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Final Fantasy XV Chapter 13: To Patch Or Not To Patch, That Is The Question

By Jovi Figueroa
Published on: 23:44 PST, Dec 9, 2016

You may love or hate (mostly just hate) Final Fantasy XV’s Chapter 13, but the ultimate question is, do you really want that patch that will change it?

After a decade of development, finally, Square Enix comes out with Final Fantasy XV (FFXV). New and long-time fans all over the world lined up last November 29 to greet Final Fantasy XV, and it has been a truly exciting and magical journey, having come a long way from the tiny 8-bit graphics and turn-by-turn gameplay that Final Fantasy first came out in. Final Fantasy XV has succeeded in creating a huge, weaving tale that plants joy and excitement in the hearts of those new to the franchise and nostalgia to those who have been part of Final Fantasy‘s journey from the beginning.

‘Final Fantasy XV’ is a strong comeback for the franchise. [Image by Square Enix]

But apart from all the commotion about the gameplay, the cooking, and the Carbuncle photobombing, one of the controversial parts of the game which draw mixed reactions—but mostly hatred and frustration—from the players is Final Fantasy XV’s Chapter 13.

Chapter 13, entitled “Redemption,” is a pretty dragging part of Final Fantasy XV, where Noctis is separated from the group, stripped of his abilities (even sprint), and goes through a maze of monsters and jump scares that, honestly, just gets tiring after a few minutes. The even more terrible part of FFXV’s Chapter 13 is that it will most likely take you a couple of hours to get through so say goodbye to a good handful of hours if you get to this part.

It seems a majority of the Final Fantasy XV-playing community do not approve of Chapter 13 and has gone to social media to complain about the chapter. And it looks like Square Enix is paying attention and is already echoing plans to patch and “enrich certain parts of the game,” presumably Chapter 13.

Dual Shockers reports that Final Fantasy XV Director Hajme Tabata himself is planning to address the fiasco that is Chapter 13 in the upcoming free patch for FFXV. Tabata’s short and medium-term goals for Final Fantasy XV zooms in on Chapter 13 and improving its gameplay.

Short term: the team intends to improve the gameplay of Chapter 13. For that reason, many enhancements are already in the works, including increasing greatly the power of ring magic. More information on the extent of the improvements and on release date will come at a later date.

Medium term: the team plans to improve the production values of Chapter 13, enhancing the story experience. For example, a cutscene will be added answering the question “why did Ravus follow that path?” To add event cutscenes, voice and localization work needs to be done, so the developers will steadily work on this as a medium-term goal. Details on the plan will be provided once they’re firmly in place.

‘FFXV’ Chapter 13 must have been the dark before the light. [Image by Square Enix]

Do you agree that Square Enix should patch Final Fantasy XV’s worst chapter? Wired, among others, doesn’t think so.

“By all rights, I should hate this whole slog, and I imagine most people playing it did…Instead, I think I love it. It’s a brilliant moment of what I’m tempted to call anti-design: a game section so oddly placed and so bad by the standards of the rest that it produces emotions intensely and fascinatingly divergent from what seem to be the stated goals of the game.

“I imagine that Chapter 13 was supposed to feel like a moment of narrative failure before Noctis’ eventual triumph.

“Chapter 13 as it currently exists is an unrelenting mood piece, a study in isolation, frustration, and fear. It’s stubbornly alienating in a way that fascinates me. It feels, through its plodding minutes and frustrating diversions up and down its awful corridors, like the surging tide of an insurmountable depression. Tucked away in an otherwise goofy and light Japanese role-playing game, it is a dark nudge toward hopelessness.”

Simply put, others feel that Final Fantasy’s Chapter 13 has succeeded in putting the player in Noctis’ shoes. The player experiences the fear, the frustration, and the helplessness that Noctis goes through inside the maze and that, in itself, is brilliant. So why take away that terribly emotional and distressing part of the game if it is essential in creating that dark before the much-anticipated light?

Well for those who feel that Chapter 13 should the stay the abominably frustrating chapter that is, it looks like it’s a battle that’s almost lost since Square Enix has already announced over at the Square Enix Blog that the free update for Final Fantasy XV is already on its way. The free patch will include gameplay enhancements for Chapter 13, customizable avatars, new play styles, new bosses, limited-time events, and DLCs.

How do you feel about Final Fantasy XV’s Chapter 13? Should it be a patch or no patch?

[Featured Image by Square Enix]

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