Final Fantasy XIV has been one of the most controversial entries into the series. The initial release of this online game met with heavy criticism. At the same time, the developers listened carefully to their customers and began work on a plan to revitalize the game. While it took years of Final Fantasy Xiv Gil, the improvements materialized in the Realm Reborn expansion. The update is so massive that it’s essentially a new game.
What can one expect of Realm Reborn?The game is heavily focused on character creation and development. On starting a new account, the player has a choice of five different races for his or her character. One may choose between a Hyur, Elezen, Lalafell, Roegadyn and Miqo’te. Unlike the original release of Final Fantasy XIV, the player may choose any combination of race and sex. Unlike the original, the initial choices of class are limited to two options. One may choose between a Discipline of War or a Discipline of Magic. Later in the game, the player will have an option to choose Discipline’s of Land or Hand.
The class options might seem limiting, however they are actually quite expansive. Each discipline can actually be seen as a container for subclasses. For example, a Discipline of Magic contains subcategories of Thaumaturge or Conjurer. Part of the fun comes from juggling the class and race characteristics to create unique and fun characters.
The actual world itself should feel quite familiar to fans of either Final Fantasy or MMOs. The basic gameplay consists of wandering a fantasy landscape while taking on quests and fighting monsters. In much the same way that classic Final Fantasy games depend on a party, it’s true for Realm Reborn as well. In fact, some content is locked down unless a player is actually within a party. While a person is free to mix and match roles, in general the best strategy is to form a party based on somewhat traditional functions. A party will do best if there’s a support and healing character, one focused on mass damage, one focused on heavy damage to an individual monster or someone able to deal heavier amounts of damage to a full horde.
