A midnight release at Game marked the launch of the 15th instalment of the Final Fantasy franchise this week.
The game introduces a new world filled with different landscapes that can be travelled either on foot or by car.
You are Noctis, a young royal who joins his three friends on a quest to retake his homeland of Lucis, which is conflicting with one of the game's countries, Niflheim. While accompanied by companions Gladiolus, Ignis and Prompto, Noctis is the only character you can directly control, although each party member has their own special abilities which can be brought into battle.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Latest Videos FromThe Week
With a raft of new features and game mechanics, Final Fantasy XV is looking like another strong entry into the franchise - but is it the game fans have been waiting for?
Here's what the critics think.
World
Final Fantasy XV is set in the fictional world of Eos, which The Verge calls both "huge" and "dense", although not to the extent of Grand Theft Auto V or Assassin's Creed. As the story progress, the world gradually becomes more linear in a bid to grab the player's attention, the website says.
Eos is linked by highway roads and small towns and you travel in "perhaps the most luxurious car ever" - walking can quickly become tedious, adds The Verge.
Polygon finds the world packed with detail that's "begging to be explored" and offering so many bonus activities that the main quest can be ignored "for tens of hours".
These missions include dungeons and dangerous places "full of unique enemies and giant set pieces," the site adds, which "alone are reason enough to stick with grinding through".
Combat
Trusted Reviews says Final Fantasy XV appears to have "abandoned its turn-based roots" in favour of mechanics you would "expect from a brawler". Abilities include a dodge-and-attack move, as well as "a nifty block-and-counter".
The combat systems are tailored towards new and casual players, helped by a "streamlined" crafting and inventory management, the site says.
GameSpot agrees, calling the combat a "non-stop, fluid process and very different" from previous entries in the series. There's also "a lot to manage" in combat scenarios, it adds.
Where to buy
Zavvi is the cheapest place, at £37.99 for Xbox One and £39.99 for the PlayStation 4. There's also a Deluxe Edition available for £69.99, including a steelbook case and CG motion picture film.
