Final Fantasy vs Final Fantasy XV
Final Fantasy is an RPG game from Square (1987) while Final Fantasy XV is an action-RPG game from Square Enix (2016).
Quick answer: Final Fantasy XV has the higher Metacritic, 85 to 67.
Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy XV
What each one is
Final Fantasy is filed under RPG. In contrast, Final Fantasy XV under Action-RPG.
Final Fantasy is a 1987 role-playing video game developed and published by Square for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It is the first game in Square's Final Fantasy series, created by Hironobu Sakaguchi. The story follows four youths called the Warriors of Light, who each carry one of their world's four elemental crystals which have been darkened by the four Elemental Fiends. Together, they quest to defeat these evil forces, restore light to the crystals, and save their world.
Final Fantasy XV is a 2016 action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix. The fifteenth main installment of the Final Fantasy series, it was released for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in November 2016, Windows in March 2018, and as a launch title for Stadia in November 2019. The game features an open world environment and action-based battle system, incorporating quick-switching weapons, elemental magic, and other features such as vehicle travel and camping. The base campaign was later expanded with downloadable content (DLC), adding stand alone story content and further gameplay options such as additional playable characters and multiplayer.
Story, characters and reception
Plot
Setting Final Fantasy takes place in a fantasy world with three large continents. The elemental powers of this world are determined by the state of four crystals, each governing one of the four classical elements : earth, fire, water, and wind. The world of Final Fantasy is inhabited by numerous races, including humans, elves, dwarves, mermaids, dragons, and robots. (Wikipedia)
Reception
Reception Final Fantasy has been well received by critics and commercially successful; the original Famicom (NES) version shipped 520,000 copies in Japan, grossing more than ¥3 billion or $21,000,000 (equivalent to $60,000,000 in 2025) at retail. According to Square's publicity department in 1994, the game had sold 600,000 copies in Japan. The NES release was more successful in North America, where it sold 700,000 copies, adding up to 1. (Wikipedia)
Plot
Setting Final Fantasy XV takes place on the Earth -like world of Eos, which is divided between four nations: Lucis, Accordo, Tenebrae and Niflheim. Lucis, occupying a whole landmass, possesses a magical artifact known as the Crystal, gifted to the reigning Caelum dynasty by the world's deities in antiquity and accessed through the hereditary Ring of the Lucii. Accordo, located in the southern part of Eos, is an island nation formed through a union of… (Wikipedia)
Characters
Main article: Characters of Final Fantasy XV Promotional artwork featuring the core and supporting cast of Final Fantasy XV and its expanded media The game's protagonist is Noctis Lucis Caelum ( Ray Chase / Tatsuhisa Suzuki ), the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Lucis, who loses his father in the Niflheim invasion. Noctis is accompanied on his journey throughout the world of Eos by his three friends: Gladiolus Amicitia ( Chris Parson / Kenta Miyake ), the… (Wikipedia)
Reception
Reception Final Fantasy XV has received "generally favorable" reviews from critics for all versions, according to review aggregator Metacritic . Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu gave both versions of the game a score of 38 points out of 40. Various game designers stated Final Fantasy XV was their favorite game of 2016, including Final Fantasy series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi , Atlus ' Shigeo Komori, Koei Tecmo 's Takashi Morinaka, and Sony Interactive… (Wikipedia)
At a glance
| Final Fantasy | Final Fantasy XV | |
|---|---|---|
| GamingPickz Score | — | — |
| Steam rating | — | — |
| Critic aggregate | 67/100 | 85/100 |
| Price | Unknown | Unknown |
| Install size | — | — |
| Steam Deck | Untested | Untested |
| Released | 1987 | 2016 |
| Developer | Square | Square Enix |
Prices and Steam ratings are read live and move over time.
Final Fantasy vs Final Fantasy XV, point by point
Each facet side by side. A round is marked won only where a figure settles it; feel and "which is better" carry no mark, because no number we hold decides them.
Genre and premise
Final FantasyRPG gameFinal Fantasy XVAction-RPG gameWhat each is filed as. Each game describes itself in full above; we do not judge a premise.
How it plays
Final FantasyNo descriptive tagsFinal Fantasy XVNo descriptive tagsThe tags players apply most, in order of votes. A read on feel, not a verdict.
Reception
Final FantasyMetacritic 67Final Fantasy XV ✓Metacritic 85Metacritic's critic aggregate, from the game's Wikipedia reception where it was never on Steam.
Price
Final FantasyUnknownFinal Fantasy XVUnknownRead live from Steam and subject to change.
Final Fantasy XV takes 1 of the marked rounds to 0. That is only what a number can decide, not which you will enjoy more.
Which to pick, by what you want
- The better reviewed of the two: Final Fantasy XV (Metacritic 85)
Difficulty and who each is for
By the tags players apply, Final Fantasy is middle-of-the-road on difficulty. Final Fantasy XV is middle-of-the-road on difficulty.
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Common questions
How different are Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy XV in scope?
Final Fantasy lists little scope data. Final Fantasy XV lists little scope data.
Is Final Fantasy or Final Fantasy XV better?
Neither carries enough reviews for us to score it reliably, so we do not call a winner. The table above shows what each does have.
Which is cheaper, Final Fantasy or Final Fantasy XV?
One or both do not have a current listed price, so a straight comparison is not possible. See the table above.
Should I get Final Fantasy or Final Fantasy XV?
Final Fantasy XV has the higher Metacritic, 85 to 67. It also depends on what you want: the "which to pick" section above calls out which is cheaper, lighter on storage, better on a Steam Deck and the safer bet by weight of reviews.
Do you rank one above the other for a fee?
No. Neither game, nor anyone else, pays for placement or a verdict here. The order and every figure come out of the same public data the rest of the site uses.
Related comparisons
All comparisonsHow we compare, and what we will not do
The GamingPickz Score is a composite of player sentiment (adjusted for sample size), the critic aggregate and popularity, computed by the same code every ranked list on this site uses. The Steam rating label is Valve's own, reconstructed from the positive percentage and review count. Prices are read live. We do not write an opinion of which game is "better": we report the numbers and say which wins each measurable question above.