Welcome to Galdin Quay!

A young man, dressed in black clothes that look completely inappropriate for the weather, is fishing nearby. It seems like he's been at it for a while. One of his companions has flopped onto his back on the dock and is complaining loudly.

Let's talk about Final Fantasy XV.

I was itching with excitement for Final Fantasy XV before it came out. I thought it looked cool even back when it was called Final Fantasy Versus XIII, and then the marketing increasingly started going 'this is a game about FRIENDSHIP' and I went 'yes!! I want a game about friendship!' I was looking forward to this game for a solid eight years before it was finally released.

It lived up to my hopes! The plot's a disaster, and I can understand why the game wasn't what everyone wanted, but it was exactly what I needed to play. There was a lot of love put into the characters, their animations, their interactions; Prompto in particular is a character I'm deeply fond of. I played for over a hundred hours on my first save file. I kept playing the game even after getting the platinum trophy.

I'll always favour a flawed, messy and heartfelt game over a perfectly polished game that doesn't feel like it has the same passion behind it. That's probably not a huge surprise, given that I created a Final Fantasy VIII fansite. Being a Final Fantasy VIII fan requires a certain ability to forgive rough edges and appreciate the personality shining through.

Final Fantasy XV is an absolute mess, but it's got a lot of heart and it slammed straight into mine. I love these stupid boys. I wish they'd hug, though.

If you're interested in my Final Fantasy XV fanfiction, you can ask Gladio what's available to read. Some of it is gen (i.e. non-romantic); some of it is just pairing the boys up in various combinations.

Prompto, having noticed that Balamb Garden is parked nearby, has perked up and is taking approximately five million photographs.

• Return to Balamb Garden's bridge.
• Return to Balamb Garden's entrance hall.