Final Fantasy XV Episode Gladiolus' Plot Revealed
Where did Gladiolus go? In "Episode Gladiolus," fans will learn exactly what Final Fantasy XV's reigning beefcake was up to when he took off at the end of Chapter 6—and, going by the recently released trailer, if you guessed that he was fighting it looks like you're probably right.
(Minor Final Fantasy XV spoilers follow.)
About halfway through Square Enix's open-world RPG, one of the team's four party members, Gladiolus, leaves to take care of some personal business. When he returns a few missions later, the only thing that Gladiolus says is that, while he's injured, "You should see the other guy." Final Fantasy XV's first story-based downloadable content, "Episode Gladiolus," fills in this major plot hole, detailing Gladiolus' quest to make himself stronger through lots and lots of combat.
In an early Final Fantasy XV flashback, Gladio falls to a minor villain named Ravus, which fuels his insecurity and drives him to find a way to become more powerful. Apparently, after leaving the party, Gladiolus goes through a 30-year-old ritual that culminates in a battle against Gilgamesh, a recurring Final Fantasy character with a fondness for swords of all types. According to producer Haruyoshi Sawatari, the adventure will take between an hour and a half to two hours to complete.
Unlike the main game, which stars the magic-wielding Prince Noctis, players will control Gladio directly in "Episode Gladiolus." As a beefy, melee-based brawler, Gladiolus controls very differently than Noctis, with high-impact grappling moves, the ability to smack enemies with giant rocks, and a "rage meter" that fills up when Gladio blocks incoming strikes and unleashes devastating attacks when full. Sawatari says that the combat in "Episode Gladiolus" is inspired by games like For Honor and Dark Souls.
Players will receive special in-game rewards for completing the extra content, although Sawatari won't say exactly what. In addition, finishing "Episode Gladiolus" will unlock extra game modes, including a time-based "score attack" challenge.
"Episode Gladiolus" comes out on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on March 28, 2017, and will contain a teaser for the next piece of Final Fantasy XV story content, "Episode Prompto." Reportedly, the new content will cost $4.99—which isn't bad for a piece of completely unnecessary DLC.