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Final Fantasy XV Pocket Edition (Free) by Square Enix is an abridged, mobile version of the latest entry in the Final Fantasy franchise. If you didn't get a chance to play the original game, had no time, or just disliked certain things about the console version, then Pocket Edition is a great alternative.

When Final Fantasy XV was first announced over a decade ago, I was super excited for it. I had even bought a PS3 back then because I didn't think it was going to take a whole decade, plus another generation of console, before the game would see the light of day. But when I played the first beta, I was disappointed by the combat system. I was put off by it, but I thought I'd give the final release a try.

My fiancé got the game for me for Christmas, but again, I tried it and still didn't like the combat system. Plus, I didn't have the time to invest fully into the game, with the massive open world and side quests. But when they announced FFXV Pocket Edition, I was intrigued — how would such a massive game work on mobile, with watered down chibi graphics? I've been playing the game all morning, and so far I'm actually quite impressed.

$20.99

FINAL FANTASY Ⅸ

SQUARE ENIX Co., Ltd.

Final Fantasy XV: Pocket Edition delivers the entire single player campaign storyline from the console version, and that alone is quite an achievement. To pull this off, Square Enix redesigned the graphics engine from ornate 3D realism to more rudimentary 3D graphics, and sliced away the open world tendencies of the console counterpart. The gameplay structure has also been change in favor of a one touch control scheme. The entire game lets you tap to auto attack, and then you can pull off more complex moves with the right timing. Through all of the changes, you still get the entire storyline complete with detailed voice work for hours of a deluxe experience. Not everyone will enjoy the limitations, and yet the changes fit really well on iOS. You can get lost in the extraneous activities of the console version, and it’s much better to have a one touch control scheme than a virtual control pad cluttering the touch screen. Even the graphics style has its own endearing quality, and at the same time a freshness to the franchise.

The story of Final Fantasy XV has been redone for mobile devices.

The Good

Final Fantasy XV Pocket Edition is a surprisingly good time. Even if you've played the original, or have yet to get through it, Pocket Edition differentiates itself in a variety of ways. Namely, it streamlines everything so you can get through the story easier, and the combat is so much better. And there's something charming about the chibi, low-poly graphics that makes it hard to resist.

The first chapter provides a great example of what to expect from the full game. The other chapters are pretty reasonably priced, and if you think about the full chapter bundle, it's about what you'd expect for a full-fledged Square Enix Final Fantasy game on mobile.

The Bad

The only thing that bothers me about the game is the controls for moving around. I hate that my hand is blocking my view, and I'd prefer to play this using two hands. So to me, having a virtual joystick would make more sense for movement. Hopefully this can be changed in the future.

The verdict

I played through the first chapter of FFXV Pocket Edition, and I'm getting much more enjoyment out of this than the console version so far. I wasn't expecting to like the game this much, but it's won me over with the cute and endearing, slightly deformed character models and vastly improved combat system. I've already gotten farther in just the first chapter than the console version, and that's saying something. The dialogue matching up is also impressive.

Whether you've played FFXV or not, this is a great port that's exceeded my expectations.

Final Fantasy XV Pocket Edition is on the App Store as a universal download for free. You can purchase the other chapters as a complete bundle for $19.99, or individually at $0.99 or $3.99 each.

8.5

OVERALL

Sound/Music 10

Gameplay 9

Replayability 8

Graphics 8

Game Controls 7.5

FREE

FINALFANTASY XV POCKET EDITION

SQUARE ENIX

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Dig Dog – Treasure Hunter ($2.99) by Rusty Moyher is a roguelike platformer that stars a dog looking for bones. If you enjoyed other games like Downwell and Doug Dug, then you'll like what Dig Dog has to offer.

As a huge dog lover, is there anything cuter than a dog and their bone? No, not really. The way that they like to take their bone, find a spot in the dirt, and then start digging a hole to bury it in for later, it really is great to see. Though my husky is kind of an oddball and doesn't bury his treats, so I must live vicariously through the life of other dogs. Anyway, as a dog person, as well as a platformer and roguelike fan, I was intrigued by Dig Dog when I saw it. I mean, how can I say no to a game that features dogs?

$2.99

Downwell

GHI Media, LLC

Free

Doug dug.

The Electric Toy Company LLC

Dig Dog features a super simple and classic 8-bit aesthetic that any old-school gamer will appreciate. If you've played the original Super Mario Bros. games, then this feels a lot like those in terms of graphics and typeface. The color scheme is basic and provides excellent contrast, as the earth is black and the backgrounds are bright and vivid hues. Enemies are also black, but with a splash of color, and blend in to the earth a bit, making it hard to see them all, but that just adds to the challenge. Obstacles like saw blades and walls are white or colored, so they stand out nicely in the black earth. Bones are white too, so they're easy to spot. Animations are smooth and fluid, with no lag or choppy frame rates on my iPhone 8 Plus. The chiptune soundtrack is fun to listen to, as well as the digging sound effect.

There are two game modes in Dig Dog: Bone Hunt (Hard) or Free Dig (Easy). In Bone Hunt, think of it as a roguelike treasure hunt. Your dog will be digging through a total of four different worlds, and each one has a handful of stages to go through. Your goal in Bone Hunt is to find the single white bone that's hidden somewhere on the level, and once you obtain it, you move on to the next stage. But you must watch out for enemies, and make sure you don't hit saw blades or fall to the bottom of the pit. You'll only have two hearts, so yes, you will end up dying a lot.

If you want a more relax, chill mode, then Free Dig is the way to go. With this, players get an endless digging experience. You'll have infinite, randomly generated levels that have little to no challenge (a lot fewer enemies to deal with) and no game overs. If you die, you just pick up where you left off, pretty much. You can quit this mode and pick it back up from the last level you were on. It's a great way to kill some time if you have any to spare.

Controls in Dig Dog are simple. In the bottom left are two buttons for moving left or right. In the bottom right of the screen, there is a single button for jumping. But then how do you dig? If you double tap on the jump button, the dog flips and will slam into the ground, breaking the dirt block and allowing you to dig. When you rapidly tap on the jump button while moving left or right, you can do a kind of dash attack that lets you quickly burrow through the dirt, while also eliminating enemies at the same time. But be careful when doing these quick attacks — if you're not careful, you may go too far and fall down below.

Though the game starts you off with just searching for basic bones, there's more to the game than that. Eventually, you may find various treasure items, and you can come across shops to buy things like health refills or get more hearts.

Play as a dog in search of bones in this roguelike action platformer.

The Good

Dig Dog – Treasure Hunter is definitely a cute little roguelike platformer that has a lot of good things going on. While the graphics may be simplistic compared to modern standards, it's a nice homage to the classic retro games that I grew up with. Plus, the chiptune soundtrack is delightful. The gameplay is an interesting mashup of roguelike and digging platformer, but it ends up being a fun combination. The controls are also pretty straightforward, though it takes a bit of practice to get used to it. The gameplay itself is challenging, and the Free Dig mode can be rather relaxing.

The Bad

There's a lot of good stuff going in on Dig Dog – Treasure Hunter, but some may find it to be a bit repetitive. I mean, you are literally just a dog digging around for bones, after all. And since it's a roguelike, it may not appeal to everyone, especially those who get frustrated from dying a lot.

The verdict

As a fan of dogs, platformers, and roguelikes, I think Dig Dog – Treasure Hunter is great. I appreciate the vintage graphics and music, and the digging mechanic is quite fun. The two game modes are enough to give players a challenging experience, or something more relaxing and calm. Even though it can be a bit repetitive, I think this is a great game to pick up when you're waiting around somewhere.

Dig Dog – Treasure Hunter is available on the App Store as a universal download for your iPhone and iPad for just $2.99.

8.4

OVERALL

Sound/Music 9

Replayability 8.5

Game Controls 8

Graphics 8

Gameplay 8.5

$2.99

Dig Dog – Treasure Hunter

Rusty Moyher

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