Going Eye of the Tiger with FFXV’s Gladio at PAX East 2017

It's the thrill of the fight...

At PAX East we got the chance to sit down with Square Enix and the Final Fantasy XV team. Square has been doing a fantastic job working with fans and furthering out the franchise and their DLC schedule is very aggressive. The first offering centers around Gladiolus and his trials. As each side character goes off-screen for a bit during the main game. The developers now have a chance to fill in these blanks. We spoke with Producer Haruyoshi Sawatari about this DLC and some upcoming events fans can look forward too. Here’s all you need to know about the FFXV Episode Gladiolus DLC.

Everything you need to know about the FFXV Episode Gladiolus DLC

Gladiolus is the team’s tank in the game. Using strength to power through his foes, he also relies heavily on blocking and counter-strike mechanics. The combat styles that encompasses the DLC is meant to show off these forms and use Gladiolus’s full potential. As Shield of the King he must prove himself against the sword master Gilgamesh in a fight to the death. With any Final Fantasy game the story is paramount and Gladio’s journey is a search for redemption to aid his king. Facing the deep need to prove himself, there is no turning back.

The DLC is about two hours of playable content. Considering the game launched in November, it is great to see this first round so quickly after the launch of the full game. Haruyoshi Sawatari explained that the team is eager to have continued DLCs for fans which focus on the backstory of each character in the game. Their aggressive approach to content is something the fans and developers are both striving for. The DLC is replayable to see how well you do with the trials. You can challenge yourself the whole time to see how fast it can be done.

Gladiolus does some sweeping attacks which can blast enemies in an AOE range. He also has a very powerful counter strike off of blocking mechanics which is a bit tricky to get the hang of, once mastered however, this can be used to great effect against mini-bosses and bigger opponents. Another aspect of the combat is that Gladio will throw opponents with his bare hands and great strength. This was a fun part of the character that the team got to enhance within the system. Hurling foes mixed in with huge sword attacks makes for an intense skill set among players. Haruyoshi really wanted to convey the strength of the character through the movement and design.

ffxv gladiolus dlc

We don’t want to ruin too much of the story, as the expansion is coming at the end of the month. However, from the hands-on demo and interview, the combat style is fun and challenging. Haruyoshi is planning the upcoming slate of DLCs as well with Prompto up next. There is a teaser trailer out there if you want to watch it. Or, you could avoid spoilers and play through Gladiolus to get some of the answers on the next DLC when you reach the end. Each DLC is a great place for the developers to flush out the full story of the game. Taking parts of the main title which have gaps in time and filling in those scenes with playable content is something Haruyoshi is very proud of. He stated that this year Square Enix is really looking to give back to the fans for all their loyalty on Final Fantasy over time. Square is committed to feedback more than ever before and they want to make sure the best products come from this relationship.

We’ll keep you up to date when the DLC launches and the Prompto gets his own story coming up this summer. The DLC schedule for the game will keep everyone excited throughout 2017. Much more is planned but Square is too smart to show all of their cards this early. For now, we have Episode Gladiolus to look forward to in a few weeks.

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