I’m nitpicking at this point so please don’t judge, I love this game 😂

But I was suprised there wasn’t more cinematic cutscenes in this game, like the scene with Tifa at the Corel reactor, I think instead of making it interactive I would of loved to have been a cinematic.

Can anyone actually remember how many cinematic cutscenes were in the game?

Please, correct me if I’m wrong on any of this, or add ideas in the comments!

Let’s face it, getting all those achievements and stuff is a pain but it’s actually something I’m trying to do (which is something I’ve never done before, that’s how much I love this game!).

So, first playthrough (Normal), do all of the Tifa side quests and choose either her Sporty or Exotic dress (not Mature!). Then, do only 3-4 of the Aerith side quests in chapter 8 (?), snagging her middle dress. In chapter 9, don’t do any of the sidequests. In the sewers, pick Tifa to get her extra scene later.

Second playthrough (Hard mode). Do all of the Tifa side quests again, choosing whichever of the two you didn’t pick before (again, not Mature!), while also snagging those much needed manuscripts. Then with Aerith, do all her missions to get her best dress and those manuscripts as well. In chapter 9, do either Sam or Madame M’s quests, getting Cloud’s second dress and one set of manuscripts. In the sewers, pick Aerith to break that tie and get her scene.

Last playthrough, doing whichever mode you want (maybe normal or easy to make it go faster). Go for speed. Don’t do any sidequests with Tifa, getting her default Mature dress. Don’t do any of Aerith’s, getting her worst dress. However, on Chapter 9, change to Hard mode and do whichever of the quests you didn’t do last time (either Sam or Madame M’s), to get that manuscript. After, you can change back to whichever mode you were playing before. The lack of attention to either girl hopefully nets you Barret’s scene later.

No, you don’t have to play through the whole game all three times. You just have to play completely through Hard mode once to get that achievement. After that, just replay whichever chapter you need on whatever mode you’re missing.

I’m not sure how the Coliseum or training center fits into all this. Do you get manuscripts for participating in Hard mode? If so, do that on your second playthrough when Tifa and Barret are with you to get those.

Please, let me know if I got anything wrong or if I should add stuff!

Edit: changed the order of obtaining Cloud’s dresses per u/sempercardinal57. Thank you!

I waited almost 5 years after release to play this and I wasn’t disappointed. 90 hours enjoyably spent, especially after playing both OG FF7 and Crisis Core last year. I screamed at my TV more than once while attempting Yuffie and Sonon vs Top Secrets. After that, I had a surprisingly easy time with Weiss.

I’m going back to PS3 to platinum a few old games, but I’m watching Rebirth, just waiting for it to go on sale again so I can jump back into this world. I don’t know if I have it in my to go earn Rebirth’s platinum but I’ll sure as hell try, and I’ll be ready for Part 3 at launch.

Introduction

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One of the most frequently asked questions I see about Final Fantasy XV is something like "How do I experience this game? What order do I play the DLC in? When do I watch the anime?" This guide is my attempt to help answers those questions and to present a playthrough order that will give players the most well rounded and complete experience of the game. In addition to the game's DLC & multimedia, the story is also presented in a more non-linear fashion than previous games in the series. There are several dungeons, cutscenes and character interactions that can be missed if one simply goes through the main story quests. The Royal Arms dungeons and camp site cutscenes are all included here. My hope that this breakdown can help lend itself to a more full experience of the story whether you're a returning player or this is your first time with the game. Please feel free to give comments or pointers on how this guide might be improved or where I may have made any errors. This is my first attempt at any sort of guide for anything, so hopefully it's not horrible. Some things to address beforehand:

• This is not an actual walkthrough to completing the game with boss strategies and dungeon maps. There are many guides out there that do a much better job of this than I can.
• This is not some authoritative guide. It's just one person's opinion in the hopes it can help others enjoy the game better.
• The intent of this guide is to help others enjoy the game in its current state. It is not a critque or comment on the game itself, or how its story is presented.

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Anyway, enough rambling, here's the guide!

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Prologue

• OPTIONAL: If you choose, you can play "A King's Tale", which is a short prequel game focused around Regis and his own band of bros ~30 years before the game starts. It's a free download on the PSN & Xbox stores. Definitely not essential, but hey it's there. Don't think it's available on PC, sadly.
• OPTIONAL: There was a pre-release demo called "The Platinum Demo." If you managed to download it while it was active, feel free to play it. If not, you can watch playthroughs on YouTube. It basically covers a small section of Noctis's childhood that is covered in the main game and the Brotherhood anime, although not in near as much detail.
• OPTIONAL: Read the prologue short story "Parting Ways". You can find that here on Square's official site.
• Watch 'The Dawn' trailer to serve as a cinematic opening for the game. You can find it here on Youtube.

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Chapter 1

• Start the game and go through chapter 1 like normal.
• Early in the chapter, camp at Cotisse Haven (the campsite just to the northwest of Hammerhead). Doing so will unlock a cutscene with Ignis.
• Early in the chapter, camp at Palmaugh Haven (east of Hammerhead, near imperial base). Doing so will unlock a cutscene with Prompto and Cindy.
• When you reach the Galadin Quay area of the map, camp at Lachryte Haven. It is a campsite on the beach to the west of Galadin Quay near the fishing spot. Doing so will unlock a cutscene with Gladio.
• When you reach Galadin Quay, an NPC named Dino gives you a quest called "A Gentleman's Agreement." Before turning in this quest to him to complete, save your game and quit.
• OPTIONAL: With that done, it'd be a good time to watch 'The Omen' trailer. You can find it here on Youtube. It is shown later in a dream sequence if you'd like to watch it there.
• Watch the Kingsglaive movie. You can rent it for a couple bucks from pretty much any major streaming site.
• Load your game back up and turn in the quest "A Gentleman's Agreement" to Dino.

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Chapter 2

• Play through this chapter like normal.

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Chapter 3

• At the start of the chapter, Prompto will ask you to go and visit the Chocobo farm. Accept his offer and visit Wiz's Chocobo stop. Follow the "A Behemoth Undertaking" quest line to unlock Chocobos.
• While exploring Duscae in this chapter, camp at Pullmoor Haven. It's a campsite to the north of Alstor Slough. Doing so will unlock a cutscene with Prompto.
• This chapter would also be good time to rest at the Longwythe rest stop hotel. Doing so will unlock a special cutscene with Prompto.
• When you're ready to move on, make sure to pick up the Shield of the Just Royal Arm before hitting Lestallum. It is located where the map indicates Thommel's Glade, just north of Seculum Pass. Refer to this map if you get lost.
• When Iris asks to give you a tour of Lestallum, take her up on the offer.

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Chapter 4

• Play this chapter as normal.
• There is one missable cutscene involving Lunafreya. When prompted by Ardyn, stop at the outpost to rest. Go up to the radio that everyone's gathered around and listen to it to unlock the cutscene. You will have to hang around the radio and keep listening to it until the cutscene triggers.

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Chapter 5

• Play this chapter as normal. If you didn't unlock chocobos in Chapter 3, now would be the time to do it.
• Once you've got your car back, go camp at Fallaughns Haven, a camp site east of Saxham Outpost, south of the Disc of Cauthess. Doing so will unlock a cutscene with Ignis.

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Chapter 6

• OPTIONAL: At the start of this chapter, Noctis has a nightmare with scenes from "The Omen Trailer." Watch that now if you didn't before. You can find it here on Youtube.
• Play this chapter as normal.
• Iris will bring up a prompt about stopping by a dungeon called the Malmalam Thicket for another Royal Arm (The Scepter of the Pious). Accept this quest, it's pretty fun going through a dungeon with Iris.
• Camp at Spelcray Haven, a campsite just west of Cape Caem before you reach it. Doing so will unlock a cutscene with Prompto. (More time with Iris too!)

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Chapter 7

• Play the chapter as normal.

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Chapter 8

• There's a lot to do in this chapter. For starters, save up, exit, and complete Episode Gladiolus.
• Now it's time to collect some royal arms. Make way for the Rock of Ravatogh, a dungeon where you'll find the Tomb of the Fierce. It's the huge volcano on the east end of the map, you can't miss it.
• Once you're all finished here make sure to camp at Lambath Haven, just east of the Ravatogh Outpost. Here you'll unlock a quest called "A Flower for Iris" which will give you an additional cutscene with Iris later.
• Next up is the Tomb of the Rogue in Myrlwood Dungeon. It's to the east of the Vesperpool. Refer to this map for exact location.
• While in Myrlwood Dungeon, rest at the camp site Petritche Haven. You can find it by taking the first two forks left. Doing so will unlock a cutscene with Ignis.
• OPTIONAL: If you've been leveling fishing, you can unlock a cutscene with Gladio at Capitis Haven near the Vesperpool. You won't be able to catch the complete the quest if you haven't leveled fishing much, but I thought I'd mention it for completion's sake.
• OPTIONAL: Do the timed Final Fantasy XIV quest. You can locate it in the Cauthess Rest Area south of the disc of Cauthess. It's not 100% necessary but you get an extra summon for doing it, new outfits for the boys, and a lot of fun cutscenes. The quest says 'timed', but it'll probably be there forever (I hope).
• OPTIONAL: Do Talcott's Cactuar Figurine quest line. There's a subtle nod to this in a much later chapter.
• Do the Formouth Garrison side quest to have another go at Commander Loqi. It's near where you attacked the Imperials with Cor in chapter 2, the outpost on the northeast corner of the map.
• One more Royal Arm for now. Head to the Balouve Mines dungeon near Three Valleys, north of Longwythe. Refer to this map for exact location. The enemies are all pretty weak except for the boss, but he can be easily parried and you'll do fine with a few Elixirs in store.
• Watch the Brotherhood anime. There are 5 episodes, which take about an hour to watch. You can find it for free on Youtube.
• Head to Cape Caem. When you get there make sure to give the flower to Iris you collected at Lambath Haven to finish the quest "A Flower for Iris" and unlock a cutscene with her.

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Chapter 9

• Play through the chapter as normal.
• Prompto will give you a quest to see Lunafreya's wedding dress, I'd recommend doing that.
• If you want, just before you visit Carmelia and finish the quest called "The Summit", you can talk to Weskham and unlock a quest to see Bismark, the sea god. There's also some cool photo ops if you cruise around in the boat.

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Chapter 10

• If you're a returning player, save and quit once you regain control of Noctis. Then play Episode Ignis to completion.
• If you're playing the game for the very first time, play Episode Ignis up unti the later half of Chapter 2. Before approaching the Altar, stop and save your game and go back to the main game.
• That out of the way, play through the game as normal in this chapter.

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Chapter 11

• Play as normal.

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Chapter 12

• Play as normal, but talk to everyone you can and exhaust all dialogue options.

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Chapter 13

• This chapter is kind of controversial as the pacing for Noctis's route is kind of slow and monotonous. To help remedy that, I suggest breaking up Chapter 13 with Episode Prompto & Chapter 13 Verse 2.
• Start the chapter. When asked to choose your route, pick Noctis's.
• About halfway into Chapter 13, you'll come across a Royal Arm and a new questline will pop up called "Zengatus Keep". This would be a good time to stop, save at a rest area and switch to Episode Prompto.
• Play through Episode Prompto until you reach a story quest called "Sins of the Father." Then save, stop and go back to the main game. First timers may want to be cautioned that Episode Prompto reveals some info about Prompto ahead of where its revealed in the main game. I personally feel the reveals are much better through the eyes of Prompto himself, since they only concern him and his character. If you're wary about this, wait until later to play it.
• Continue along Chapter 13 as Noctis.
• When you get to a section where you're collecting keycards A & B to power on doors, you'll want to stop and rest to take on Chapter 13 Verse 2.
• If you've already got a finished save file, simply back up to the main menu and select 'Special'.. Then choose Chapter 13 Verse 2 to play it.
• If it's your first time, save in a different slot. Then approach the lockers at a rest area and choose to switch to Gladio's path. Once you are finished with Chapter 13 Verse 2 then quit and reload your old save to finish Noctis's route.
• Once the gang is all back together, find a rest point and finish off Episode Prompto, even if you chose to wait to play it.
• Finish Chapter 13.

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Chapter 14

• OPTIONAL: The multiplayer expansion comrades takes place between Chapter 13 & 14. If you wish to play it as part of this playthrough, now is the time (save and quit as soon as you get control of Noctis). Be warned that does take an estimated 10-25 hours or so to finish, and it is a little on the grindy side. Personally, I feel it ruins the pacing to stop and play comrades. That said, there are cutscene compilations on Youtube if you want to skip it and watch the cutscenes. The story does fill in the gap and tie up some story arcs from the Kingsglaive movie, so you might as well at least watch a cutscene compilation (only around 1 hour worth of cutscenes).
• Play through the chapter until you reunite with your party at Hammerhead. Stop and save.
• If you did not finish Episode Ignis, you may do so now.
• Next, watch the Episode Ardyn Prologue anime episode. It is available free on Youtube.
• Play Episode Ardyn to completion if you wish.
• You should be strong enough to collect the final Royal Arm. Call Umbra at the caravan and choose to go back to the past. Head to the Tomb of the Tall , south of Wiz's Chocobo Stop. See the map here. The Royal Arm won't be here though, just a note which will lead you to Costlemark Tower directly to the east. Bring lots of curatives, it's a long dungeon, but it'll prepare you for Insomnia pretty well.
• Once you have all Royal Arms in hand, go to the Founder King's statue near the entrance to the dungeon where you got your first royal arm. You will get the Royal Sigil, allowing you to use Armiger Unleashed.
• Return to the present. Head through the chapter and the Insomnia ruins.
• OPTIONAL: If you created a Kingsglaive solder in Comrades, you can join up with him/her for a quest! Look for the quest "A Glaive Out of Time" in the Kingsglaive base.
• Do the questline "A Relic of the Empire", found in the Kingsglaive base. Doing so will unlock a special cutscene with Cor during one of the final boss fights.
• Play through the rest of the game as normal, and enjoy the ending! You did it! Congrats!

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Chapter 15 (Post-Game, all optional).

• OPTIONAL: Play through 'Extra Verse' on Episode Ignis and see the alternate endings.
• OPTIONAL: There is a special scene you can unlock with all the NPCs who've given you sidequests in the main game if you care to see it. As soon as you load up a Chapter 15 post game save, you should get a quest called " Lonely Rumblings" upon going to the past. You'll have to fight a superboss, but it's fun.
• OPTIONAL: If you used this guide, you should have the parts needed now to return to Cindy and mod the Regalia into an airship. Doing so will allow you to visit the Pitioss Ruins if you like; a dungeon that includes some nods to the game's lore.
• OPTIONAL: Do the Timed Event crossover with Terra Battle. It's in this magic circle near where you left the road to enter Malmalam Thicket with Iris.
• OPTIONAL: Do the other dungeons not mentioned in this guide if you missed them in the main game. The two you'd be missing at this point are Daurell Caverns (west of Galadin Quay), and Crestholm Channel (east of Hammerhead near the 'beginning' of the map.
• OPTIONAL: Do the 'legendary weapon' questline from the old man in Lestallum.
• OPTIONAL: Take on the Melusine quest. It's called "O Partner, My Partner." You can unlock it in Hunter's HQ near the Vesperpool.
• OPTIONAL: Take on the menace dungeons. These are the sealed doors you've found in every dungeon. They're basically huge end-game dungeons with great loot.

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General Tips for Added Fun

• Accept Prompto's photo op quests when they occur. You get some great photos of the chocobros together this way.
• Unlock character swapping as early. You can find it in the Ascension Board and get it with relatively few AP.
• Whenever you come across some bit of lore like a Cosmogony book, read it.
• Do Vyv's questline. He's the guy with a beard and long hair wearing the T-Shirt that says "Eat Live Breathe Meteor' in the parking lot at Lestallum (slightly down from the Cup of Noodle stand). His quests give some info about the world's background lore.
• Do Cindy's sidequests to upgrade the Regalia. Exploring Eos is a lot more fun when you get the Type D and can explore off road.

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Acknowledgements & Special Thanks

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• u/matt091282 for help with adding Comrades to the guide.
• u/nil8r153 & u/blonde_afro for help in adding the 'Parting Ways' prequel novella.
• u/ArbyWorks & u/Takfloyd for their insights on Episode Ignis & Episode Ardyn
• All the kind redditors who gave me gold for this post. Thank you very much! I appreciate it a lot <3
• My friends who took the journey through the world of FFXV with me IRL. You know who you are. What else can I say but... you guys are the best <3

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Let me know if there's anything I can improve or correct, hopefully this can help someone out there!

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EDIT 1: I added a section about the multiplayer expansion, Comrades. I also added the unlockable camp site cutscenes, dispersed throughout where they would naturally occur while exploring in the story. Other than that just minor editing and cleaning up. Thanks everyone or all your great suggestions!

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EDIT 2: Added the option to read the prologue novel "Parting Ways." Also streamlined and clarified some things, especially in regards to Episode Ignis & Episode Ardyn. Also added a Chapter 15 post game section!

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EDIT 3: Added more thanks and acknowldgements as well as a note about the Platinum Demo. Also added some more post-game content suggestions.

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EDIT 4: Added A King's Tale to the prologue section. Simplified and streamlined a lot of stuff, especially when to play Episode Ignis, making it more safe for first time players not to get spoiled. Thanks to u/Arrion_Eldaciel

I am trying to figure out how to get all the scenes in floor 10 and feel like I am missing a whole bunch. I have completed the main story and used the fate sheets on the winter node and the last node but can’t seem to find where some of the scenes are from videos I have seen online. If anyone could offer their experience that would be great.

I played Rebirth when it first was released, and I loved the story, but quickly grew frustrated with all the mini games, side quests, etc. I’m now doing another playthrough, and since I don’t have all the pressure to mainline the story, I can really enjoy the game. I don’t mind doing all the world data stuff, or the fiend fights, or chocobo stops, etc.

Apparently the secret is just taking your time. Who knew? 😂

So I restarted ffx on my ps2 and my ps2 broke right after I got out of Luca so now I'm debating buying the remaster for switch..please tell me I can skip cutscenese in remaster because I really don't wanna go through all that again to catch up to where I was 😭😭