Final Fantasy 15's Episode Gladiolus, the game's first major story DLC, has finally been released after months of buildup. Fans had wondered whether or not the DLC would follow the same formula that was so successful in Final Fantasy 15, something that, while obviously appealing, would be difficult given the differences between the agile Noctis and big, burly Gladiolus. As it turns out, Square Enix decided to once again favor a more innovative approach to its iconic series, and Episode Gladiolus plays much more like an action game than Final Fantasy 15 ever did. The roughly hour-long story is more button mashing than magic and finesse, and it's another welcome addition to the already diverse modes of gameplay available to Final Fantasy 15 fans.

Of course, the changes to Final Fantasy 15's combat formula aren't the only thing appealing about Episode Gladiolus. The DLC features major updates to the game's story, including revealing what happens to Gladiolus when he separates from the party during the main campaign, and offers some new challenges and a heart-pounding boss fight at the end of the DLC's dungeon. All told, despite the relatively short length of Episode Gladiolus, there's a lot for fans to enjoy.

Better still, however, is the fact that there is a sweet weapon awaiting players at the end of Episode Gladiolus. The Genji Blade, wielded by the DLC's final boss, is a truly unique and awe-inspiring weapon that is well worth the effort of finding. Luckily, that isn't too difficult, and we've put together a simple guide to make sure gamers don't miss out on the chance to acquire one of Final Fantasy 15's best looking weapons. Be warned - those who want to remain in the dark about Episode Gladiolus' final boss will want to play through the DLC before reading this guide.

noctis genji blade

Beat Gilgamesh

Yes, Episode Gladiolus features the return of one of the Final Fantasy series' most polarizing villains. Gilgamesh is in a number of Final Fantasy games, and more often than not he is portrayed as a bumbling swordsman with an inflated opinion of his lackluster combat skills. That isn't the case in Final Fantasy 15, though - Gilgamesh is a legitimate threat that will keep players on their toes as they guide Gladiolus through the fight. Defeating Gilgamesh is a requirement to unlocking the Genji Blade, however, and as such, players will have to tough it out through the fight to proceed.

View the Final Cutscene

After the credits roll, there is a teaser trailer for the next Final Fantasy 15 DLC, Episode Prompto, that gamers can view. Fans will have to sit through the credits and the trailer to see what they unlocked for beating Episode Gladiolus, and lo and behold, one of those prizes will be the Genji Blade.

Load up Your Main Final Fantasy 15 Save

While the game doesn't explicitly state that the Genji Blade is available in the main campaign, it certainly is - and luckily for gamers, all they have to do is load up their main campaign save after beating Episode Gladiolus to acquire it. The Genji Blade is a greatsword with an attack power of 426, and an added bonus of boosting players' HP significantly. The sword is also available for Noctis to use, which means players will be able to enjoy it throughout the main campaign and Final Fantasy 15's post-game.

It's refreshing to see a game like Final Fantasy 15 be relatively lenient on the requirements to acquire such a cool weapon. The wait for the Episode Gladiolus DLC has been long, and getting a reward just for beating it and continuing with the main campaign's post-game content is a nice gesture to fans who have stuck with the game for so long already. For now, though, it's back to the grind until Episode Prompto releases in the summer.

Final Fantasy 15: Episode Gladiolus DLC is available now for PS4 and Xbox One.

Source: VG 24/7