As part of my to MMORPG gaming, to finally give Final Fantasy XIV a proper go. And, over the last few weeks, that’s exactly what I’ve done. Vvvvvvvv animals. I’ve raced around Eorzea on a heroic adventure, uncovered sinister plots, and saved the world countless times.

Even as an FFXIV latecomer, I’ve had a blast.But that’s not everything. I’ve also started working on secondary classes, dug into the crafting system, pledged my allegiance to a Grand Company, and even bought an apartment. There’s a heck of a lot to do in FFXIV, and I’ve been desperately trying to sample as much of it as possible.However, all this got me thinking: just how many people are in a similar boat? There’s a lack of good-quality and story-driven MMOs right now, and FFXIV promises to fill that niche in a major way. But is A Realm Reborn still worth trying some four years and two expansions later? To answer that question, I’ve put together this FFXIV Latecomer Review based on everything pre- Heavensward. I’ve also included some tips on the best ways to get started, should you be tempted to join in.Long and Winding RoadFinal Fantasy XIV is built around a central story, full of heroic adventuring against terrifying opponents, but with a side-order of political intrigue and an undercurrent of mysticism thrown in.

Square Enix has announced it is scaling back some of its plans for PAX East later this month due to ongoing concerns about the coronavirus. In a blog post, the publisher said the Final Fantasy XIV. Check out CCC's in-depth Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn review for the PC to find out if this game is worth buying, renting, or if you should avoid it altogether.

There are a lot of moving parts, and watching it all unfold is breathtakingly satisfying.That story – known as the Main Scenario – is set in a late-medieval to early-industrial period, with shades of steampunk and technomancy. A tenuous peace holds between three central nations, each struggling to deal with internal conflicts and the constant threat of war from abroad. In these difficult times, a hero is sought – a Warrior of Light. Guess what: that’s now your job.Alongside that Main Scenario quest chain are side-stories for each class and profession.

As I levelled up as an Archer then Bard, my trainers would send me out on missions to further the aims of the guild. Some would be more martial, while others would have a philosophical tangent. It also helped to explain the purpose of each guild in the world – the Archers were seen as defenders of New Gridania, while the Arcanists would also serve as customs auditors for the port city of Limsa Lominsa.Getting to the original level cap of 50 was astoundingly easy.

The server I chose had a permanent ‘Road to 60’ XP buff running, and I had a bunch of XP-boosting gear to get me started. Just by focusing on the Main Scenario and Guild quest content, I managed to reach what I thought was endgame quickly enough.However, the ‘Vanilla’ Main Scenario content can be carved into two chunks. The 7 th Umbral Era quests launched with the base game, while the 7 th Astral Era quests were added in through patches over the course of two years. Like a child forced to eat his greens, I had to chew through this second batch of quests before I’d be allowed into the Heavensward expansion content, and it became a slog of jumping around Eorzea just to inch the plot along. I can see how this would have been nicely spaced out at launch but, as an FFXIV latecomer, it gets a little painful.Speaking of mandatory content, that Main Scenario also forced me into grouping up for dungeons (multiple boss instances) and trials (boss-in-a-box). I can understand the rationale behind using instances to tell parts of the story, but I prefer to look for groups on my terms, and not because the plot demands it.I also have a few gripes about how the story is told.

Worbital memes. There’s the voice acting that grates on me from time to time, and the clunky pseudo-medieval English that feels like Shakespeare-done-badly. Often, dialogue will feel a little clunky and a little expressionless as if actors are battling with the script.

And yes, Aught is Always Amiss.Even so, the payoff for completing it all is immense, with multiple cutscenes to pull the pre-expansion story threads together, and creating a monumental cliff-hanger for the Heavansward expansion. Overall, it’s better than anything I’ve experienced in World of Warcraft, and ranks alongside the original launch of Star Wars: The Old Republic (although this has diminished in recent times). Yes, it’s been a hard slog sometimes, but it definitely feels worthwhile at this point.Satisfying SliceI have a pizza analogy for describing MMOs. Some are thin-and-crispy, covered in a multitude of tasty but superficial toppings. Then there’s deep-pan, with fewer game systems that are intricate and detailed, where you can get lost in a diversion for weeks. Final Fantasy XIV easily falls into that second group, with some unique approaches that offer a meaningful alternative to the daily grind.One aspect I love is being able to swap class just by changing weapon, and being able to level up that secondary class on the same character. One minute I might be playing tunes as a Bard, and the next I might be herding Carbuncles as an Arcanist.

It makes for a different choice: instead of thinking ‘how do I want to build this character at the start’, it’s more a case of ‘how do I want to develop this character today?’I even appreciate that the whole banking and marketplace management is taken care of through Retainers – hired NPCs that do the busywork for you. It’s a neat twist that challenges MMO preconceptions, adding a touch of distinctive style.Looted weapons and armour are stored in an Armoury Chest that’s separate to the main inventory, and the slot-specific compartments make it easy to manage chest pieces separately to hats. I’m terrible at managing my own inventory, and this small touch is a huge perk. There’s even a ‘Recommended Gear’ option that will equip my character with the best selection from what I have depending on what I’m doing, and gear lists to make swapping things around easy.For me, though, the best bit is the crafting and gathering system. I can pick any profession I like, or even learn all of them.

Each profession has its own levelling progression, and each tends to complement the others. There doesn’t seem to be any competition for gathering nodes, but each spot can offer up different types of resource – and even a chance at some high-quality stuff. Crafting involves careful use of skills to make items, and again has a chance at producing high-quality gear.

And yes, I’ve been collecting a fresh set of clothing and tools to help improve both of these.And the great thing is that, even as an FFXIV latecomer, there’s a market for all this stuff! I don’t know if it’s because I’m playing on a new-ish server, or because there’s been a surge in new players, but the marketplace has been doing a brisk trade on both materials and finished items. I only tend to dabble in the economy, but this is great news.Spellcasting or StabbingLong-time readers will know that I’ve historically been a big fan of spellcasters. Whether it’s throwing fireballs or arcane missiles, I’m a sucker for standing back and hitting those big DPS numbers. More recently, though, I’ve shifted away. Being stuck to a spot when casting felt painful, and there was a trend by designers to go heavy on the glass fragility while leaving out the fun damage cannon. Self-healing melee and pet classes started to win me over, alongside more dynamic combat.As it turns out, FFXIV offered me a mix of both.

Archer (and Bard) lets me shoot arrows while casing, and has a ‘Second Wind’ heal to help me get out of tight spots. Carbuncle herding has a much longer (and stationary) cast time, but you get a pet and some heals as a compromise. Melee I’ve yet to try, but there’s a range of options from Gladiator to lancing Dragoon and quick-moving Ninja.Sometimes, the combat can feel a little clunky, particularly when there’s a lot of damage hitting the floor. FFXIV has adopted the trend of telegraphs for many boss attacks, but it’s only an indicator of where the damage will land, not when. As a result, there’s a bit of skill in watching boss castbars or animation tells in order to pick the best time to move.And, while there’s the Main Scenario story for my main class, each quest hub is liberally dusted with NPCs eager to offer me work.

Dynamic content FATEs offer a quick way of picking up XP just by wandering around the map and completing kill or patrol missions, and each unlocked dungeon has an LFG queue that moves briskly. However I slice it, I’m definitely not bored for lack of content. Sometimes being an FFXIV latecomer has its benefits.Summing UpI originally went into Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn on a 3-month subscription, giving Square Enix 90 days to win me over. It’s taken me a third of that to complete the base game and take a few steps into Heavensward, the first expansion.

Over the remaining two months, I’ve got that content to chew through and there’s the more recent Stormblood expansion on top.In terms of value, the base game costs £10 including 30 days of subscription time, and I’d argue that it’s money well spent. Beyond that you’re paying around £9 a month, plus the usual savings for 3 and 6 month deals. Square Enix also offer a bundle that includes both expansions for £35, which might make more sense if you’re diving in for the long haul.

Although everyone I’ve spoken to says that the story gets better in the expansions, I can’t testify about it myself.There is a free trial that works for every class up to level 35, and refer-a-friend bundles that can make getting started a ton easier if you know someone playing. I’d strongly recommend this, but more for the Aetherlyte tokens that make getting around the world much cheaper.

It also means that there’s the opportunity to find levelling buddies that can play alongside you and help shorten those dungeon queues.That said, there’s also a few wrinkles in SE’s pricing approach that annoy me. A copy of the game allows you to create characters on EU, US and Asian servers, but you’re locked to buying gametime from the same region you buy the base game in. And, while Final Fantasy XIV is available on PC, PS4 and Mac, you need a copy of the base game plus expansions for each platform you want to play on.

Both of these feel like unnecessary complications that work against the average gamer.If you’re going to join as an FFXIV latecomer, I’d suggest taking the following steps to make sure it’s the right game for you. Ideally, find someone who plays and get a refer-a-friend invite for the sweet bonus items. Play a little and experiment with a few classes, and buy the full game if it works for you.

At the moment, I’d suggest the Complete bundle as it’s good value and unlocks more class options, but the base game for £10 is hard to argue against. Try these other related posts:.Tags:,.

FFXIV is clearly “covered in a multitude of tasty but superficial toppings” some “RPG mechanics” are only here to make it look like a rpg (we get levels, hp, mp, equipments, numbers everywhere, but they have no real meaning. Levels and equipments could be removed and stats normalized and we wouldn’t lost anything – it’s exactly what they did to PvP, actually – except we would waste less time with the stupid grind, which means less money for SE on the long run), job system was added only to make it look like a FF (but it’s nowhere like FF5 or FF11 jobs system), triple triad and chocobo races were added also “because FF” and have been left to rot, etc. Etc.Even just the last update, the only thing to build hype was the presence of Kekfa.

If this lame fan-service is enough to make a FF, then you, me or anyone, we’re able to make take the direction of a “Final Fantasy” too“I even appreciate that the whole banking and marketplace management is taken care of through Retainers – hired NPCs that do the busywork for you. It’s a neat twist that challenges MMO preconceptions, adding a touch of distinctive style.”This also is just appearance, superficial. Retainers don’t do anything; they’re just a bunch of polygons displayed when you sell item on the market through a similar menu as any other MMO with an auction house.And a lot of other things, like the lamentable quests, plot, FATE, cut-scenes, etc.FFXIV is just a nice chat room, really.

Have you even played the game?.– “RPG mechanics” are only here to make it look like a rpg.Then what is it if it’s not a MMORPG?– “we get levels, hp, mp, equipments, numbers everywhere, but they have no real meaning” it’s exactly what they did to PvP, actuallyI invite you to challenge this expansion’s content with ARR gear. Also, thePvP thing is different.

They remade it completely for the latest expansion andare constantly adjusting it to make it balanced. Everyone has the same itemlevel in PvP to make sure skill, not gear, is the reason you win or lose.– except we would waste less time with the stupid grind, which means less money for SE on the long runThat is the subscription MMO way of doing things. Why do you think eventsare seasonal or you have long-term focused dailies in WoW?– triple triad and chocobo races were added also “because FF” and have been left to rot, etc. Etc.Chocobo races are a minigame where you also have challenges and breedingand stats mechanics.

It’s also a good way to get Gold Saucer currency. Theyare also adding Triple Triad (another minigame) cards every patch and holdTT tournaments every two weeks iirc. On the other hand, “etc etc” addsnothing to your point.– Retainers don’t do anything; they’re just a bunch of polygons displayed when you sell item on the market through a similar menu as any other MMO with an auction house.Well, the review says it’s a nice change in the banking management, not thatit’s groundbreaking. Apart from that, what you say is not true since they canalso be given a class and level up as you send them on quests to bring stuff(some exclusive and expensive)– And a lot of other things, like the lamentable quests, plot, FATE, cut-scenes, etc.I guess bad or boring quests are exclusive of FF XIV. FATEs are just an optionand I can think of many memorable cut-scenes.-Even just the last update, the only thing to build hype was the presence of Kekfa.Not true. New dungeons, new trials, new story quests, adjustments in thehousing system and many things more you can check in the patch notes.Kefka being in the spotlight doesn’t mean there are no other likeablefeatures.-If this lame fan-service is enough to make a FF, then you, me or anyone, we’re able to make take the direction of a “Final Fantasy” tooHonestly, I think you just haven’t played the game or have skippedeverything. There are dozens of characters and moments the players lovewhich are not related to previous games.It’s totally normal you don’t like the game, but please, don’t lie.

Other people might enjoy stuff you don’t and it’s perfectly normal too. I just started playing FFXIV this past weekend at the suggestion of and invite from a close friend.I absolutely love what I have been able to experience so far, and your well-worded review gives me heart that I can look forward to much more fun and excitement to come!I have been a huge fan of MMORPG’s over the years, delving deep into some (WoW, naturally, but also GW, WildStar, and SWTOR) while dabbling in others (GW2, TERA, Rifts, and probably a few I am forgetting). WoW has been the one that has outlasted them all, but at the same time I have desperately needed something new (well new to me, at least!) and different.To take your pizza analogy several steps further I really enjoy pizza.

But, I don’t want to eat pizza every meal. Sometimes I want sushi. WoW is the pizza. FFXIV is the sushi. (Well, at least in my analogy they are!)They are both really lovely, immersive games, but in different ways, each with their own aesthetics, lore, mechanics, and communities. It is nice to have some variety back in my MMORPG diet! Also, it gives me a warm sense of nostalgia, as the experience hearkens back to some of the MMORPGs I played when living in Aomori.

Unfortunately, many of those were pretty but disposable, and lacked the interface polish, narrative depth, and product longevity of FF.Honestly, anyone who hasn’t played FFXIV yet and still has an MMORPG itch to scratch well, I couldn’t think of a better feast of food for thought than your review!

Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers on PlayStation 4I’m going to start this review of Final Fantasy XIV’s latest expansion, Shadowbringers, with a complaint and what is probably the biggest issue with this expansion, and FFXIV in general. It’s an issue I don’t have a solution for, but hopefully, the development team can one day figure a way to solve this problem.There needs to be some way to get new players deep into main story quicker than it is now (but without skipping all the good parts and having to pay extra). I’m all caught up and have been since A Realm Reborn, so it’s not a problem for me. But I’m tired of playing through these incredible expansion storylines and not being able just grab my Final Fantasy/JRPG loving friend and say: “hey, stop what you’re doing and play this right now.”Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers is not just the best FFXIV expansion ever, it’s a masterpiece and it deserves to be mentioned alongside the legendary numbered Final Fantasy games such as VI, VII, IX, and X. In fact, it might now be my personal favorite contained Final Fantasy story; unconditionally, full stop.I hesitated above to simply suggest that the development team just make the expansions standalone experiences like they are in The Elder Scrolls Online for example. That’s because the overarching Final Fantasy XIV plot is so rich and interconnected that making them one-off would take away a part of why it’s so special.Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers masterfully ties the past, present, and future of the FFXIV plot together in a way that is so incredibly rewarding for those who have played the hundreds of hours required to get to this point.There’s really no way to discuss the plot of Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers in any detail without ruining it for someone potentially interested in buying it, and reading this review to see if it’s for them.

I could go on and on about it, but you either won’t know what I’m talking about because it relies on having deep knowledge of the story before Shadowbringers, or I’d be saying too much.So I’ll just say this for now; the story is a such a rollercoaster of events that is going to make you feel deeply emotional about what’s happening right in front of you in the present. There will be callbacks from your past journeys that are going to shock and surprise you. On top of that, there’s so much intrigue for the future smattered throughout the story.

A commenter on that video by the name of evil13rt sums it up better than I can:It’s so true because just about every track is incredible, it fits its area and moment perfectly and every time you think that the soundtrack can’t get any better, it does.The Crystarium’s theme, for example, is filled with hope and determination for a brighter (darker technically?) future. Eulmore appropriately exudes a sense of over-the-top luxury. Both these tracks use a familiar loop but are twisted in just the way that give a different yet perfect feeling.Stormblood’s areas were pretty, but a lot of them felt similar to one another, and after two years I kind of got sick of the mountainous Ala Mihgo and the East Asian inspired Yanxia region.

The new locales of Shadowbringers are so varied and contain way more color than both Stormblood and Heavensward.I’m not an artist and I failed art in middle school, so I’ll spare you the effort of reading my attempt to describe the art style in technical detail. I included some screenshots below, so just take a look for yourself. They’re beautiful and they just pop. Finally, let’s talk about the gameplay additions.

Like I mentioned last week in my, the job action changes are by and large a success.There are likely some tweaks that will need to be made once players can start testing the changes against high-end hardcore content like raids. On the other hand, some are going to be resistant to change no matter what it is because they don’t feel like learning a new style of play after getting used to a certain way and to a given rotation.That said, I love the way that the development team cut the fat, and leaned into the fantasy of each job more. With Stormblood, you could see the development team try to find a way to make less useful skills more helpful.

This time around they just said screw it and cut what needed to be cut and added things to make the jobs more fun to play. Protect.It’s worth mentioning though that the removal of a proper job quest storylines is noticeable and a bummer. The role quests that largely replaced them did not do it for me, and I have to imagine it was done to save time as the number of jobs has increased now that Dancer and Gunbreaker are in the mix.There is one level 80 quest for each job that can be done after beating the main story quest, but at least in the case of my job, Summoner, it was a complete waste of time. It did very little to move the job plot forward and did nothing to explain how the heck I’m just able to summon Demi-Phoenix now, while in the past, obtaining new summons was a very big deal and explained in great detail.Although I mentioned it last week, I’ll also reiterate that the new jobs appear as of now to be valuable additions to the roster of choices.