Reason to play even if not FF fan?

flizzer

I'm not a Final Fantasy fan and usually not much of an Asian game fan.  I played the earlier version of this game for a month and I guess it just reinforced why I don't like Asian games. Anyway, in the attempt to be open minded and trying new things, is there any reason to give this new one a go?  I actually respect the developers listening to the fans who didn't like the original and then redesigning the game and launching it new.  So if I am not really a fan is there anything new in this game?  From the reviews so far people like the game but nothing different or unique here.  

From the original the big things I liked about the game were the graphics and the well done story, or at least as much as I did see. I think I got to lvl 26 or so in the original.  Also, the ability for one character to do everything job-wise was refreshing.  Outside of that, this new game seems like a themepark quest hub game like so many other but with a sub.  

Yaevindusk

 

As an owner of the previous version, you should be able to get into Phase 4 at the very least in which to try it for yourself for free.

 

It has a lot of the good from the old, with most of the bad ripped out and replaced with a solid core of tradition mixed with final fantasy and many different systems catered to their vision.  There are too many features for me to mention right now (about to go to bed), but I'm sure someone will elaborate on those.  Some of the ones that interest me are the chocobo companion system, housing (also chocobo stables and gardening and furnishing the house how I like / changing the roof and floor etc. with craftsman abilities), a great storyline that's continued from the first, smooth combat with unique systems such as the Limit Break and performing a lot of combos with the new combat system.  In addition the Armory system (the ability to play as any class any time) whereby you could also equip skills from other classes and put them on your main to make some crazy builds at times.

 

The crafting is still top notch, and better than ever from what I hear (won't know until I get my old character back).  The game's gorgeous and the world is lush and vibrant.  Plus I've yet to see anyone troll heavily in the game yet, which makes me hopeful for the community as a whole.  Most systems aren't in the game yet to be tested, but what we have is a lot of fun and the worst I've seen talked about the game so far in game chat is that it's "decent" (followed by others saying they think it's great and they're impressed).  Though a game that's "decent" at the beginning of the game -- where it's usually the most boring -- just makes me intrigued as to what is in store for it in the future.

 

All in all it has a lot of flash, but also a good deal of substance.  Depending on your starting class (which also decides what city state you belong to) you might feel it's a little too traditional the first couple levels, but it really starts to pick up once you finished the tutorial (1-10 quests).  That's when your first villain encounter happens and more systems are unlocked.  Though another said it best when they noted, "it may not be a game for everyone, but it's one that everyone should try."

Kayo83

I dont know how it is later on but my impression so far is that it plays a lot like FF. If you dont mind or love the FF series (particulary the older ones that arent super high tech), id say give it a shot. If you hate FF, you probably wont like it. Not even going to address the "nothing different or unique" thing. Its an MMO that plays like FF with many more side quests and a more MMO styled combat (so far) there is plenty different from other MMOs but its my opinion that people who entertain the "nothing new" thing are simply tired of playing MMOs.

Mothanos

I was told by beta testers FF ARR would be a good mmo.
Now iam in beta myself and they are right.
I expected another themepark number 901239871 that does it ok etc etc.

Now before i continue FF ARR is Final Fantasy in its core.

The story line pulls me in like any other final fantasy game, its realy epic to they pulled that off.

Then you have normal quests wich is pretty standard offcourse, each mmo has them and so does FF.

The engine of FF is wicked -_- on full detail the world feels organic, alive, its the most beatifull themepark world ive ever seen.

If you liked FF games then this mmo will certanly blow you away.
For not FF fans or new to the franchise, its still worth to play it.

Today iam going to do some dungeons and comparing it to WoW / Rift.

This mmo is going to surpise even the veteran themepark mmo critics.

flizzer

Thanks for the responses!

I would also love if you can comment, if only briefly, on your experience after you manage to do a dungeon or two. This might be something I should check out then.  

Tokken

Is the game theme park at the lowerer levels and then the world opens up more? or are all the zones the same as the lower levels? Ty

Asm0deus

I really enjoyed the old FF games on nes, snes, psn etc. I think the only FF games I didn't like was the ones on ps3 FFXIII that take place in cocoon or somesuch, its collecting dust on a shelf somewhere. I also did not like like the very first beta if this game, not ARR the version before that that I tried in beta. I haven't played FFX-2 but I enjoyed the first part FFX. I also never played the first FF mmorpg

 

That said how is ARR shaping up?  You say it's like an old FF game, which I think is great as I think the old FF kicked arse. Combat wise which old FF game does it resemble and does it really have a good main storyline like in older FF games?

Will I be sad, happy, angry and curious to the point if not wanting to sleep?

RollieJoe

Only put a few hours into the Beta so far.  My initial impressions is that it plays basically just like WoW or most other tab-target  themeparks (I never played the other Final Fantasy MMO) with really nice graphics.

 

The biggest difference between FF:ARR and every other themepark fantasy MMO out there is that, with the exception of WoW, its the only sub game option there is.  So if you don't like f2p, cash shops, p2w, all that stuff, and you want something more modern than WoW but still themepark fantasy, then FF:ARR is your choice.  Your ONLY choice lol.

Purutzil

If you aren't a fan... honestly... its... tough to sell. The class system in FF11 was its biggest selling point and unfortunately here its no very good. Not the worst system but its lacking. Combat itself is the tab target stuff but its at least refined, even if its simple it looks pretty.

 

I'd say the biggest selling point would be the story, which Final Fantasy has done relatively good when it came to its MMo versions. If your not big on story, the game itself is more so just 'okay' I feel then anything. Not amazing but not bad. 

Yaevindusk

Originally posted by Asm0deus

I really enjoyed the old FF games on nes, snes, psn etc. I think the only FF games I didn't like was the ones on ps3 FFXIII that take place in cocoon or somesuch, its collecting dust on a shelf somewhere. I also did not like like the very first beta if this game, not ARR the version before that that I tried in beta. I haven't played FFX-2 but I enjoyed the first part FFX. I also never played the first FF mmorpg

 

That said how is ARR shaping up?  You say it's like an old FF game, which I think is great as I think the old FF kicked arse. Combat wise which old FF game does it resemble and does it really have a good main storyline like in older FF games?

Will I be sad, happy, angry and curious to the point if not wanting to sleep?

 

I think the best way to answer this is that it's definitely worthy of having a Final Fantasy number in it's title.  That said, it still have some elements due to it being a MMO that set it apart from others.  But at the same time all of that "move to one place to the next" present in other Final Fantasy games are put on a more realistic scale here.  You don't start as some baddass who can take on ten soldiers at once; you just arrive in your respected city after having a few visions and a few opening cutscenes... with not a gil to your name.  You have to get advice from people, get pointed to the Adventurer's guild and then start taking on odd jobs to make gil and acquire their trust (in addition to signing up to another guild which is related to your class and trains you as such).

It's kind've like you're actually living that character's life in full, and listening to the sidequest like storylines along with some "main quest" ones that are jobs for "scrubs" new to the city.  Such things as helping out the local guard, looking for a missing person, helping at a farmstead, and even a typical test of strength that your weapon guild master sets for you to see if you can even handle fighting small critters.  For the most part it is as I said -- like living your character's actual life and a slow climb to recognition (level 1-10 quests) -- and things don't move too swiftly at first at it's kind've realistic in not giving you a quest veterans wouldn't give an unproven novice.

Though your first villain encounter (you get a few visions here and there on your way there) is around level 10 or so, and from then you unlock new systems such as the ability to train under new guilds (become new classes), get access to crafting guilds, the Inns, Levequests and a few levels later even Airship passes and possibly chocobos with the Grand Company you end up picking.  Haven't played much of the storyline beyond the tutorials of each city due to not wanting to spoil it (and the storyline past level 15 isn't available), but I hear it gets pretty complicated later on with three different main storylines all setting their focus on you once you get a bit of fame in you and are able to handle them.

 

This one's for the RPers out there:

Also, if you want to sleep... well, it's just like 1.0 in that you can actually lay down in your bed before logging out.  It's just a nice little addon they have.  Sometimes you even get a dream when you log back in (this was in 1.0 and I'm not sure if it's in yet or will be in A Realm Reborn).  But one thing that's important to a lot of people is sitting in chairs.  This game allows you to pretty much sit on anything that makes sense for you to be sitting on (just need to /sit next to them and it's done for you).

Yaevindusk

Originally posted by RollieJoe

Only put a few hours into the Beta so far.  My initial impressions is that it plays basically just like WoW or most other tab-target  themeparks (I never played the other Final Fantasy MMO) with really nice graphics.

 

The biggest difference between FF:ARR and every other themepark fantasy MMO out there is that, with the exception of WoW, its the only sub game option there is.  So if you don't like f2p, cash shops, p2w, all that stuff, and you want something more modern than WoW but still themepark fantasy, then FF:ARR is your choice.  Your ONLY choice lol.

 

Yeah, just wait until things explode after the tutorial areas (1-10 quests).  Heh!  The combo system / limit break system / Armory system / Job system / etc. make the combat fairly complex.  In addition to have to use your TP strategically as it will drain faster later on down the road.  The Pugilist itself so far only allows like one initial attack that auto puts you in a stance and allows you to use an attack not available until then, and so on and so forth in an infinite chain of combos that have added effects.  Though that's a low level pugilist, I'm sure there will be more openers.  THM is looking interesting, and Gladiator is pretty fun post level 10 as well and reminds me nothing of any other game.

 

Yaevindusk

Originally posted by Purutzil

If you aren't a fan... honestly... its... tough to sell. The class system in FF11 was its biggest selling point and unfortunately here its no very good. Not the worst system but its lacking. Combat itself is the tab target stuff but its at least refined, even if its simple it looks pretty.

 

I'd say the biggest selling point would be the story, which Final Fantasy has done relatively good when it came to its MMo versions. If your not big on story, the game itself is more so just 'okay' I feel then anything. Not amazing but not bad. 

 

I'm actually a much bigger fan of XIV's armory system over XI's subjob.  There's just so much more potential what with being able to mix abilities from every class and weave it into your own.  With subjob you were pretty much limited to some of the abilities leading up to level 37, and here you can pick your favorite abilities from any class and add it to your attacks to supplement your combos and the like.  You could be really versatile at max level whereas still stuck doing one job in FFXI as you had to pick a class the just helped that class specifically as opposed to getting creative.

ElRenmazuo

I would say the combat system resembles final fantasy 12 combat system on adrenaline.  I recommend trying to play it with a gamepad...it feels more fluid and makes it feel more like you playing any other final fantasy game.  It might take some getting use to for those who are always use to keyboard and mouse but it doesnt take long because the game teaches you at a pretty decent pace it doesnt throw everything at you fast. Plus its just so comfortable and fun, it doesnt make it feel like work.

Like most mmos it will have your standard quests for exp gains but the main questline and class questline keeps it interesting.  On top of that the world, graphics and animations are so damn pretty and fluid it really immerses you in.  I am totally mesmerized by it.  So far it doesnt feel like a grind since the quests are always keeping you moving to different places and not keeping you in each objectives area for too long. 

Murugan

Originally posted by tkreep

I would say the combat system resembles final fantasy 12 combat system on adrenaline.  I recommend trying to play it with a gamepad...it feels more fluid and makes it feel more like you playing any other final fantasy game.  It might take some getting use to for those who are always use to keyboard and mouse but it doesnt take long because the game teaches you at a pretty decent pace it doesnt throw everything at you fast. Plus its just so comfortable and fun, it doesnt make it feel like work.

Like most mmos it will have your standard quests for exp gains but the main questline and class questline keeps it interesting.  On top of that the world, graphics and animations are so damn pretty and fluid it really immerses you in.  I am totally mesmerized by it.  So far it doesnt feel like a grind since the quests are always keeping you moving to different places and not keeping you in each objectives area for too long. 

Just because the game has good controls for gamepad doesn't make it better than keyboard+mouse for this type of combat.  The UI for keyboard and mouse is great too, so much better than 1.x.  I really prefer it.

 

The only people I see that lost out in this version are keyboard only players (which I was actually wasd+ijkl), it really isn't as viable anymore.  But... if that is what it takes to get the obviously more popular KB+mouse and gamepad players a good experience I'll take the loss.

MagikrorriM

I have THM to lvl 15, I am blown away by how they changed this class. MANA IS NO LONGER AN ISSUE! Provided you switch between your buffs. I won't spoil too much, but the game itself is awesome compared to 1.0.  Sign up for open beta, you won't be disappointed, especially if your a FF fan.

Asm0deus

Originally posted by Yaevindusk

Originally posted by Asm0deus

I really enjoyed the old FF games on nes, snes, psn etc. I think the only FF games I didn't like was the ones on ps3 FFXIII that take place in cocoon or somesuch, its collecting dust on a shelf somewhere. I also did not like like the very first beta if this game, not ARR the version before that that I tried in beta. I haven't played FFX-2 but I enjoyed the first part FFX. I also never played the first FF mmorpg

 

That said how is ARR shaping up?  You say it's like an old FF game, which I think is great as I think the old FF kicked arse. Combat wise which old FF game does it resemble and does it really have a good main storyline like in older FF games?

Will I be sad, happy, angry and curious to the point if not wanting to sleep?

 

I think the best way to answer this is that it's definitely worthy of having a Final Fantasy number in it's title.  That said, it still have some elements due to it being a MMO that set it apart from others.  But at the same time all of that "move to one place to the next" present in other Final Fantasy games are put on a more realistic scale here.  You don't start as some baddass who can take on ten soldiers at once; you just arrive in your respected city after having a few visions and a few opening cutscenes... with not a gil to your name.  You have to get advice from people, get pointed to the Adventurer's guild and then start taking on odd jobs to make gil and acquire their trust (in addition to signing up to another guild which is related to your class and trains you as such).

It's kind've like you're actually living that character's life in full, and listening to the sidequest like storylines along with some "main quest" ones that are jobs for "scrubs" new to the city.  Such things as helping out the local guard, looking for a missing person, helping at a farmstead, and even a typical test of strength that your weapon guild master sets for you to see if you can even handle fighting small critters.  For the most part it is as I said -- like living your character's actual life and a slow climb to recognition (level 1-10 quests) -- and things don't move too swiftly at first at it's kind've realistic in not giving you a quest veterans wouldn't give an unproven novice.

Though your first villain encounter (you get a few visions here and there on your way there) is around level 10 or so, and from then you unlock new systems such as the ability to train under new guilds (become new classes), get access to crafting guilds, the Inns, Levequests and a few levels later even Airship passes and possibly chocobos with the Grand Company you end up picking.  Haven't played much of the storyline beyond the tutorials of each city due to not wanting to spoil it (and the storyline past level 15 isn't available), but I hear it gets pretty complicated later on with three different main storylines all setting their focus on you once you get a bit of fame in you and are able to handle them.

 

This one's for the RPers out there:

Also, if you want to sleep... well, it's just like 1.0 in that you can actually lay down in your bed before logging out.  It's just a nice little addon they have.  Sometimes you even get a dream when you log back in (this was in 1.0 and I'm not sure if it's in yet or will be in A Realm Reborn).  But one thing that's important to a lot of people is sitting in chairs.  This game allows you to pretty much sit on anything that makes sense for you to be sitting on (just need to /sit next to them and it's done for you).

Thanks for the feedback!  Ty everyone else as well