Ranking Fantasy XV’s DLC Episodes
4. Episode Gladio
Final Fantasy XV’s post-launch plans all started here with Episode Gladio, and although it’s not bad per-say it’s easily the weakest of the whole bunch. Episode Gladio sees the party member leaving Noctis and the others to undertake “The Trials,” a challenge that only the Shield of the King can undertake to gain new power.
Accompanied by Cor the Immortal, Gladio makes his way through the combat trials and finally faces down the legendary Gilgamesh. Gladios’ combat is fun, if not a bit simple, as a hack-and-slash affair. It involves unleashing basic attack combos and building up you technique meter to use devastating techniques.
A few other options do help add variation, like being able to rip giant pillars out of the ground as weapons, or guarding to increase your Rage meter and do more damage.
In all, though, Episode Gladio just feels far more restrictive and limited than the other episodes. It doesn’t add on as much story and lore, although you do get to learn about Cor, and it’s very focused on combat.
The entire thing is definitely salvaged by an awesome final boss battle, that has a pretty neat rendition of Gilgamesh’s theme “Battle of the Big Bridge,” by the composer of NieR: Automata.
