Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsLove every second of this game!! ^___^
Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2013
I've always been a die hard fan of the Final Fantasy series, although as of late, my optimism in the franchise has greatly waned (especially with the newer installments that came out recently for the PS3. Bleh lol) Ironically enough, right before I was about to give up on the franchise, they unveiled the newly "revamped" Final Fantasy XIV A Realm Reborn. I was a bit skeptical at first, granted it was my first MMORPG, but upon doing research online about the game AND playing the betas (oh let me tell you the betas were awesome :))I soon made up my mind to invest the money and the time into this game.
The true test came with the early access function, which was made available to those who pre ordered the game, this has caused many gamers much heartache and sorrow (myself included) with Square Enix due to the over crowded servers, login restrictions, constant maintenance, and much more. Despite the bad rap that has developed the past week and a half with the early access, I was still determined to carry on with my pre order and see what the offical launch would bring.
As of today, I have to honestly say that I had NO serious (so far) issues whatsoever regarding login and server problems. The only "minor" setback i had was the initial login..It told me the world i tried to get in was crowded. So i backed out waited a few minutes and was able to log back in. No big deal. But it seems that judging by the comments I've read on forums and support pages online, that i am one of the fortunate few that has not encountered any sort of major issue. One remedy i used to ensure somewhat smooth game play was that i switched from a NA server over to a JP server and having been playing since for more than a few hours. ( I did this during early access. The NA servers were trash!)
Aside from the server issues on to the game.
Upon starting the game, you can create your very own character. (if you haven't done so thru the beta app) Let me just say that the process in creating a charter is NEVER easy hahahahah, So just be prepared to spend at least an hour or more to creating that "perfect" character to represent you in the world of Final Fantasy :P
What really done it for me was the soundtrack....boy the soundtrack. The soundtrack on this game is superb by far and i believe Nobuo Uematsu composed the score..the soundtrack fits perfectly with the game. A perfect 10 is all I can say...
The movement and navigation in FF XIV are a plus in my book. Everything is nice and fluid and there are no rough spots at all when you are moving about. You can jump around if you like and you can even navigate and battle in FIRST PERSON VIEW!!! The battle sequences are pretty straightforward and engaging with lots of different battle skills to use and learn. The battle system is very much the same as Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy XII. Enemies free roam and you can choose to attack. Most of the enemies you encounter at first will not attack you but as you progress more in the game, they become more hostile towards you, which can be put a strain to your character because they WILL attack and follow you, so RUN AWAY.
Depending on what class you are, you are in for a treat, especially with a wide array of weapons and armor that you can put to the test as you go out and battle! ( I don't want to give it all away)...another neat perk in the game that stood out was the self regeneration of health. When in the heat of battle, you can simply run away if your health is low, and when you have gone some distance, your health will begin to regenerate at a fast rate (the enemies' health regenerates too!!!). It is a neat addition, esp if you are NOT a spellcaster, you don't have to worry about healing up ALL the time...although having a few potions is preferable...
Another thing is that there are TONs and i mean TONS of different quests that you can venture into and it is relatively hard to level up killing monsters alone in the game, so it is pretty obvious to take on quests to gain additional exp points. You can also gain exp points by performing various tasks that are associated with the guild and class that you are in. If you are a carpenter, you can gain massive amounts of exp by performing various synthesizing projects with items that you can buy or find on your travels.
Also you get to chose the different types of guilds to join in the game. Again, as you progress further, different guild opportunities become available to you. For example, you can join a carpenter's guild, a lancer's guild, a leather worker's guild..and so on. Eventually, you can become a well rounded character..but the option is up to you. You may other wise choose to hone you craft in skill in ONE particular guild such as i.e Lancer or Gladiator...but the choice is yours :) There is still sooooooo much more about the game that i haven't really covered but i have covered the bare essentials here.
The game so far is right up my alley and i am glad that i have made the investment. On the same token, I am going to be realistic here and say that i am not ignorant of the possibility that i may exp a server issue in the future. It is just that so far it has been a rather pleasant exp, but if something were to happen oh well. It is just a game. No need to lose sleep over it. I don't need to play everyday like some people :) Just kidding. ;) but enjoy the game if you have bought it and if not look in to and do your research first before buying it so that you KNOW what you are getting yourself into. :) enjoy
*******************************Update: 9-3-2013****************
Although my enthusiasm (was) and still is strong with this game, I have been encountering a few server issues lately along with the rest of my fellow gamer acquaintances. And these issues are most certainly nothing new to Square Enix as they are doing COUNTLESS maintenance even now as we speak. One of the BIGGEST issues is the lack of space for the servers and the worlds being constantly full. It seems my stroke of happy play time has come to an abrupt end. Despite the bad rap that has obviously become manifested, please, I ask that you maintain patience with the game. But then again, you may ask yourself, "just how much longer must I wait?".....Good question. But if you love the game, just as much as I do, you'd wait. :O)
