Final Fantasy XI

System: PC
Publisher: Square-Enix
Cost: $20–30, plus $12.95 each month thereafter

When I first posted a review of Final Fantasy XI, I was needlessly harsh — mostly because I was uninformed. I had not taken a deep enough look into the mechanics of the gameplay to get a real idea of the pros and cons of the systems involved. So, I delved back into the realms of Vana'Diel once more (for at least a couple of hours, not considering the time spent watching the helpful orientation videos on the FFXI website). And still, I was unimpressed.

I could chalk it up to the six-year-old graphics. But they don't look bad, just dated. I could say it was the console-style controls on a PC that left me cold. But they weren't that hard to get used to. I could even talk about the lack of user-friendliness in quests and such. But that was a minor irritation. Even the Final Fantasy-standard "new world, new story" idea that left me with a blank slate kind of feeling didn't rankle all that much.

To be honest, I think that it was just the order in which I've played MMOs that turned me off. See, I started out a while back on World of Warcraft — Warcraft, with its relatively smooth and new-looking graphics; Warcraft with its controls built for a PC instead of a PS2; Warcraft with its user-friendly interface and rich, detailed, and well developed world. The comparison is what caused the problems. And because of this comparison, I was unimpressed with my FFXI experience.

If I had played Everquest or Star Wars Galaxies or any number of other "old-gen" MMORPGs before I played FFXI, I would have heralded the "new" game and lauded it's many wonderfulnesses. But a retro-gamer, I am not, so Vana'Diel is not somewhere I plan on adventuring, not when I can visit the better-rendered climes of Azeroth.

Overall, though, FFXI isn't a bad game, if you can leave your expectations at the door. The class system, actually, is something I wish were included in WoW. Having the standard White Mage, Black Mage, Warrior, Thief, etc. was something that I really enjoyed. (There's no dual-classing or terribly jack-of-all-trades classes in WoW. There are hybrids, but not the kind of specialization or customization available in FFXI.) And being able to change your class on the fly is nice. Rather than re-rolling a character and choosing a new class, you can just visit your Mog House and pick a different primary and secondary job. Now, you do start all of the jobs at level 1, so taking a level 34 Warrior back to a level 1 Black Mage may stymie your efforts, but if you really want to do it, the option is open to you.

Leveling appears much more grind-centric than quest-based — something that I find difficult. I'm not a grind-gamer, and not being able to easily locate quest-givers (or -receivers) made it difficult for me to continue playing. But the in-battle menus are standard fare for a Final Fantasy addict like me. Attack, Magic, Skill, Item. I can understand that. The command menu is easy to navigate and when you don't want it there, it gets out of the way. The screen can get cluttered, though, because of the low resolution of the graphics and the size of the menu and information bars.

Overall, Final Fantasy XI is a passable MMORPG based on the proven Final Fantasy method, but because it sticks so closely to that market-tested formula, it seems a little stale after all these years. The monthly fee is a little bit lower, as are the system requirements, so if you're looking for something that your budget and decent PC can handle, this may be your option. Just don't let your modern expectations get in the way.

Score: 7.5 out of 10
Not a bad game, but not one that measures up to today's standards.