Final Fantasy XI Chronicles: Part 2
We've been keeping up with Final Fantasy XI since its May 2001 release in Japan. In our follow-up hands-on account of this online game, learn more about the job system, Chocobos, social interaction, and more.
A lot can happen to the world in just a few short months. Just ask the developers of Final Fantasy XI, who've clearly been working hard to enhance the world of Square's first massively multiplayer online role-playing game since its debut in May. The first game in the extremely popular RPG series to be playable exclusively online, Final Fantasy XI got off to a shaky start when it was first released weeks ago in Japan. Limited availability of the required hard drive peripheral and the necessity for monthly surcharges and an Internet connection all ensured that Final Fantasy XI would never be the blockbuster success that many of its predecessors instantly became. Furthermore, the launch of Final Fantasy XI was plagued with problems, as those who did buy the game would often find themselves unable to log in and play something that, in effect, they were constantly paying for. The good news is that the shaky launch is over, and Square has learned a lot since then.
Even now, as the PlayStation 2 version of the game begins to mature, Square is readying a PC version for release in Japan--a limited beta test of the PC version started in mid-June. If you've read our
All this is easier said than done. We've been playing Final Fantasy XI since its release in Japan, and we're here to tell you straight-up that it's the most time-consuming Final Fantasy game to date. Remember taking 40 hours to play through Final Fantasy X? That's nothing. Square wants you for the long run this time--so make yourself at home in the world of Vana'diel. Though perhaps somewhat less demanding than the PC online RPGs that inspired it, Final Fantasy XI is still by all means the sort of game that you need to commit to and invest in. Right off the bat, you'll need all that extra hardware, ideally including a mouse and a keyboard. Also, as time wears on as you play Final Fantasy XI, same as us, you'll realize that it really isn't an event-driven game like any of its predecessors. The surprising plot twists and expressive characters from previous Final Fantasy games are replaced here by what can at times be an arduous process: fighting monsters out in the wilderness with other players looking to do the same. Don't expect deep personal motivations from the people you meet in Final Fantasy XI--they're just trying to level up, like you.
For what it's worth, the game has undergone some significant changes since its release. Like with many previous online RPGs, Square has seen fit to continuously refine the game over the weeks, adding in new content in the form of new nonplayer characters, new items, new graphics, and more. Similarly, the online nature of the game has permitted--or rather required--Square to quickly resolve any gameplay issues that have come up. And you'd best believe some issues have come up all right.
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