Final Fantasy XIV Online: A Realm Reborn

 PC
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 2236 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,673 out of 2236
  2. Mixed: 169 out of 2236
  3. Negative: 394 out of 2236
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  1. zeigdo
    Sep 5, 2013
    2
    really wished i would of enjoyed the game after spending a few hours of trying multiple character to lvl 20 ish ive noticed that the game has a huge lack of action ive had alot more fun with free mmos out there then this subscription based game. The overall graphics are ok the story is alright the cut scenes and voice acting for the little parts that have some are pretty bad.
    like    really wished i would of enjoyed the game after spending a few hours of trying multiple character to lvl 20 ish ive noticed that the game has a huge lack of action ive had alot more fun with free mmos out there then this subscription based game. The overall graphics are ok the story is alright the cut scenes and voice acting for the little parts that have some are pretty bad.
    like most people mentioned you cant really access the game since release because of servers full and no queue system, witch is very annoying.... its normal to have issues at launch day but they said something like they didn't expect so many people playing but they didnt see the amount of sales before game come out weird
    anyways maybe this game will improve but the game doesn't feel up to date graphically and fun wise for today's gaming maybe if it was 7+ years ago     … Expand
  2. MellerYeller
    Sep 5, 2013
    5
    Is this better than the 1.0 version? Absolutely. However, it basically just went from terrible, up to mediocre. It's an amazing difference by comparison to the old one, but comparing it to more recent MMOs, it lacks any and all substance. It's basically just the skeleton of a modern themepark MMO because it has your basic functions like quest hubs and boring combat, but absolutely nothingIs this better than the 1.0 version? Absolutely. However, it basically just went from terrible, up to mediocre. It's an amazing difference by comparison to the old one, but comparing it to more recent MMOs, it lacks any and all substance. It's basically just the skeleton of a modern themepark MMO because it has your basic functions like quest hubs and boring combat, but absolutely nothing past that. These kinds of MMOs don't cut it anymore with a more and more particular MMO audience. There's nothing special here other than Final Fantasy styling, so it is basically babby's first MMO and most likely forgotten entirely with in a few months.… Expand
  3. Klun
    Sep 5, 2013
    3
    After 2 Years and this being the second launch of this game and they still cant manage to grant access to the player is a huge fail... Now lets skip the server problems and jump to the game "

    The Customization is awful, very limited options and went you jump into the game world everyone looks alike... The fights are still slow and in the safe zone with nothing special, charming or    After 2 Years and this being the second launch of this game and they still cant manage to grant access to the player is a huge fail... Now lets skip the server problems and jump to the game "

    The Customization is awful, very limited options and went you jump into the game world everyone looks alike...
    The fights are still slow and in the safe zone with nothing special, charming or new.
    The graphics and sounds are the only improvement and the reason of my 3 Score points.

    Overall for a "reborn game" that has a full entry price /monthly fees and one of the best developer of fantasy experience is just sad, especially when you take into consideration others MMo games more polished and Free    … Expand
  4. Nakts
    Sep 5, 2013
    0
    This game is an admitted WoW clone in Final Fantasy skin, the quests are boring and time consuming, Skinner box anyone, the combat is terrible, and the game was too easy, before they made it easier.

    Graphics: It's pretty, but being based in the PS3 platform, that will likely not last. Music: Fairly unmemorable, nothing seem to stand out at all. Gameplay: It's pretty horrible, if    This game is an admitted WoW clone in Final Fantasy skin, the quests are boring and time consuming, Skinner box anyone, the combat is terrible, and the game was too easy, before they made it easier.

    Graphics: It's pretty, but being based in the PS3 platform, that will likely not last.
    Music: Fairly unmemorable, nothing seem to stand out at all.
    Gameplay: It's pretty horrible, if you're looking for something different, look someplace else.

    Bottom line: they took everything good about MMOs and made it simple to the point of stupidity, this may actually qualify as baby's first MMO with difficulty level being nil and the game holding your hand at all times.

    On the other hand, the game is being run by people who'd rather work on new things to add to the already broken pile, they already have with their errors and server cues, rather than fix what's broken now.    … Expand
  5. bakr48
    Sep 5, 2013
    10
    This game really is amazing. Everything about it is beautiful. From the characters, to the environments, to everything. It is all meshed together to make you feel like the entire world is real and alive. Great job Yoshi P
  6. Fonjo
    Sep 4, 2013
    10
    Final Fantasy ARR is a completely different game from the original release. I would probably give it a slightly lower score than a ten but someone has to counteract all of the unreasonable people who gave the game a one within the first week of launch. Yeah, Square messed up the launch pretty badly but they admitted a fault and took care of it.

    The game is a joy to play and while it    Final Fantasy ARR is a completely different game from the original release. I would probably give it a slightly lower score than a ten but someone has to counteract all of the unreasonable people who gave the game a one within the first week of launch. Yeah, Square messed up the launch pretty badly but they admitted a fault and took care of it.

    The game is a joy to play and while it does have many small flaws, it has the spark that many MMO's seem to be missing lately. The dev team also seems genuinely interested in providing the best experience for their fans. Sometimes it just takes time to get the kinks worked out. Great game.    … Expand
  7. djkal
    Sep 4, 2013
    10
    Server and login issues seem to have been fixed and I can now say this game is a solid 10. I love the gameplay. Leveling up is a lot of fun compared to WoW. Grouping is quite painless compared to most MMO's I have played. Beautiful game overall.
  8. Quinma
    Sep 4, 2013
    7
    This is a solid MMORPG. Everything content wise is very well done and the community is mostly a lot of nice old school gamers who go all the way back to EverQuest and FFXI.

    Graphics are enjoyable, story line cut scenes are great. I love a MMO that actually has a story. +3 story +2 content +1 graphics +1 community Other than the story it is a pretty standard MMO. -1 for the    This is a solid MMORPG. Everything content wise is very well done and the community is mostly a lot of nice old school gamers who go all the way back to EverQuest and FFXI.

    Graphics are enjoyable, story line cut scenes are great. I love a MMO that actually has a story.

    +3 story
    +2 content
    +1 graphics
    +1 community

    Other than the story it is a pretty standard MMO.

    -1 for the release technical difficulties.
    -1 for not creating any new amazing content that no MMO has done yet.
    -1 price

    And yes i did just make up those arbitrary numbers but they represent how I feel about the game.    … Expand
  9. Stoff3th3m4n
    Sep 4, 2013
    9
    They game is really fun to play at this moment, despite of server issues which will be adressed. And that's what it's all about really. They challenge for the developers will be to keep players interested and that can't be reviewed yet naturally. But plain and simple, it's really fun to play.
  10. Reira
    Sep 4, 2013
    4
    Starts out as fun as any MMORPG but quickly deteriorates due to lack of any substantial content. It becomes a grind no matter how you play it. It is worth mentioning that the customer service is extremely bad. However, being in Japan and working for Japanese companies has showed me that what passes as bad in many countries is actually "normal" in Japan. Don't expect things to changeStarts out as fun as any MMORPG but quickly deteriorates due to lack of any substantial content. It becomes a grind no matter how you play it. It is worth mentioning that the customer service is extremely bad. However, being in Japan and working for Japanese companies has showed me that what passes as bad in many countries is actually "normal" in Japan. Don't expect things to change much as the Japanese players aren't as likely to complain about this as players from other countries are.… Expand
  11. Cheshire
    Sep 3, 2013
    8
    This game has certainly come a long way from 1.0 and all the horridness involved with it. I have to say that when I first heard they were going to be gutting the game and re-working it from the ground up I was a bit skeptical. All the promises from the new development team seemed very lofty at the time and I wasn't sure they could deliver on all of them or even come close. However, fromThis game has certainly come a long way from 1.0 and all the horridness involved with it. I have to say that when I first heard they were going to be gutting the game and re-working it from the ground up I was a bit skeptical. All the promises from the new development team seemed very lofty at the time and I wasn't sure they could deliver on all of them or even come close. However, from the time of beta phase one it became very clear that they had made good on their promises.

    Graphics 1.0 sported some very amazing graphics and made even my high-end pc work to its limit but at the time it was a simply amazing looking game. Since we're now in ARR I have to say, they've taken what was already a beautiful game and made it look even better. At the same time, they've been able to make it run better on almost anybodies machine. Even on medium settings, the game is simply gorgeous. The attention to detail in the world continues to blow me away with every single new area that I explore. The weather effects and lighting associated with them are simply stunning. The snow, the rain, the lightning flashes; I am constantly being impressed. The spell and ability effects that you see on your screen when there's a lot of players around you are amazing. There simply is no other MMO currently on the market that can beat how this game looks.

    Game play There's something for everyone in this department. You'll find many similarities to other mmo's in what you find here, as well as a lot of new features that you won't find in other mmo's. It's pretty cookie cutter I will admit, but in my opinion people come to expect a certain style of play in their online role-playing games. I'm not going to say it's anything ground-breaking, but it doesn't have to be.

    Story It's very much what you come to expect from an FF title. A very interesting plot-line that gets more rewarding the farther into the story you get. The game revolves around a main story line quest that leads you around the world as you're leveling. In addition to this there are also stories associated with the class that you're currently leveling. My main is currently a ARC/SCH and I have to say that I have certainly enjoyed my class story and what's going on in it. They've done a very good job at linking the main story to pretty much everything you unlock in the game. For example, as you're leveling and progressing in the main story-line more and more options open up to you. You start out in one city and eventually you're able to unlock airship access to allow you to explore more of the world. The farther along you get, the more you're able to do and the farther you're able to travel.

    Crafting/Diversions Crafting, gathering, or 'working' as some people would call it. This game takes quite a different approach towards crafting and gathering. While it as often seen as something on the side to do in other mmo's, crafting is a complete other class that you level in this game, just as you would a mage or a warrior or any other type of combat class. The system is such a refreshing change of pace and actually requires strategy and planning to do well in. Push for higher quality on your crafts and hopefully produce a high quality item, but don't push too far because you'll run the risk of breaking the item you're trying to produce and losing some or all of your mats. I love it.

    Are there server issues? Of course there are, it's an MMO launch. The server's are packed and queue times can be horrible. As I'm writing this review though, the game is down for maintenance and the server team is adding new servers and implementing changes to address these issues as I'm sure they'll continue to do so going forward. If anything, chalk it up to the fact that it's popularity is causing the issues. There's a reason it's so popular it's an amazing game with tons to offer. Patience is required as things move towards improving and if you can see past this point, you won't regret it.

    Honestly, there's so much more to this game than I can really include in a simple Metacritic review. The new development team has completely met and surpassed my expectations in what they promised us and this is only the beginning. I am definitely looking forward to experiencing all that this game is and will become as it evolves. If you're looking for a challenging MMO that engages the mind and has lots of bang for your buck, look no further. The Final Fantasy MMO is back, and I'm so happy to be a part of it.    … Expand
  12. transient03
    Sep 3, 2013
    6
    This is the truth about FF14 arr: PLEASE READ

    First of all, it is a FF game. Very much feels like one, nuff said. The world, graphics and cinematics are wonderful; gameplay is fluent and responsive. The lvling system is tedious and unoriginal, but for some reason its addictive. Haven't gotten too far into crafting/gathering but both seem OK, nothing to complain or write home about.    This is the truth about FF14 arr: PLEASE READ

    First of all, it is a FF game. Very much feels like one, nuff said. The world, graphics and cinematics are wonderful; gameplay is fluent and responsive.

    The lvling system is tedious and unoriginal, but for some reason its addictive. Haven't gotten too far into crafting/gathering but both seem OK, nothing to complain or write home about.

    Class/Job system is interesting and balanced. BUT, this is where the game is ultimately going to fail. Right now I am a lvl 25 arcanist and I am spamming 3 moves. Overall my endgame rotation as arc/summoner with cross skills might be 6-7 skills with some variance for off-healing/tanking on top of DOT Dps. Right now its ok, but the lack of endgame and monotonous rotation is why i know myself and many of you will eventually move-on to the next MMO (Elder Scrolls Online sometime next year).

    As far as the server issues: extremely frustrating without much helpful communication from SE. However, I'm sure this will not remain a problem for long. Everyone scoring this game based on first week server issues is missing the point.

    Overall, play this this game. Its not going to be the greatest MMO or FF you've ever played, but this is my reasoning Let's be honest, as of right now there really isn't much in the way of fun, new video games out right now with all the focus on next-gen gaming, and for the next...six months...there won't be. I'm sure SE is scratching their head right now of why so many people are playing this game beyond their expectations, and this is a question it seems the video game industry as a whole has yet to figure out; the ANSWER... Most gamers are looking for the same things and those quality games us gamers are looking for are often missing. During these "Video Game Dry Seasons" a game like FF14 ARR is the best we're gonna get. So play this game along with the console version of Diablo 3 until Titan Fall is released in march and then Destiny and ESO later in 2014.    … Expand
  13. AlteraMoontail
    Sep 3, 2013
    10
    This MMO is one of the most enjoyable I have played in years. It has its launch issues with too many players not enough servers, but they are being fixed. So I am being patiently cause the game itself is BRILLIANT ^^ Well worth the wait
  14. HD32PLAY
    Sep 3, 2013
    9
    People giving this game a zero are simply raging please ignore them. From what I have played (albeit on the Japanese servers) this game looks and feels incredible. The world design and overall feel of the environment is simply top notch, while looking good it also performs well on my mediocre-high rig.

    In regards to game play, standard tab-targeting MMO basics are here, and not much    People giving this game a zero are simply raging please ignore them. From what I have played (albeit on the Japanese servers) this game looks and feels incredible. The world design and overall feel of the environment is simply top notch, while looking good it also performs well on my mediocre-high rig.

    In regards to game play, standard tab-targeting MMO basics are here, and not much else. Is this a bad thing To be honest I find the simplistic nature of the combat in the game very nice to play especially with a controller which this game does an almost perfect job at supporting. The launch has been shaky but this is to be expected with a game of this type, these issues are being resolved however, and people saying that the developers are "doing nothing" are simply impatient.

    I have had to come away from the game to write this review, partly because on a Japanese server I am not making any real progress, and partly because it is almost "too beautiful". Final Fantasy fans should play this game, MMO fans should play this game, heck even people that like going for walks in the countryside should play this game. Final Fantasy gives us just that, a fantasy world that is simply incredible, the game play is simplistic but enjoyable and easy to pick up. Wait a while (for the server issues to be resolved) and then play this game.    … Expand
  15. Delmale
    Sep 3, 2013
    8
    I played FFXIV ARR through beta and I found the game to be entertaining. The leveling experience is extremely similar to your standard quest to level MMO with a side of Guild Wars 2 type world events (for extra exp) called FATEs, thus it's not fair to judge a game just based on the leveling (and to an extent, the dungeon experience) alone. So I decided to wait until end-game before puttingI played FFXIV ARR through beta and I found the game to be entertaining. The leveling experience is extremely similar to your standard quest to level MMO with a side of Guild Wars 2 type world events (for extra exp) called FATEs, thus it's not fair to judge a game just based on the leveling (and to an extent, the dungeon experience) alone. So I decided to wait until end-game before putting up a review.

    However, the so called "early access" to the game game actually turned out to be "late access" for me. I have a legacy character and the world I am on literally prevents me from logging in as its always full. So I decided to re-roll to kill some time, but guess what?! Every server is full! Not only that, but servers do NOT have queues you have to constantly hit star character screen choose character login Error! Server full! Just to retry every single time.

    This has caused people to leave their characters in the game online over night for fear that they won't be able to login. This launch was a complete failure. Unfortunately for SE, a game isn't just based on its content. It's the ability to execute their product in a timely manner and provide acceptable service on a consistent basis. I have not been able to access a product that was advertised to be available days before its August 27th release date, primarily due to the fact that I work and everyone is hammering the servers at 5PM. While it is understandable that this is a busy time, it is unacceptable that there is no server queue and it is essentially luck based who gets in.

    For that I give it 3/10.    … Expand
  16. gouki12
    Sep 3, 2013
    0
    Don't waste your time on this.

    Should you ever get into the game. You will face a ton of problems and shortcomings. Especially content-wise. Have fun fate-grinding your way to 50, waiting 3+ hours for a group if you are a damage dealer only to find, at the end of the journey, that there is pretty much no endgame content. Once you finish the main story endgame consists of farming 3    Don't waste your time on this.

    Should you ever get into the game. You will face a ton of problems and shortcomings. Especially content-wise.

    Have fun fate-grinding your way to 50, waiting 3+ hours for a group if you are a damage dealer only to find, at the end of the journey, that there is pretty much no endgame content.

    Once you finish the main story endgame consists of farming 3 bosses in hard-mode.

    There is no pvp either. It will take them months to add another 3 bosses that you have already done in normal mode to farm in hard-mode.

    Repetitive and boring. It might take 2 or 3 expansion packs until this game is worth it.

    IF they have fixed their server-architecture by then.    … Expand
  17. cadderick
    Sep 3, 2013
    9
    Game is beautiful, runs great on Console and PC. Stories for each realm are very helpful in the beginning. Up to level 30 you have so much you can do. The crafting system is wonders, Classes are great to utilize.
    MOST NEGATIVE REVIEWS ARE JUST ABOUT SERVER PROBLEMS. EQ,DAOC, EVE most of all the MMOs had this the first week- 2 weeks.
    Duty system has great lore and great teamwork. COMBOS    Game is beautiful, runs great on Console and PC. Stories for each realm are very helpful in the beginning. Up to level 30 you have so much you can do. The crafting system is wonders, Classes are great to utilize.
    MOST NEGATIVE REVIEWS ARE JUST ABOUT SERVER PROBLEMS. EQ,DAOC, EVE most of all the MMOs had this the first week- 2 weeks.
    Duty system has great lore and great teamwork. COMBOS in higher levels are good! Yes you have to work to level 30 to start using your greatness! for instance my Archanist/Summoner can DOT, heal, Debuff, Pet aggro adds/ pet healing, Disease, Mega DOT. I'm always making sure the healer has help, the tank has back up when mobs break thru, and the main mob is debuffed. Its FUN.

    The duties with a Tank is always on the move, sometimes mobs can grow to the 20s and tank has to be on his game, along with the healer. COMBOs do come and are fun. So this 2-3 combo is nonsense, these are the people I dont want in my group lol...
    The class cross-over skills are a must to have more buffs and such. theres just so much.
    I didn't give it a 10 becuase I've notice a sound glitch at times and yes the server queue, but other than that This game reminds me of EQ and DAOC two of the best games in the MMO genre.

    WOW was just taken over by bots, and get your gear game. FF14 is a game where this is just the start?? what could come with the PVP?? which is next patch, what can come with the Add-ons? Just waiting to hear about END Game    … Expand
  18. marrew
    Sep 3, 2013
    9
    As an original player of FFXIV 1.0, I have to admit, I went into ARR with low expectations. I expected to see a rushed product only hoping to recoup the massive losses that 1.0 incurred. That said, I was blown away by the sheer overhaul of the game. The environments, sound, gameplay all did a massive 180-degree turn.

    Everything has made a drastic improvement from the original, with    As an original player of FFXIV 1.0, I have to admit, I went into ARR with low expectations. I expected to see a rushed product only hoping to recoup the massive losses that 1.0 incurred. That said, I was blown away by the sheer overhaul of the game. The environments, sound, gameplay all did a massive 180-degree turn.

    Everything has made a drastic improvement from the original, with better combat, a better HUD, and more accessibility for those who are new to the game. That being said, launch has been plauged significantly with constant server congestion and lockouts, which is annoying, seeing as how the game is beautiful once you beat the dreaded 1017. Much of the problem lies in SE not being prepared for the positive reaction to the game, which is a catch twenty-two indeed.

    As of today, Sept. 3rd, there is a scheduled maintenence that will hopefully restore functionality to the servers and clear up the massive congestion.

    tl;dr: The game is EXCELLENT once you get passed the dreaded 1017 log-in issues.    … Expand
  19. charlot9009
    Sep 2, 2013
    10
    Amazing game! Just hit 50 and I still can't get enough of this game! the content is hard near end game and the game promises even harder content and expansions! Even with the server issues that is the only downside of the game, it's personaly speaking, a wow killer. I feel like it is what Titan would have been.
  20. Dashuto
    Sep 2, 2013
    10
    Despite a crowded launch, the game has made absolutely massive improvements. To see a game transformed as this one has, has never been done. The developers directly ask users regularly what they wish to see in the game, and content is massive compared to before, with many additions on the horizon. Gameplay is solid, and hardware usage was updated. The community is fairly strong withDespite a crowded launch, the game has made absolutely massive improvements. To see a game transformed as this one has, has never been done. The developers directly ask users regularly what they wish to see in the game, and content is massive compared to before, with many additions on the horizon. Gameplay is solid, and hardware usage was updated. The community is fairly strong with committed players, a good investment for a gamer who has time on his hands.… Expand
  21. Xareswe
    Sep 2, 2013
    0
    I'm so let down by all the errors, server issues, log in issues and much much more. This is a subscription based game and they haven't even made any progress since launch to fix it all. I'm not supporting them anymore, This is not a way to treat players! Even F2P games fix these issues faster than them. It's embarrassing SE... Shape up!
  22. Bigpurpleharnes
    Sep 2, 2013
    9
    Amazing game *when you can play*. I would wait a month before buying it for them to fix their servers. Gameplay, engine, graphics, and music are amazing. Community is a little teenage angry for me, but a lot of MMOs are.

    Wait a month, get the game, then get a good FC, you won't regret it.
  23. Coachcamp
    Sep 2, 2013
    3
    Final Fantasy is a great series. It always has had good story, tactical gameplay a great overall atmosphere for the game. The problem is that this game is not what is expected from a modern MMO. It has the same gameplay mechanics as any regular mmorpg to date, except this one has a very moderate "combo" system, where you use the same two skills consecutively until the mob's dead... to makeFinal Fantasy is a great series. It always has had good story, tactical gameplay a great overall atmosphere for the game. The problem is that this game is not what is expected from a modern MMO. It has the same gameplay mechanics as any regular mmorpg to date, except this one has a very moderate "combo" system, where you use the same two skills consecutively until the mob's dead... to make this worse, there is a 2.5 second global cooldown on most abilities. I thought this game would be cool as it's called a tactical mmorpg, but really it's all the same. Some might call it another WoW clone. the questing is the same mindless grinding with a purpose. (lackluster quests) The interface is very well organized. the graphics are great and perform well on most machines, but that is honestly the best part. Back to the combo system: there is no combo system. Basically, you use one attack, you are obligated to use this other specific attack because using that attack will cause more damage than any other. That is not a combo system. The monk is simply the only fun class, but even then, you are forced into chaining the same abilities together in a rotation because there is no tactical aspect. While other MMOs are only getting faster, Final Fantasy 14: a realm reborn is the slowest MMO to date. (maybe even behind perfect world) Oh, and not to mention that the much anticipated cutscenes have zero voice acting… Expand
  24. tw1ztid
    Sep 2, 2013
    10
    ARR is simply amazing. I'm legacy player so I started with many level 50 classes/jobs. I completed the main story last night and it was amazing. Classic Final Fantasy feel that so many of us miss. Naturally, there are some things I don't particularly like, but when I look at everything as a whole it doesn't seem very important. I am having a blast. Anybody who gives this a negativeARR is simply amazing. I'm legacy player so I started with many level 50 classes/jobs. I completed the main story last night and it was amazing. Classic Final Fantasy feel that so many of us miss. Naturally, there are some things I don't particularly like, but when I look at everything as a whole it doesn't seem very important. I am having a blast. Anybody who gives this a negative review most likely hadn't played very far or is having login difficulties that are expected with popular mmorpg releases. This game gets challenging and engaging, I seriously recommend giving it a try.… Expand
  25. mekia
    Sep 2, 2013
    10
    What Square Enix has done with 2.0 is nothing short of breath taking. In 2-3 years they created a completely different game, ARR has no resemblance of the fiasco 1.0 was.

    You have two new jobs to play with and one new class. The new class ACN can split into SMN and SCH which is a new healer in FFXIV ARR beside the WHM. ACN has two different pets a tank and a dps one which are very    What Square Enix has done with 2.0 is nothing short of breath taking. In 2-3 years they created a completely different game, ARR has no resemblance of the fiasco 1.0 was.

    You have two new jobs to play with and one new class. The new class ACN can split into SMN and SCH which is a new healer in FFXIV ARR beside the WHM. ACN has two different pets a tank and a dps one which are very useful while leveling. But later on to stay a dps you should change to SMN and as pets you than have Ifrit,Titan and Garuda.

    Leveling is going quite fast with loads of Story Missions which range from one to 50 and reward you with a FFVI Magiteck mount.
    Fates which are events out in the world to complete which give xp/gil and sometimes items.

    There is so much to do in this game that you wont get bored for month. And SE already said that XIV will get major updates every 3 month.    … Expand
  26. Alerith
    Sep 2, 2013
    10
    Square-Enix seems to have won its gamble with Final Fantasy XIV's re-release. Coming strong out of version 1.0 with the '7th Umbral Era Event' storyline, Yoshida's development team seems to have hit the ground running.

    A Realm Reborn, formerly known as XIV 2.0, has become the game XIV was always meant to be. The world, the music, the storyline...ohhh the storyline.... Everything has    Square-Enix seems to have won its gamble with Final Fantasy XIV's re-release. Coming strong out of version 1.0 with the '7th Umbral Era Event' storyline, Yoshida's development team seems to have hit the ground running.

    A Realm Reborn, formerly known as XIV 2.0, has become the game XIV was always meant to be. The world, the music, the storyline...ohhh the storyline.... Everything has been reworked for the re-launch and the amount of change done to this game in such a short time-frame is nothing short of miraculous.

    Setting:
    Set in the world of Hydaelyn, on the continent of Eorzea, the game boasts beautiful and diverse zones for players to explore and adventure in. Gone is the copy-paste of 1.0's repetitive terrain and each zone now contains different elements making them unique from one another and giving a true sense of diversity. The greatest area to benefit from this change is probably The Black Shroud. Once nothing more than a maze of tunnels with trees out of reach, the zone has become a true forest area for the players of Gridania.

    Gameplay:
    Leaving 1.23+ in the original game, one could already tell that solid systems were being put into place. ARR expands upon these systems and what we end up with is a solid combat system, an enhnaced crafting/gathering system and an overall enjoyable experience. The start of the game feels a bit spammy, as you only have a few combat abilities that are supposed to be used, but the diversity in your skill set increases as you level up, rounding out very nicely by the end. The Limit Break system, while not very diverse, functions as it should and acts as a great method of strategy and as an "Ah hell..." button. While there isn't anything very innovative about the system, new and veteran MMO players alike will find the systems functional and enjoyable.

    Music:
    What can be said here that hasn't been said before? Square Enix has some of the most amazing composers in the industry on staff and it shines through in nearly all their games. ARR is no exception. The soundtracks are rich, diverse and the themes fitting with every scenario they are placed in. Just about anyone who plays can go on for hours about the quality of the music in the game, and the mood the themes set go perfectly with the depth of the story.

    Story:
    Ah the story. In true Square Enix fashion, the story turns into something phenomenal. It starts off rather slow, and I believe this is what Yoshida meant when he said he was making the game accessible to players who are new to MMOs. Once you reach a certain point, however, the story takes off into something that can only be described as magnificent. Without giving away too much, you'll see some familiar Final Fantasy enemies and a final boss worthy of the franchise title.

    All in all, Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn is a fantastic game and a credit to the company. It's proof that hard work can, and will, pay off and that even a sinking ship can be salvaged.

    *Note: Server issues are not taken into consideration as these temporary issues do not affect the overall game itself and a scheduled server patch is to take place 04/SEP/2013.    … Expand
  27. Llamaxore
    Sep 2, 2013
    10
    This game is the most well designed online game I have ever played. Every aspect of it has been planned and executed to bring the FF feel to a AAA mmo title. It is almost impossible to get a bad angle, the lighting and texturing is amongst the best I have seen in any online game.

    And it runs on almost any system.
  28. defive
    Sep 2, 2013
    6
    A good game marred by a dreadful launch. SE seem to have totally botched their capacity planning and seemingly had no plan to handle the surge of players they must have known was coming (that's what pre-orders are for). Which is a pity because the game itself and really quite good but do yourself a favour if you haven't bought it yet and wait a couple of weeks to see if SE get their act together.
  29. soDarc
    Sep 2, 2013
    10
    Having experienced The Original From Alpha through 1.0 Release and well into the first year of play I can tell you FFXIV: ARR is a VAST improvement. The Game has Been rebuilt from the ground up and nearly everything that was wrong or poorly executed is now polished and playable. The combat is smooth, fun, and dynamic. I have had the pleasure of doing some of the early dungeons as all threeHaving experienced The Original From Alpha through 1.0 Release and well into the first year of play I can tell you FFXIV: ARR is a VAST improvement. The Game has Been rebuilt from the ground up and nearly everything that was wrong or poorly executed is now polished and playable. The combat is smooth, fun, and dynamic. I have had the pleasure of doing some of the early dungeons as all three roles (Tank/healer/Damage) and Each role feels good, Healers are not just heal bots they can de-buff, crowd control, and Even apply some damage while still having a little pressure to heal. Tanks have several tools for Enmity Control available to them by the time they reach grouping and you will need all of them, It's a game of constant balance, Spam high enmity moves, Risk lower damage, mix in higher damage attacks but risk losing Enemy Attention, Very fun, and Challenging. Damage dealers have very loosely defined party roles, Some are there to add debuffs and to cripple the Mobs, some are there to put out the most damage they can in a short amount of time, some can supplement Tanking or even healing to help in tougher fights.

    The Game itself Is nearly flawless, I haven't encountered any game breaking or progression halting errors or glitches, the few exploits that have been found have been small, and the community that found them were partially responsible for bringing them to the attention of the QA team.

    Speaking of Community, online games tend to have a pretty toxic or bad reputation, Clearly no one told The FFXIV:ARR Community that, I have had a wonderful experience with the people I have met on Excalibur. Definitely a far cry from the experience in other online games.

    Overall, this game is a Win, Yoshi and his team set out to do something unprecedented and they nailed it. They succeeded when no one (including some at Square-Enix) Thought they could. If you are a fan of Final Fantasy or MMOs you would be doing yourself a Disservice by not checking out Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn.    … Expand
  30. Siel
    Sep 2, 2013
    10
    Excellent game, Excellent story, it had a lot of problems at the launch but the game itself is almost perfect.

    If you want to play something new and fresh, if you are tired of MMORPG-like WOW, I invite you to play FFXIV.
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Awards & Rankings

33
#33 Best PC Game of 2013
19
#19 Most Discussed PC Game of 2013
31
#31 Most Shared PC Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 32 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 32
  3. Negative: 0 out of 32
  1. Hyper Magazine
    Dec 28, 2013
    80
    Full of enough adventure, daring-do and chocobos to make any MMO fan happy. [Jan 2014, p.72]
  2. Gaming Nexus
    Nov 13, 2013
    85
    A Realm Reborn is such a substantial change from the original game that it merits a second look if you hated the first release. So much has changed for the better, and it has resulted in one of the most polished MMORPGs out there today.
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  3. PCGamesN
    Nov 6, 2013
    80
    The completionist in me is nearly overwhelmed with the sheer amount of things to do in A Realm Reborn. Square Enix really do deserve praise for not only fixing the issues of the original game, but far exceeding their goal.
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