To say Final Fantasy XV has been a long time coming is an understatement. Originally announced as Versus XIII alongside Final Fantasy XIII, the project has gone through what may be one of the roughest development cycles ever. At least, the roughest cycle that didnt end in cancellation. But after years of bouncing between development teams struggling to juggle the ludicrous number of projects Square Enix has going at any given time, a change in director and even a totally different name, FFXV is finally on the horizon, with the release date set to be announced on March 30th. However, after such a long time fluxing in and out of limbo, theres a lot about the game's various elements that could go either way. The game has a lot going for it in terms of mechanics and sheer ambition, but every one of the game's potential highlights could just as easily end up being its undoing, such as...
10. Having An All-Male Party
Lets get this one out of the way first. For the first time in the franchise since the very first game, FFXV will feature an entirely male main cast. Theres nothing wrong with this on its own, if it serves the story and its themes of brotherhood and male friendship, then an all male party is the way to go. Games are art, and if the developers want the game as a boys club then thats their decision, and theres nothing wrong with that. The only problem is that this decision may end up alienating a big chunk of the fanbase. Part of Final Fantasys appeal has always been their large, diverse cast of characters; guys, girls, weird animal people, you know how it goes. All have been staples of the major Final Fantasy instalments so far, meaning the sudden exclusion of anyone without a Y chromosome from the core cast, could be really off-putting to a lot of fans. Art can never fill everyone's desires, after all. The artist has the right to choose what they want, the consumer has just as much right to be disappointed after the fact. If executed properly, this could mean a fantastic if not terribly original story about a band of close male friends battling monsters and bonding, Lord of the Rings-style. If done poorly, however, it would mean that women were excluded from the party for the sake of narrative elements that just didnt work.