#daddy gladdy

[finalfantasycrystalcomplex]

[funkynarylindocruz]

Look at him.. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

[xxautumnivyxx]

Growth happens in time. Quitting will never get you there.

[insomniasix]

@mzargentum I shamelessly used all your shots of Gladdy for my cover image and icon.. THANK YOU, photo goddess!!!

[crazesmilecheshire]

From smosh honest game trailer…. they give us……. ENTOURAGE XV

starring the main characters and somewhat main characters… hahaha there's a second part go check that out if ye want :V

[deaanix]

Gladdy on the Beach!!  @anandinair requested I draw more Gladio, and I hadn’t gotten the chance to really draw him, and I’ve been wanting to, so I went all out ;) It took me a while but, boy, was it worth it. I think this is probably my best digital work yet, I’m so happy. Thank you for requesting!!

Please do not steal, repost, or erase my signature!

[major-artery]

The disappointment is real.

So, Episode Daddiolu-- uh, I mean Gladiolus. <ahem> *Spoilers - for all things FFXV.*

I have been hyped up for this DLC since I beat the game, cried my eyes out, beat it again, and bawled even harder. Gladiolus has been my favorite character from the get-go, and as far as character development goes, we never really got to learn too much about him.

More than anything, I wanted this DLC to expand on Gladiolus as a character - when he learned about the downfall of Insomnia, there's hardly a reaction aside from reading what is in the print. He has to realize that since King Regis died, his father Clarus did as well - but nothing. We see Noctis boil down, and the group agrees that they need to see Insomnia for themselves, but...

I'm at a loss here.

Further along in the story, the group is confronted by Ravus who easily tosses Gladio aside like the giant muscley sack of sweet potatoes he is. And THIS is the point where Gladio's DLC begins?

You have got to be fucking with me.

We know how strong Gladdy's connection with his family is. It's presented to you on a silver platter and wrapped up in a bow during Brotherhood, and it's made even more evident when he's worrying nonstop about his little sister after the fall of Insomnia. I expected the DLC about finding himself to come from the loss of his father.

But nope - instead it comes from him being thrown by Ravus. I don't understand what they were thinking in that regard.

So the DLC begins with Gladiolus getting in touch with Cor. Why does he reach out to The Immortal, though? No idea - none. We just know that Gladio is obviously sulking in the rain after he breaks away from your Rock Band party after dropping Iris off in Cape Caem. Butthurt and brooding, he teams up with Cor --- not to find himself, oh no, but to gain more power.

Cor takes Gladio to the Tempering Grounds, to seek out the Blademaster, Gilgamesh. But in order to even make it to Gilgamesh, he has to overcome trials.

"Here we go," I'm thinking to myself as I'm guiding Gladiolus and Cor the Immortal through this (stunning) crag in a mountain, learning how to play as the king's shield, getting various link strikes with the Marshall and feeling over-all pretty awesome about the experience.

You reach the first campsite and Cor mentions Clarus in passing, and again I'm sitting on edge waiting for some emotional feedback about Gladio's father's death. But, nah. Nope. Instead Gladio's all, "Tell me about you, Cor."

This becomes a constant callback through each campsite. We learn about Cor, and how he earned the title of "the Immortal." And little by little, Gladiolus learns more about himself.

I can't even begin to round on my disappointment in the fight with Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh is a constant in the Final Fantasy series. He is *always* a bad-ass motherfucker. This dude knows how to fight with any blade, and knows how to do it with perfection. A force to be reckoned with, and he's generally got like... eight arms. In this iteration, though, he only has one visible arm.

As you're fighting you're thinking, "Oh shit, I gotta beat him, if I don't, it's game over." Literally. That's the threat that's hanging over your head. If you fail, Gladiolus will be killed.

Awesome.

As you go through the trials, you're gaining skills to aid in the fight against Gilgamesh. When the fight begins, you realize it's going to be a challenge even though the rest of the trials were relatively simple. You have to chip away at his health, use parry-techniques whenever you can, and unleash the occasional maelstrom.

After whittling away a good chunk of health, the game loads a cutscene where Gilgamesh regenerates his missing arm. In my head I'm thinking:

"Holy shit. This is going to be NUTS - I'm going to have to whittle him down and he's going to spawn another arm!!" I was excited and nervous. Ner-cited? Exvous? Smad?

Power through that health bar, and we get small cutscenes here and there showing Gladio receiving the scar across his forehead and abdomen. Some more fighting... Gilgamesh just falls to the ground, and is like, "Lol you pass. Here's Cor's old sword from 30 years ago. Kthxbye." No more arms.

It all rounds up in the cliche "I didn't want to admit that I was scared, but I am, and that's okay" from Gladio. Cut to me - "Are you FUCKING kidding me right now with this SHIT. YOU BEAT HIM AND HE'S LIKE YOU PASS BECAUSE YOU REALIZE YOU'RE ALLOWED EMOTIONS??? WHAT."

Nope. Bullshit. Excuse me? 30 years, and no one has ever defeated you, but Gladio does it in like 90 seconds because he realized he was allowed to be scared? Square Enix, what the fuck did you just give me with this cop-out bukkake?

<sigh>

I'm all for fanservice - and that's basically what this was. They gave their fan base more schlick material with a grumpy, slightly expanded upon and emotional Cor the Immortal, and a shirtless, tough Gladdy. Add in some cup noodles, heavy metal-ish battle music, and heavy grunting, and you're good to go.

The gameplay is relatively simple, but sometimes challenging since you're used to playing as the light-footed Crown Prince that can warp-strike all the things, easily dodge attacks, etc. But filling up Gladdy's "rage" meter to get more powerful attacks is satisfying - just like being able to pick up an ENTIRE COLUMN and swinging it around mercilessly.

-ooo-

Overall, I give Episode Gladiolus 2.5 out 5 Cup Noodles. 1 hour is far from the ultimate 3-to-5 hour flavor experience that I was promised, Square Enix.

[Side note - the expanded preview of Episode Prompto at the end? My poor sunshine Chocobro... ♥] [Side note 2 - I wrote this in an emotional rush, and it may be a bit jumbled. Apologies. I JUST HAVE A LOT OF FEELINGS, OKAY?]

[choco-bro-prompto-blog]

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