Final Fantasy XV is available on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One since last November now, but is there really someone who has managed to explore the world of Eos in all its gorges? The vastness of the game regions, the number and type of enemies, the amount of what to do with the protagonists is such that the new Square Enix production is second, perhaps, to only The Witcher in terms of quantity.
With a combat system to master, environments to explore and protagonists to learn about, it's easy to miss something on the road. Even in the literal sense of the word, if you don't pay attention to Noctis' Regalia.
With this guide we will list some general tips and tricks that are worth knowing. They are not few and not all. We have collected those that seemed to us the most important to keep in mind, both for novices and experienced adventurers. Furthermore, given the calibre of the title, it is possible that many other interesting aspects will only come to light in the future. Let's see what we need to know before we travel to Eos.
General tips
Final Fantasy XV The days are marked by a cyclical rhythm of day and night. Two minutes of real life corresponds to an hour inside Eos. And at night, there are some nasty, nasty guys out there who are much more powerful than normal.
The experience gained within the adventure must be redeemed. It means that you will have to look for camps where you can rest or rent rooms in hotels. As you rest, the experience will be assigned to the characters.
Always in these restful places, you will be able to eat with interesting upgrades for the following day. These are buff that relate to the damage inflicted, the experience gained and much more.
The main menu gives valuable information about the Map, Missions, Equipment, Skill Tree, Objects and Photographs.
The map shows information about the various destinations. Active and uncompleted missions are also shown.
From the Tree of Skills you can hone the various skills of your protagonists. Each one of them has a unique skill. Noctis is focused on fishing, Gladiolus on survival (exploring new environments), Ignis is good at cooking on campfires, Prompto is the best in photography.
The main menu also shows the status of each playable character: their current level, the experience they have gained and the experience they need to reach the next level. In addition, of course, to the equipment.
The enemy interface will indicate the monster's name, level and life bar by default. You can, however, invest a few skill points on Ignis, which thanks to its analysis ability will be able to tell you before each battle the weaknesses of the creature you'll be up against.
If objects begin to shine as you approach, it means you can pick them up. In this way you will be in possession of all sorts of consumable items within the title, also useful to be sold in exchange for gil (the current currency). Gladiolus will automatically collect objects of interest during the fight, but look around for safety.
Everything you achieve by defeating monsters can be used for cooking or as raw material for spells.
Eliminating a group of common enemies in a given area will not prevent their return the next day. Useful for accumulating items released by that particular type of creature.
Game Map Tips
To view the map, start the menu and then press the touch pad/start button on your controller. From the main menu you can choose the secondary map.
To add points of interest on the map you can perform various procedures. For example, talk to the owner of the local bar and he will tell you all the interesting locations in that district. If you get very close to a point of interest, it will be added with an icon on the game map. Finally, as you travel with Regalia through the streets of Eos, some locations will be recorded automatically once you get close enough.
The most important points of interest are those related to parking lots, Chocobo stations, camps and so on.
Not all points of interest will be available when you enter a new zone: there are several constraints for the player. One of them is the character level. It is not wise to enter a dungeon whose enemies are several levels higher than you.
Advice on quests
Beyond the main story, you can complete various side quests to gain experience, gil and other interesting items.
You can keep the on-screen directions only for one mission at a time, just select them from the missions menu. From now on, directions will appear on both the main and secondary maps.
The main missions have objectives indicated with ">Once you accept a new mission, you can review the details and pick it up from the quest menu. From here you can keep an eye on all the missions you have taken over, the recommended level, brief information about what you have to do and an image. You will also be given information about the character who assigned you the mission, and details about the rewards you will be given (experience and money).
The most famous and interesting side missions are those dedicated to hunting particular creatures. You can receive them from local eating places. The difficulty and level of play required naturally varies from mission to mission, completing them you will receive stars and increase your hunter rank. At a very high rank you will receive much more complex missions.
Most missions can be completed during the day, there are few missions set at night.
Hunting missions are ideal for quickly accumulating money, meeting rare enemies and getting special rewards. The others are great for accumulating gil and experience.
Tips on the regalia
At the beginning of the adventure the machine will be broken and you won't be able to use it. You'll have to repair it and restart it first, continuing the main story.
Once repaired, the Regalia will be usable, but be careful: you can damage it while driving, so you'll have to repair it a second time. And the mechanics are not free.
The player doesn't have to drive the dungeon himself throughout the game: there is an automatic mode that you can use to let Ignis do it for you. It can only be used during the day during the initial stages of the game, but at night you'll have to drive Noctis because Ignis will refuse to do it.
The automatic mode requires Ignis to drive for you. In this case you have to select the location where you want the boy to go, otherwise who knows where your companion will take you. The areas that can be selected as destination are those that you have already visited or points of interest to continue in the main story.
During the driving sessions you can move the shot making the experience more interesting. There is even a first person point of view that will put you directly behind the wheel.
The Regalia can be enhanced at some point in the main plot. So enhanced that it will begin to fly. I'm serious.
The protagonist's car has its limits, you have to think of it as permanently inside an invisible gallery. It can't move outside the roadway, and with it you won't be able to venture into uninhabited lands or unpaved areas.
