Sol and Luna (interesting, in Spanish those words are Sun and Moon respectively) meanwhile they explore a world in a permanent night. Interestingly enough, this chapter leads the story further and proves to be fun after the initial confusion.
Lastly, there was planned another view of Noctis’ story in which he will change his mind after learning that Luna is alive and Bahamut’s plan. As thing are getting worse, Noctis’ is able to deliver another solution for freeing Eos of a never-ending night and severing the fetters of Mankind. This might be the greatest loss for all FFXV’s fans on the book, as this chapter features another set of events that are far more rewarding that current ones that are in the game.
Bottom line, this read is good enough to be approach by players of the original game, most of it should be read by the ones that were engaged and captivated by FFXV world. As a result of cut DLC’s still has a lot of dependency of main game, so reading it without ending FFXV is not endorsed as a lot of places, names and events are referenced in the process of reading this book.
In my opinion, this work has way too great ideas for FFXV but due to some decisions were cut, I felt frustrated that some of them never saw the light. This is something to ponder, as there was a lot of pressure that this game would meet all the expectations that were generated back at 2006. Furthermore, all changes on plans and re-structures threathened this project to go into a "development limbo". It is a remainder for doing a better planning and development of games and never overpromising the features of a work-in-progress software. Hope S-E gets a better understanding of it on their next work.
Read
May 1, 2022Una de las citas más importantes de los videojuegos es el Electronic Entertainment Expo, el E3, una feria anual que se celebra en Los Ángeles en junio desde 1995. Cada año, las compañías de juegos de todo el mundo presentan sus próximos lanzamientos y novedades. A veces es un simple logo y un «Próximamente». Otras hay más suerte y se ve un teaser, un tráiler que deja con expectación y ganas de más. Y en etapas más avanzadas, hay demos para que la gente pruebe lo que se viene. Con esta información, el E3 de 2006 no fue poco para la compañía japonesa Square-Enix. Allí presentó el ambicioso proyecto Fabula Nova Crystallis: Final Fantasy, relacionado con la saga Final Fantasy. Se mostró el tráiler de la siguiente entrega de la saga, Final Fantasy XIII, la siguiente entrega para la nueva generación de consolas, y una novedad, el teaser de
Final Fantasy Versus XIII
. Esta y las siguientes entregas del proyecto no iban a ser independientes, como era lo habitual, sino que girarían en torno a los conceptos de l’cie, fal’Cie y los cristales. Era un proyecto muy ambicioso, con tres entregas previstas: las ya mencionadas y una tercera, nacida como Final Fantasy Agito XIII, pensada para móviles y que acabó saliendo para PSP como Final Fantasy Type-0.
Este proyecto se encontró con un problema, ya que el lanzamiento de FFXIII no fue como se esperaba, lo que haría que en la compañía se repensaran su estrategia, siempre jurando que Versus XIII seguía adelante. Durante varios años se sacó algún tráiler esporádico, con contínuas promesas de que se seguía trabajando en ello, pero sin noticias reales. En 2013 acabó saltando la noticia: el juego iba a renombrarse a Final Fantasy XV, dejando de lado el cosmos de Fabula Nova Crystallis, Hajime Tabata pasaba a ser el nuevo director y Testsuya Nomura, dejaba de estar al cargo del proyecto para centrarse en el desarrollo de Kingdom Hearts 3. También se dijo que se iba a reformular por completo la idea del juego. Y para cerrar, se ponía fecha de lanzamiento tras siete años sin saber nada: 2016.
Para un proyecto de esas características, con un desarrollo previo de siete años, estos cambios tan importantes suenan tan mal como parece. Además de ser un título independiente, se eliminaron personajes, se cambió la historia, se planteó un equipo sólo masculino… Había, en general, mucha desconfianza al juego. Que se planteara una película en CGI, Final Fantasy XV Kingslaive que actuaría de precuela a los hechos del juego no ayudó. Saori Itamuro, la guionista principal, justificó esta decisión en una entrevista a IGN que se habían dado cuenta que no podían contar toda la historia en el juego y por eso lanzarían tanto la película, como una serie de OVAs gratuitas de los protagonistas, donde mostrarían su infancia, Final Fantasy XV Brotherhood .
Continúa en... https://lanaveinvisible.com/2022/04/0...
Este proyecto se encontró con un problema, ya que el lanzamiento de FFXIII no fue como se esperaba, lo que haría que en la compañía se repensaran su estrategia, siempre jurando que Versus XIII seguía adelante. Durante varios años se sacó algún tráiler esporádico, con contínuas promesas de que se seguía trabajando en ello, pero sin noticias reales. En 2013 acabó saltando la noticia: el juego iba a renombrarse a Final Fantasy XV, dejando de lado el cosmos de Fabula Nova Crystallis, Hajime Tabata pasaba a ser el nuevo director y Testsuya Nomura, dejaba de estar al cargo del proyecto para centrarse en el desarrollo de Kingdom Hearts 3. También se dijo que se iba a reformular por completo la idea del juego. Y para cerrar, se ponía fecha de lanzamiento tras siete años sin saber nada: 2016.
Para un proyecto de esas características, con un desarrollo previo de siete años, estos cambios tan importantes suenan tan mal como parece. Además de ser un título independiente, se eliminaron personajes, se cambió la historia, se planteó un equipo sólo masculino… Había, en general, mucha desconfianza al juego. Que se planteara una película en CGI, Final Fantasy XV Kingslaive que actuaría de precuela a los hechos del juego no ayudó. Saori Itamuro, la guionista principal, justificó esta decisión en una entrevista a IGN que se habían dado cuenta que no podían contar toda la historia en el juego y por eso lanzarían tanto la película, como una serie de OVAs gratuitas de los protagonistas, donde mostrarían su infancia, Final Fantasy XV Brotherhood .
Continúa en... https://lanaveinvisible.com/2022/04/0...
April 8, 2025
3.8 ⭐
where to begin....i did things a little backwards reading this book about halfway through first, then going back to watch the entire gameplay start to finish, and then coming back to read the rest of the book; i would say doing everything in this order might've actually been why i felt so attached when i finished the series as a whole. one teeny thing about this novel was the writing being somewhat eh. sometimes i was confused when the environment was described and even the dialogue, like i legit didn't know who said what at times. it felt a little corny at some parts but u know i saw it through. i thought, if it was just a bit more well-crafted technically speaking, this would've been a higher rating! nonetheless i did clearly enjoy the book.
the lore and storyline itself: Amazing. Love her. the prequel of Ardyn's story is heartbreaking and actually genius when the villain never MEANT to be the villain u just had to understand his upbringing...you can't really hate the guy for his mindset and ideologies. tho Ardyn was a LITTLE od. like waiting two thousand years to plot your revenge is real haterism he winning the gaf war. and having Noctis and Somnus share the same face OOOOOOO IK HE WAS MADDDDD HIS BROTHER GOT THE FINE GENES CUZZZZ 🤣🤣🤣
now my love, Lunafreya ❤️ i think getting to know her from the book first rather than the game essentially heightened my adoration for her. her role as the oracle really intrigued me and made me feel almost sad and...just wondered how different her character might be if she wasn't bestowed the role? we don't know much about her besides being a messenger, and aiding Noctis. her values, hobbies, favorite color, most fond childhood memories....WHERE!!!! and that's not a bash on her character, but rather disappointment to what could've been. it made think about how her own "prophecy" dictates her life and i felt sympathy for her. my lady you are too selfless and kind-hearted.
"And to Noctis, my son," oh i fawkin cried like the day i came out the womb the ending being in Regis' perspective hit me too hard. oh the father-son relationship that could've happened if it wasn't for this damn calling (though the relationship this universe has with Gods and destinies is a whole other can of worms for later). i'm really glad Noctis' arc in this book had him admitting to his faults and reflecting on himself. He had not been entirely fair to Gladio, Prompto, and Ignis. Won't even bring up Lunafreya here cuz i mourned enough for the both of us. as lovely and sexy as Noctis is, he is so terribly flawed but i also cannot blame him cuz FUCKKK THESE PROPHECIES AND THE STUPID DEITIES LIKEEEEEE HE WAS JUST A FUCKIN KIDDDDD NOCT U WERE SUPPOSED TO BE AT THE LOOOOPPPPP!! it goes to show that even though Noctis literally had the weight of the world on his shoulders, as King of Kings, he would not have been able to do it all without the people who loved and cherished him more than anything. Noctis Lucis Caelum u were born the luckiest unlucky bastard in Eos.
and to ao3 i go. thanks lunoct for giving me another reason to yearn
where to begin....i did things a little backwards reading this book about halfway through first, then going back to watch the entire gameplay start to finish, and then coming back to read the rest of the book; i would say doing everything in this order might've actually been why i felt so attached when i finished the series as a whole. one teeny thing about this novel was the writing being somewhat eh. sometimes i was confused when the environment was described and even the dialogue, like i legit didn't know who said what at times. it felt a little corny at some parts but u know i saw it through. i thought, if it was just a bit more well-crafted technically speaking, this would've been a higher rating! nonetheless i did clearly enjoy the book.
the lore and storyline itself: Amazing. Love her. the prequel of Ardyn's story is heartbreaking and actually genius when the villain never MEANT to be the villain u just had to understand his upbringing...you can't really hate the guy for his mindset and ideologies. tho Ardyn was a LITTLE od. like waiting two thousand years to plot your revenge is real haterism he winning the gaf war. and having Noctis and Somnus share the same face OOOOOOO IK HE WAS MADDDDD HIS BROTHER GOT THE FINE GENES CUZZZZ 🤣🤣🤣
now my love, Lunafreya ❤️ i think getting to know her from the book first rather than the game essentially heightened my adoration for her. her role as the oracle really intrigued me and made me feel almost sad and...just wondered how different her character might be if she wasn't bestowed the role? we don't know much about her besides being a messenger, and aiding Noctis. her values, hobbies, favorite color, most fond childhood memories....WHERE!!!! and that's not a bash on her character, but rather disappointment to what could've been. it made think about how her own "prophecy" dictates her life and i felt sympathy for her. my lady you are too selfless and kind-hearted.
"And to Noctis, my son," oh i fawkin cried like the day i came out the womb the ending being in Regis' perspective hit me too hard. oh the father-son relationship that could've happened if it wasn't for this damn calling (though the relationship this universe has with Gods and destinies is a whole other can of worms for later). i'm really glad Noctis' arc in this book had him admitting to his faults and reflecting on himself. He had not been entirely fair to Gladio, Prompto, and Ignis. Won't even bring up Lunafreya here cuz i mourned enough for the both of us. as lovely and sexy as Noctis is, he is so terribly flawed but i also cannot blame him cuz FUCKKK THESE PROPHECIES AND THE STUPID DEITIES LIKEEEEEE HE WAS JUST A FUCKIN KIDDDDD NOCT U WERE SUPPOSED TO BE AT THE LOOOOPPPPP!! it goes to show that even though Noctis literally had the weight of the world on his shoulders, as King of Kings, he would not have been able to do it all without the people who loved and cherished him more than anything. Noctis Lucis Caelum u were born the luckiest unlucky bastard in Eos.
and to ao3 i go. thanks lunoct for giving me another reason to yearn
July 18, 2021
I... surprisingly enjoyed this book! When I started reading Final Fantasy XV: The Dawn of the Future, I went in feeling skeptical. My relationship with novels based from video game series' has been rough and bumpy over the years, so I had mild expectations. I am so glad I was wrong!
Final Fantasy XV: The Dawn of the Future, features four stories that were supposed to be included as additional playable DLC in Final Fantasy XV: Episode Ardyn, Episode Arenea, Episode Luna, and Episode Noctis.
Unfortunately, further development in Final Fantasy XV halted early, and fans (including myself), never got to experience these DLC's in game form.
As much as it is shame that the development team were unable to complete and release these stories into the game, I am still grateful to have been able to read them.
Each story explored a few of the characters' in Final Fantasy XV's POVs. These stories answered a lot of questions I raised about the game's main storyline, as well as introducing some neat new concepts about the lore in the world of Final Fantasy XV.
While I did enjoy all four stories, the Episode Luna and Episode Noctis stories are absolute standouts. I am especially grateful that Luna got more showtime in both of these stories. She really shone through, and after what happened to her in the game's base story, she deserves everything!
Arenea is also a standout character in both the Episode Arenea and Episode Luna stories. I absolutely love how she develops as a character: Arenea's intelligent and caring sides of her personality are shown, revealing a more multilayered character than expected.
I was also impressed by how well these stories were translated from Japanese to English. Kudos, to Stephen Kohler for the smooth translation!
As much as I was impressed with how well this book was translated, a lot of the prose in the book used rather complex adjectives and adverbs. A lot of these words I had to search up on Google, as I had rarely or never read these words. It occasionally made for a slightly clunky reading experience. Not only did Final Fantasy XV: The Dawn of the Future make me learn new words (yay!), it also made me feel a little inarticulate at times. Honestly, the amount of times I had to whip up my phone and look a lot of these descriptive words up, had me feeling like a bit of a dumbass.
As much as I dealt with a lot of words making me scratch my head (A LOT), I still enjoyed, and am thankful, to the team at Square Enix for releasing this book. Final Fantasy XV: The Dawn of the Future gave me great closure to a game that I adored, but unfortunately stayed unfinished.
Final Fantasy XV: The Dawn of the Future, features four stories that were supposed to be included as additional playable DLC in Final Fantasy XV: Episode Ardyn, Episode Arenea, Episode Luna, and Episode Noctis.
Unfortunately, further development in Final Fantasy XV halted early, and fans (including myself), never got to experience these DLC's in game form.
As much as it is shame that the development team were unable to complete and release these stories into the game, I am still grateful to have been able to read them.
Each story explored a few of the characters' in Final Fantasy XV's POVs. These stories answered a lot of questions I raised about the game's main storyline, as well as introducing some neat new concepts about the lore in the world of Final Fantasy XV.
While I did enjoy all four stories, the Episode Luna and Episode Noctis stories are absolute standouts. I am especially grateful that Luna got more showtime in both of these stories. She really shone through, and after what happened to her in the game's base story, she deserves everything!
Arenea is also a standout character in both the Episode Arenea and Episode Luna stories. I absolutely love how she develops as a character: Arenea's intelligent and caring sides of her personality are shown, revealing a more multilayered character than expected.
I was also impressed by how well these stories were translated from Japanese to English. Kudos, to Stephen Kohler for the smooth translation!
As much as I was impressed with how well this book was translated, a lot of the prose in the book used rather complex adjectives and adverbs. A lot of these words I had to search up on Google, as I had rarely or never read these words. It occasionally made for a slightly clunky reading experience. Not only did Final Fantasy XV: The Dawn of the Future make me learn new words (yay!), it also made me feel a little inarticulate at times. Honestly, the amount of times I had to whip up my phone and look a lot of these descriptive words up, had me feeling like a bit of a dumbass.
As much as I dealt with a lot of words making me scratch my head (A LOT), I still enjoyed, and am thankful, to the team at Square Enix for releasing this book. Final Fantasy XV: The Dawn of the Future gave me great closure to a game that I adored, but unfortunately stayed unfinished.
November 7, 2024
Am I so problematic that this is going to be my first (and probably only) 5 star rating in the last few years? FFXV was (is!) a comfort game for me, especially in 2020-2021, and the gameplay, worldbuilding, and characters are very cozy to me. On the one hand, the major strengths of the game to me are the character relationships, the roadtrip + cooking + fishing aspects of gameplay and the beautiful soundtrack, however the overarching themes and visions of the fantasy overworld, while ambitious, were a bit lacking.
Still, I defend this game with my life and definitely argue against many Final Fantasy ranking lists for putting this in the bottom quartile (blasphemy!). The 4 DLCs that made it were full of new gameplay potential, environments (snow episode + bildungsroman, anyone?) and RAREPAIRS (Prompto/Aranea 'til I die, omg).
It's easy to see the vision of the scrapped DLCs from this book (Episode Ardyn was produced in the end and ended up being a blast, however his chapter elaborates more on the backstory). Episode Aranea, Luna, and Noctis are all ambitious, varied, and add to the Six/Crystal/History of the Star aspect of the story that is a bit missed in the mainline game (and Royal Edition).
I do understand the criticisms against this book for providing an alternate ending and abandoning some main themes and characterisations already set (especially that of Ardyn), but in honesty I can't be too mad about an alternate ending that is a happy ending! Even if a villain redemption arc is so overdone, you could at least see hints of it in the Ardyn/Somnus backstory portion of Episode Ardyn.
In total, I love the new characters, different tones of each chapter, the concept art pages provided, and the crazy (but scrapped) idea of having a Noctis/Luna/Aranea/Ardyn party for the final battle (I'd die to have playable Luna, actually). Aranea is my favourite character and I was looking forward to her chapter the most, but I think Episode Luna is my favourite. Sapphic road trip go brrrrrr.
Still, I defend this game with my life and definitely argue against many Final Fantasy ranking lists for putting this in the bottom quartile (blasphemy!). The 4 DLCs that made it were full of new gameplay potential, environments (snow episode + bildungsroman, anyone?) and RAREPAIRS (Prompto/Aranea 'til I die, omg).
It's easy to see the vision of the scrapped DLCs from this book (Episode Ardyn was produced in the end and ended up being a blast, however his chapter elaborates more on the backstory). Episode Aranea, Luna, and Noctis are all ambitious, varied, and add to the Six/Crystal/History of the Star aspect of the story that is a bit missed in the mainline game (and Royal Edition).
I do understand the criticisms against this book for providing an alternate ending and abandoning some main themes and characterisations already set (especially that of Ardyn), but in honesty I can't be too mad about an alternate ending that is a happy ending! Even if a villain redemption arc is so overdone, you could at least see hints of it in the Ardyn/Somnus backstory portion of Episode Ardyn.
In total, I love the new characters, different tones of each chapter, the concept art pages provided, and the crazy (but scrapped) idea of having a Noctis/Luna/Aranea/Ardyn party for the final battle (I'd die to have playable Luna, actually). Aranea is my favourite character and I was looking forward to her chapter the most, but I think Episode Luna is my favourite. Sapphic road trip go brrrrrr.
January 16, 2021
Final Fantasy XV was a game and franchise I was never really interested in, but I got the game gifted to me, after which I played it and fell in love with it anyway.
The game itself went through development hell, and changed stories and concepts multiple times so much that the initial trailers have nothing to do with how the actual game turned out. The story therefore, lacks a bit in some places. I do however really love the character work which makes me more easily forgive those.
The game had two rounds of DLC, each consisting of four episodes. Unfortunately, the second round was cut short, and only Episode Ardyn made it. This book contains what they had planned for what they never got to make. (Though it also includes the Ardyn Episode).
As a fan of the game, this was super interesting to read, and it was a joy to see that it really got the character's voices right. As this novel was originally Japanese, it could have been easy to just do a straight translation instead of making it fit the English version and characters of the game.
And I gotta say, getting to read Noctis' thoughts during the final battle is very much a punch in the gut.
As with Episode Ignis, the story here includes an alternative ending.
Another cool thing: concept art! I had to load up the file on a computer to get to really look at it all in color and to read the little notes that the development team wrote. At the end of the book, there's an entire chapter filled with cool art of things they had planned to do or were ideas that they might have done. And then for some reason there's a bunch of designs for placemats and coasters :D
Very recommended if you like the game!
The game itself went through development hell, and changed stories and concepts multiple times so much that the initial trailers have nothing to do with how the actual game turned out. The story therefore, lacks a bit in some places. I do however really love the character work which makes me more easily forgive those.
The game had two rounds of DLC, each consisting of four episodes. Unfortunately, the second round was cut short, and only Episode Ardyn made it. This book contains what they had planned for what they never got to make. (Though it also includes the Ardyn Episode).
As a fan of the game, this was super interesting to read, and it was a joy to see that it really got the character's voices right. As this novel was originally Japanese, it could have been easy to just do a straight translation instead of making it fit the English version and characters of the game.
And I gotta say, getting to read Noctis' thoughts during the final battle is very much a punch in the gut.
As with Episode Ignis, the story here includes an alternative ending.
Another cool thing: concept art! I had to load up the file on a computer to get to really look at it all in color and to read the little notes that the development team wrote. At the end of the book, there's an entire chapter filled with cool art of things they had planned to do or were ideas that they might have done. And then for some reason there's a bunch of designs for placemats and coasters :D
Very recommended if you like the game!
December 3, 2020
The good: Episode Ardyn was fantastic, and it was great to see Luna get some character development in her own episode. Sol was a decently interesting character.
The bad:
1) Luna doesn't know what a cell phone is? Really? Despite them being in regular use at the time of her death? Despite Noctis having one? Seriously?
2) Forget about loving reunions. This book doesn't have any. Any chance for the characters to step back for a second to breathe or say "hey I missed you" is gone. Ten years apart? Let's just brush right past that.
The Ugly:
1) So... what was Bahamut's motivation, exactly? We are led to believe he "planned everything". Okay. Why? What did he stand to gain? Why manipulate everyone into sacrificing themselves? And why decide to blow up the world if they don't? It's almost nonsensical when compared to FFXV's original ending. You sacrificed yourself? Cool. The world goes on. You didn't? Welp, guess it's time to press the reset button. Bahamut, as a character, makes zero sense.
2) What was with that "revelation" that Bahamut looks like Somnus? Was it just a twist for *gasp* shock factor? What was the point? What did it even mean?
3) All the gods died because Bahamut died. Which is just typical JRPG "we don't need gods" tripe.
In summary:
It was nice to hear Ardyn's backstory and get closure and answers to some untold story elements. But the ending was just awful. I didn't see the need to save everyone as an ending, because to me, the idea of "we won, but at what cost" is always more interesting than a simple "we won". FFXV's ending was good because it had an element of tragedy. This removed that, and as a result, was far less emotionally impactful.
Am I glad I read it? Yes. Would I read it again? No.
The bad:
1) Luna doesn't know what a cell phone is? Really? Despite them being in regular use at the time of her death? Despite Noctis having one? Seriously?
2) Forget about loving reunions. This book doesn't have any. Any chance for the characters to step back for a second to breathe or say "hey I missed you" is gone. Ten years apart? Let's just brush right past that.
The Ugly:
1) So... what was Bahamut's motivation, exactly? We are led to believe he "planned everything". Okay. Why? What did he stand to gain? Why manipulate everyone into sacrificing themselves? And why decide to blow up the world if they don't? It's almost nonsensical when compared to FFXV's original ending. You sacrificed yourself? Cool. The world goes on. You didn't? Welp, guess it's time to press the reset button. Bahamut, as a character, makes zero sense.
2) What was with that "revelation" that Bahamut looks like Somnus? Was it just a twist for *gasp* shock factor? What was the point? What did it even mean?
3) All the gods died because Bahamut died. Which is just typical JRPG "we don't need gods" tripe.
In summary:
It was nice to hear Ardyn's backstory and get closure and answers to some untold story elements. But the ending was just awful. I didn't see the need to save everyone as an ending, because to me, the idea of "we won, but at what cost" is always more interesting than a simple "we won". FFXV's ending was good because it had an element of tragedy. This removed that, and as a result, was far less emotionally impactful.
Am I glad I read it? Yes. Would I read it again? No.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 8, 2020
Probably is one of the best books about videogames that I have the pleasure to read. The Dawn of the Future deserved five stars, but I won't give it that rating. Why?
If the game would have this story, this pov (and everything from Dawn of the Future), Final Fantasy would have been a far better videogame. This is the way that it suppose to happen and end everything!
I'm not gonna make spoilers, but it is so well written that I enjoy everything, even when sometimes it feels too slow, the book knows how to give the exact information you need to understand this universe.
Who the hell is Ardyn and what are his reasons behind all of this?
Why Aranea didn't have more relevance when SHES IS FUCKING COOL?
What are exactly the roles of Lunafreya, the Oracle, the "summons", and Noctis? It answers all of that, something that the videogames fail somehow to do it.
It works as a wonderful fantasy novel, I learn a few things that I would implement to my work. But most importantly, it gives you and inside of the "chosen one quest" or how, even when you are not meant to be important, you can still save the world.
Final Fantasy XV has a special place in my heart and this book deserves all the love in the world <3
If the game would have this story, this pov (and everything from Dawn of the Future), Final Fantasy would have been a far better videogame. This is the way that it suppose to happen and end everything!
I'm not gonna make spoilers, but it is so well written that I enjoy everything, even when sometimes it feels too slow, the book knows how to give the exact information you need to understand this universe.
Who the hell is Ardyn and what are his reasons behind all of this?
Why Aranea didn't have more relevance when SHES IS FUCKING COOL?
What are exactly the roles of Lunafreya, the Oracle, the "summons", and Noctis? It answers all of that, something that the videogames fail somehow to do it.
It works as a wonderful fantasy novel, I learn a few things that I would implement to my work. But most importantly, it gives you and inside of the "chosen one quest" or how, even when you are not meant to be important, you can still save the world.
Final Fantasy XV has a special place in my heart and this book deserves all the love in the world <3
August 3, 2025
“You say that I live only to die by the hand of the heir to an ill-gotten throne. That is the fate the gods have chosen to bestow upon me?! Not once have I begged the gods for such a blessing. And I do not intend to kneel before you now! Nothing matters-none of it. Not the "blessed" gods above nor the accursed kings below. To hell with them all! All that matters is I have my revenge. I shall fell the gods.”
premetto che final fantasy xv rappresenta in assoluto il piece of media più importante della mia vita che mi ha segnato in maggior modo e mi ha portato ad essere la persona che sono tutt’ora, quindi il mio giudizio a riguardo è tutt’altro che oggettivo ed è anzi veicolato da un’affetto ed un legame emotivo rasentante la più completa devozione. questi quattro racconti, tolto il primo di Ardyn di cui avevo giocato il dlc, mi hanno aperto ancora di più gli occhi sul vasto universo di ffxv e ho asprezzato come, tramite gli intrecci tra le storie dei differenti personaggi si sia giunti ad un finale comune dove Noctis, con l’aiuto di Ardyn, di Lunafrey e dei Chokobrocs riescono finalmente a riposare la luce su Eos ✨
5⭐️stelline piene!! la Haru diciassette sarebbe fiera di me per aver ulteriormente approfondito l’universo di ffxv tramite questi racconti meravigliosi🩷
[Il capitolo finale letto dal punto di vista di Regis mi ha fatto prendere il muro a testa🩷]
premetto che final fantasy xv rappresenta in assoluto il piece of media più importante della mia vita che mi ha segnato in maggior modo e mi ha portato ad essere la persona che sono tutt’ora, quindi il mio giudizio a riguardo è tutt’altro che oggettivo ed è anzi veicolato da un’affetto ed un legame emotivo rasentante la più completa devozione. questi quattro racconti, tolto il primo di Ardyn di cui avevo giocato il dlc, mi hanno aperto ancora di più gli occhi sul vasto universo di ffxv e ho asprezzato come, tramite gli intrecci tra le storie dei differenti personaggi si sia giunti ad un finale comune dove Noctis, con l’aiuto di Ardyn, di Lunafrey e dei Chokobrocs riescono finalmente a riposare la luce su Eos ✨
5⭐️stelline piene!! la Haru diciassette sarebbe fiera di me per aver ulteriormente approfondito l’universo di ffxv tramite questi racconti meravigliosi🩷
[Il capitolo finale letto dal punto di vista di Regis mi ha fatto prendere il muro a testa🩷]
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