Its hard to believe that its already been a decade since Final Fantasy XV was released for PS4 and Xbox One. There are many who believe that Final Fantasy XV was the game that saved the series following its decline in the late 00’s-early 10’s. The launch of the original Final Fantasy XIV game back in 2010 ended being a disaster to a point where Square Enix had to make FFXIV: Realm Reborn in 2013. By the early 2010’s it felt like Final Fantasy series had lost the mainstream appeal it once had during the PS1 & PS2 eras of gaming. In 2016, FFXV ended up being the game that put the series back in the limelight after Square Enix did everything they could to rehabilitate FFXIV years prior. The original Final Fantasy XIV from 2010 was a critical failure as a MMORPG and the success of FFXIV: A Realm Reborn and FFXV helped many gamers forget about it by the mid-2010’s. Final Fantasy XV was an action role-playing game that featured real-time combat and open-world exploration in the fictional world of Eos. The main character of FFXV was Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum lived in the capital of Insomnia.

Final Fantasy XV was Noctis realizing his true his destiny as a King to save the world of Eos in the midst of betrayal and opposition from the Niflheim Empire.  In Final Fantasy XV the Niflheim Empire not only destroys Insomnia but they are also responsible for the death of Noctis’s father. The Niflheim Empire also managed to steal a magical crystal which is eventually retrieved by Noctis. The magical crystal in FFXV was very important because it managed to grant him the power of kings who came before him. The crystal in FFXV also held Noctus captive for a decade before he and his crew defeats the main villain Imperial Chancellor Ardyn who wanted to destroy his bloodline. During the ten years that Noctis was absent Ardyn managed to plunge Eos into deep darkness causing the world to be overran by daemons. In FFXV a parasitic plague known as the Starscourge was responsible for the widespread of daemons in Eos. While Ardyn ended up being the main villain in FFXV he is sometimes viewed as a tragic hero because he was once considered a savior.

A millennium prior to the events of FFXV Ardyn healed people in the world of Eos by absorbing the Starscourge into his own body. The story really becomes tragic as players learn that Ardyn is punished for his sacrifice and labeled a monster by the Astrals and the Lucian dynasty. While the story for Final Fantasy XV dark and intriguing the game itself had many cool features that players could enjoy. In Final Fantasy XV players could drive cars or ride chocobos for open world travel. Final Fantasy XV also looked and felt more modern than previous entries because players could do things like rest at hotels and go to gas stations. Final Fantasy XV did a great job of blending ancient storytelling with the modern day setting. The Teamwork Links featuring other members of Noctus’s party Gladiolus, Prompto, and Ignis looked impressive and the magic crafting allowed players to become more creative.

While Noctis might not be as popular as protagonists from older entries of Final Fantasy many would argue that he was the best character the franchise produced in the 2010’s. Also, Final Fantasy XV managed to sell 10 million copies across multiple platforms including PS4, Xbox One and PC since its release in 2016. Final Fantasy XV was a much stronger entry than FFXIII because it felt more immersive and gave players more freedom in relation to controlling their characters. It also felt like Final Fantasy XV had borrowed elements of FFXIV: A Realm Reborn in terms of open world exploration and made it better with a different setting, new characters and a in-depth storyline. Even though, Final Fantasy XV came out a decade ago it still arguably more popular than FFXVI which came out in 2023. While 2016 was arguably one of the worst years of the 2010’s decade; FFXV ended up being one of the best things to come out of that year in general.