Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn

For all your seizure inducing goodness!

Moderator: Moderators

Post Reply
Message
Author
User avatar
Envy661
Envy x Banned Forever
Posts: 1608
Joined: Wed May 12, 2010 10:50 pm
Location: Back in the Yamaku Dorms, cuddlin' it up with Emi where I belong.
Contact:

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn

#1 Post by Envy661 »

So I remember a topic about this way WAY back in the day (2012) when the game was in beta, and before the ARR version launched to fix the original FFXIV. That topic is so dated now that I just decided to make a new one.

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn legitimately surprised me. I've played World of Warcraft, Star Trek Online, Star Wars: The Old Republic, both pre and post Free 2 Play, Guild Wars 2, Star Wars Galaxies, Everquest 2, Arch Age, Dungeons & Dragons Online, Continent of the Ninth Seal, Vindictus, and various other lesser-known MMO titles. OF THEM ALL, Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn has held my interest more than any other.

There is a 14-day free trial available on Steam. There is a level 20 level cap associated with the free trial, but I believe that is per class, and since you can learn every class on one character, there's a chance that you can cap every class at level 20 before the trial ends, which would be a very very good idea.

If you're coming from games like World of Warcraft, you'll find very similar controls and hotbar functionality, with the ability to have up to 6 hotbars up at once. I personally use three. Two for combat abilities, and one for long duration buffs and stances. The game is well refined over the dated style and controls of WoW. Gear and loot is very well done in comparison to WoW. It's a lot more like Star Wars: The Old Republic in terms of quest loot, and there are no standard drops. You also have a very VERY large inventory, and gear is separated into a completely different inventory set on top of that. There's also a plethora of dungeons and the like to keep the end-game and multiplayer aspects lively.

If you're coming from Star Wars: The Old Republic though, you'll be sad (most likely) over the lack of voice acting. You'll get a voiceover for NPCs once every 10 or so story missions, and none of the sidequests are voiced. However, the multiplayer, dungeon, and pvp systems are a definite positive over TOR. To top it off, the story is fantastic, even if it's not voiced. It's definitely something of quality in an era of a lack thereof.

If you're coming from Guild Wars 2, you'll find a combat-oriented system that allows for combo usage to keep combat a little more interesting than WoW or TOR, but it's still not the median between conventional MMO and ARPG like Guild Wars 2 is. On top of this, the customization, especially these days with all the changes in Guild Wars 2, is not nearly as good as Guild Wars 2. However, the ability to glamourize gear when you hit level 50, and the use of dyes make it very similar, though watered down in comparison. Unlike Guild Wars 2, the game doesn't feel like it drags on. FFXIV incorporated Dynamic Events (called FATES) like in GW2 as well, but in a positive side, doesn't get rid of questing entirely for them. That's a benefit in my eyes because of how empty everything felt in GW2 because of the lack of things to actually do.

If you're coming from an ARPG like RiFT, Vindictus, or C9, you'll find combos and dynamic combat to play a role in this game. Though it can't really be compared to the combat freedom of an ARPG, FFXIV does incorporate dodging attacks and attack combos to make things a little more interesting.

If you're coming from Arch Age, then I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for everything you went through, and i just want you to know that good MMOs do exist, and I'm sorry Arch Age turned out the way it did. It was a shame.


Here's a few extra tidbits about things I've said about this game:
Early Review:
Spoiler!
I started up on Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn. Thought I would give the free trial a go.

My impressions so far:
For an MMO, it's very good. Focuses less on pvp, raids, etc, and focuses more on story content and lore-building early on (as I am still below level 20). I think this point is essential for a good game in general - not just an MMO. I hate how in WoW you feel rushed to do all the additional player-based things. FFXIV is legit a game you can solo and have no issues with. Just in the same way you can with Guild Wars 2.

Story-wise it's not as good as Star Wars: The Old Republic, because TOR had cinematic, fully voiced cutscenes where your choices mattered a little bit. In this game, there are limited choices, and cutscenes and dialog are almost completely unvoiced, which takes away major points for me for an otherwise great game. That being said, the overall way the story is conducted, and how it helps you ease into it, is still significantly better than how World of Warcraft of Guild Wars 2 conducts itself.

Gameplay is very much the same genre of WoW and TOR. Nothing substantial there, but it does reward you a little bit for performing combos.
The ability to use any class on one character if you so choose is beneficial in my eyes, because it means you don't have to spend hours investing into each and every character. And the option is always there to make more characters if you so choose.

Since the game is subscription-based, there is no limit to the number of characters you can make, and there are no MTs that give players an advantage over you. The downside, is obviously, it's a subscription-based game. That means a monthly fee.

Customization-wise, it has a dye system similar to Guild Wars 2. Overall though, Guild Wars 2 still has a vastly superior customization system to literally any other MMO (and many singleplayer games) out there. With multiple dyes, transmutation charges, etc. It's very hard for any game to compete with what Guild Wars 2 offers, especially since they now allow you to save your armor styles and use them any time you want. Final Fantasy XIV is closer to TOR. Each armor piece can be dyed, but that's about it. What's worse is, a lot of vendors sell oddly-dyed armor pieces. I still have no idea why. And worse yet, you have to unlock dyes in the game. You have to reach level 15 and go to a specific city to do so.

Overall, I haven't been able to put the game down, but I will also say it's not without it's flaws.
Recent Statement:
Spoiler!
In all the ways that it's an MMO just like TOR or WoW, it's different enough to keep me persistently interested in it. Especially after finding this interesting Free Company (guild) to join.
I picked the game up on a whim, giving the trial a try thinking there was really no way I could get into the game.
I was [censored] wrong.
The class system, is the big one. Because all classes are playable on a single character just by switching your gear. And not every class is simple to unlock, as not all are available at the start.
I, after all the time I attempted through EVE, TOR, DDO, WoW, C9, Vindictus, Guild Wars 2, STO, have never enjoyed an MMO so much.
So.... Does anyone else play this game?
If anyone wants to join me, I play on Aether (North America) server, Jenova world (obviously).
ɔıƃol ʎʌuǝ ǝsnɐɔǝq
Image
deviantART | Steam Account | Forum Sigs | Otaku Streamers
Message me for access to the Twokinds Unoffical Official Skype Chat!

User avatar
Yash
Administrator
Posts: 1392
Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 8:52 pm

Re: Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn

#2 Post by Yash »

Incorrect info in your post. Character slots are limited, you start with two and can pay for more if you want, but they arent free. You can also pay for a cheaper sub if you only want 1 slot.

Either way, great MMO, highly recommended. (Try the crafting system ASAP)
Forum Rules.

"Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain - but it takes character and self-control to be understanding and forgiving." - Dale Carnegie

User avatar
midnightblink
Council Member
Posts: 551
Joined: Mon May 25, 2015 7:03 am
Location: Troutdale Oregon

Re: Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn

#3 Post by midnightblink »

I would totally play with you, but I am a mere console peasant with the PS4 version (;_;)

I've definitely enjoyed FFXIV more than most MMO's I've tried. The fact that you can play every class on one character makes it so simple and fun to switch play-styles
Image
Primum Non Nocere

User avatar
Insomniac
The Experienced Virgin
Posts: 5201
Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2006 9:09 pm
Location: circling the drain
Fav. Twokinds Character: Natani

Re: Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn

#4 Post by Insomniac »

Is gonna be that guy and present someone else's differing opinion.

[edit]To summarize that though: Character creation! Screaming "OH GOD NO" at the Lalafel in their undergarments for several minutes, more character creation (he's apparently very methodical), potentially interesting cutscenes, almost no voice acting, bland textures in a non voiced cinematic that for some reason required a loading screen, delivering a frakking pie, having some douche elf, sorry, Elezen, treat you like an idiot telling you what bows are for, and getting a quest to kill squirrels, ladybugs, and fungus creatures outside of town. All of the above prompted a ragequit.
TheSpoonyOne wrote:It’s new and improved! And that’s really, really sad.
This is an edited version of a livestream I did a few months ago that probably says more than any scripted review ever could.
Yeah, I quit after 20 minutes. I quit because they wanted me to kill squirrels & ladybugs. I quit because my first quest was delivering pie. Way to suck me into the action, guys. By this time in DC Universe I was blasting my way out of a Brainiac invasion ship. By this time in Star Trek Online I was fighting off a [censored] Borg cube. By this time in Final Fantasy 14 I was handing off a [censored] pie. [censored] the pie and [censored] this game.
I quit because after all this time, it’s a dirt-average fantasy MMO with nothing separating it from the thousands of others.
From the Sergals and Sergal Lovers channel of F-List's chat system (Beyond NSFW, by the way): Honey, you ain't the only abnormal sergal in here. We got three pink northerns, a fairy, and a dork with a talking sword.

User avatar
Envy661
Envy x Banned Forever
Posts: 1608
Joined: Wed May 12, 2010 10:50 pm
Location: Back in the Yamaku Dorms, cuddlin' it up with Emi where I belong.
Contact:

Re: Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn

#5 Post by Envy661 »

midnightblink wrote:I would totally play with you, but I am a mere console peasant with the PS4 version (;_;)

I've definitely enjoyed FFXIV more than most MMO's I've tried. The fact that you can play every class on one character makes it so simple and fun to switch play-styles
The gameplay is cross-pkatform. PC master race and console peasants play together.
ɔıƃol ʎʌuǝ ǝsnɐɔǝq
Image
deviantART | Steam Account | Forum Sigs | Otaku Streamers
Message me for access to the Twokinds Unoffical Official Skype Chat!

User avatar
amenon
Grand Templar
Posts: 1693
Joined: Thu May 15, 2014 4:11 pm

Re: Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn

#6 Post by amenon »

Being able to use a single character for everything is incredibly compelling, and for those so minded crafting in this game is pure crack. It's easily my favorite MMO, and I'd go so far as to call it a good game. It feels more like an actual world than a theme park.

I haven't been playing for a pretty long time now, [work, family, sleep, free time, MMOs: pick any three] but I looked through my screenshots just now and the temptation to go back is real. I won't, but I'm glad that the game is out there somewhere and people are doing things in it. Do try it out if that's a thing you do. Hell, do it even if it isn't! It's that good, or your money [for the free trial] back.
]]> Twokinds search (search the comic based on art or text!)
     
My most recent Twokinds smutfics, newest to oldest [NSFW]:

User avatar
Yash
Administrator
Posts: 1392
Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 8:52 pm

Re: Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn

#7 Post by Yash »

Insomniac wrote:Is gonna be that guy and present someone else's differing opinion.

[edit]To summarize that though: Character creation! Screaming "OH GOD NO" at the Lalafel in their undergarments for several minutes, more character creation (he's apparently very methodical), potentially interesting cutscenes, almost no voice acting, bland textures in a non voiced cinematic that for some reason required a loading screen, delivering a frakking pie, having some douche elf, sorry, Elezen, treat you like an idiot telling you what bows are for, and getting a quest to kill squirrels, ladybugs, and fungus creatures outside of town. All of the above prompted a ragequit.
TheSpoonyOne wrote:It’s new and improved! And that’s really, really sad.
This is an edited version of a livestream I did a few months ago that probably says more than any scripted review ever could.
Yeah, I quit after 20 minutes. I quit because they wanted me to kill squirrels & ladybugs. I quit because my first quest was delivering pie. Way to suck me into the action, guys. By this time in DC Universe I was blasting my way out of a Brainiac invasion ship. By this time in Star Trek Online I was fighting off a [censored] Borg cube. By this time in Final Fantasy 14 I was handing off a [censored] pie. [censored] the pie and [censored] this game.
I quit because after all this time, it’s a dirt-average fantasy MMO with nothing separating it from the thousands of others.

For future reference to people who don't know much about video game reviews, absolutely never listen to the opinion of someone who's played an MMO for 20 minutes and then quit. Especially if they make it clear that they have no idea how the entire genre works, and assume everyone likes or dislikes the same things they do in their review.
Forum Rules.

"Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain - but it takes character and self-control to be understanding and forgiving." - Dale Carnegie

User avatar
Envy661
Envy x Banned Forever
Posts: 1608
Joined: Wed May 12, 2010 10:50 pm
Location: Back in the Yamaku Dorms, cuddlin' it up with Emi where I belong.
Contact:

Re: Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn

#8 Post by Envy661 »

Yash wrote:
Insomniac wrote:Is gonna be that guy and present someone else's differing opinion.

[edit]To summarize that though: Character creation! Screaming "OH GOD NO" at the Lalafel in their undergarments for several minutes, more character creation (he's apparently very methodical), potentially interesting cutscenes, almost no voice acting, bland textures in a non voiced cinematic that for some reason required a loading screen, delivering a frakking pie, having some douche elf, sorry, Elezen, treat you like an idiot telling you what bows are for, and getting a quest to kill squirrels, ladybugs, and fungus creatures outside of town. All of the above prompted a ragequit.
TheSpoonyOne wrote:It’s new and improved! And that’s really, really sad.
This is an edited version of a livestream I did a few months ago that probably says more than any scripted review ever could.
Yeah, I quit after 20 minutes. I quit because they wanted me to kill squirrels & ladybugs. I quit because my first quest was delivering pie. Way to suck me into the action, guys. By this time in DC Universe I was blasting my way out of a Brainiac invasion ship. By this time in Star Trek Online I was fighting off a [censored] Borg cube. By this time in Final Fantasy 14 I was handing off a [censored] pie. [censored] the pie and [censored] this game.
I quit because after all this time, it’s a dirt-average fantasy MMO with nothing separating it from the thousands of others.

For future reference to people who don't know much about video game reviews, absolutely never listen to the opinion of someone who's played an MMO for 20 minutes and then quit. Especially if they make it clear that they have no idea how the entire genre works, and assume everyone likes or dislikes the same things they do in their review.
I... have to agree with Yash (for once). Most games in general, not just MMOs like this one, start with low level fetch quests and killing weak monsters. The Shrews and Ladybugs in this game are the equivalent of Rats in Oblivion or Skeevers in Skyrim. Never really intimidating. Never meant to be intimidating. Just there to help you learn the basics and get you acquainted with the area.

We're also talking about a guy who played the game for 20 minutes and clearly didn't get a chance to enjoy the story, class quests, grand companies, hidden jobs, dungeons, multiple classes on a single character, or anything else.
We're also talking about a guy who, of those 20 minutes, only spent about 5 in the actual gameplay part of the game.
He saw a pie. He saw some shrews and ladybugs. He decided a game that doesn't start off like a Call of Duty title wasn't worth his time.

Press F to Pay respects.
ɔıƃol ʎʌuǝ ǝsnɐɔǝq
Image
deviantART | Steam Account | Forum Sigs | Otaku Streamers
Message me for access to the Twokinds Unoffical Official Skype Chat!

User avatar
Insomniac
The Experienced Virgin
Posts: 5201
Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2006 9:09 pm
Location: circling the drain
Fav. Twokinds Character: Natani

Re: Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn

#9 Post by Insomniac »

For context: Spoony hates Call of Duty and has played Final Fantasy for decades. He's also, as shown in the text below the video, played his share of MMOs. And as he made a point of mentioning in his FF XIII review, "It gets better later" doesn't excuse a terrible start.
From the Sergals and Sergal Lovers channel of F-List's chat system (Beyond NSFW, by the way): Honey, you ain't the only abnormal sergal in here. We got three pink northerns, a fairy, and a dork with a talking sword.

User avatar
midnightblink
Council Member
Posts: 551
Joined: Mon May 25, 2015 7:03 am
Location: Troutdale Oregon

Re: Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn

#10 Post by midnightblink »

Insomniac wrote:For context: Spoony hates Call of Duty and has played Final Fantasy for decades. He's also, as shown in the text below the video, played his share of MMOs. And as he made a point of mentioning in his FF XIII review, "It gets better later" doesn't excuse a terrible start.
It's called juxtaposition. If you start a game off with the most intense part of the game, the rest of the game becomes boring because it has to match that intensity the whole game,whereas in FFXIV you start by doing the menial tasks, and pretty soon you're fighting a gigantic sea monster on a small ship in a very intense tactical fight. It makes the late game more rewarding, because you had to work hard and do your due diligence to get to that point. It also makes more sense from a story standpoint. In most MMO's, they try to give you this idea that you're the "one" even though standing behind you are about 100 other players about to get the same speech, but here, you are one of many people who are suppose to save the world, and as such you are not always leap upon with the most important tasks, because there are many out there like you. I can see how some who want to be thrust into the action can get bored by it, but honestly if you need that level of excitement all the time, MMO's might not be the best choice for you in the long run, because they're about grinding hard, spending a lot of time doing one thing, and they really want to make you work for any achievement you get. There's nothing wrong with wanting a higher level of excitement all the time, but FFXIV clearly wasn't made for people who want that sort of thing.
Image
Primum Non Nocere

User avatar
Insomniac
The Experienced Virgin
Posts: 5201
Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2006 9:09 pm
Location: circling the drain
Fav. Twokinds Character: Natani

Re: Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn

#11 Post by Insomniac »

I just think there's a line between juxtaposition, and starting things too slow. I mean, the way it starts out would maybe be okay in a non MMO Final Fantasy game, where you start out in a HOME town and your character is meant to KNOW the people he or she is interacting with.
From the Sergals and Sergal Lovers channel of F-List's chat system (Beyond NSFW, by the way): Honey, you ain't the only abnormal sergal in here. We got three pink northerns, a fairy, and a dork with a talking sword.

User avatar
Envy661
Envy x Banned Forever
Posts: 1608
Joined: Wed May 12, 2010 10:50 pm
Location: Back in the Yamaku Dorms, cuddlin' it up with Emi where I belong.
Contact:

Re: Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn

#12 Post by Envy661 »

Insomniac wrote:I just think there's a line between juxtaposition, and starting things too slow. I mean, the way it starts out would maybe be okay in a non MMO Final Fantasy game, where you start out in a HOME town and your character is meant to KNOW the people he or she is interacting with.
Considering it's only really "Slow" for about an hour in a game with weeks worth of content, I would say the pacing is fine.
After about an hour, in my experience starting in Ul'Dah as a Gladiator, I was saving the Silver Brazaar settlement from the syndicate, solving mysteries in Central Thanalan, and fighting bosses in the main story and Gladiator's Guild questline.

A lot of what's given early on helps to introduce you to the areas, and makes things easy to navigate. Quests are given by sections and areas are leveled based upon this. Once you get to Horizon (if you start in Ul'Dah), things really begin moving forward in the game.

To put it into perspective: I am currently level 37. The main story goes up to level 50, and then the Heavensword DLC content kicks in to the new level 60 level cap. I've stuck with the game long enough to reach this point, when I usually grow bored of MMOs to make it this far, and I'll be working to hit level 50 before my free month runs out.

If you want perspective, I've hit max level in three other MMOs. Star Trek Online, Star Wars: The Old Republic (pre Hutt Cartel), and Guild Wars 2. All of those titles took me over a year to reach level 50. Guild Wars 2 took me almost three to hit level 80. TOR is the only exception. It instead took me about 7 months. I remember only because I hit level 50 before the game went Free to Play, and the game went Free to Play about 12 months after it came out.
ɔıƃol ʎʌuǝ ǝsnɐɔǝq
Image
deviantART | Steam Account | Forum Sigs | Otaku Streamers
Message me for access to the Twokinds Unoffical Official Skype Chat!

User avatar
Ranalf
Templar Inner Circle
Posts: 5925
Joined: Tue May 11, 2010 4:41 am
Location: Heavensward!

Re: Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn

#13 Post by Ranalf »

Envy661 wrote:Boop
Honestly, with the buffs to the 2.0 Questline, you can hit 50 within 2 weeks pretty easily if you just do MSQ, maybe even less. 2.1~2.55's quests can get you to like Lv 51~53 or so if you buy HW before starting them.

I've been playing since Launch, took a break, and continued just before 2.3.

I personally agree with Envy. It's slow at the start because you're a fresh adventurer in a land that's only recently recovered from Bahamut going on a rampage. People are short on hands, and new people are coming into town. Why not give them some menial tasks like slaying critters and delivering stuff to make sure they don't die from easy enemies and to acquaint themselves with the city and its people. They're not just going to shove every new adventurer at the beastmen races as that's certain death for a fresh adventurer.
Image
Delicious.
Cool story.

Post Reply