A road trip with friends in a convertible, before the world falls apart.

On gut feeling, Final Fantasy XV sits just above average, ahead of a little over half of games. But nearly every criterion pulls it upward. Rediscovery climbs ahead of 96% of titles, desert island at the same level, fun ahead of 95%, the soundtrack ahead of 93%. Connection follows, ahead of 79% of games. Only gameplay and art direction stay tamer, just above the middle. The tension is gentle but real: a game that shines the moment you break it down criterion by criterion, yet whose instinctive pull stays cooler than that bright detail would suggest.

Against other RPGs and its own saga, it bets everything on the journey and friendship, on the emotion of a road trip more than the rigor of its combat system, often judged more spectacular than deep.

So who's it for? For you if you want to bond with four companions, dream of reliving the journey, let the music carry you. Much less if you expect demanding combat mechanics and an art direction that floors you.