Final Fantasy XV was a big and bold bet for Square-Enix. Could a game that was 10 years into development succeed? Would fans care to enter the rich worlds of Final Fantasy again in the age of online multi-player and short burst mobile gaming? If the short 12 hours or so that the game’s been on sale have been any indication, it appears that their bet is paying off – put out a game of quality, and no matter where the overall gaming trends have gone, they’ll return to a beloved franchise.

If anything, Final Fantasy 13 should have proven to Square that you can’t simply take an established series and gut it from everything that made it what it is, insert more ‘modern’ aesthetics, and ride the success wagon – because the three games under FF13 nearly ended the franchise. Sure, FF15 isn’t the Final Fantasy of the past, but it certainly has far more charm and elements of its predecessors that people have come to expect from the series. Still, that doesn’t mean Square has completely returned to its former self.

If the Final Fantasy XV Ride Together trailer is any indication, Square is still desperate to portray the game as something it’s not while trying to appear ‘hip and cool.’ If it helps sell more copies, then I can’t argue with the notion, but I also can’t help but think the trailer does a disservice to the game and its fans while at the same time selling a game that doesn’t actually exist.

What’s your opinion on the Ride Together trailer?