'Final Fantasy XV: Pocket Edition' Launches Early, Available For Download Now

Square Enix has surprised fans by releasing "Final Fantasy XV: Pocket Edition" slightly ahead of schedule. A day prior to its release, the developer launched the astoundingly faithful remake of the role-playing game on both the iOS App Store and Android's Google Play.

The game is a mobile adaptation of the full-sized "Final Fantasy XV," with the complete story available in a freemium package. The story is divided into chapters with the first one being available free of charge.

All in all, the rest of the chapters cost $19.99 in total. Players can also buy the episodes individually for those who would like to enjoy the game sporadically or those who are unsure if they will enjoy the game as much as the original.

Obviously, being a mobile version, "Final Fantasy XV: Pocket Edition" doesn't come with the original game's jaw-dropping graphics. Instead, it features chibi versions of Noctis and the rest of the game. Nevertheless, Square Enix didn't scrimp on accuracy and even included the iconic opening car push scene.

Unlike other entries in the series, "Final Fantasy XV" featured action RPG elements so don't expect much in terms of turn-based gameplay. Still, it would be interesting how the breathtaking action sequences in the original game will transition to mobile.

Though it might not deliver the same eye candy as its source material, "Final Fantasy XV: Pocket Edition" does have one unique quality: it's portable. In addition to delivering a very similar experience as the full game, it can be enjoyed while on the road, something that obviously can't be done with the original.

It's definitely an interesting decision for Square Enix to do this. However, given that gaming is slowly migrating to mobile, it does make sense for one of the biggest video game companies to explore the platform. And what better way to experiment than porting one of their biggest games.