The PlayStation 4 version of Final Fantasy XV Episode Duscae, a playable demo of the upcoming game that was included in the Collector’s and Day One Editions of Final Fantasy Type-0 HD, supports remote play. Provided you have the right setup, you will be able to stream the trail version from the PS4 to your Vita and PlayStation TV. We recently spent some time with the game using remote play on the handheld system. You can check out on impressions below.
Controls
First, let’s take a look at the Vita’s remote play control layout for Final Fantasy XV Episode Duscae. The demo only offers one default scheme. While you do not have to utilize the L2 and R2 alternate layouts on the handheld, you do have to make use of the L3 and R3 ones.
L3 is mapped to the lower left-hand quadrant of the touch screen, which is not very ideal since you need to hold it down and move the left analog stick at the same time in order to sprint. As a result, you will need to your left thumb and another finger just to run fast. Not to mention that a portion of the screen will be blocked from your vision as well.
While you can also sprint while moving the left analog and holding down the square button at the same, we found that it is not preferable since holding down square next to an enemy will also prompt Noctis to perform a string of attacks instead of sprinting to your desired location.
R3, which is mapped lower right-hand quadrant of the touch screen, is used to reset the camera angle to Noctis’ back. During combat, you can also use it to permanently lock on to a targeted enemy on screen while holding R at the same time. Thankfully, you simply press that area of the touch screen once to use both functions.
With that said, the same location is also where the heads-up display containing your party’s stats are shown, so it is not exactly ideal either. You can find the Vita control layout for streaming Final Fantasy XV Episode Duscae below:
Basic Controls
- Left Analog: Move
- Left Analog while Holding Square: Sprint
- Right Analog: Camera
- Circle: Jump
- L: Take Cover
- R: Hold to Focus on Target
- Lower Left-Hand Quadrant and Left Analog: Sprint
- Lower Right-Hand Quadrant: Place Camera on Noctis’ back
- Middle Quadrant: Access Tactical Menu
- Start: Menu
- Select: Share
Combat Controls
- Left and Right Directional Buttons: Use Selected Technique
- Square: Attack Once; Hold to Perform Combo
- Triangle: Use Technique
- L: Hold to Defend
- L and Circle: Warp Dodge
- L and Square: Parry
- R: Hold to Lock-on
- Lower Right-Hand Quadrant: Permanently Lock-on Target while Holding R
Text Size
Another issue we had while playing the Final Fantasy XV demo on the PlayStation Vita is the extremely small text. You really have to put the handheld closer to your eyes than usual. This can be a big problem during fights as you have to keep an eye on the tiny HUD in order to view the current status of your party while trying to fight the enemy at the same time. While you will most likely be able to adjust to the small text size, bigger letters are definitely more preferable.
Final Take
Playing Final Fantasy XV: Episode Duscae on the Vita is okay as long as you can overlook the use of the L3 function and the small reading text. It is not a bad way to play the game if you are just grinding for more levels or exploring the wide open spaces. With that said, you should play the game on the PlayStation 4 during tougher battles or important story related events.
Hopefully, Square Enix will improved upon the remote play feature in the final version of Final Fantasy XV. The development team should have plenty of time to do so since the game still does not have a time frame for release. If you haven’t already, you can preorder the upcoming title on Amazon with this link.
Based on what we experienced with the playable demo, FF15 seems like it will be suitable to stream on the Vita as there are big areas to explore and a lot of side content. We just hope that Square Enix is going to be able to iron out some of the issues that hindered our remote play experience.