Some DLCs stand out, needing their own review, but not always because they're great...
I usually enjoy/love anything and everything Final Fantasy, but the Episode Gladiolus DLC is, in a word, meh.
I usually enjoy/love anything and everything Final Fantasy, but the Episode Gladiolus DLC is, in a word, meh.
***Episode Gladiolus***
Final Fantasy XV DLC
Final Fantasy XV DLC
Released 2017 | Action, Role-Playing
For PS4, Xbox One | Review: PS4
*Rated T for Teen*
Language | Partial Nudity
Violence | Mild Blood
(Rating is based on the full game.)
(Rating is based on the full game.)
HGG Score: ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ 4/10
Synopsis?
You are Gladio, a protector of the king, on a journey of self-discovery after getting your ass handed to you in battle.
First impressions?
First impressions?
Great graphics. Yeah, that's about it. It's told as a flash back. Sitting around the campfire, the guys ask Gladio where he went during that time he disappeared on them. He proceeds to tell them...
Graphics and voices?
Graphics and voices?
Same as the base game, very nice. Feet fall through floors from time to time and sometimes jumping results in hanging in midair while looking like you're on the ground. Great fun. Same voices as the main game, too.
Gameplay?
Gameplay?
Clunky, slow, and really, really annoying. Pushing the attack button more than once results in a combo that can't be stopped unless an enemy knocks Gladio on his ass. Blocking takes for freakin' ever. The special attacks are nice, but take some time to build up. All in all, I kinda hate Gladio's fighting style.
Storyline?
The additional little bits of story are almost the ONLY redeeming quality in this DLC. I liked hearing the extra insights. And that's really all I have to say about it...which isn't saying much, is it?
Complaints?
Oh, dear. Where should I start? First off, this DLC is really nothing more than an arena of sorts. You learn a few bits to add to the story, mainly what the heck Gladio was up to when he abandoned Noct for a chapter of the main game, but even that is... minimal. It's slash, pound, and frenzy your way from start to finish, and when you complete the "story" playthrough, you can take on the Score Attack challenge and see how many points you can amass fighting all the same things again but this time on a timer with only a few brief cutscenes. Like I said, ARENA.
There is no leveling up, other than acquiring the attacks that allow Gladio to stand a chance against Gilgamesh. There is no loot, no weapons or any way to build Gladio up. He is level 24 with around 4000 HP and that's that. In story mode you can switch between his Crownsguard Fatigues and Crownsguard Fatigues (No Jacket), but it doesn't really matter which one you use; the differences are negligible. In Score Attack all gear is locked.
It's only an hour of story gameplay. And that's searching like crazy for all the items and trying not to miss the columns. If you blitz it, like in Score Attack, it only takes about 30 mins. That's ridiculously short for the $5 price tag. The demo for this DLC (Chapter 13, Verse 2; located in the SPECIAL section of the game menu) took that long and it's a FREE freaking demo.
And there's still camping—the only way to save your progress—with Gladio snarfing down his usual Cup Noodle. You get the boosts from eating it, but they don't last long enough to reach the boss. Heck, half the time, they didn't last to the first set of baddies 'cause I was looking around for all the potions and crap I knew I'd need to beat the bosses.
Praise?
You get to take the Genji Blade back into the game with you. At least, I assume it was there because I beat the Gladio DLC. Heck, maybe it was part of the general update that includes the Chapter 13 additional "verse" (where you get to play as Gladio) and everyone who has FFXV gets the sword. I'm not sure. It's a decent sword, but I have more powerful ones in my arsenal already. It's a great sword to start out with in a fresh playthrough, though.
There is no leveling up, other than acquiring the attacks that allow Gladio to stand a chance against Gilgamesh. There is no loot, no weapons or any way to build Gladio up. He is level 24 with around 4000 HP and that's that. In story mode you can switch between his Crownsguard Fatigues and Crownsguard Fatigues (No Jacket), but it doesn't really matter which one you use; the differences are negligible. In Score Attack all gear is locked.
It's only an hour of story gameplay. And that's searching like crazy for all the items and trying not to miss the columns. If you blitz it, like in Score Attack, it only takes about 30 mins. That's ridiculously short for the $5 price tag. The demo for this DLC (Chapter 13, Verse 2; located in the SPECIAL section of the game menu) took that long and it's a FREE freaking demo.
And there's still camping—the only way to save your progress—with Gladio snarfing down his usual Cup Noodle. You get the boosts from eating it, but they don't last long enough to reach the boss. Heck, half the time, they didn't last to the first set of baddies 'cause I was looking around for all the potions and crap I knew I'd need to beat the bosses.
Praise?
You get to take the Genji Blade back into the game with you. At least, I assume it was there because I beat the Gladio DLC. Heck, maybe it was part of the general update that includes the Chapter 13 additional "verse" (where you get to play as Gladio) and everyone who has FFXV gets the sword. I'm not sure. It's a decent sword, but I have more powerful ones in my arsenal already. It's a great sword to start out with in a fresh playthrough, though.
After completing the story on Easy, I went back and completed it on Normal. It let me keep the Maelstrom/Dual Wield attack that I'd attained for completing the story. That made the normal playthrough a bit easier for me, I think, as this is a really powerful attack. And there's a trophy/achievement attached to completing it on normal.
Trophies! They added trophies for the DLC. I like that, though for the life of me, I can't figure out how I missed any stupid columns or items. And I'm not sure I'll ever get over a million points in the Score Attack mode. lol
I've heard there's another outfit unlocked if you score over 500k on the Score Attack mode but, as you can see (above), I didn't get that score. lol
Overall?
Worth playing, but maybe only once for the extra bits of story and possibly for the sword. If you love arenas and trying to better your score over and over, then this is right up your alley. Otherwise... meh.
HGG score?
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ 4/10 life hearts. And this is generous.
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