Game Review: Final Fantasy XIV Online

FFXIV Online Cover Art

Released: 2014

System: Steam/PC

Genre: Fantasy, MMORPG

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

I currently base my reviews loosely around the CAWPILE system developed by Book Roast on YouTube. I modify the categories depending on the format of the story I’m reviewing.

My star ratings are purely by my opinion and not measured by any particular metric.

SPOILER WARNING: This review will contain spoilers! Proceed with caution!

NOTE:

I was actually really enjoying this game and would very much like to continue it, but you have to subscribe, and I can’t afford that right now.

Summary

“Join over 30 million adventurers worldwide and take part in an epic and ever-changing FINAL FANTASY. Experience an unforgettable story, exhilarating battles, and a myriad of captivating environments to explore.”

Characters

The Final Fantasy games are always good at making likeable characters. Even the silent, player character has a fun personality. I loved the facial animations for the PC in the cutscenes. All of the NPCs were really fun and I actually remembered most of them if they showed up again a little later. Love: Momodi, Papashan, and the ‘handsome stranger’. I also loved the Rogue’s guild Guildmaster Jacke and I wish he could have gotten some voice acting. Meh about the baddies so far.

Atmosphere

Adventure! Excitement! A vast world ready for the exploring.

Game Mechanics/Gameplay

Plays as smoothly and well as any good AAA game, even though it’s online. I had no issues with being kicked out of the server or anything. I’m not a big fan of the turn-based combat, so that put me off a bit, but I can deal. Crafting was pretty cool, too, although I would like to know what each skill makes before I get into the guild and get billions of quests cluttering my journal. Sometimes the map and quest markers could be clearer.

Plot

Typical Final Fantasy chosen few must save the world from the empire.

Intrigue

Pretty good. Why am I chosen? By Whom? What do the Empire goons really want? I would have loved to see more, but, you know, money.

Logic

Aside from the lack of good direction, especially at the beginning, everything made sense.

Enjoyment

I wish I could keep playing. I originally got it to meet people (that became a flop), but I did enjoy playing it on my own and it is built well enough to allow that. But did I like it enough to subscribe to play when I can get other things at better value for the same price (and one payment to boot).

Would I Recommend?

Yes and no. I think if you already have friends to play it with, it might be worth the price and everything. If you play by yourself most of the time, there are plenty of other Final Fantasy games that can give you that experience, without having to watch some troll in general chat that intentionally tries to anger people.