A Deeper Look At Final Fantasy XV's Characters

Having an interesting, likeable
cast can make or break any gaming experience, but especially RPGs.

Having an interesting, likeable
cast can make or break any gaming experience, but especially RPGs. After all,
you're spending hours with these personalities, so you should enjoy their
company. The Final Fantasy series has had its share of great party members
through the years, such as the empathetic and selfless Tifa, the stoic and
train-suplexing Sabin, and the cool and collected Auron. Not to mention leading
protagonists like Cloud and Lightning who have become ingrained with the
franchise's identity.

Final Fantasy XV is shaking
things up by having four male leads who are already good friends before they
embark on their crazy adventure, but it also has some intriguing side
characters players meet along the way. While visiting Square
Enix, we discovered more about these integral personalities and what they'll
add to the journey.

Noctis

The main protagonist and future
king of Lucis has a lot on his shoulders, and things are only about to get
heavier on his road trip. While it may seem like Noctis is less expressive and
a bit distant than his buddies, there's a reason for that. The prince is a
complex character who has dealt with a lot of emotional turmoil in his life.
His mother died when he was young and his father had to cater to the demands of
the kingdom. "Noctis always has this sense of aloneness and solitude," says
director Hajime Tabata.

However, Noctis isn't harboring a
grudge over it, realizing that sacrifices had to be made. "He doesn't have dark
or ill feelings for [his father], it's more that he's holding it in and living
with the circumstances," Tabata says. Noctis is still trying to figure out who
he is, and his fate to eventually become king is only adding to that difficult
process. He has trouble articulating his feelings and keeps a lot bottled up,
which might be why he's not too smooth with the ladies, especially with
confronting how he feels about childhood friend Luna.

Gladiolus

Gladiolus - often called "Gladio"
for short - brings the muscle to the group. "Gladiolus is just as you see him,"
Tabata jokes. Gladiolus comes from a family that has always been protectors of
the Lucis royal family. A warrior at heart, Gladiolus is the only party member
with a militaristic background. He's trained heavily to protect the prince at
all costs, which serves as his ultimate goal. But you'd be mistaken to assume
his friendship with the prince is out of duty.

Although he's the strongest party
member physically, he also isn't shy about expressing his opinions on what's
necessary for the group. "Without him we don't have someone who can say the
right things in the right moment, and just be clear with conviction in what the
team needs to do," Tabata says. "He's a real pillar in ensuring that the team
doesn't sway every which way." This also comes with a cost; Gladiolus often
gets into arguments with Noctis because he's harsh and direct about what needs
to be done.

Ignis

A more serious and nurturing
character, Ignis can be seen as the Noctis' right-hand man. Noctis has known
him since childhood, and they are incredibly close. Ignis is extremely loyal
and will do anything for the prince. Because Noctis lost his mother at an early
age, he's filled some of those duties for him, such as learning to cook and
making sure he eats his vegetables and chauffeuring him around in the
Regalia.  "He's always at your side,"
says character specialist Marie Iwanaga. "We wanted to communicate that through
the battles as well, so you might have noticed from [Episode Duscae], Ignis is
always kind of near Noctis...and always in this pose where he's kind of
covering for him or protecting him."

He also functions as the brains
of the group, making sure they stay on task and ensuring they have the best
avenue to success. "He's kind of the guiding light. Essentially, he's the
commander." Tabata says. He might be the more austere and intelligent
character, but he has difficulty at reading people's intentions, especially
when something is clearly a joke. He's also a perfectionist who tends to lose
his composure when things don't go his way, which we could see causing some
drama on this turbulent adventure.

Click on the next page to learn about the group's happy-go-lucky guy, the leading lady, and Noctis' father...