*Warning: Final Fantasy XV spoilers*
Ever since the days of Final Fantasy II, “Guest” characters have had a reputation for popping up in Final Fantasy games, impressing everyone with their skill, and then vanishing due to certain plot elements. Final Fantasy VI’s General Leo, Final Fantasy VIII’s Laguna, Kiros, and Ward, the entire cast of Final Fantasy IV, and even the mighty Sephiroth himself. All show up, make an impact on your brain with their devastation, and then, they leave.
Poof, gone!
Final Fantasy XV is no different with the clear favorite being Areana Highwind. The sexy Dragoon mercenary shows up as a foe at the adventure’s halfway point, and she knocks our heroes around a bit before fleeing. Fate eventually puts her in charge of Noctis’ group for a dungeon run, and that’s when she starts to taking a liking to the boys.
However, it doesn’t last. Aranea leaves shortly afterwards, never to return to fight alongside Noctis and friends again, at least as far as I know, to the dismay of her drooling fanboys.
Leave it to gamers to solve a way to bring her back! The video above shows how you can glitch the game into keeping Aranea Highwind in your party.
Aranea Highwind the coolest Guest in Final Fantasy history?
There’s no getting around it. Aranea has the making of a true, blue Final Fantasy legend. Well, she’s hot, for one thing. That usually helps, but she also knows how to fight and brings a much needed strong female presence to Final Fantasy XV’s male dominated setup. I like Noctis and the guys and wouldn’t have their journey any other way, but sometimes, having a girl along for the ride is a good time.
Iris fits that bill too, but let’s face it, she’s no Aranea.
Aranea also has the inner conflict of good versus evil, a running theme of Dragoon characters in the series. Of course, this is best showed off by one of Final Fantasy’s most iconic characters, Kain Highwind from Final Fantasy IV. Their shared last name is no coincidence, I promise.
So, who is a cooler guest character than Aranea? Well, the aforementioned Laguna from Final Fantasy VIII is a pretty tough act to beat. I’m playing Final Fantasy VIII right now on my Vita, and Laguna sticks out like a sore thumb in the best way imaginable. He’s not only likable, he’s the only likable character in a decidedly dull cast of otherwise boring teenagers. I like Final Fantasy VIII a lot better than I remember, but I am so relieved every time one of Laguna’s flashbacks kick off to break up Squall’s monotony.
General Leo is also the stuff of legends. Arena has moves but nothing on the level of his Spark ability.
And then there is every major character in Final Fantasy Tactics: Orran, Agrias, Mustadio, Delita, Zalbag, Meliadoul, and everybody else. Final Fantasy Tactics is the king of Guest characters, although I forgot Orlandeau never actually became “Guest.”
Still, Aranea has successfully carved out her own corner of Final Fantasy lore and is setting up her legend. Like Aeris before her, many fans are desperate to break the game to keep her in the party. Maybe Square Enix has some DLC plans starring the Dragoon down the road to keep her in the public eye.
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