Final Fantasy XIV Online

 PC
User Score
3.9

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 408 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 113 out of 408
  2. Mixed: 36 out of 408
  3. Negative: 259 out of 408
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  1. LastResource
    Jan 14, 2023
    10
    worth it and glad to play this game again. so much memories and nostalgia within this fourteenth game in the series.
  2. loliance
    Dec 11, 2021
    0
    Awful game, bad story, bad gameplay, bad UI, no redeeming factor.
    Much more playable with the ARR remake.
  3. makinari
    Sep 24, 2021
    0
    Trash. Endless email accounts made to register an account for a steam code to not work, too many variables to go wrong and it goes wrong. SE never get in touch to resolve issues and honestly I shouldnt have to spend hours on google trying to figure out to start a game.
  4. Xaxxus
    Jul 10, 2021
    4
    Have not even played the game yet. Because I literally cant even figure out where to download the client.

    The FF XIV website is probably the worse user experience I have ever seen. It seems as though they are actively trying to stop you from playing their game.

    Also you have to buy the game more than once if you want to play it on mac and windows.
  5. jake_siege
    Jun 4, 2021
    0
    Housing. Housing.Housing. Housing.Housing. Housing.Housing. Housing.Housing. Housing.
    Housing.Housing. Housing.Housing. Housing.Housing. Housing.Housing. Housing.
    Housing.Housing. Housing.Housing. Housing.Housing. Housing.Housing. Housing.
  6. jaydan
    Sep 28, 2020
    0
    Good luck trying to even install this on your PC...

    No advice given from Square Enix. But if you go through user forums, some people have managed to overcome these difficulties by doing the following: - Disabling all anti-virus on your machine - Using a VPN service (which you may / may not have used before) - Changing your DNS settings (perhaps to something you have not used before)    Good luck trying to even install this on your PC...

    No advice given from Square Enix. But if you go through user forums, some people have managed to overcome these difficulties by doing the following:
    - Disabling all anti-virus on your machine
    - Using a VPN service (which you may / may not have used before)
    - Changing your DNS settings (perhaps to something you have not used before)

    These are steps that you need to strongly consider before attempting to install this title. Is this even safe to do?!

    If the installation fails, it will usually fail because it cannot retrieve a patch files from the server (you will get a popup). Its about a 40GB download. If it fails at any point, you cannot resume your download. You will start from the beginning again.

    it is clear that no one in Square Enix has ever tried to install this themselves. What a joke. Zero out of ten.    … Expand
  7. Szternit
    Sep 4, 2020
    0
    this is THE WORST mmo i ever played
    THE WORST combat system
    THE WORST quest design
    THE WORST map design
    THE WORST fckin everything
    dont waste money
  8. yousuck1
    Aug 21, 2020
    0
    Sucks.,.................................................. ..................
  9. LiyuLitra
    Dec 21, 2018
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The Base game itself is good. The Story, which in the later expansions, is a driving force for many,is somewhat lacking in a few departments here.
    The character creation is good, with options and different races to go with. None of the characters have any stat difference(Like in Neverwinter for example) where classes have certain stats higher then others, which here is a good thing as all races here can deal the same damage.

    The classes also have Story at different Levels(1,5,10,15,20,25,30,35,40,45,50) with free gear at set levels(45,50)

    You only need 1 character at that to have all the classes, however that also means you have to pay extra if you want to have multiple characters. That being said, the monthly subscription is 10.99€ if you want only want 1 character each world, or 12,99€ for 8 each world. If you buy the Steam version, you get a extra payment method, but are locked out of buying the expansions over the website. Same goes the other way around too.
    So be very careful when buying either 2 versions!
    The additional Purchase are not required, the entire game can be played without them. You even get item to change the way you look entirely (including race)once.
    The game is a good 8/10

    What can be said as a negative is the size, its somewhat like 30 GB and most of its size comes from updates which you have to download over the launcher. So if you have a slow download speed be aware.    … Expand
  10. neopolx
    Jul 15, 2016
    10
    Its a fun game with jobs and different options for the characters. it starts slow but you will access to more and more functions leveling up your character, like sell on the market and better items and stuffs.
    This game is great and the expansions are the best.
    Fully recommended.
  11. djkal
    Sep 4, 2013
    2
    Broken. Not much more needs to be said. The game came out in an unfinished state and that is inexcusable. I love final fantasy, but will skip this game.
  12. StoryBored
    Aug 31, 2013
    3
    Well, I have to say I've had every error that anyone has encountered on this game up until now. Unable to login, instances crashing and dropping me, the game crashing unexpectedly and being unable to log back in, limited full servers and poor connectivity when I do connect. I understood at the end of the Beta, I even understood during the early access, but now we're several days into theWell, I have to say I've had every error that anyone has encountered on this game up until now. Unable to login, instances crashing and dropping me, the game crashing unexpectedly and being unable to log back in, limited full servers and poor connectivity when I do connect. I understood at the end of the Beta, I even understood during the early access, but now we're several days into the actual release and STILL several days away from a *potential* solution.

    I wish I could expand more upon the gameplay so far, but getting up through level 20 so far is the standard MMO fanfare. Good graphics, a familiar interface, lackluster story and characters, and quests you can play with your friends. Most of what this game has to offer is no different at all from what it's competitors have except the FF name. Nothing besides the graphics so far indicating the game is anything other than average, and all the issues I've experienced have dragged the rating far below that. Avoid this game like the plague AT LEAST until mid September 2013 and even then, proceed with caution.

    There was not a sufficient amount of testing and preparation on this game by the development team, period.    … Expand
  13. Totmacher
    Aug 31, 2013
    0
    This game should be called "Log In Simulator: An Error Reborn" because if you can even get the character list to populate and if you can even create a character, when you try to log in, you get an error on your screen preventing you from logging in because the servers are full. What did Square Enix do to remedy this issue? They limited the server population and logins so the people thatThis game should be called "Log In Simulator: An Error Reborn" because if you can even get the character list to populate and if you can even create a character, when you try to log in, you get an error on your screen preventing you from logging in because the servers are full. What did Square Enix do to remedy this issue? They limited the server population and logins so the people that are already in-game can play without a server crash, which wouldn't happen in the first place if they had prepared for it. When you actually get in game it's pretty good, but the hardest quest in the entire game is logging in.… Expand
  14. chronoT
    Sep 6, 2012
    1
    Yes, I finally get to review a game and give it under a 4! Long story short, I am a huge RPG/Final Fantasy gamer, I have a lot of respect for FF 1-9, and for others on PS2 and XBox. Please check my reviews as I love the series and give my intake on a few, my lowest game is a 4, and that is SWG. Sadly though, there is one game that I thank my brother for showing me before I almost spentYes, I finally get to review a game and give it under a 4! Long story short, I am a huge RPG/Final Fantasy gamer, I have a lot of respect for FF 1-9, and for others on PS2 and XBox. Please check my reviews as I love the series and give my intake on a few, my lowest game is a 4, and that is SWG. Sadly though, there is one game that I thank my brother for showing me before I almost spent real $ on it, and that would be Final Fantasy 14 Online. I will say right now there are only a few other times in my entire life where I saw my bro so upset, after 1 hour of playing he was appalled that he spent money on this game. After witnessing it as well I felt genuinely sorry for him and told him I would try not to laugh about it. I know this is a superbly late review but I am new to reviewing so here it is. I have no idea what the creators of this game were thinking, releasing it in this condition. Also, having the nerve to charge more money for a supposed "exclusive pack" + $12.99 a month subscription. They refused to refund either of the 2 months that he paid for in advance and definitely didn't want to use. He literally paid $111 to dry dump a mushroom for an hour and a half. This game is a broken piece of trash and honestly I think all players deserve a FULL REFUND!!!… Expand
  15. gamingsince86
    Jul 24, 2012
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I wouldn't have recommended this game when it 1st launched. Being a huge FFXI fan i was greatly dissapointed at about level 36 when i realized there was nothing to do but grid. It released unfinished and unpolished, there were no mounts for a world that huge you NEED mounts. there was very little story and no side quests when it released...i stuck with it for about 6 months after it came out to hopefully wait out the storm but in 6 months all i got was a slighty faster UI and sidequests that had no value. So i quit. I played rift star wars and diablo 3 and none of those games cured the itch after experiencing FFXI and seeing the possibilities of XIV, so 2 weeks ago i reinstalled XIV! HOLY CRAP SQUARE ENIX HAS BEEN BUSY WHILE I WAS GONE! what im going to say is kind of double edged. FFXIV is now in the perfect vanilla stage. and what i mean is that it is a solid game now. It's a complete BEGINNING mmo right now and i know it should have been when it release but hey SE screwed up. whats new and improved? SO LETS TALK ABOUT WHATS NEW! Inn Rooms: now you can do a short quest to obtain an inn room in all three cities where you can store gear sets. rewatch all the games cutscenes you unlocked, read the chapters of the game you been through and sleep! as most mmo's have now when you sleep and log off, you return with a "rested" state and get a 50% exp boost for a limited time. the longer you sleep the more you get. next. CLASSIC CLASSES! if you played XI, XIV kinda threw you for a loop with having the same classes (kinda) yet with different names. now you can unlock whitemage black mage, warrior, paladin, monk, dragoon and bard! now its not a duplicate of the classes already in FFXIV its more like an advanced version of the stock XIV jobs, you get more moves than what the stock versions have and access to AF gear quests wich you know is class specific for that unique look while running around eorzea ALSO you relic weapons too :) next. Mounts! you can rent chocobo's now at lvl 10 and actually own one to call but ill touch that topic in a bit. you can also own a goobue mount but i think they are taking the npc away who gives you that soon, guess it was a limited time to get one. also they added airships that take you beetween all 3 cities...sadly you dont get to '"ride" like in XI, its more instant but on the bright side there are no routes and the wait time is short. if you wanna go from point A to point C you can without switching routes at point B. next. GRAND COMPANIES. basically GC's are what the nations factions were in XI each nation has a banner and its own set of quests and rewards. they have shops where you spend grand company seals for unique items that represent your affiliation. the GC quests include GC storyline. GC leves. escort missions and 2 more i just cant remember right now. also through your GC you can unlock the ability to call your own chocobo that you can name and put armor on! next. STORY! I havn't experience alot of the new story content but so far i've gotten into the original main story line wich came with the release. the GC storyline wich involves an apocalypse type story line (there is now an unexplaind huge red orb in the sky at all times that may crash into eorzea, wich leads up to the release and beginnings of v2.0. and when you sleep in you Inn room strange events happen that involve a story element that i have yet to understand with cutscenes, nightmares, ect. they added something called skirmish but i dont know what that is. next. BATTLE SYSTEM, they have done away with stanima. you now auto attack just like FFXI, you can skillchain with yourself now (its very effective) its called combo. there is a little exp chain timer to keep you on your toes. alot of moves have new animations and dont look so boring. primal battles!! ( ifrit, titan ect.) wich is part of the GC storyline :) next. Materia system! you can now craft materia and place it armor and weapon slots to give them improved stats to add to customization of your character. there is alot more than what i've stated in this game as of now so im sorry i can't cover it all, i mean it is an MMO review... I GAVE THIS GAME A 7.5-8 because it is now playable and enjoyable to the degree that XI was when it 1st came out. SE worked hard and remained humble throughout the process and understood they released a bad product. even through the tsunami that shut them down for a while they kept pushing to better the FFXIV experience.... now with a new dev team they are heading in the right direction! the game needs more polish obviously but with v2.0 right around the corner i think its going to get all the polish it needs! SE has been dedicated to this project and it deserves a second look! right now the game is 19.99 retail (get it before v 2.0 comes out it may go back to full price) and as of now its F2P untill ps3 release ;) for more. http://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/ http://lodestone.finalfantasyxiv.com/pl/index.html… Expand
  16. yvesquo
    Jul 22, 2012
    9
    How can you give any game a zero out of ten...I wouldn't even give Atari's Swordquest that rating, and that's saying something. Now there is something mighty fishy going on here. To tell you the truth, it really is a good game. I just don't understand what all the bad noise is about. There were issues at launch, just like most MMORPGs invariably have during their first few weeks/months.How can you give any game a zero out of ten...I wouldn't even give Atari's Swordquest that rating, and that's saying something. Now there is something mighty fishy going on here. To tell you the truth, it really is a good game. I just don't understand what all the bad noise is about. There were issues at launch, just like most MMORPGs invariably have during their first few weeks/months. Perhaps people were coming into it hoping it was another WoW clone, or something like that...which is outrageous, because how could a well respected company such as Square Enix ever release a WoW clone given their long tradition of "turn-based glamour in a box." Well, I knew exactly what to expect...but I must have been alone. Sure the game has what people call "clunky controls" and a extraordinarily complex user interface. It is a Final Fantasy game...is it not? If you didn't want Square Enix's, at times, systematically laborsome turn-based style...as opposed to the WoW keyboard-mash, noob-gank, high-vault, free-for-all...then you obviously came to the wrong place. Everything that was right with Final Fantasy XI was preserved in this game. It is true, the quest system is somewhat repetitive...but it's the kind of repetitive that feels more Zen-like to me, rather than blatantly contrived. In other words, despite the presence of rice in this oriental dish, there is still a large serving of meat as well. Has anyone ever quit an MMORPG because it was "repetitive"; I wonder if reviewers recognize just how absurd this sounds? MMORPGs are always about a style of game-playing repetitiveness; that is what makes it an MMORPG...the kind of repetition that feels genuine and fitting, given the genre. Without any "grind", you wouldn't really have an MMORPG at all. Indeed, it is how all the repetitiveness and the novelty is blended together that makes a game like this enjoyable...not necessarily that there is repetitiveness. It's the way that the recurring phrase reverberates or resonates. And another thing, the game is unfinished...incomplete...not yet whole; and thank God for that. MMORPGs are judged on different standards than any other type of videogame; they are not presented all at once to their public: they unfold over the years. Some companies who do MMOs get it all wrong and try to produce a "finished product" from the very beginning...and it comes across as too slick, hurried or sensational. People should be expecting small or limited worlds with somewhat brief storylines in the beginning...it gives them much more room to grow and blossom in the years to come. And when all the puzzle pieces finally fit into place, it eventually feels more precise and exacting...because rigorous planning was made before each new addition to the world was cautiously made. And, last but not least, we must talk about the game's projected "Lasting Appeal". Can you believe that gaming critics gave the game a rating for this category within the first couple weeks of release? I can hardly believe it! It took me almost two years to figure out how to review this game...both because of the grueling real-life schedule I have had to deal with during this time, and because of the complexity of the product that I was holding in my hand. How can you play any videogame in a two-week period (especially an MMORPG) and critique it believably on "Lasting Appeal"? Do gaming critics have time machines...I didn't know this time-travel technology was even available to us yet? Somehow it must be possible for game reviewers, because it seems they are capable of making speculations on an MMO game's lasting appeal while it's still green...this particularly for a game genre that is generally understood to linger for decades in the hearts of subscribers, rather than a few hours after its purchase. Well, anyway...I believe that the game is quite good now, even before the 2.0 patch has been scheduled for release. I just hope Square Enix doesn't bow too much under the pressure of the western consumer, redesigning their game to be yet another insipid WoW clone...because that is all the western gamer seems to really want in an MMO: bocks of colorfully frozen treacle that can be jumped over in a single bound; beating down both one's friends and foes over and over again until one decides to look for something else to do; unpersuasive heroes that read more like villains in heroes clothing; crafting terribly ugly items to be fitted onto even less persuasive toons; and generic storylines that feel like they come straight out of a Cracker Jack box. I hope that Suare Enix intends to cling to their tradition, despite all this bad noise, because it is a valuable heirloom that they possess: adding a more graceful eastern aesthetic to their games...where "art direction" and game-play combine to make a product truly worth the time it takes to consider its cultural value...for me, that adds up to about twenty months, so far.… Expand
  17. rustyshield
    May 30, 2012
    10
    Great/fun game, now that the changes have been coming in! And when version 2.0 hit, which is in a few months, it is going to be an even better experience. Don't judge this game based on its past as that is no longer a thing worth remembering.
  18. Lynnea
    May 29, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. All of these reviews are so old, they're irrelevant. The game has undergone massive changes to address players' concerns. I've introduced countless people to this game and every single one of them has liked it enough to continue to pay for it. Also, unlike most other MMOs, the story progresses naturally as the game ages. At launch, we heard rumors of the empire plotting to attack. Earlier this year, they were sighted in Gridania. Now, they're everywhere and we have to join groups to push them out. Anyway, what I'm getting at is that you guys should give the game another try, because it's come a very long way and is really thoroughly enjoyable now.… Expand
  19. Leorio
    May 17, 2012
    6
    The changes made over time to the game are really starting to show, although it's got a bit to go before it lives up to the final fantasy name. With a complete overhaul due late this year to coincide with the ps3 release, making it one of 3 MMORPGS playable on PS3 in English, things are starting to look up for Square Enix's biggest investment.
  20. Carlitoxic
    Mar 21, 2012
    2
    Final Fantasy chapters should not be online, and if it is done, at least that is brilliant. It is not the case. The worst Final fantasy with a ton of really annoying bugs, restricting chat system and many wrong ideas. What demons is happen with Final Fantasy?
  21. Cerveau
    Sep 26, 2011
    0
    To everyone saying the game has improved: I have been playing since beta and this game has not improved in the slightest. I'm actually redoing my review in light of these new changes. The easiest way to explain how poor this game is, google "Is FFXIV Ready to Play?" Its a youtube video and it shows the simplest of bugs and as of this date it is still not fixed.

    They've finally added    To everyone saying the game has improved: I have been playing since beta and this game has not improved in the slightest. I'm actually redoing my review in light of these new changes. The easiest way to explain how poor this game is, google "Is FFXIV Ready to Play?" Its a youtube video and it shows the simplest of bugs and as of this date it is still not fixed.

    They've finally added airships but those of us from FFXI will know its still not enough. "The airship ride is over in a matter of seconds." Wow, even in FFXI you could see the area below but a year later they still can't implement it in FFXIV. It seems to me that this was a last minute ditch effort to at least be able to claim they have airships.

    And chocobos. I'm sorry but if it takes a whole year to implement chocobos... how long will it take to make the game playable. Too little too late.

    The last time I logged in, the busiest city, Limsa Laminsa was bare. Only three people responded to my shouts. This does not bode well. When I asked where everyone was the reply I got was "They're taking a break until the new update" (chocobo update). We'll see. If they're smart they won't be on at all.

    There is a reason this game was awarded "Most Disappointing game of 2010". There's a reason it has the metascore it has.

    If you like this game and you rated it a 10 it only goes to show how blind you are. I've been playing Final Fantasy since Final Fantasy 6 on the SNES. After spending $80 on the Collector's Edition of FFXIV all I have to show for it is a stupid hardcover book. The Adventurer's Certificate never showed up and I'm realizing now, almost a year later, it never will. Not that I care at this point, I'm embarrassed to let any of my friends know I was ever interested.

    If you want to be frustrated and then spat upon by Square Enix, give it a try. If you have any sense at all, you'll come back here and rate this game a zero.    … Expand
  22. Apz
    Jul 26, 2011
    0
    Decided to come back to the game for patch 1.18. Do not let those singing praises and ringing bells fool you, there are as many negatives to this patch as there are positives. For one, there is no practical hMP (Healing MP) solution in game yet. This is a problem because Cure costs were QUADRUPLED with the recent patch. This leaves mages with limited options as conserving and managing yourDecided to come back to the game for patch 1.18. Do not let those singing praises and ringing bells fool you, there are as many negatives to this patch as there are positives. For one, there is no practical hMP (Healing MP) solution in game yet. This is a problem because Cure costs were QUADRUPLED with the recent patch. This leaves mages with limited options as conserving and managing your MP is top priority. Secondly, Behests were completely ruined. Reformatted from large party adventure fun times into another solo grind activity which rewards minimal SP. Definitely the game's most fun feature so far was flushed down the drain. Thirdly, overall EXP/SP gain was nerfed down to accommodate the lack of Fatigue now. Unfortunately, you were able to grind FASTER pre-patch while on lower tiers of fatigue than you can now post-patch. The game really isn't in a position to be messing with new players, or bitter old players like myself, with fake fanfare. The only three good things to come out of the patch were AutoAttack/Stamina bar removal, the instanced dungeons and the CONJ/THM damage nerfs. The rest is objectively bad. Save your disk space. Save your bandwidth. Save your patience. The game is not ready yet. Wait for 1.2 if you'd like.… Expand
  23. janglotron
    Jul 25, 2011
    8
    After the recent 1.18 patch the game is much better. The future only holds more developments. It's on its way! There are map redesigns, chocobos, airships, and many other final fantasy changes coming. I highly recommend checking the lodestone for updates as the game has finally begun to change in big ways.
  24. UWHusky
    May 25, 2011
    3
    Short and sweet:
    Pros: -Fantastic graphics, but it seems this is all they spent time on during creation of this game.
    -Good sound/music. Cons. -Horrible user interface. -No auction house. As it stands it is virtually impossible to find items that you wish to buy, and just as hard to sell them. -Horrid lag, even with a very good computer and a great internet connection. -SE lost a    Short and sweet:
    Pros: -Fantastic graphics, but it seems this is all they spent time on during creation of this game.
    -Good sound/music.
    Cons.
    -Horrible user interface. -No auction house. As it stands it is virtually impossible to find items that you wish to buy, and just as hard to sell them. -Horrid lag, even with a very good computer and a great internet connection.
    -SE lost a point just for the fact that they have ALREADY CREATED an online game, and you'd think they would have learned some of the mistakes they made from the past game. Instead they tried to start from scratch and just mucked it up. Played for a free trial and dumped the game. Waste of money.    … Expand
  25. Schitsocash
    May 17, 2011
    1
    I have been playing Final Fantasy XIV since Open beta until May 15th 2011, I have seen the many "Improvements" Square Enix has made and I can without a doubt tell you that this game is not worth your time, to this date the biggest changes they made were changes in monster and special effect sizes, they have changed the way you get Experience so that you get less, and altered non-combatI have been playing Final Fantasy XIV since Open beta until May 15th 2011, I have seen the many "Improvements" Square Enix has made and I can without a doubt tell you that this game is not worth your time, to this date the biggest changes they made were changes in monster and special effect sizes, they have changed the way you get Experience so that you get less, and altered non-combat Jobs so it's harder to get experience altogether for them.

    To this point Square Enix has promised many changes, as well as a big update Mid-June that adds more content, the problem being that added content is all it is, the game is still broken without any intent to be fixed, Just some of the general problems you'll experience are things like framerate drops (Don't think you are an exception if your PC is a beast, their engine is highly unoptimized, crippling even some of the high-end stuff) Alt-tabbing out of the game causes the game to shut down, there is a noticeable, and quite annoying Lag between activating action and the action being performed which can cause you a life or a Leve (timed quests which you are limited to 8 per 36 hours, win or lose) if you are not careful, Monsters you are supposed to kill quite often spawn inside aggressive Zone bosses which are way above your level, Square refuses to even acknowledge this particular issue, let alone do anything about it, several Leve monsters do not drop the quest items they are supposed to drop making you pretty much guaranteed to lose the Leve once again. Low level extermination Leves more than often have all the monsters you are supposed to kill spawn in a single large group making it impossible to solo on a solo difficulty, now many would argue that it's an MMO and should be played with a party, but there are two problems with this.
    1: Square advertises this game as solo AND party based, you can in fact chose "solo" difficulty for each Leve which in theory should let you pass it single-player but is so broken it is impossible.
    2: Community is awful (and if you mention this on the official forums your posts "disappear", thanks SquarEnix) when I say awful, i mean absolutely awful, when you start your game for the first time, the first thing you are welcomed by is some gold sellers trying to scam you out of your money, Then nothing, nobody wants to talk, nobody wants to interact, people want you to pay them for any kind of interaction that people in other MMOs would gladly do for free, and when you see people talking, it's some German, Japanese, or Spanish players who got tired of the same problems on their servers and decided to try the US server to see if its any different, Unfortunately it is not. And don't even think about having gear you like unless you're willing to level three or four jobs to level 50 because nobody will repair anything for you, even if you offer to pay them, making you either hunt down and craft the items yourself, or buy them in the marketplace for extortionate prices because the game has entirely player-driven economy, because apparently SE though it would be a good idea to have teens with no concept of finances be in charge of an entire world's economy.

    All in all, this game is an exercise in frustration, from the moment you log in it essentially does everything it possibly can to make you hate it as much as you can, most people here that gave it bad scores were probably in love with it at some point, rather than just straight-out hating on it, but the fact is, you can't love something that hurts you so much, at the end of the day you turn on your games to relax from a long and frustrating day, so what is the point of playing if the game frustrates you more than the entire day before it?

    The game does have potential, quite a bit, the problem is Square Enix is more obsessed with introducing more new broken features than fixing the current broken ones, and keep promising to fix the issues without even an attempt to deliver, the concept is fine, but execution absolutely terrible, and SE would do all of us a favor if it would just cut it's losses and kill this mutated beast that's choking on its own excrement.    … Expand
  26. FearTheCalm
    Mar 24, 2011
    0
    This game is a joke. Navigation is the worst part. You will spend your time figuring out how to navigate around locked areas, how to get down the sheer cliff, why isn't this leavequest engaging? Worst game of 2011, and most likely of 2010 as well. They should have been ashamed to release this.
  27. Realist95
    Mar 20, 2011
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It's a great game! I like crafting - and i got it in this game!
    I like gathering -and i got it too- Mining Botany Fishing
    Outstanding graphics!! Stunning landscapes!
    And you may play in this game - every job (class) - you want -you have to just switch you weapon (tool)
    And this game is better and better after each update!
    And it's absolutely FREE after purchasing it!    … Expand
  28. Gremace
    Mar 10, 2011
    0
    When Final Fantasy XI was released the only good MMO ever made was pretty much EQ1. The genre has moved foward leaps and bounds since, but SE pretty much decided to ignore that. 6 months after release FF14 is pretty much a beta build of a bad EQ1 era game with fancy graphics. Nothing more really needs to be said about it.
  29. Jez89
    Mar 9, 2011
    10
    I love copy-pasta landscapes. I love slow as hell combat. I love bugs and glitches. I love the fact I'm the only person still playing. Therefore I love this game.
  30. Krykira
    Mar 9, 2011
    10
    This game is absolutely awesome. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for FFXIV, and its players.
    The combat, the crafting, gathering, its all great. While its could use a little polish its an entertaining and fun to play game.
  31. framerunner
    Mar 5, 2011
    3
    This game is pure graphics, nothing more.
    There is almost NO tutorial and you have to find out and guess the controls by yourself.
    And let's not talk about the UI...
    FF XIV is pure fail in my eyes and the only reason it got 3 Points from me is:
    Graphics = 2
    Final Fantasy = 1
  32. Kyrgsh
    Mar 5, 2011
    5
    Checking in after six months, the game's most obvious flaws have been corrected. It's possible to search a centralized list for specific items sold in "market wards" (the game's version of an Auction House). Gaining SP (the game's version of XP) in parties has been tweaked. The most recent patch (3 March) introduced traditional NPC quests. The game remains free of a monthly fee, and theChecking in after six months, the game's most obvious flaws have been corrected. It's possible to search a centralized list for specific items sold in "market wards" (the game's version of an Auction House). Gaining SP (the game's version of XP) in parties has been tweaked. The most recent patch (3 March) introduced traditional NPC quests. The game remains free of a monthly fee, and the game box is available heavily discounted from retailers.

    The game still rates "average" even in this fan's eyes, though. Those new NPC quests I just mentioned do not award SP or gil (money)! Even the monsters killed on an NPC quest don't give SP/gil. Imagine finishing a quest to kill ten foozles in WoW, for instance, and not getting XP or gold from either the foozles or the quest. The sole way of advancing in the game remains killing countless mobs outside of the NPC quest structure. While that design decision is baffling in and of itself, the general attitude of _both_ development teams (since the original one was "reassigned" late last year) seems to be "grinding=advancement, and lore=background only." How that will ever translate into paying subscriptions is beyond my limited knowledge.

    In conclusion, I wish the gamers (and developers) the best of luck, but if you're not a devoted fan of Final Fantasy, this game still does not deliver anything other than an average experience.    … Expand
  33. kaioser
    Dec 29, 2010
    0
    Utter garbage, SE took a turd placed it inside a nice box and sold it to the masses. Shame on this company for selling such an abomination. This **** is one of the worst RPGs ever created. STAY AWAY FROM IT, do not touch it unless you want another JOB. It is really that bad. Bugs, glitches, no substance no quests. I would be surprised if this game reviews any higher than a 3, as this gameUtter garbage, SE took a turd placed it inside a nice box and sold it to the masses. Shame on this company for selling such an abomination. This **** is one of the worst RPGs ever created. STAY AWAY FROM IT, do not touch it unless you want another JOB. It is really that bad. Bugs, glitches, no substance no quests. I would be surprised if this game reviews any higher than a 3, as this game deserves less than a 0. do not buy. There is a reason that dude sold his SE stock, there is a reason they changed management, there is a reason the apology letter was sent. This game is an epic fail and is really that BAD. Shame on you SE for trying to feed these fan-boys this **** Again shame on you Square Enix. FIX THIS GARBAGE, redesign everything; or scrap it, give us refunds and make another game. This time do not release it in Alpha stage. WE ARE NOT INTERESTED IN TRAVELING BACK IN TIME MMO-wise TO 1990.… Expand
  34. sanchokobe
    Dec 16, 2010
    10
    Give it another try. There have been two major updates since the release (which I agree was incredibly sub-par), and there's one more major update scheduled to happen still this month. Many of the major issues have been addressed. The UI has been totally revamped, and is more responsive. Crafting has been streamlined. Controls are now more customizable, especially for mouse + keyboardGive it another try. There have been two major updates since the release (which I agree was incredibly sub-par), and there's one more major update scheduled to happen still this month. Many of the major issues have been addressed. The UI has been totally revamped, and is more responsive. Crafting has been streamlined. Controls are now more customizable, especially for mouse + keyboard people. There have been countless other improvements on top of those, and more are on the way, such as an item search in the market wards, and drag-and-drop functionality in the gear window.

    Also, Square Enix has done something that I personally have never seen a game company do. They admitted their failures, publicly apologized for them, promised to fix them, and they are repaying their customers by suspending all subscription fees until the game is an acceptable level of quality. They are making good on their promise. The game has vastly improved from where it was in October. It deserves another chance.    … Expand
  35. Xruptor
    Dec 3, 2010
    0
    Recently tried this game. It was terrible! Even with the recent patch it still is terrible. There is no sense of direction and everything becomes a repeating boring tedious grinding task. Granted many MMORPGS have grinding but this game takes it to the extreme. The controls are clunky and although some features in the UI were enhanced it still seems cumbersome. The graphics are beautifulRecently tried this game. It was terrible! Even with the recent patch it still is terrible. There is no sense of direction and everything becomes a repeating boring tedious grinding task. Granted many MMORPGS have grinding but this game takes it to the extreme. The controls are clunky and although some features in the UI were enhanced it still seems cumbersome. The graphics are beautiful I'll give you that. However, this game feels like I'm playing an MMORPG from the 90's like an early version of Everquest when it comes to archaic MMORPG techniques.… Expand
  36. Jojocool
    Nov 26, 2010
    8
    I wanted to wait until the first main update of FFXIV before I sent in a review of the game. With all MMO's just starting out, there are many issues and "bugs" to fix and I wanted to give FFXIV time to do that. I have been playing FFXIV since the CE edition and I can truly say that FFXIV did an AMAZING job in the November 25 Update. Anyone reading reviews would always hear about how badI wanted to wait until the first main update of FFXIV before I sent in a review of the game. With all MMO's just starting out, there are many issues and "bugs" to fix and I wanted to give FFXIV time to do that. I have been playing FFXIV since the CE edition and I can truly say that FFXIV did an AMAZING job in the November 25 Update. Anyone reading reviews would always hear about how bad the UI was, right? Well, it is ALOT better now! I can not put into words how much better the game-play is now in FFXIV since that update. So if you got frustrated and quit the game, which quite a few people did, give it another try. I think you'll be glad you did. And if you haven't played FFXIV yet, now is the time to do so. FFXIV offers many things I personally have never seen in a MMO (and I've played a few). I'll name a few that I really enjoy:

    1.) The job system. In MMO's that I've played you can choose between different DoW (Disciples of War) or DoM (Disciples of Magic) jobs. You might be able to craft or something (like FFXI and WoW) but it wasn't really a class of its own that you could choose. There is so much more to crafting in FFXIV. Not to mention the DoL jobs (Disciples of the Land). Which include Fisherman, Botanist, and Miner. I am a bit surprised at the amount of people in the game that prefer DoL and Crafting jobs in lieu of the standard DoM (Disciples of Magic) or DoW (Disciples of War) classes. I personally prefer the DoM and DoW classes but thats one of the things I really like about FFXIV....there's something for everyone!
    With that being said I also would like to mention the fact that you can rank up jobs and can use most of the abilties, spells, etc. you learned from that particular job on a different job. Lets say I learn "Cure II" and "Stoneskin" from CON, "Provoke" from GLA, and "Second Wind" on PGL but then I want to play as an Archer....I can *equip* all of those abilities and spells and use them on Archer also! If you love playing a certain job but you also want a great ability from a couple of other jobs, then rank up those other jobs for that specific ability and then go back to playing your favorite job.

    2.) LEVES: -These "cards" you get from the adventurers guild are pretty fun and a way to get some extra gil and some pretty good items. It also lets you fight mobs that you may not have even seen yet i.e. imps. And with "Guardian Aspect", it's a good chance to get some really good Rank Points in a short amount of time. And on the Craft Leves, nothing beats not having to use up your items/shards and still be able to get Rank Points for your choice of craft. Not to mention the â    … Expand
  37. AmyHalf
    Nov 24, 2010
    3
    The graphics are fantastic and-- always my favorite-- the character creation had enough options to keep me happy.

    There was NO sort of tutorial to get me going and the wikis weren't much help, either. I had to talk to all of the NPCs to finally figure out what was going on/what I was supposed to do. The "guildleve" system is interesting but I still prefer vanilla quests. I was    The graphics are fantastic and-- always my favorite-- the character creation had enough options to keep me happy.

    There was NO sort of tutorial to get me going and the wikis weren't much help, either. I had to talk to all of the NPCs to finally figure out what was going on/what I was supposed to do.

    The "guildleve" system is interesting but I still prefer vanilla quests. I was bothered, too, that I could only find SIX to begin with and when finished was on my own again to run around aimlessly (which I did -not- do) until finding something and I certainly wasn't going to create another character (what, a Miner? ha) to take up the rest of the time.

    The fact that I make crafting-only characters is bizarre to me, too. I like being able to do all sorts of things with one character. It's just weird to me to login to JUST craft. Maybe that's just me.

    Fortunately I bought it at a discount and WON'T be paying a monthly fee when the free-trial period expires. They really should make this a F2P game and call it a day.    … Expand
  38. nisolas
    Nov 21, 2010
    8
    After about a months play I would give this an 8. You can log in every night and do something different. Level a job, craft or gathering. None of it is simple so you can keep learning how to make new items, or do something better.

    I'd like more bagspace, or something to hold all your class weapons and gear. But you start out with 80 spaces yourself and then get one retainer that you can    After about a months play I would give this an 8. You can log in every night and do something different. Level a job, craft or gathering. None of it is simple so you can keep learning how to make new items, or do something better.

    I'd like more bagspace, or something to hold all your class weapons and gear. But you start out with 80 spaces yourself and then get one retainer that you can use to hold more with. It takes a while to travel between the cities but they are alll very varied and worth exploring. You also have the option of teleporting to a place once you have gone there, or if a member of your party has done so. I like the music and graphics. However you can not turn off all sounds if you turn off all the settings for music which isnt good if you are watching tv or listening to music while playing. I don't mind the interface because its like ff11 but it would be good if they had given more control over what it does. Like added optional chat filters. Its hard, not everyone will enjoy it but its not shallow. Which is something ive noticed is a becoming a trend in new mmorpgs.    … Expand
  39. maley
    Nov 19, 2010
    8
    This game is not like every other mmo out there. That in itself deserves praise. Soon enough everyone will see this game reach its potential and come in droves. I like it now and its only gonna get better. It retails for a reasonable price. Try it.
    Square-Enix is listening.
  40. smcc
    Nov 19, 2010
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I really don't understand where all the bad ratings are coming from considering this game is a brand new mmo. All mmo's have problems upon the first release. This is not you're normal mmo. It is not WoW, Warhammer, Aion or even FFXI for that matter. It is not meant to be compared to any of these either. FFXIV is breaching new ideas and styles of play for it's version of the game. It is revolutionary. All these small problems, that don't make the game unplayable, are set to be fixed by the end of 2010. I personally love the game so far. It's graphics are impeccable, the style of leveling is unique and the feel of the game is it's own. It's potential is breaking through with every patch and it can only get better. I have played every mmo ever made, so my opions are not bias. If you are looking for one of the first new mmo's post WoW to take control of the mmo fan base, this is it. Just give the developers time to work out the kinks. For those reading reviews and want to know more about the UI, it is set to be patched Nov 25 2010.… Expand
  41. Sixtigers
    Nov 18, 2010
    0
    Take FFXI, (which I played for six years) remove basically any activities beyond grinding on mobs for exp and grinding crafts, and you pretty much have FFXIV. Oh, and add a heaping helping of interface lag, maddening bugs, a near-inability to find the items you want for sale, and repair costs that quickly become comically expensive. (and only restore about 25% of the item's durability)Take FFXI, (which I played for six years) remove basically any activities beyond grinding on mobs for exp and grinding crafts, and you pretty much have FFXIV. Oh, and add a heaping helping of interface lag, maddening bugs, a near-inability to find the items you want for sale, and repair costs that quickly become comically expensive. (and only restore about 25% of the item's durability) Oh, I almost forgot.... Forget about pulling mobs to avoid links. They all have ADHD and will only chase you for a few seconds before giving up and going back to where they were. If you're really unlucky, a bug will kick in and instantly give all of their health back when they get back to their spawn point. The ADHD also means that there's very little danger in the game. It's hard to aggro things in the first place, but if something can't one-shot you, it won't chase you long enough to pose a danger anyway.
    I could probably reach the character limit listing the game's faults, but it sure does look gorgeous for an MMO. But the tl;dr version would be that this game isn't even ready for beta testing.    … Expand
  42. nikkoleth
    Nov 18, 2010
    0
    The combat system in FFXIV seems to have been developed for toddlers. It is the most basic, infantile combat system I have ever seen in an MMO. No ability to jump, swim, or climb, movement feels like it has training wheels on. Simply put this game has the mechanics of a 1992 rpg covered in 2010 graphics.

    This game has along way to go to even be considered mediocre. If you are a true    The combat system in FFXIV seems to have been developed for toddlers. It is the most basic, infantile combat system I have ever seen in an MMO. No ability to jump, swim, or climb, movement feels like it has training wheels on. Simply put this game has the mechanics of a 1992 rpg covered in 2010 graphics.

    This game has along way to go to even be considered mediocre. If you are a true fanboy of Final Fantasy, you will stay as far away from this abomination as you can. Stop supporting horrible game design.    … Expand
  43. TreborLocke
    Nov 16, 2010
    9
    If you are a fan of WoW, you probably wont be a fan of this game or its interface.

    Yes, the interface is DIFFERENT however, it is not bad. It looks that there are several people who have no idea how this MMO was designed. It was DESIGNED to be less cluttered than a standard mmo. Ever looked at someones WoW interface who plays alot? Holy crap its cluttered with stuff that isnt    If you are a fan of WoW, you probably wont be a fan of this game or its interface.

    Yes, the interface is DIFFERENT however, it is not bad. It looks that there are several people who have no idea how this MMO was designed. It was DESIGNED to be less cluttered than a standard mmo. Ever looked at someones WoW interface who plays alot? Holy crap its cluttered with stuff that isnt needed! You have all the same things in the FFXIV interface that you do in WoW and then some. The two things many people will be confused by is "Lack of Jumping" and "I hit spacebar to start chatting? o_O". Other than that, everything including interactions flash on the screen like any other mmo (either by cursor or at the top).

    The quests are easy enough to find. The MMO focuses more on exploration than the quests though and the guildleves system is very efficient and actually EASIER to use than the system in WoW if you do want them. Do you NEED a giant billboard for "Quest is here?" Honestly, I like a littkle adventure in my MMOs. Yes leveling and finding gear is harder....its almost the exact same as what happened in FFXI (which btw, most of you have probably never played and I'll bet some....no...quite a few are lying about playing too).

    This is an MMO for patient people who enjoy scenery...high magic...tons of crafting options...and lots of exploration.

    Also, quite knocking the class system. It's virtually identical in nature to the class system of FFXI and resembles tactics (with equiping weapons to change class).

    Yes, the game has some glitches (Slow inventory loads and character loads....and that is ONLY if you have a slow machine).

    If you intend to run this game, please make sure your computer meets a few or all of the recomended system requirements (I7 processors are very new and expensive for most people right now but, the graphics card is FAR more important than the actual CPU speed of the computer. All you need is a dual core with a good graphics card).

    I highly recomend this game to anyone who has the explorers mindset (A mindset that is usually required for games like Ryzom and EVE-Online).    … Expand
  44. Lusterredux
    Nov 6, 2010
    2
    I wanted to love XIV, I really did. I bought this game knowing there was a huge chance it would be hard to get into and a major timesink like FFXI was. In fact, I WANTED that. I played FFXI for over 4 years and those years were the highlight of my gaming history. But what I got instead was some terrible trainwreck of a game that falls short of any expectations one could possibly have.I wanted to love XIV, I really did. I bought this game knowing there was a huge chance it would be hard to get into and a major timesink like FFXI was. In fact, I WANTED that. I played FFXI for over 4 years and those years were the highlight of my gaming history. But what I got instead was some terrible trainwreck of a game that falls short of any expectations one could possibly have. Bogged down by menus for the sake of menus, leveling that somehow manages to suck the life out of you, LACK OF AN AH, subsequent failure of the bazaar system, the list goes on.

    I almost want to rant for this game wasting my time. Why is it 100x worse than it's predecessor? Why weren't the flaws and annoyances worked out during the beta (which I took part in)? Why, why, why? I feel like I should take SE to court for defacing the Final Fantasy series and MMORPGs as a whole (though their projected profits next quarter should be punishment enough).

    Oh, and the 2/10 is SOLELY because FFXIV is nothing short of graphically amazing. All looks and no substance.    … Expand
  45. BBlake
    Nov 5, 2010
    0
    A very beautiful game, but mostly alternates between boring and frustrating. Coming from a total Final Fantasy fanboy, this one hurts. Why Square-Enix? What have done to you that was so bad?
  46. mrrevas
    Nov 4, 2010
    0
    I have been playing MMO's for over 11 years and FF series for around 20 years and this is by far the worst game I have ever played in relation to either. Once you get past the pretty graphics theres really nothing. Story is predictable and boring, the quest system and limits on.. everything is ridiculuos. It has none of the staples that make a good MMO. The interface... I cannot believeI have been playing MMO's for over 11 years and FF series for around 20 years and this is by far the worst game I have ever played in relation to either. Once you get past the pretty graphics theres really nothing. Story is predictable and boring, the quest system and limits on.. everything is ridiculuos. It has none of the staples that make a good MMO. The interface... I cannot believe they let that out the door. Sqaure Enix just released a stinker in everyway imaginable and the pricing model is predetory to put it kindly. I cannot say enough bad about this game. I ignored all of the reviews and traded in Drakes Fortune and Demon Souls to get this craptastic title and I wanna cry that I cannot return it to Game Stop. Worst of all theres nothing to do in this game... at all, no raids, no dungeons, no bosses.... nothing. I admit I only played for a few days, but I was dying and there was no lite at the end of the tunnel. AVOID AT ALL COSTS!! Ignore the fanboys becuase that is just what they are. The kind of people Who would buy a brick if Steve Jobs called it an I Brick. Avoid avoid avoid!… Expand
  47. freakytea
    Nov 2, 2010
    1
    Pretty awful game. Yikes. I can't believe anyone is giving this a good review. SE must be putting some interns to work! I could go on about the glaring faults, including the retainer system, the copy-pasted dungeon crawler like terrain, the UI lag (oh my GOD the lag), the lack of content at every level, the ridiculous skill point system, the grinding, the broken party mechanics, etc.,Pretty awful game. Yikes. I can't believe anyone is giving this a good review. SE must be putting some interns to work! I could go on about the glaring faults, including the retainer system, the copy-pasted dungeon crawler like terrain, the UI lag (oh my GOD the lag), the lack of content at every level, the ridiculous skill point system, the grinding, the broken party mechanics, etc., etc., etc. I could go on and on and on. The bottom line though, and the reason why people aren't going to play this game without serious improvements (if there's even enough left to salvage) is that FFXIV isn't fun. At all. Many people, including myself, bought this game because of the Final Fantasy name, and I have a feeling that we won't be making the same mistake again.… Expand
  48. MeleeAsura
    Oct 28, 2010
    1
    My short story as my reason to not buy: My girlfriend and I heard this game was coming out a year ago on PS3 and PC in 2010. As a self proclaimed fanboy/girl we had to have this game we went and bought 2 $300 PS3s, fast forward, release day is going to be PC only. Old PCs not up to par with XIV requirements, buy 2 $1100 PCs & 2 $75 copies of collector's edition ($2950 total). Plan 1 weekMy short story as my reason to not buy: My girlfriend and I heard this game was coming out a year ago on PS3 and PC in 2010. As a self proclaimed fanboy/girl we had to have this game we went and bought 2 $300 PS3s, fast forward, release day is going to be PC only. Old PCs not up to par with XIV requirements, buy 2 $1100 PCs & 2 $75 copies of collector's edition ($2950 total). Plan 1 week vacation for Sept. 22 - 29 for release date. Play for 4 weeks all the while literally rotating turns at forcing each other to get on and level in game we wanted to love. In short we didn't even 'like' it, just simply put... not fun at all. Our final decision: /flamerage, quit, delete characters & account, delete XI characters & account and vow to never, ever ever give SE another penny. On an up side, we are loving Aion for the last week. CONS: Game isn't fun, UI is bad, Buying/selling, lag, not fun, ZERO quests @ start to pull me in, virtually no story @ start to pull me in, fighting was a pain, guildleves were boring and repetitive, game itself not helpful and not fun, lots of copy pasted terrain that you cannot ignore after awhile, gear that can be worn by any level any job doesn't give me any drive to level to look/be a 'great hero'. There are more for the con side but I cannot always remember everything about this broken lame game. The looks of the game itself and character creation are awesome features that I am going to put in the con section due to them being attached to such a bad game in every other way. (Besides I recently learned that Aion creation and world look just as nice if not better) PROs Who cares? Not enough things to like about this game to out weigh the bad.… Expand
  49. Ansuca
    Oct 28, 2010
    10
    I'm playing FFXIV now. It's a hypnotic game, amazing...
    SE need to do some things (better interface, put AH, chocobos....) but they are doing it. Megapatch in November and December...
    It'll be a great game!
  50. Kyl63
    Oct 27, 2010
    1
    FFXIV is easily the single worst MMO I have ever played, period. There is no guidance whatsoever in the game, you create a character, get a quest to go somewhere, and that's about it. It tells you to come back later, but doesn't say when. Apparently you just check back every once in a while and hope for the best. To be fair, there are a couple of quests, one when you begin, and oneFFXIV is easily the single worst MMO I have ever played, period. There is no guidance whatsoever in the game, you create a character, get a quest to go somewhere, and that's about it. It tells you to come back later, but doesn't say when. Apparently you just check back every once in a while and hope for the best. To be fair, there are a couple of quests, one when you begin, and one when you hit level 10, the latter giving you no indication that you should go get a quest. From 10 to 20 you are on your own with Guildleves, that you can only do 8 of every 36 hours, and grinding. Once you get to 20, you can expand a little bit and have a few more options.

    Crafting in FFXIV is unnecessarily difficult. I can appreciate that you don't just click a button and you magically have an item, but not being able to complete crafting leves you are several ranks higher than because of consistent failures is quite unreasonable.

    Combat is boring and uneventful. Engage, stand there, hit basic attack button until you can use another ability. The whole time 1/3 of your attacks miss and another 1/3 are evaded, and even with advancing gear and stats this seemed to be all to prevalent a problem. I played an Archer, and I might as well have been a melee class, every monster ended up in my face and the most effective way to kill it was to just stand there.

    The UI is absolutely horrendous. It is slow, clunky, and completely counter-productive. It takes 5 minutes to clear out a full pack in FFXIV, whereas I can do that same task in 5 seconds in every other MMO. The map is useless, since quests aren't tracked on it unless you go through the journal, which in itself is useless. There are no indicators that an NPC might be important or have quests or missions. You simply have to check every NPC you come by, every time you run by them, because there is no guidance as to when you might get a quest.

    There is a simple fix: Play Vanguard, Saga of Heroes, that game has an entertaining, challenging, and productive crafting system. Play WoW, see how combat is fluid, fast, and entertaining. I might recommend taking a look at WoW's UI as well. And why the hell can't the characters jump?

    I don't want a WoW clone, that is the last thing I want. But the simple fact is that other game's UIs, gameplay, and social capabilities work. I understand the need to be different and refreshing, but you can do that in other ways without making a nonsensical UI and a poor combat system.    … Expand
  51. HimuraBattousai
    Oct 24, 2010
    8
    Final Fantasy XIV isn't bad, but it just isn't quite perfect yet. The be=basic gameplay, is all solid, by which I mean combat and exploration. The combat is much slower and more tactical than other MMOs I've played, which is no bad thing, but it takes some getting used to after playing another MMO or even Final Fantasy XIII. The ability to change classes on the fly is useful, fun, wellFinal Fantasy XIV isn't bad, but it just isn't quite perfect yet. The be=basic gameplay, is all solid, by which I mean combat and exploration. The combat is much slower and more tactical than other MMOs I've played, which is no bad thing, but it takes some getting used to after playing another MMO or even Final Fantasy XIII. The ability to change classes on the fly is useful, fun, well thought-out and unique. Eorzea is a huge and unique world, too, from the sprawling forests of Gridania to the shining towers of Limsa Lominsa to the glorious desert of Ul'dah. It;s just fun to see what's around the next corner.

    The biggest problems on the gameplay side lie in two places, the economy and general performance. The economy is a free market, with no auction house as of yet, which makes buying and selling... chaotic. It takes a long time to do anything. I can see why Square did this, since when other MMOs have launched without established prices, the economy has been ruined by real-life profiteers, but some better organisation would have been appreciated. However, Square are patching this out in the next update - a search function is coming and the market will be sorted into different wards based on item types. Furthermore, there is actually a space for an AH in-game, so one should be patched in when the economy settles down.

    General performance is the other bugbear. Crystal Tools looks beautiful whatever it is on, but FFXIV makes it evident that it wasn't built for the PC. There is slowdown even on the best connection and with a top-spec PC. Hopefully, with patches, though, this should improve too. A qualm which lots of people have, but one which hasn't really bothered me, is the menu system. It was evidently built for a pad, and can be a bit slow to navigate, but it hasn't bothered me. However, if they ever patch in menu hotkeys, that would be a godsend. For now, though, I'm happy to navigate the main menu. The graphics are stunning. I've already said that Crystal Tools is a beautiful engine, and this proves it - even on the lowest spec the game looks great. But that's the problem - the lowest spec is still an expensive, powerful computer. If you can run it, though, expect to be blown away. The sound is equally impressive. Nobuo Uematsu was sorely missed in FFXII and XIII, and his return is indeed a glorious one. The one big turn-off for most would-be players is the user-friendliness. In-game help is little - expect to ask a lot of questions over chat, or have a second computer on call to type in queries. The game is hard - there is no handholding going on here. That's either a godsend or hell on earth to you. In short, FFXIV is the opposite to WoW in every aspect - hard to WoW's easy, slow to WoW's fast. When Square sort out the main problems, which would seem to be a simple matter through a few patches, then FFXIV's reputation can improve, and this game can truly become great. This is no APB - the juggernaut company behind it won't let it's juggernaut franchise fail. If I haven't sold you, then I implore you to check back when the PS3 version launches and these problems are ironed out. Join now, and while the stakes are great, the rewards are even greater.    … Expand
  52. jacktion
    Oct 22, 2010
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I was so looking forward FFXIV, but it was so terrible. The only reason I played that I was a big fan of Final Fantasy~~~~it is the worst game i v played, no longer interesting~!~… Expand
  53. Nillipuss
    Oct 21, 2010
    0
    - Fails to deliver a satisfying experience at even the most basic level...killing stuff
    - Quests are exceptionally dull
    - Combat is exceptionally dull
    - I feel there is no 'love' in this game
    - Generally just really disappointed with something that I had such high expectations for
  54. JP1
    Oct 21, 2010
    3
    As a former player of FFXI, I was really looking forward to this game. I really wanted to like it, and I was totally ready to love this game. However, after playing it for a few days, it became immediately obvious that almost no progress has been made since 11 came out so many years ago.

    On the plus side, the graphics and sound are stunning. There is some repetitiveness in the    As a former player of FFXI, I was really looking forward to this game. I really wanted to like it, and I was totally ready to love this game. However, after playing it for a few days, it became immediately obvious that almost no progress has been made since 11 came out so many years ago.

    On the plus side, the graphics and sound are stunning. There is some repetitiveness in the graphics, but the actual visual experience is amazing. The game compares pretty favorably with the best looking MMOs out there, and as usual, the music of Final Fantasy is incredible.

    The class system which allows you to swap classes on the fly and steal bits and pieces from multiple classes is a great idea, and opens up a lot of potential for creativity. You can tune a character to work exactly how you would like them to, and end up with something which feels pretty unique.

    Unfortunately, that's about all I can say I liked about the game. In many other vitally important areas, the game failed spectacularly. It feels as though the developers of the game worked in an isolated chamber, without the benefit of seeing any of the improvements in MMOs which have come out since then, and without anyone questioning the design decisions made in FFXI.

    The economy of the game is based on a retainer system, in which players essentially set up bazaars to hawk their items. There's no auction house or trading post to scan for the items you want, you'll be coming here if you want something you can't make yourself. So if you want a new sword, you're going to zone into a room chock full of hundreds of retainers. And if you want to find a sword, you're going to have too look at them one by one, until you find a guy selling what you want. I can't imagine how this idea made it through any kind of design meeting. And in an economy where almost anything you ever want is made by players, this is not going to to be a minor annoyance, but a constant chore.

    Navigating the UI in the game is perhaps the most terrible, painful experiences I've had in an MMO. Menus are entirely server-authenticated. I don't know if this was to prevent exploits or just a bad design decision, but it means that whenever you press a button, you'll have to wait a short time to see the result, maybe a quarter of a second, maybe a couple of seconds on a slow connection. If I were going to put this into a game, I would design the UI with this in mind, to make as few calls as possible, but instead, many task in the game require many, many menus, and many calls to the server. Crafting an item frequently takes navigating a half-dozen menus and opening and closing your inventory 4 or 5 times. The tiny lag on every menu action adds up, and makes everything take so long as to be incredibly annoying.

    The levequest system one of the more painful questing systems ever put into a game. You pick up levequests in a large town, go to the correct location at which to do them, and start them up. You complete whatever goals are set for you, and you get the rewards. However, you only have a dozen or so of these quests available to you at any given time, and you can easily finish them off in a couple of hours, and then you're simply out of content until these levequests reset 36 hours later. And unfortunately, these quests are not interesting or epic. Most of them are simply requests to kill X of a specific mob and come back. Once you're done with these quests, you're simply out of stuff to do other than grind.

    And you're not allowed to grind for too long, or else your XP will begin to fall off. If this happens, the only way to gain XP at the normal rate again is to switch classes, or simply not gain XP for a while. This leaves the game in an uncomfortable state in which you can't play for very long periods of time without running out of things to do, but you miss out on opportunities to level your character as best you can without logging on for at least a couple of hours each day. It's hard to figure out what audience this game and its mechanics were intended for.

    The game keeps many of Final Fantasy XI's annoying quirks. Storyline quests which are available to you are very limited and unmarked. You have to stumble upon the correct person while you are the correct level in order to find out if you can make progress. Most fast travel is either not yet available, or you are heavily limited in your use of it. This would be less of an issue if the maps were smaller. But some maps and cities are simply gigantic mazes, with ridiculous amounts of dead space. The menu system is unique to FF games, and painful. Even as a former FFXI player, it took me over half an hour to figure out how to equip new skills.

    I can't recommend FFXIV at all in its current state. At best, it is a 'wait and see' game, and I'm not too hopeful that the issues will ever be resolved.    … Expand
  55. Kinlay
    Oct 21, 2010
    2
    I just don't understand how a company as large as SE can make such a glaringly flawed game, it has already been mentioned many times but the flaws far outweigh the and positives. The atrocious UI was my biggest gripe, I can't even begin to describe how much I loathed it. I do believe there is potential but for a game to be released like this is an insult to gamers, shame on SE.
  56. Kuroki
    Oct 20, 2010
    4
    I love Final Fantasy from FFVI - FFXIII, I've collected almost all its goods and its action figures, played the console games and its online games.... and FFXIV is just excited me... well it was... until it launched...

    OMG SE really need to change this grinding mode.... Not every player is hardcore player! to think i will have hours doing quest kills X number of monster etc etc etc and    I love Final Fantasy from FFVI - FFXIII, I've collected almost all its goods and its action figures, played the console games and its online games.... and FFXIV is just excited me... well it was... until it launched...

    OMG SE really need to change this grinding mode.... Not every player is hardcore player! to think i will have hours doing quest kills X number of monster etc etc etc and hours again to do other quest... and more hours in high lv to grind..... thx SE you really ruined my mood to play FF.... i really hopping FFXIV would be different..... guess not... AND DONT SAY I'M NOT A FF FAN BOY 'coz i do.... but NOT for this FF series.... i rather wait and play Guild Wars 2 FTW    … Expand
  57. Loury
    Oct 19, 2010
    3
    Square Enix's recent venture into the MMORPG realm has fallen flat on it's face. Being a SE Fanboy myself, i had high hopes for this game, sadly the clunky User Interface hampers any hopes of doing anything in a quick manner. Getting to your inventory alone takes forever, as you have to wait for the server lag to open your menu, then you have to wait for the lag once more, just to openSquare Enix's recent venture into the MMORPG realm has fallen flat on it's face. Being a SE Fanboy myself, i had high hopes for this game, sadly the clunky User Interface hampers any hopes of doing anything in a quick manner. Getting to your inventory alone takes forever, as you have to wait for the server lag to open your menu, then you have to wait for the lag once more, just to open your inventory.

    Issues are still everywhere, with casters having the biggest one I've found; Sometimes your spell will just not cast. In a game with no auto-attack, a spell being devoured by the lag spells death for a caster. The lack of an Auction House is easily overlooked, as most games lack an AH at their release, but the Market Wards, SE's main way for players to sell their wares via Retainers, is a cluster mess of annoyance. Walking in alone, you wait for a minute before the Retainer NPCs load, and you proceed to go through each bazaar, hoping to find the item you seek. Crafting in the game is fun, for a whole five minutes. Once you realize to make anything, you're required to branch out into 5 other crafts, the weight of their system really comes crashing down. To make a single cloth armor piece, it requires the yarn to be made into cloth, the cloth is then made into back piece, front piece, and sleeves (if it has any). along with any materials from other crafts. Seems decent, right? Wrong, if it requires a dye, you have to find the dye to buy it, or go find the material to make the dye yourself (an Alchemy synth) most require leather, normally dyed. so you're picking up Leathercraft. Nothing is ever middle of the road in this game, you spend hours upon hours crafting to make a piece of gear.

    Leveling in the game is a joke, at the start you gain ranks and physical levels like there's no tomorrow, but after hitting rank 10, the learning curve steeps up so drastically you're spending the next couple hours praying you gain SP off a mob. and at 20? well, i hope you enjoy your day long grind sessions. Mob scaling is done so poorly, a blue dot next to the mob's name is meant to mean it's easy prey, something you can kill without an issue, while a red dot means it's very stronger than you, and it's best you don't mess with it. Yet, a blue dot monster can easily kill me, while some red dot monsters are quickly skewered with my spear. FFXIV has great potential, but the rushed half-arsed release that Square did, has greatly damaged the public's belief in their game. I cannot suggest anyone goes out and buys this game right now, but i do suggest you keep an eye for updates and forums to see how people's attitude changes. Maybe come PS3 release, Square-Enix will have gotten their rears in gear enough that the game's actually something to positively write about    … Expand
  58. Eventide
    Oct 19, 2010
    1
    In case the extra 30 day trial extension wasn't evidence enough, buyer's should be aware that if they are purchasing this game they are essentially buying a Beta product from a company asking consumers to fund it's further development. This is inexcusable to me, especially from a company as prominent as Square-Enix. The game is clearly unfinished as evidenced by major exploits and bugsIn case the extra 30 day trial extension wasn't evidence enough, buyer's should be aware that if they are purchasing this game they are essentially buying a Beta product from a company asking consumers to fund it's further development. This is inexcusable to me, especially from a company as prominent as Square-Enix. The game is clearly unfinished as evidenced by major exploits and bugs still in the game, the worst user interface anyone could imagine, and a droll, lifeless world that is only pretty to look at until you realize you're staring at the same copy/paste environments over and over again. Pathetic.

    This game might be saved a year from now when it is out on PS3 and has had several major version updates. But is it fair for these companies to ask us to pay for such a product now? Absolutely not.    … Expand
  59. sliven
    Oct 17, 2010
    8
    Graphisms are absolutly Amazing !!!! Craft system is very deep, hard and interconnected. Leves are a good way to group and meet people from everywhere in the world. Traductions are very good, animations wonderfull. Only things that are not good are : UI and target system. But it will be fixed very soon with next patchs. So, i don't worry about the future of FF XIV !
  60. ghoststrykre
    Oct 16, 2010
    3
    I went against the flow here and crossed my fingers that the reviews were wrong and biased... Yeah well I paid dearly for that. Truthfully, there IS a good game somewhere deep inside this devilish little game.. Unfortunately, the minds employed at Square Enix have proven again that they can create great concepts, but don't think through the consequences.

    User Interface: AWFUL AWFUL AWFUL.    I went against the flow here and crossed my fingers that the reviews were wrong and biased... Yeah well I paid dearly for that. Truthfully, there IS a good game somewhere deep inside this devilish little game.. Unfortunately, the minds employed at Square Enix have proven again that they can create great concepts, but don't think through the consequences.

    User Interface: AWFUL AWFUL AWFUL. It is slow, clunky, tons of menus, no tutorials to tell you how to use it, and you constantly need to search fan sites to figure out how to add weapon skills, change equipment, etc. Once you understand it though, its not so awful, but WOW its bad.

    Combat: Really kinda fun, but slow and honestly has a sluggish feel to it.

    Crafting: I honestly don't know.. See the markets section.

    Markets: This is where Square Enix had a swing and a miss. FFXI was nearly ruined by gil sellers/RMT's. So Square Enix decided that they would create this retainer system and have no auction house whatsoever. Basically this means, there are items for sale on individual NPC's that must first be loaded (and there's thousands of them) before you can browse their wares individually. No search feature.. Say what? NO SEARCH FEATURE. I searched for over an hour for a freakin' hammer to become a blacksmith in the Market Ward (actually the Fieldcraft Ward since the update hit). I finally found it only to discover that the moron who was selling it wanted 30,000 gil for the crappiest hammer. WHAAtT?! So basically, you have no money, no hammer, and can't do anything. Resulting in the need to find a gil seller. OOPS SQUARE ENIX! Exactly what you were trying to avoid just got encouraged by your process. I applaud their effort to innovate, but internet technology needs about 10 years for this to work as it should, and even then it'd be a pain because the user interface is so terrible. How did this get past the idea board?!

    Verdict: People said the lack of tutorials made this game exceptionally difficult. I, a savvy MMO player thought i'd be fine.. Nope, I was wrong. Even with a quad core processor, 4 gigs of RAM, and an EVGA nVidea GTX 460, the game can't run above 30 fps. The programming is just baaaddd here. So, I think this game has the potential to eventually fix itself. Square Enix said that major updates would be released once every 3 months................. WTF?! In all fairness, SE extended the trial period to 60 days instead of 30.. but that was just because they knew their game was busted as all hell and players were cancelling subscriptions and returning the game as defective. The 60 trial will return to 30 for new registrations after October 25 though. I do not think I want to spend money waiting for Square Enix to fix such basic problems as the UI, the map, the markets, and more. They aren't even going to fix the UI with programming, they're just gonna split zones up onto multiple servers and hope it helps. Really, this is an insulting excuse for an MMO, and for a Square Enix product. I think it'll be over a year before this game is really fixed to the extent it should be. Square Enix has officially become an awful company, incapable of looking out at consequences ahead of their decisions, and completely content with releasing bad products. They even admitted FF13 could have been better (that's a whole other can of worms), the 60 day trial affirms they know this FF14 is garbage, and I'm pretty sure this ruined me ever buying FF13 Versus. Buyer BEWARE! This product is not prepared for market. Consider in one year when it is less than 25 dollars to buy (if SE ever goes that low. they don't even know how to properly price old games).

    I will say this, if you have 4 to 5 friends willing to figure this out together.. Maybe you'll have fun. But playing this alone, and trying to get involved in the community.. omg, near impossible.

    This review boils down to a great quote by the comedian Lewis Black: "So I took a spoon.. and I shoved it in my a$$.. because, if I'm gonna hurt this much... I'm gonna do it to myself."    … Expand
  61. Exiledraven
    Oct 16, 2010
    6
    The game has potential, but as of now there are definitely some serious flaws that make the game rather frustrating to both newcomers to MMO's and veteran players. The UI is probably one of the most standout problems, since it's so unintuitive (Only 1 menu open at a time, no key-binding? Really?) and has some annoying lag issues, as well as a pretty lame targeting system in battle (MostlyThe game has potential, but as of now there are definitely some serious flaws that make the game rather frustrating to both newcomers to MMO's and veteran players. The UI is probably one of the most standout problems, since it's so unintuitive (Only 1 menu open at a time, no key-binding? Really?) and has some annoying lag issues, as well as a pretty lame targeting system in battle (Mostly the reason behind me dying while fighting). Another major problem is the Market Wards, which have random player-made shops hosted by 'Retainers'. This system would be fine if there was some organization, rather than randomly named, and randomly stationed shops in a room. While these aren't essential features, the game does not have any jumping or swimming. For me, I can deal with them not being included, but I can see how it takes away from the immersion aspect of the game. As for questing... well, I don't really count the current 'levequest' system as questing. Basically, all it entails is you being told which mobs to kill, then you get Gil and other rewards for doing so. These quests repeat, so you end up killing the same monsters over and over. You're also only allowed 8 of these quests a day, so afterwards you can either do local quests, which are for crafting professions, or just grind. Main story quests only come at certain ranks, so if you're a Gladiator, you won't be able to continue the main story until Gladiator rank 10, which is separate from physical level. As for the good... the graphics are amazing. For any MMO currently out, it is without a doubt the best looking game out there. Everything from character models, equipment, to the cities and fields are very detailed. However, there is also a drawback from this, since even at lower settings, many computers will still be unable to play the game smoothly. The music in this game is also a plus. It's very fitting for the game and Final Fantasy in general. In my opinion, I think the songs have more personality than the last few FF games. (XIII, XII, XI, X-2) Another positive thing is that Square Enix seems to be taking an extremely active role in fixing this game's flaws. Although it would have been nice to have the game released without so many obvious problems, itÃ¢â… Expand
  62. Jokerfish
    Oct 15, 2010
    0
    It's like Square-Enix didn't play their own game before releasing it. Features a ridiculous crafting system (some items require materials 15 levels above what you're trying to craft!), a "player-driven" economy seemingly designed to benefit in-game currency selling sites, and an interface that works as if it was designed by several teams of people who had never met. It's just a completeIt's like Square-Enix didn't play their own game before releasing it. Features a ridiculous crafting system (some items require materials 15 levels above what you're trying to craft!), a "player-driven" economy seemingly designed to benefit in-game currency selling sites, and an interface that works as if it was designed by several teams of people who had never met. It's just a complete cash-in on a series that relies on fanboys to survive, and hopefully a wake up call for MMO developers after yet another failed MMO "blockbuster" in 2010. If curiousity gets the better of you, wait a few months and you'll find it in the bargain bin next to Star Trek Online.… Expand
  63. Velendris
    Oct 15, 2010
    3
    Pros:
    -Excellent Graphics
    -Excellent Music
    -The design of the class system is new and original

    Cons:
    -Unbearable laggy interface
    -Boring guildleves (Main storyline is good however)
    -Too much walking, incredibly inconvenient
    -Market system is a joke
    -Crafting is insanely complex and hard (No recipe lists, level 5 items need level 20 materials, etc.)
    -No bosses, no real endgame content
  64. prevbean
    Oct 15, 2010
    0
    I loved FFXI and all the single player games before 13 and I was looking forward to this game for years since the tech demo. As many has stated horrible garbage retarded moronic ui system baffles anyone with a brain. Fatigue system an obvious **** blocker stopping people from seeing the rest of this unfinished garbage. The lackluster copy and paste open worlds , please save your breathI loved FFXI and all the single player games before 13 and I was looking forward to this game for years since the tech demo. As many has stated horrible garbage retarded moronic ui system baffles anyone with a brain. Fatigue system an obvious **** blocker stopping people from seeing the rest of this unfinished garbage. The lackluster copy and paste open worlds , please save your breath don't compare this to a copy paste caves or buildings you will look like a fool.

    Only idiot retard fanboys that would eat a piece of **** from square enix will defend this .    … Expand
  65. keegander
    Oct 14, 2010
    3
    Possibly the worst MMO I've ever played and definitely not worthy of its Final Fantasy name. The graphic, music, and cutscenes are the only redeeming qualities but you won't even enjoy them since you'll be aggravated by almost everything else about the game. MMO thrive on making its players feel the need to better their character, explore the world and do battle with the monsters itPossibly the worst MMO I've ever played and definitely not worthy of its Final Fantasy name. The graphic, music, and cutscenes are the only redeeming qualities but you won't even enjoy them since you'll be aggravated by almost everything else about the game. MMO thrive on making its players feel the need to better their character, explore the world and do battle with the monsters it harbors. The problem is that character development doesn't go farther than just giving new attacks with the same animations, the world is repetitive (cut and pasted) and lacking interesting vistas, and the combat is unresponsive, boring, and simplistic and you'll probably spent more time doing battle with the interface than monsters. The time spent just waiting for menus to appear is just staggering. It will take a major overhaul just to make this title enjoyable.… Expand
  66. Carmillia
    Oct 14, 2010
    3
    Funny to see people complaining about people rating 0 this game and yet they rate it with max score of 10 talking about objectivity.I have been playing many years FFXI and other MMOs but I have to admit that FFXIV is not up to the expectations, specially having so many years of experience. The whole system is very slow, the crafting system is an improvement: can get you exp AND craftingFunny to see people complaining about people rating 0 this game and yet they rate it with max score of 10 talking about objectivity.I have been playing many years FFXI and other MMOs but I have to admit that FFXIV is not up to the expectations, specially having so many years of experience. The whole system is very slow, the crafting system is an improvement: can get you exp AND crafting skill levels, however it is far too slow and makes it kind of boring (too many windows to have to be opened before actually get into the craft itself). The fact that you can set abilities from another job to you mage allows to customize the type of characters you want and make it unique, which can be good and kind of frustrating for people that like class specific. The party system, however, is a fail as everyone is just doing is thing on his own and not really relying on each others class specificity. The lack of quests is another bad point. The fact that you have to spend hours looking around bazaars in the hope to find what you're looking for is a time sink and very annoying. The auction house should have been implemented and the excuse of avoiding RMTs doesn't make any sense because they will be some anyways (already seeing them appearing) and they tend to actually put the economy down because of the massive amount of items they bring into the market so that it differs from overpriced items sold be players. A step back from FFXI in my opinion instead of an improvement (they could still have made a different system but keep players-friendly users). Now, instead of having the stress/fear of being killed while running to you grinding spot (and the time it took also to reach it, which all together made a nice experience until you could move faster with teleport/chocobos), you can just teleport around to go grind but have to spend hours just to try to gear you up. I'm not even telling about the uber rare piece of gears, just basic equipements are just a pain in the a.. to find. i think that just the use of an AH or a similar system would decrease player's frustration a lot. How the skill/exp gain in a party has still to be adjusted so that it is not just 'soloing with a group of people' and more based on cooperation (teamwork, yes please!). A function to sort inventory also should have been there from the start. The lag and/or slowness should also be worked out so that it doesn't take 10/15 just to sell the junk in the inventory (because you don't want to spend 1 hour putting those into your bazaar...). I am not far into the game yet but I kind of regret the huge maps where you can just explore the world and not series of tunnels leading to small areas. The graphic although are very very nice and deserve a thumb up. Not much talking in the '/shout' chat for the moment going on but this seems just a matter of time. No problems with the linkshell system, works like a charm. Don't indeed expect a game taking you by the hands (NPC with marks on their head to say HEY I have a quest for you), you have to talk to NPCs to actually see if they have some available (as far as I know, none anyways so far). So in the end, because of the problems of the system, the only enjoyable thing is to grind/guildleves and crafting a bit until gets too boring to wait 5s to 10s between each windows to open (and 5 minutes to craft one item). I would recommend to keep an eye on how it evolves but not to play right now if you are currently playing other MMOs that you like. If you seek a new MMOs to play, give it a shot (or go to a friend's place playing it) but surely do not expect the big revelation or the MMOs of the century. Take it as a new firm trying out to make a MMOs.… Expand
  67. Swampy
    Oct 14, 2010
    5
    Firstly FFXIV has some interesting a worthwhile ideas.. and the character flexibility, that's not tied to specific classes is right up with some of the best mechanics to appear in the genre. The crafting system is top notch and much more than the usual sideline or afterthought as seen in so many other games. The graphics are first rate, of a quality probably usually reserved for firstFirstly FFXIV has some interesting a worthwhile ideas.. and the character flexibility, that's not tied to specific classes is right up with some of the best mechanics to appear in the genre. The crafting system is top notch and much more than the usual sideline or afterthought as seen in so many other games. The graphics are first rate, of a quality probably usually reserved for first person shooters rather than MMOs. And that's it for the good stuff!

    The problems then... there is little to no actual content, I've yet to divine an actual reason for wanting to do anything in the game, other than to grind the requisite 10 levels for each chapter of the so far weak storyline line to be revealed. There is no incentive or story to carry a player along through this game, there is nothing other than grind.. and even that is limited by an arbitrary cap. It's not like you can grind mobs for gear drops either, because there doesn't appear to be any other than crafting materials. Crafting is one of the high points of the game to a degree, but even that has been screwed up by some crazy thinking/design.. 'recipes' appear to be so out of whack with character level and progression, low level 7 items requiring level 11 skills, and level 20something ingredients to make is just insane. I'm not going to try and describe how shambolic the UI is! It needs to be witnessed first hand as I couldn't possibly relay how badly designed it is, and while the game is very pretty the engine appears to be very poorly optimised!

    All in all, as it is I couldn't recommend a purchase of FFXIV.. maybe in 6 months to a year if Square Enix get's it's rear in gear and listens to what the community is telling it then it may well prove to be the success some of it's better points indicate it could be!    … Expand
  68. scwmortise
    Oct 13, 2010
    3
    In a word "unfinished". The game seems to have been rushed out, to reach shelves on time and quite clearley needs a lot of work before its ready for retail release. Some of the crafting in the game seems like, it could really work, forcing the economy to buy and trade but sadly this method just usually involves people selling items for ridiculously inflated prices. The game also feels likeIn a word "unfinished". The game seems to have been rushed out, to reach shelves on time and quite clearley needs a lot of work before its ready for retail release. Some of the crafting in the game seems like, it could really work, forcing the economy to buy and trade but sadly this method just usually involves people selling items for ridiculously inflated prices. The game also feels like a complete console port and almost no effort has been made to hide it, hence the use of the crummy menu system to do anything and the almost complete lack of any customisation to the controls. With some work this could be a real contender in the MMO market but as it is, very little has changed from beta, and still many of the major bugs exist. Its a total joke that this was released at full retail price. I know several people who brought in early to the colectors edition, seeing the square enix brand and after the fantastic games they have released in the past I couldnt fault them, sadly they were betrayed by a company with a big reputation. I hope this hurts square enix, I hope it hurts them a lot and scares other companies into thinking about releasing unfinished junk into the market.… Expand
  69. shadus
    Oct 13, 2010
    7
    First lets discuss the bad. The control scheme is dedicated to controllers, you will not enjoy the controls on a mouse and keyboard, which is fairly inexcusable. The second item is the UI, S-E in their infinite wisdom decided to prevent botting they would store portions of the UI server side... unfortunately this means the UI is amazingly unresponsive. There are times when the latency forFirst lets discuss the bad. The control scheme is dedicated to controllers, you will not enjoy the controls on a mouse and keyboard, which is fairly inexcusable. The second item is the UI, S-E in their infinite wisdom decided to prevent botting they would store portions of the UI server side... unfortunately this means the UI is amazingly unresponsive. There are times when the latency for clicking items in the interface exceeds 20s. It's wretched. There are not enough quests, they limit the "guildleve" (eg: quests) you can complete to 8/3x hours. That being said there are good points to the game, the combat is slower (think pre-eq1 days slow) which I enjoy as a nice change of pace and I find it interesting and a bit more tactical since agro shifts very easily between members, it is largely a sandbox and the role-play community is great (besaid), the crafting system doesn't have formulas you learn, you must find or lookup the recipes and learn them through experimentation, which I find to be spectacularly fun. The class system has both horizontal elements that are generally only seen in skill systems and vertical elements you see in level based games and they mesh well together. The graphics are bar none the best on the market present, the sound is stellar, and the fmv are completely unmatched. That being said ffxiv, because of the speed, difficulty of crafting, and horrible ui will turn off about 60% of people off the bat... and unless the major issues with the ui are corrected soon they will drive the game into a small niche market which would be a sad occurrence because the game has good potential. If you're optimistic about the ui changes being made soon, I feel its an acceptable buy, otherwise hold off, watch, and wait. It has good potential and I find it fun, but the ui overshadows almost everything else.… Expand
  70. Enchufado
    Oct 13, 2010
    2
    3 points por graphics,-1 point because resources optimization doesn't exist in this game.The rest is very poor.The worst numeric final fantasy.Compared with other mmorpg,ffivx is boring,frustrating,and very expensive,and doesn't have any innovations.What a waste of time.
  71. abigsmurf
    Oct 13, 2010
    1
    At every turn this game makes things difficult for the player. The menus lag, the NPCs don't give you important directions, the map is horrible, there's no Auction house, the retainer system (where players set up their own shops) is painful to use, the game doesn't store your recipes for crafting, you're limited to how much XP and skill points you can receive, you can only do a smallAt every turn this game makes things difficult for the player. The menus lag, the NPCs don't give you important directions, the map is horrible, there's no Auction house, the retainer system (where players set up their own shops) is painful to use, the game doesn't store your recipes for crafting, you're limited to how much XP and skill points you can receive, you can only do a small number of guildleves a day...

    I could easily keep going. One or two problems could easily be fixed but there are so many fundamental design flaws with this game that it requires an incredibly extensive re-write that I can't see them doing post-retail.

    I've never cancelled a subscription to an MMO as fast as I have for FFXIV. I usually stick with them, even if I'm not enjoying them, in the hope that they'll improve in the future. That's not going to happen here.    … Expand
  72. Tricksy
    Oct 12, 2010
    0
    I had given this a 2, but after seeing all of the people that gave this game a 10 just because of its name and their hopes for the future. I am replacing my critique with this blurb and my 2 with a 0. The game creators should see a score that reflects what the game is at not what the game "might be one day" and so my 0 is an attempt to balance out the bell-curving that is going on here.
  73. bil
    Oct 12, 2010
    3
    I can't believe I spent $50 dollars and updated my video card for this crap of a game. This game needs at least another 6 months of development but I guess they figured they could charge people to play a beta (if you could even call it that). Yes the only reason I bought it was because I love most FF titles but this is just a big turd wrapped in a popular brand name.
  74. Navii
    Oct 12, 2010
    1
    A staggering disappointment of a game for someone that loves the final fantasy series.

    Archaic UI, sluggish controls and extremely lengthy pauses when doing tasks such as buying and selling items just add further to aggravation when trying to do even the simplest actions in game. Quest dialogs assault you with a wall of irrelevant text that fails to pull you into the world and simply    A staggering disappointment of a game for someone that loves the final fantasy series.

    Archaic UI, sluggish controls and extremely lengthy pauses when doing tasks such as buying and selling items just add further to aggravation when trying to do even the simplest actions in game.

    Quest dialogs assault you with a wall of irrelevant text that fails to pull you into the world and simply rehashes the tired travel kill/fetch routine already present in many mmos. The game touts itself as casual friendly, but fails miserably at instilling any sense of accomplishment if one only has a few hours a day due to so much travel between the repetitive landscape. Compared to the Fields of Valor and experience ring bonuses in FFXI, the system in FFXIV appears to be a fluffed up and overcomplicated copycat version with more travel.

    The lack of an accessible Auction House for easy buying and selling of items creates a time sink when trying to find of upgrade equipment navigating the poorly thought out and tedious market wards, aggravating for a player that cares only for questing and monster slaying.

    The graphics nice to look at, and the music is a feast for the ears, but the characters lack a warm soul to them, and the character armor available looks highly generic, the iconic artifact armor associated with final fantasy jobs is nowhere to be found, making this feel like its not a final fantasy game.

    This game is a step backwards from its well aged forebear FFXI in many ways, provoking the question of FFXIV's necessity in the market place. FFXIV tries to be different in several ways to set itself apart from other games, but frustratingly does so in the worst ways thought possible for those that area already fans of FFXI or more accessible MMOs.

    Given the state of the current game, I would recommend waiting until next year to give this game a try, provided they have heavily patched the game to address the myriad of other nagging issues too long to list that plague this game in its current form.    … Expand
  75. metro_cube
    Oct 12, 2010
    3
    The good:
    * Powerful graphics engine
    * Flexible class system The OK: * It has decent music * It has a new take on crafting and gathering in MMOs The Bad: * Everything else I really cannot even begin to list the problems this game has. In nearly every way except for graphics, it is a massive step-back from even SE's previous MMO title (FFXI). The User Interface is terrible and sluggish.    The good:
    * Powerful graphics engine
    * Flexible class system

    The OK:
    * It has decent music
    * It has a new take on crafting and gathering in MMOs

    The Bad:
    * Everything else

    I really cannot even begin to list the problems this game has. In nearly every way except for graphics, it is a massive step-back from even SE's previous MMO title (FFXI).

    The User Interface is terrible and sluggish. It takes multiple confirmations and clicks to perform even the simplest tasks, such as moving items from your inventory to your retainer (bank). It will take you upwards of 10 minutes to just sell your vendor trash.

    The terrain is copy-and-pasted to such an extent that it will make those who complained about WOW's copying of caves die of shock. Areas just feel bland and lifeless.

    There is absolutely no reason to do anything in the game (except for it's own sake) because the game has no content (only 8 copy-pasted kill quests every 36 hours, no end-game to speak of, etc).

    There is absolutely no sense of progression in the game. Many dozens of hours in and you're still traversing areas that look exactly the same (literally because they are) and still fighting Moles and Rats; monsters that feel like they should be reserved for characters under level 5.

    The item durability system is absolutely terrible. It is impossible to repair your gear up to 100% without the help of an outside player, or you spend hours trying to work through the terrible crafting interface and retarded recipe design philosophy (a level 2 recipe requires level 15 recipe reagents from the same craft) to level up your own crafting skill.

    Your character will even get stuck on 2-inch high walls (I am not even joking), and have to walk around them.

    There are dozens of features that should have been implemented by release, but are still absent (Chocobos, AH, Airships, Company System, etc etc etc).

    I could go on forever but hopefully you get the idea. This MMO is in no way shape or form ready for a commercial release; it's barely in an Alpha state right now. I cannot recommend this MMO to anyone, but I can recommend you avoid it like plague.

    If it is not dead in a year, check back then and see if it is finally out of pay-to-play Beta.    … Expand
  76. Ragnarok07
    Oct 11, 2010
    6
    I'm not going to say that this game is good, right now it deserves a 5. BUT i feel this game is a diamond, of course unfinished, unpolished and still in the facade of a rock (an ugly rock). the game has extreme potential and lets face it: square never aimed to storm the market of pc mmos... this game is for the ps3, everything in it screams for a console and a controller, so what didI'm not going to say that this game is good, right now it deserves a 5. BUT i feel this game is a diamond, of course unfinished, unpolished and still in the facade of a rock (an ugly rock). the game has extreme potential and lets face it: square never aimed to storm the market of pc mmos... this game is for the ps3, everything in it screams for a console and a controller, so what did square do? A six month extended public beta ( let's call it gamma :) ) until the console version comes out. I believe that in the ps3 version they will have taken all the feedback about gameplay issues, bugs, exploits, balance, lag ect and they will deliver a version of FFXIV as it should have been....... but all this sadly to the expense of thousands of people,who had their hopes up for the pc version, serving as guinea pigs (including me) . So to all who still ponder, wait. Wait a few months and buy the ps3 version and if you don't own one, wait until the ps3 version comes out then buy it for pc, it will be a different game… Expand
  77. pabswikk
    Oct 11, 2010
    10
    This game is, honestly, not of a 10/10 standard right now, but I have a feeling it will be brought up to scratch with remarkable speed. The fact is, one that most people judiciously ignore, is the core of the game is just that. A game. Unlike most modern MMORPGs on the market this one has, so far, thrown the conventions MMORPG lovers have come to accept as standard (Auction houses, giantThis game is, honestly, not of a 10/10 standard right now, but I have a feeling it will be brought up to scratch with remarkable speed. The fact is, one that most people judiciously ignore, is the core of the game is just that. A game. Unlike most modern MMORPGs on the market this one has, so far, thrown the conventions MMORPG lovers have come to accept as standard (Auction houses, giant exclamation marks) out of the window and concentrated on making a game for once. The unfortunate thing is Sqaure Enix obviously either could have done with more time in beta to add these features on top of the suprisingly immersive and enjoyable core, or have not yet grasped that user functionality is now all important in the MMO market. However, Square seem to be listening to their players (and naysayers) and attempting to fix these problems. The problem with this game is not content. It is a beautiful game in an enrapturing world. It is simply one of mechanics, one that can be fixed easily and quickly. One final note; This game, to all those who say it doesn't, has quests. They're called Guildleves and work exaclty likes quests. You get the leve (quest) which has text telling you why you're doing what your doing, where it is etc., and when you've finished it you get rewards. How have thousands of people missed this simple fact is beyond me. It's a quest with the boring parts cut out. i.e. finding that idiot with the big question mark.… Expand
  78. Cookies5000
    Oct 10, 2010
    0
    As a FF lover this game completely disappoints. Only good thing is a bit on the graphics. List of disappointments:

    1. Graphics performance blows, especially on certain high end cards for no reason at all. If I can play Crysis on max settings on 1920x1200 I should be able to play this game on settings higher than all low. 2. No Square Enix communication. It's been over two weeks and    As a FF lover this game completely disappoints. Only good thing is a bit on the graphics. List of disappointments:

    1. Graphics performance blows, especially on certain high end cards for no reason at all. If I can play Crysis on max settings on 1920x1200 I should be able to play this game on settings higher than all low.
    2. No Square Enix communication. It's been over two weeks and there's been only one response to everyone's issues and requests for changes.
    3. No real community forums, go find one.
    4. Copy & Paste Land, seriously. Gets old real quickly when you have to run for 10 minutes and you see the same land over and over and over again.
    5. Terrible means of transportation. The copy and paste just to make a bigger world but force you to basically run blows. You can do instant teleport from one place to another but you only can do it so many times before you run out and the regen is endlessly long.
    6. Not allowed to just play a class you want. The game forces you to change jobs or be bored out of your mind if you just want to level one class. Why should I be forced to level a job I don't want to do?
    7. So few quests. Very repeatative. After you do your set of quests there are no more to do.
    8. No AH and selecting a person and clicking browse is terrible. Not only that but your store can run away from you while you're looking at it lol.
    9. Slow loading zones and areas. Turn around and await a few seconds before people appear on your screen.
    10. Loading, endless loading areas.
    11. Bugs, omg the bugs. I've passed hundreds of bugs/issues with the game, would take me forever to list.
    12. Terrible customer service. It's a joke.
    13. Slow loading interface, everything takes 2-3 seconds before appearing. What a joy.
    14. Cutscenes with no talking but you can see them talking. Uhh okay.
    15. No information on how to do something or how something works. I don't care that it isn't just all handed to me but at least show me how to do the simple things while starting up a brand new complex game.
    16. No armor/weapon seller besides level 1 gear. 100% community crafting. Now this wouldn't be an issue if there was an AH or something but since so few people want to stand around trying to sell and not only create 1-2 items the options are quite low. You can go through the main market area and see not one item for your job/class so you are forced to craft your own gear.
    17. Game gets boring after an hour or two. It just doesn't keep your attention span.
    18. Casting and selecting moving NPCs for AOE spells is painful. You click the ground instead of the mob, deselects off the mob now you have to reselect, click the spell again etc etc. By the time you start casting you've lost 25% of your health. So you're basically sitting on auto-attack...which gets boring to slowly hit the "1" key.

    There are a million more things that are wrong. I would give it a higher rating than 0 but I can't give a game something higher when the game was clearly released before ready, lazy effort on so many things, and didn't listen at all to the complaints in beta. I did hear they fixed a but this last patch that was found in alpha. Huh.    … Expand
  79. IhlinaFrost
    Oct 10, 2010
    5
    If there's one positive thing that can be said about Final Fantasy XIV Online, it's that it's fairly different from everything else on the market. Those looking for a change of pace from typical "quest grinders" may find something refreshing in FFXIV, however, in it's current state, it's difficult to recommend this game to anyone. While certainly playable, critical elements of the gameIf there's one positive thing that can be said about Final Fantasy XIV Online, it's that it's fairly different from everything else on the market. Those looking for a change of pace from typical "quest grinders" may find something refreshing in FFXIV, however, in it's current state, it's difficult to recommend this game to anyone. While certainly playable, critical elements of the game seem as though they were designed to keep people from doing exactly that. Arbitrary limits impede player progress, furthered by the cumbersome interface, lag from extra-continental servers, and the deliberate pace of play. Whether a purposeful attempt to level the playing field between the "casual" and "hardcore", as Square Enix has stated was one of their missions, or simply a stopgap measure by the company to keep players from rushing through content too quickly, the result is punishing for those seeking to invest more than a sparse few hours at a time into the game. Ironically, those seeking to accomplish anything in quick sitting will likely also find disappointment, as the plodding pace of play becoming blindingly obvious. FFXIV seems best suited for those with plenty of time on their hands, but are unwilling or uninterested in playing the game obsessively.… Expand
  80. RobbazKing
    Oct 9, 2010
    2
    This game falls so extremely short on all aspects, poor gameplay, poor quests, poor dialogue, poor interface, poor environment at least the graphics and music is good.

    But the game is simply bad, sure graphics are nice but all the maps are like puzzles you will run past the same scenery like 15+ times, monsters are few and bugged not to mention the overall time it takes to kill one is    This game falls so extremely short on all aspects, poor gameplay, poor quests, poor dialogue, poor interface, poor environment at least the graphics and music is good.

    But the game is simply bad, sure graphics are nice but all the maps are like puzzles you will run past the same scenery like 15+ times, monsters are few and bugged not to mention the overall time it takes to kill one is 25-40seconds and this is your basic newbie mob. The game runs at a snail speed and it's so linear that you can't skip anything. The crafting system is decent if you care to figure it out.

    I thought FF13 was boring, but this simply sets a new high. I Probably never watch on a final fantasy game the same way any more. Even free asian mmorpg's can beat this crap!    … Expand
  81. AnimusSadow
    Oct 9, 2010
    2
    After navigating through the mind numbingly complex process of actually setting up your account, you get the choice of creating your character (you only get one, unless you want to pay more money, so make sure your friends are all on the same server), and watch what is a stunningly beautiful cutscene with good voice acting. After the cut scene, however, you're basically dropped off in theAfter navigating through the mind numbingly complex process of actually setting up your account, you get the choice of creating your character (you only get one, unless you want to pay more money, so make sure your friends are all on the same server), and watch what is a stunningly beautiful cutscene with good voice acting. After the cut scene, however, you're basically dropped off in the city with a "good luck" The graphics are well done, too well, perhaps, as even some high end gaming computers will struggle with it to be even semi-smooth. The sound has two settings, off and loud, and gets very repetitive very fast. The user-interface is slow and horrendously designed, to change weapons you have to open the main menu, and once you find the gear section, it doesnt only bring up items that can be placed in said equipment slot, it brings up your whole inventory, so you have to scroll through and find what you want. The main quest line, which seems interesting, has quests that are too few and far between, and it relies on a system of "levequests", of which you can only do 8 every 36 hours. These are your standard MMO style quests, go here and kill x monsters, but leaves nothing to backstory about the world, or stories about characters, or anything.
    The crafting system, which Square Enix has clearly placed a lot of emphasis on, is neat and refreshing at first, but quickly becomes exceptionally irritating. You have to either have their players website open and alt-tab to view recipes, or write them down yourself, as the game provides no in game recipe book. Another downside to this, is that the only way to get gear is either to buy it from someone else or craft it yourself, the emphasis being on crafting it yourself. This can be a horribly confusing and aggrivating process, as after farming for materials for hours, you finally go to make said item, and it breaks while you are crafting it, costing you both the materials and the time you spent gathering them. Overall, while FFXIV is a visually beautiful game, the poorly designed menus, slow and shoddy targetting system, the almos impossible to read maps, the over-emphasis on an insanely coplex crafting system, and overall lack of feeling like you are actually a part of the world make this game not only feel much more like work than a game, its an insult to the many great games of the Final Fantasy series. I wouldn't recommend this game to anyone    … Expand
  82. Eerazer
    Oct 8, 2010
    10
    Fantastic game, played every day since the 22nd of september and i am not bored one bit. looking forward to what it brings in the future, excellent graphics, soundtrack and character progression and many choices regarding skills and a tailor your own type of class makes this game unmissable.
  83. thegorgatron
    Oct 8, 2010
    1
    This game was rushed to market by a company that doesn't listen to its player base. The updating system is garbage, and the game requires you to have a bleeding edge system to be playable. The game play itself is backed by interesting concepts that were executed beyond poorly. The crafting and gathering mini games are neat ideas but it takes forever to do or make anything. TheThis game was rushed to market by a company that doesn't listen to its player base. The updating system is garbage, and the game requires you to have a bleeding edge system to be playable. The game play itself is backed by interesting concepts that were executed beyond poorly. The crafting and gathering mini games are neat ideas but it takes forever to do or make anything. The interface was seeming planned out by someone who has never played an MMO before and coded by someone who failed out of junior college. It wasn't until maybe a week before release that they decided to allow a hardware mouse to cut the interface lag and make it usable. A great example of how out of touch Square is with the rest of the world as a whole is the fact that there is no auction house or mail system..... I mean really, take a second think about that. An major market MMORPG that does not have a mail system or auction house at release. Its as if the lead designer had a stroke half way through development. To make it worse they limit you to 8 "Guild leves" (for the love of God square why cant we just call it a quest, why do you have to go out of your way to confuse people by renaming things to which we are all accustom to some meaningless collection of letters?) ever 36(?) hours, but count yourself lucky, it was 48 hours just a week or two before release, I hear they cut the time down a bit just before release but I am not totally sure on that. On another note, each of these guild leves takes about 5 min. to complete leaving you with more than a day of wondering "ok...what now?". The graphics are pretty but there is a lot of cut and paste going on. A lot of people, myself included, were very excited for this game and really really wanted it to be good and enjoyable but it seems that the majority of use were let down in a big way. I can't help thinking that if the ideas, concepts and art for this game were given to literally any other company other than square it would be a good game but Square managed to pull defeat out of the cold clutches of success. I would recommend steering clear of this title, at least for the time being. I still hold out some hope that maybe they will learn their lesson and enact some sort of changes by the time the PS3 version is released sometime in March or April of next year.… Expand
  84. Electro-fox
    Oct 8, 2010
    0
    This game is an astounding disappointment. I feel sorry for others like me who waited years for this polished turd. I have to ask myself: Did they just spend all their time tightening up the graphics? Questing is abysmal. You'll finish levequests within minutes and then have to wait literally a day and some until you can get more. There is no pacing in the game, no direction or storyThis game is an astounding disappointment. I feel sorry for others like me who waited years for this polished turd. I have to ask myself: Did they just spend all their time tightening up the graphics? Questing is abysmal. You'll finish levequests within minutes and then have to wait literally a day and some until you can get more. There is no pacing in the game, no direction or story development. Instead you're left to your own devices trying to forge a path using a horribly thought out system. Speaking of systems, the UI and menu system are atrocious. There is just so much wrong in this game that I could go on for hours. Square, you have failed us, go hang your head in shame.… Expand
  85. Josh312
    Oct 8, 2010
    0
    I was really excited about this game. From a financial side point, the worst possible thing they did was have an open beta. I didn't expect it to be fast or amazing based on its beta, but the entire game was just plain terrible. The introductions were nice, but they had no tutorial whatsoever. All in all it was just an extremely user unfriendly game and I canceled my limited editionI was really excited about this game. From a financial side point, the worst possible thing they did was have an open beta. I didn't expect it to be fast or amazing based on its beta, but the entire game was just plain terrible. The introductions were nice, but they had no tutorial whatsoever. All in all it was just an extremely user unfriendly game and I canceled my limited edition pre-order just in time. The company we knew and loved that produced FF's such as 7,8, and 10 is dead. 12, 13, and 14 are the epic failure of a declining masterpiece in gaming.… Expand
  86. Tridus
    Oct 8, 2010
    0
    You notice how most of the positive reviews feature people familiar with FF 11? There's a reason for that. This game has the worst UI of any MMO released in years. Someone needs to tell Square that FF 11's crappy UI is unacceptably bad in 2010. Pile that on top of the slowest patching system ever invented, how crash prone the game is, the fact that crashing in the middle of a quest causesYou notice how most of the positive reviews feature people familiar with FF 11? There's a reason for that. This game has the worst UI of any MMO released in years. Someone needs to tell Square that FF 11's crappy UI is unacceptably bad in 2010. Pile that on top of the slowest patching system ever invented, how crash prone the game is, the fact that crashing in the middle of a quest causes you to fail the quest (and in some cases not be able to do it again for two days), whisper message size limits that make tweets seem long, and all around general problems... and you have a game not worth playing. It would be bad even if it was a F2P, but for a monthly fee this is a disgrace.… Expand
  87. Paulie
    Oct 7, 2010
    0
    You ever wish you could back in time? Well than go buy Final Fantasy XIV. When playing Final Fantasy XIV I feel as if I have gone back in time at least ten years. All modern advances in the MMORPG genre are absent from Final Fantasy XIV. Who needs friendly user interfaces? Who needs a auction house? Who needs a tutorial explaining how to play? Who needs direction where to go? Who needs aYou ever wish you could back in time? Well than go buy Final Fantasy XIV. When playing Final Fantasy XIV I feel as if I have gone back in time at least ten years. All modern advances in the MMORPG genre are absent from Final Fantasy XIV. Who needs friendly user interfaces? Who needs a auction house? Who needs a tutorial explaining how to play? Who needs direction where to go? Who needs a friendly travel system? Who needs lots of quests? Who needs a experience system that isn't buggy and broken when grouping? Who needs a game that performs well on a wide range of systems? Who needs a game with content?

    Well I need all of the above mentioned features. Stay away from Final Fantasy XIV at all costs!    … Expand
  88. Robbaz
    Oct 7, 2010
    3
    I played the beta and also tested the game once more at launch. And i all can say is... Only buy this if you are a final fantasy fan or really enjoy asian mmorpgs. Since this is insanely boring and the most linear game i ever played! I mean common! They copied the terrain like 6-10 times at some places! The most entertaining in this game is the spelling errors. The overall combat is veryI played the beta and also tested the game once more at launch. And i all can say is... Only buy this if you are a final fantasy fan or really enjoy asian mmorpgs. Since this is insanely boring and the most linear game i ever played! I mean common! They copied the terrain like 6-10 times at some places! The most entertaining in this game is the spelling errors. The overall combat is very very very slow as well even once you get several abilities it's still slow and some of the controls are just simple horrible! And remapping them wont work since it's the game it self that is played in such a odd manor!

    This game will never be fixed.    … Expand
  89. Troggie87
    Oct 7, 2010
    0
    One of the worst mmos I have ever played in 20 years of playing online mmos. The only reason this doesn't have a zero rating on fansites is a decicated effort assembled on Final fantasy fan forums to give perfect 10's to try and boost ratings. In reality, if this wasn't based on such a powerhouse IP, there would already be talk of server closures. Don't waste your money. The problemOne of the worst mmos I have ever played in 20 years of playing online mmos. The only reason this doesn't have a zero rating on fansites is a decicated effort assembled on Final fantasy fan forums to give perfect 10's to try and boost ratings. In reality, if this wasn't based on such a powerhouse IP, there would already be talk of server closures. Don't waste your money. The problem here isn't that its a niche mmo, its just a bad mmo. Oldies like Everquest 2 do the same things better, so if you want gameplay go there. Or if graphics and story drive you, wait for Star Wars the Old Republic in the spring.… Expand
  90. wynams
    Oct 7, 2010
    0
    Was a big fan of XI.
    XIV is pretty horribad.
    The UI/Engine are totally gimped because this was written for the PS3 from the ground up.
    Lag abounds.
    Vast (beautiful) zones filled with nothing. Few mobs, no NPCs/Dungeons/POIs.
    Pre-internet level of account management/subscription management

    Its pretty, and it sucks
  91. strondbokken
    Oct 7, 2010
    0
    I really can't understand how people can give this game a "10" or anything higher than 4. I've played over 30 MMOs since I beta tested Ultima Online in the early '90s and have seen quite a lot of failures, but this game has to be one of the worst I've ever played. Every single thing about it is either outdated, sub-par, or simply stupid. There are absolutely no quests outside of the mainI really can't understand how people can give this game a "10" or anything higher than 4. I've played over 30 MMOs since I beta tested Ultima Online in the early '90s and have seen quite a lot of failures, but this game has to be one of the worst I've ever played. Every single thing about it is either outdated, sub-par, or simply stupid. There are absolutely no quests outside of the main quest line and that leaves you with 99.999% of your time grinding away on the same mobs with 1000 other people because the mob:player ratio is very poor. The UI is obviously made for a console and the entire game has been dumbed down for PS3 users to be able to use it. I cannot stress highly enough, DO NOT LISTEN TO THE FANBOYS HERE GIVING THIS GAME A GOOD REVIEW! This game is, literally, a taint on the MMO industry and should be avoided at all costs. I can't even begin to tell you in words how bad this game is. It makes STO look good. There. That's how bad it is.… Expand
  92. Ranmauzo
    Oct 7, 2010
    2
    They rushed this game out the door so fast they didn't have time to bribe their usual gaming websites.

    - Played FFXI since launch and loved it - Has been waiting for this game since the project rapture tech demo they released in around 2006 - Invested $600 in PC upgrades to be able to max this game out - Played the Beta and thought things were going to get better once retail hit - Bought    They rushed this game out the door so fast they didn't have time to bribe their usual gaming websites.

    - Played FFXI since launch and loved it - Has been waiting for this game since the project rapture tech demo they released in around 2006
    - Invested $600 in PC upgrades to be able to max this game out - Played the Beta and thought things were going to get better once retail hit
    - Bought the Collector's Edition gleefully

    Even I can't deny this game is complete and utter ****
    I've tried to lie to myself, tell myself it's going to get better, but the Square MMO team are complete frackups, as clearly laid out by FFXI. Somehow, they managed to make a game that takes all the good of FFXI and turns it to **** and then took a huge steaming **** on top of it, and put a cherry on top for the beautiful graphics.

    This game is abysmal. It's a complete failure. I'm a fraking Finfan fanboy for fracksake, and I can't stand this pile of horse**** Here's to hoping Guild Wars or that bland looking Starwars MMO can finally pull me away from the cesspool that is WoW. As for this game, I just hope they shut down the servers quickly before too many people find out about it so it isn't etched into everyone's minds as the biggest failure in MMO history.    … Expand
  93. Roarshack
    Oct 7, 2010
    1
    I really wanted to like this game. I really did. When I bought it and installed on my PC I felt like I've been sold cheap Chinese product that barely works. But on to the point, this game lacks everything and it's simply not fun to play. The core content is doing quests around big crystal that require you to kill critters for experience. I think Square Enix ran out of time and they justI really wanted to like this game. I really did. When I bought it and installed on my PC I felt like I've been sold cheap Chinese product that barely works. But on to the point, this game lacks everything and it's simply not fun to play. The core content is doing quests around big crystal that require you to kill critters for experience. I think Square Enix ran out of time and they just slapped higher stats on rabbits because they couldn't be bothered with making enemies models.… Expand
  94. Statik
    Oct 7, 2010
    0
    If this gets any more than a 5 officially and a 2 on the user score I will have lost all faith in the validity of the gaming fanbase. While gems like Demon's Souls are trampled underfoot compared to Call of Duty and FFXIII, I direct my sights to a game so bad even people who lie to themselves as much as you casuals can't give this game any more than a 5. Should you have sense every reviewIf this gets any more than a 5 officially and a 2 on the user score I will have lost all faith in the validity of the gaming fanbase. While gems like Demon's Souls are trampled underfoot compared to Call of Duty and FFXIII, I direct my sights to a game so bad even people who lie to themselves as much as you casuals can't give this game any more than a 5. Should you have sense every review here would be a 0.

    You are not having any fun at all playing this. You aren't.    … Expand
  95. DrGreenbacks
    Oct 7, 2010
    0
    I really like the graphics. They are good looking, fresh, and new. But the game feels linear. It doesn't have an 'open world' feel. It feels like I am playing an MMO on rails. I have to follow a certain path, I can't climb, and I can't jump. It feels like an old school game. If I wanted to play an old school game, I would have bought an old school game. I really don't like the fact that II really like the graphics. They are good looking, fresh, and new. But the game feels linear. It doesn't have an 'open world' feel. It feels like I am playing an MMO on rails. I have to follow a certain path, I can't climb, and I can't jump. It feels like an old school game. If I wanted to play an old school game, I would have bought an old school game. I really don't like the fact that I can't even see the recipe that I have learned. Crafting looks cool but takes way too long to produce a single item. It's not the actual crafting time, it's the three second delay to do anything. Gathering is cool, but really, really cumbersome. Changing classes takes way too much time. You have to open your gear bag, mouse or joystick over to your slot, find the weapon in your inventory, and then change the weapon, then delay...... class changed. It's annoying. The combat is slooooooow. I don't like how you can only take 8 quests every 48 hours. Sometimes you need to walk for 20 minutes just to get to the quest starting location. It's annoying. I guess I'm really not impressed. FFXIV is more annoying than fun, but the graphics are good.… Expand
  96. reclinemusic
    Oct 7, 2010
    5
    I played FFXI for a long time. I was very much looking for an updated version of this game, with better UI and keyboard and mouse support... that was basically all I was looking for, not asking for much. On the graphics front, its top notch, and my fairly old computer does ok. I have a core 2 duo, 9800GTX+ and 4 gigs of RAM. I run at a fairly low res, but with high textures and such,I played FFXI for a long time. I was very much looking for an updated version of this game, with better UI and keyboard and mouse support... that was basically all I was looking for, not asking for much. On the graphics front, its top notch, and my fairly old computer does ok. I have a core 2 duo, 9800GTX+ and 4 gigs of RAM. I run at a fairly low res, but with high textures and such, so it looks good. The UI and controls for kb and mouse are a step forward, I must say, at least I'm using my mouse to look around and move now and am clicking on things more than tabbing, like in FFXI. Battles are actually fun this time, much more fast paced without the auto attack. One thing that is going to suck for me is no auction house. Having just started, I haven't had the need to upgrade a weapon, but I know this time will come and I'm going to be frustrated. Hopefully my linkshell or shouting will help a little bit. I can't see square not implementing some sort of ward search or AH feature.

    I have high hopes for this game's future, but for right now its tedious. I'm going to keep playing though.    … Expand
  97. kasumisan
    Oct 7, 2010
    8
    While the UI does need work, you can play easily enough with a gamepad. As it is simply launch and updates / fixes are bound to pop up I think this game has potential. Not to mention the stunning graphics and beautiful music. I started out as a Lalafell in Ul'dah and the intro was quite amazing graphically. For this game to be a hit, they have to work on implimenting more elements fromWhile the UI does need work, you can play easily enough with a gamepad. As it is simply launch and updates / fixes are bound to pop up I think this game has potential. Not to mention the stunning graphics and beautiful music. I started out as a Lalafell in Ul'dah and the intro was quite amazing graphically. For this game to be a hit, they have to work on implimenting more elements from FFXI. Namely the /sea function, some form or AH and the function keys to target your party members. It would also be nice to have confirmations appears on screen instead of having them only appear in the main menu.

    One thing I really liked is how crafting gives you experience, both craft and physical. I spent a relaxing day fishing and didn't have to worry about grinding to get exp. I hope more recipees and the ability to sell things more easier gets included in later upgrades.

    All in all, if you can get past the UI hickups, this is a fun game to play.    … Expand
  98. lawina
    Oct 7, 2010
    1
    I find it funny that fanboys are stubborn on admitting that this game is very bad. The only positive thing I hear from them are the graphics, sadly this did not make a game playable for me. I prefer a game which is fun to play, with a good story and good game play over the graphics. FFXIV Online sadly only does OK in the graphics department. I'm saying OK, because the graphics aren't asI find it funny that fanboys are stubborn on admitting that this game is very bad. The only positive thing I hear from them are the graphics, sadly this did not make a game playable for me. I prefer a game which is fun to play, with a good story and good game play over the graphics. FFXIV Online sadly only does OK in the graphics department. I'm saying OK, because the graphics aren't as amazing as some fanboys would make you think it is. Ofcourse, the CGI/cutscenes are great as expected from Square, however you will notice that most of the environment is the same and gets very boring quickly. The graphics are comparable to Eve Online, amazing but you'll notice the same everywhere.

    I won't even go in detail regarding the other aspects of the game. I have played games made by ONE SINGLE PERSON and they were better in all the other aspects. I wonder how big Square's developer team was, but in my opinion and I am being serious, I believe it consisted of trained monkeys. No offense, OK maybe a little, because I was really looking forward to this game.    … Expand
  99. Jennacide
    Oct 7, 2010
    1
    First off, I must say this: How exact a game company can look at thier currently released MMO and decide that features it utilizes need to be removed from thier new game is beyond me. FFXIV does a few things right, but so many wrong it's downright baffling. Visually the game is in the top tier of MMOs, with nice high fidelity scenery, very well done player and item models. Unfortunately,First off, I must say this: How exact a game company can look at thier currently released MMO and decide that features it utilizes need to be removed from thier new game is beyond me. FFXIV does a few things right, but so many wrong it's downright baffling. Visually the game is in the top tier of MMOs, with nice high fidelity scenery, very well done player and item models. Unfortunately, that's about the only praise I can give it. It has beautiful scenery, but that scenery is copy pasted all over the world in such blatant fashion it's painful. You will walk through numerous areas where the exact same monsters are in mirrored positions from where you just came, and every rock/tree/bush/hill is in the same place as well.

    Performance is spotty at best on my high end gaming PC. Controls are sluggish if you use mouse and keyboard, almost forcing you to resort to using a controller. (Works well with 360 controller at least.) But the real meat and potatos of the game is the real problem. FFXIV took gameplay mechanics from FFXI that were already inherently not well balanced, and makes them worse. Gameplay is bogged down with tedium and artificial ways to increase time sunk into the game. Trying to craft a single item could take you hours upon hours, or 3x's+ the actual valve of the item.

    So, you say to yourself, FF games are about story! This is true in FFXI, the only MMO I know of where I cared about the story going on. Shame this is not the case here. There is almost no story content in the game so far as much as a small handful of scenes per city, and then nothing but the big experience cap wall to chip away at. In case you hadn't heard, FFXIV introduced a series of systems to restrict your experience gains. The first is an 8 hour limit per week, account wide, that any time past 8 hours means you start to lose out on experience. The second being more party/powerleveling related, where if your healer heals more than 5 times, exp is reduced or nullified.

    It's an honest shame. I actually enjoyed FFXI, regardless of it's flaws. I was truely hoping that SE would learn thier lessons from FFXI and carry them into a beautiful, well crafted, and enjoyable game. I can barely give it one of those three.    … Expand
  100. imjoey
    Oct 6, 2010
    1
    I am disappointed with the overall game. The User Interface is lackluster and cumbersome. I have read that SE took the time to observe what made WoW such a HIT; yet, SE failed to deliver. Even with the great graphics in this game, I cannot rate the game any higher than a 1. In addition, the game lacks an actual auctionhouse or something similar. All the FFXIV servers are located in Japan.I am disappointed with the overall game. The User Interface is lackluster and cumbersome. I have read that SE took the time to observe what made WoW such a HIT; yet, SE failed to deliver. Even with the great graphics in this game, I cannot rate the game any higher than a 1. In addition, the game lacks an actual auctionhouse or something similar. All the FFXIV servers are located in Japan. Total letdown if you ask me! LAGGGGG much? You are also limited to a certain amount of questing/experience gain a day or so, which is dumbfounded. Terrible! Also creating additional characters seems to be frowned up in this game. There seems to be more work involved with actually adding new characters... and it is supposed to cost money too to have more than one character... (After your trial expires)

    JUST TERRIBLE!

    Worse MMO thus far to sum it up. I rather play WoW!    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

23
#23 Most Discussed PC Game of 2010
27
#27 Most Shared PC Game of 2010

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
49

Generally unfavorable reviews - based on 26 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 26
  3. Negative: 13 out of 26
  1. PC Games (Russia)
    Mar 21, 2011
    50
    Positively, there is nothing to do in Final Fantasy XIV at the moment. It's not even close to a completed product. [Feb 2011, p.82]
  2. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Jan 15, 2011
    40
    MMORPG with great potential is sunken by fatal bugs and errors – first comes a catastrophic interface followed by the absence of player-to-player communication. [Issue#199]
  3. games(TM)
    Jan 11, 2011
    40
    For hardware nuts, Final Fantasy obsessives and PS3 owners, FFXIV does offer a fairly distinctive MMO experience. [Christmas 2010, p.94]
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