Last month saw the release of World of Final Fantasy, a game that surprised many by being really good. I had the pleasure of reviewing World of Final Fantasy myself, and shortly after I received the strategy guide from Prima games. Anyone familiar with the density of a JRPG knows that a strategy guide is something to be well desired. Final Fantasy games in particular are known to hold secrets that can easily go unknown to you unless you’re either thorough with your exploration or you do your research.
Having this strategy guide at my disposal increased my enjoyment level significantly. The guide has entire sections to guide you through the story and its dungeons. The walkthrough section is separated by chapters and at the start of each chapter there is a small table with an action checklist to summarize everything that needs be done in the chapter (whether mandatory or optional).
This gives a great amount of choice for those who don’t like to rely on strategy guides to hold their hands. Having this summary will let you know the main objectives of each chapter without you needing to read through every single detail. If you happen to get stuck then you’ll have the option to simply read the section you are stuck on. In that sense, the guide works great as either a point of reference or a guide to get you through entire sections of the game.
There are also diagrams that show any new items that a merchant will have in each new area you come across; as well as treasure chests, Mirages and character profiles. This will help you plan ahead in a way that you wouldn’t be able to otherwise. Before I owned this guide, I remember many occasions where I entered new areas without any idea of what to prepare for. I would carry Mirages that were vulnerable to the stray Mirages in the area and this would cause me to have to go all the way back to a gate to swap my Mirages. With this guide, you’ll be able to easily prepare for all new areas and ensure you have the right equipment and Mirages. This will save you valuable time.
Aside from the story, there are many complex gameplay systems in World of Final Fantasy. As a turn based JRPG, there are abilities, elements and status ailments to be considered in combat. The Prima strategy guide does an excellent job describing each element, ability and status aliment; while also breaking down the different options you have in terms of the Active Time Battle System. I remember playing the game before I owned this guide and there were at least two element weaknesses that I never understood because the game simply displays a symbol with no description on what the element is. Thankfully this guide helped me identify the elements so that I could better understand what weaknesses an enemy Mirage has.
Speaking of Mirages, they are without a doubt the biggest part of World of Final Fantasy. By now, we all know that World of Final Fantasy has a Pokemon inspired capturing system. However, what they didn’t tell you was that catching Mirages isn’t always as simple as catching Pokemon. Every Mirage has a stipulation that must be met before you can imprison it, some of them are extremely difficult or may require a bit of pre-planning to achieve. Luckily, the Prima strategy guide has an index of all Mirages in the game; this index includes their stats, growth rates, resistances, abilities, drops, transfigurations and “prismtunity” terms. On top of that, the guide even comes with a double sided poster with the entire Mirage index on, just in case you feel like pinning it up for quicker reference.
World of Final Fantasy also has side activities such as the Coliseum and Miniventures. The guide also covers all of these side missions respectively. There are also character bios, and a key items index. With so much valuable information, you’ll never be stuck in World of Final Fantasy again.
For $19.99 / £13.36 this guide is quite plainly a steal for anyone who wants to Platinum World of Final Fantasy. If you buy the physical book you also get a code for the eGuide version.
With Final Fantasy XV around the corner, time is of the essence. Prima will help you get everything you need out of World of Final Fantasy faster so that you can enjoy Final Fantasy XV once it arrives.
Final Verdict: Worth Buying
Have you already purchased or are you considering getting this strategy guide? Please feel free to let us know in the comments section below.
