Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV Review

©Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. ©Sony Pictures Home Entertainment ©Stage 6 Films

When we found out that there would be a whole connected universe surrounding Final Fantasy XV, we were all very excited. This meant a lot of content in a very large universe. How it ended up (adversely) affecting the game, though, is a topic for another time. Kingsglaive itself, first and foremost, is an extremely gorgeous film.

Square-Enix’s films and CG animations have always been known to be beautiful, and this is no exception. The animations are flawless, the detail is amazing and the artistic direction is enthralling. This should especially come as no surprise since this is the same team who was behind Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. 

©Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. ©Sony Pictures Home Entertainment ©Stage 6 Films

The film follows the story of one of the king’s guard (known as the Kingsglaive) as an opposing Empire plans something against the kingdom of Lucis. The overall story is nothing special, with predictable twists, turns and development. Where the film really shines is with its characters. The Kingsglaive team all have fun personalities that tend to clash with each other and create an interesting dynamic. For the most part the story focuses on only a couple characters though, which unfortunately detracts from some potentially exciting development of the motley supporting cast. All this is nothing when it comes to the ultimate goal though: exciting action. In that department, this film delivers like nothing else. There is a lot of crazy fighting, clashing and conflict that makes it a joy to watch. On the flipside, this means that there is hardly any break. It’s just fight after fight with conflict after conflict, harboring only a short break in the middle and at the beginning. 

©Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. ©Sony Pictures Home Entertainment ©Stage 6 Films

Since action was the goal of the film though, I can’t argue with the results. There’s just enough story to tide you over, with just enough characterization to make you care for what’s happening. Even though it’s designed to be a companion to Final Fantasy XV, it does a fantastic good job of standing on its own thanks to the way the story is told coupled with the solid performances from the main characters. It’s a pity the game didn’t share the same level of care, but at least you can go into Kingsglaive expecting a pretty solid experience. In fact, since it is actually a prequel to the game, you can easily enjoy the film without feeling the need to play a massive game or do anything else beforehand. I think that’s really the film’s biggest strength, preventing it from using the game as a crutch. It’s definitely one of the best video game companion movies I’ve seen.

©Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. ©Sony Pictures Home Entertainment ©Stage 6 Films

If you’re interested in a pseudo sci-fi/fantasy setting about a king and his guard trying to fend off an invading force while throwing in lots of fun action, you’ll find plenty to enjoy here. If you’re planning on playing Final Fantasy XV, then you definitely need to see this since it clarifies very important things in the game’s first 3 chapters. If none of this applies to you, then you may still have some fun with the movie, but it may not appeal to you. In the end, this was a surprisingly fun experience and I’ll definitely watch it again at some point.

- Teepu

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