Final Fantasy XIV: The Initial Experience

Alternative title: This Game Is Really Pretty and I Can’t Stop Playing Please Someone Help

I recently started playing Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn (FFXIV: ARR). For those who haven’t been keeping up with the MMO scene, FFXIV: ARR is a relaunched rework of the original FFXIV which I’m told was plagued with multiple problems, ranging from a laggy UI to a confusing crafting system. I never got a chance to play FFXIV prior to this rework so those statements are just hearsay.

I’m really enjoying this game so far. It had a breathtaking scenery, a decent story and it seems like they fixed whatever problems the original release had. I’m not grinding hard for levels (yet) which is always a good sign. A nice part of this game is the class system, which was carried over from pre-AAR. This class system allows the player to swap between any class by simply changing their weapon, which is really cool. Some skills from other classes even carry on to other classes. For example, I’m playing as a Gladiator, the simple sword and board class, but by earning a few levels as the Conjurer, the healer, I can utilize the Cure spell. Leveling up other classes is a necessity in order to play as one of the mid game Jobs, classes based on the traditional Final Fantasy jobs. These are classes such as the White Mage, Paladin, or the Dragoon. Classic stuff. My only irk with this system is that you have to switch all your equipment out when you’re using a crafting class. But I guess it makes sense. Can’t really be doing metalwork in mage’s robes.

The combat system is pretty much you generic MMO fare. You hit them, they hit you, abilities in between, etc. But I’m only at the early game, and I hear it’s a lot more exciting in the later game so I’ll talk about that more once I get to that part. I’ve only played the Gladiator and based on my understanding of their abilities, they are the primary tank class. I’m inferring this because most the Gladiator’s abilities involving increasing the enemy aggro towards you while also decreasing incoming damage by a percentage. I think I’ll stick with it. I’ve always enjoyed being the tank in MMOs, mostly because if you’re in a group and you have voice communications open, you can role play a bit and yell things such as “I’LL HOLD HIM HERE, JUST KEEP ATTACKING!” or “ALL OF YOU FALL BACK, I’LL STALL HIM WHILE YOU HEAL!” Fun stuff.

Anyways, some screenshots because I want to get back to playing. Until next time.