2. An Engaging Storyline
This is somewhat hard to define, but I believe it is fair to say that both Final Fantasies XII and XIII have been somewhat underwhelming in terms of storyline when compared to their predecessors. This is particularly apparent in their villains, Vayne and Barthandelus, whose connections to the protaganists are negligible, and whose personalities and plots aren't remotely as memorable as those of Golbez, Sephiroth, Kuja, Kefka and co, most of whom have personal connections to the player characters, and who make frequent appearances in their respective games to remind players of their malevolence, leaving a lasting impression in the process - few can forget Sephiroth's murder of Aeris or Kefka's destruction of the world, but few can remember any similar moments in recent releases, where the villains have remained largely in the background, giving players little motivation to take interest in their schemes. An interesting and ever-present villain is therefore a must for Final Fantasy XV, with a scheme that incorporates the protagonists on a personal level, allowing players to share their rage as they pursue their adversary. In addition to this, and as cheesy as it sounds, a love story would certainly not go amiss in Final Fantasy XV. Cecil and Rosa, Locke and Celes, Squall and Rinoa, Cloud and Tifa/Aeris, Tidus and Yuna, Zidane and Garnet, every great Final Fantasy game has been underpinned by a romantic connection between characters, and it is a tradition that should be resurrected.