Final Fantasy XV: War for Eos is a freemium game for mobile devices, developed by Machine Zone and under the IP of Square Enix. Bearing the mighty yet promising “Final Fantasy” title already piqued my interest in this game. 

The plot is set in the same universe as Final Fantasy XV. So, while old players are in for a treat, new players can equally join in on the fun as this is an alternate story that deals with the rebuilding of Insomnia in the fallout of the Niflheim Empire’s attack. Featuring characters from the FFXV entry, we have the crown prince Noctis Lucius Caelum in the lead, venturing with his party to reclaim their territories and recover from the after-effects of the war.

The game itself is a relatively fast-paced strategy-action city builder blended with a tasteful touch of simulation. Let’s dive deep to find out what good and bad things the game has to offer.

THE GOOD

Visuals and Art style

Right off the bat, you can tell that the developers have gone for a safe but beautiful realistic anime-esque art style – akin to the parent instalment of ‘Final Fantasy XV’ itself. Therefore, returning players will feel right at home with this game. As for new players, the immersion provided by the fairly hooking aesthetic and well-proportioned character designs will draw them right in.

The graphics and visuals are just what I would expect from a game of this standard. The visual effects in combat are striking. In addition, the character models and environments look very fitting and well-crafted by the modern hi-tech themes of FFXV.

Music and Voice Acting

To say that the music in this game is simply engaging would be underselling it. The music is stunningly cinematic and creates a sense of dreadful despair and warrior-like determination fitting for a game set in the aftermath of a war. The soundtrack will make you feel like a hero when you need to (and want to) while taking you on a goofy break whenever times are low (Prompto’s entrance exemplifies it).

What I also found astonishing was how seamless the music transitions were. It shows that the team put a lot of work into the sound design. That, coupled with the painstaking care that went into dubbing every voice line in the game, speaks volumes about the developers’ passion.

Attention to detail

The developers seemingly went no-holds-barred with the details of this game. I love how you can zoom in and watch the people working on the farms. The quarry looks alive with the spinning waterwheel and the rubble of rocks spread around. Even the background area surrounding the map is spersed with captivating, vivid scenery and moving streams of water!

Pacing

The game starts with a cinematic that puts you in a battle scene where you save your friend from the enemy’s clutches. A thrilling start indeed, but the game doesn’t slow down either. From there, you quickly meet up with your companions and fight your first few battles that succinctly finish the exposition of the game in just a few minutes. Very soon, you will be free to start building your kingdom as you wish without bogging you with endless tutorials.

The pacing is fast, with interesting characters that can establish some dynamics (like the introduction of Raveus) pretty early on, so you are hooked.

THE BAD

Gameplay

Unfortunately, even though the developers have put quite an effort into the secondary embellishments, as stated above, the game’s core gameplay seemed like it could have been better to me. Upgrading your party and your buildings and watching numbers go up can be quite satisfying at first, but with time, you will probably find the need for something more engaging.

While the city-building aspect of the game can still be fun as you expand your territories, the combat gets repetitive. However, properly implementing the special abilities and guild system can make the game more engaging. 

UI and UX

While I like the stylistic touch on the UI, definitely more than the previous game by Machine Zone, the buttons and other components feel a little small, even on a slightly larger-than-average screen size like mine (6.7 inches). Moreover, the large number of components on the screen sometimes can look cluttered and overwhelm players.

Some scrolling and touch feedback can sometimes feel janky despite the game running smoothly. But, of course, it is inevitable to ensure the best performance while also favoring the visuals. Still, it might be worth it to implement some more visual or audio feedback on tactile interaction.

Conclusion

Overall, I believe Final Fantasy XV: War for Eos is still a rather fun and shining experience among the plethora of similar titles in the store. Even if you are playing to revisit the characters or to experience an engaging story told with the accompaniment of beautiful visuals and an even more astounding soundtrack, this game is undoubtedly a must-try for fans of the genre. However, for those not very interested in city builders, this is not the best game to invest your time into.

If I had to place a rating on this project by Machine Zone, I would give Final Fantasy XV: War for Eos a middle 7 out of 10. However, this feels like a game that might have a very subjective experience for players based on their familiarity with the franchise and the genre. Hence, this is an experience most players would find gratifying to dive in.

Final Fantasy XV: War for Eos is available to download on Google Play and the App Store.