After nearly 10 years in development, Final Fantasy XV’s

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Hell-bent on breaking series tradition again, the biggest name in Japanese-made RPGs is trying something new while playing to its strengths at the same time. We spent the better part of two-hours taking it all in and we couldn’t have walked away more impressed, despite the rough state of Square’s pre-E3 demo. During our extended hands-on session we saw some rough technical hiccups and restarts, but the underlying systems of FFXV delivered a clear message: This ambitious new installment has an addicting, expansive world to explore, lots of sidequests to discover, a charming cast, a fresh real-time battle system, and some of the most breathtaking vistas and art direction we’ve seen this console generation.

Not Another Bad Bromance

Our Final Fantasy XV demo kicks off with an unexpectedly slow start (and immediately after a still-top-secret introductory cutscene as of this preview). Prince Noctis and his three loyal friends Ignis, Gladiolus, and Prompto are traveling to Altissa so he can marry his childhood friend Luna. It's a political arrangement, one that will strengthen the relationship between two kingdoms, but the road trip has stalled for the groom: the crew finds themselves stranded without gas in their Regalia – an absurdly large, Cadillac-esque convertible. Since they can’t rely on the kindness of strangers to get them out of a jam, they decide to push the sleek black car that belongs to Noctis’ father to Hammerhead Station for repairs. As they start slowly moving again and commiserate over a bad situation,a soothing cover of Ben E. King’s classic “Stand by Me” playing in the background.

FFXV’s somber start is a small slice of a much longer bro trip, but also the signal of an endearing story that’s focused on the bond between these four friends – a relief from the sometimes-stuffy adventures of past FF games. Over the course of the campaign, you learn more about the rich history between Noctis and crew as they overcome trials and tribulations together.

Each team member has unique hobbies, personality quirks, and talents that play into the larger game. Ignis is a mix of maturity and intelligence, a pair of traits that fit with his daily responsibilities of cooking and driving. Gladiolus fills the role of the elder brother to the group and, as the burliest member of the party, his survival skills are vital tools in battle. Finally, there’s Prompto, a sort of younger brother type whose smaller build and playful personality are a sure sign of his age. He admirably wants to document every part the adventure on his cellphone, so expect a round-up of Promoto’s pictures at the end of each day.

A Final Fantasy for Fans and First Timers

Having to raise money to repair the Regalia so Noctis can get back on the road is an unfortunate circumstance early on, and it’s a familiar one for anyone who played FFXV: Episode Duscae, but the first chapter offers more than a rehash of the first demo’s plot. So much has changed since then: the combat system has been completely revamped and no longer relies on set weapons for specific situations or QTE-like attack chains. The real-time battle system is much more free-form instead, and (so far) lives up to the game’s credo of being a Final Fantasy for both beginners and hardcore fans.

The acrobatic flair FFXV’s real-time combat is as addictive as it is fluid, and it fueled my desire to keep searching for mobs to fight even after we raised enough cash to fix our ride. It may be disappointing to learn you only control Noctis in the party of four, but his empowering mix of melee and magic attacks make him a fun character to control. He can blend stunning warp attacks, where he travels across the screen in a flash to meet foes head-on with ferocious weapon strikes. You can equip up to four offensive combat options and switch between them quickly using the d-pad.

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Noctis’ defense stance sets up wicked evasions and counter attacks that rely on QTE-prompts, and each option consumes MP. Overall, it’s part of a smart system that keeps combat in check because of the consequences: Burning out all your MP puts Noctis at risk to get punished by enemies in combat, so you have to adjust between offense and defense accordingly. The biggest challenge we had wasn’t the packs of Sabertusks, Reapertails, or other large creatures, but getting the most out of the new magic system. General spells don’t automatically lock onto enemies either, which means you have to find a safe distance or wait for a distraction to use it on more aggressive enemies.

Recognizable spells like Fira and Blizzara return, but the new system turns magic attacks into one-time use items that you can replenish using raw resources during the adventure. To some that might sound as awful as Final Fantasy VIII’s controversial Draw ability -- a system where you had to extract spells from monsters and stock up on magic to use in battle -- but FFXV takes the idea in a positive direction. Yes, synthesized spells require materials, but they can be modified to take on special properties. Take 20 fire crystals and toss a potion into the recipe, and you can create a hybrid spell that heals you as it sets on-screen foes ablaze. I can’t wait to try other resource and item combinations to see what other creations are possible.

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Chapter Two sets up a much bigger political drama, and the fallout ends you on a larger adventure which we don’t want to spoil here. Part of the mission sends the party off to gather powerful relic weapons that can be used in battle.

A Massive Adventure

Whether you’re at Hammerhead station or Galdin Quay, a tropical oasis and a wonderful reprieve from the desolate desert mountains you pass on the way, there’s a lot to see in FFXV’s large open world. Square’s elaborate artistic vision is stunning, with free camera controls to let you rotate and view it all as you cruise by in the Regalia. The overall scale and art direction is an impressive accomplishment that blends fantasy elements like Chocobos with realistic locations in a way that looks natural.

To get the lay of the land and figure out what to do next, you have to walk into shops and pay the owners for intel regarding spots. These tips can point Noctis and crew to valuable materials or other side quests in the area. Day and night cycles that bring out more dangerous foes if you’re out exploring late.

The sheer scale of the larger monsters we saw early on really surprised us: An early sidequest at Galdin Quay had us gathering a precious stone next to an enormous sleeping bird that’s several stories tall. After our demo, a member of the development team summoned the Titan, a massive ally who has appeared in other FF games. He hurled a massive rock that insta-killed a pack of foes in one-hit. It was an awesome moment, but representatives for Square told us the Titan wouldn’t be quite as powerful in the final game.

After two hours into Final Fantasy XV’s campaign, I can’t help but trace the lineage of Square Enix’s new blockbuster RPG in the back of my mind. But the first two chapters never feel like a derivative work, with the core story and presentation leaning on the type of strong characterization and blockbuster graphics that have come to define Final Fantasy. You could almost picture director Hajime Tabata and his team spending the last few years playing other games and saying, “Hey, wouldn’t this be a great idea to put in Final Fantasy?” And, somehow, the unique sauce blends multiple flavors into a cohesive and ambitious vision of a modern RPG.

Jose Otero is an Editor at IGN and host of Nintendo Voice Chat . You can follow him on Twitter