Daniel/Enzo Matrix in Final Fantasy XIV A Realm Reborn[/caption]
Welcome back My Dear Readers toThe Other Shoe. It is my pleasure to announce the resurrection of one of your most favorite article series here atThe Other Shoe. That series is, of course, MMORPGs And YOU!. This was an extremely popular series of articles earlier this year, and this is the SEVENTH in the series. I had mentioned, earlier this week, that I was going to bring back this series to reveal to you the very first MMORPG I ever playedWorld of Warcraft. However, events transpired such that instead today I will bring you a review of the most revered RPG series in the history of gaming. Today I bring you a review, screenshots and video of Final Fantasy XIV (2) ‘A Realm Reborn’.
.
Now, My Dear Readers, I have been playing this storied franchise since the original Nintendo gaming system. I’m not talking about the Super Nintendo or the N64 I am talking about the original eight bit Nintendo gaming system. I’ve been playing this franchise for the better part of 25 years. Not only that, but I had the opportunity to be a Beta tester for Final Fantasy XI and XIV. I also played, extensively, this game before its redesign and “rebirth”. This gives me a unique perspective on this Realm Reborn version of this massively multiplayer online role-playing game.
.
[youtube=http://youtu.be/-CmSZC31HNM]
.
First, there were a lot of very good reasons why this game had to be reborn. Not the least of which were the bugs that came with the game on the PC version. Unfortunately, I’m here to tell you that a good deal of these bugs remain in this a Reborn realm. Now, for us PC gamers, we were very used to a certain type of user interface in our massively multiplayer online role-playing games. When the original came out they had departed from this standardized user interface, in favor of an interface that worked better with the PlayStation console gaming system. To say that that did not go well with PC gamers, is a gross understatement.
.
I am very happy to announce to you, My Dear Readers, that this Reborn realm does have a user interface all massively multiplayer online role-playing gamers have come accustomed to. You can now use your MMORPG mouse with this game. However, there remains a big problem with being able to see your mouse cursor on screen in the PC version. That segways nicely into the biggest thing I need to tell you about this game. If you do not have a gamepad for your PC, and you plan on trying this game, you simply must purchase a gamepad for your PC.
.
[caption id="attachment_1930" align="aligncenter" width="630"]
In the Bar - Enzo in Final Fantasy XIV A Realm Reborn[/caption].
Unfortunately this game does not play well with the mouse and keyboard. However, it does play a very well with a gamepad. Be it a Logitech dual shock or any other standard gamepad for PC computers, they are the best way to play this game. I will be completely honest with you My Dear Readers I have never been one for playing my games on my personal computer with a gamepad. My first games on the PC were FPS games and those are very rapid fire quick action games which are only played best with a keyboard and the best mouse you can afford.
.
[youtube=http://youtu.be/KEGoSPMDy94]
.
So, again, if you’re going to check out this game, and I suggest if you like this genre of games do get this game and check it out, get a gamepad first. Now about buying this game. Right now at Gamestop.com this game is on sale for $14.99. I traded in some of My Coke Rewards points for some GameStop bucks and, last night about midnight, I ended up getting this game for absolutely free. That is why you, My Dear Readers are getting; a review, screenshots and videos from this game today. I assure you whenever I have the opportunity to review a game that I got for free it’s going to happen. That does not mean that every game I reviewed I have obtained free. Actually, the opposite is true… this is the only game, out of all the games I’ve reviewed for you here atThe Other Shoe, that I didn’t pay full price.
.
[caption id="attachment_1936" align="aligncenter" width="630"]
Nice Picture of Enzo in Final Fantasy XIV A Realm Reborn[/caption].
More about the game. In the original version of this storied franchise the option to adjust your video, for your particular personal computer, was ‘lacking’… to say the least. You were not able to adjust many of the characteristics of today’s modern video cards. If you’re not really familiar with the gaming industry there’s really two types of games that come out on a personal computer. One type, the preferred type, is a game that is designed from the ground up just for personal computers. These games generally have the best graphics the most options for adjusting graphics and the best control and gameplay for a keyboard and mouse combination. This second type, and the type less desirable, are games that were originally written and coded for today’s gaming consoles and then ported to a form used on personal computers. These games are called ‘Ports’. In general games and that originally designed for gaming consoles and then ported to personal computers have inferior graphics, inferior control, and less options to customize your gaming experience.
.
Just a side note, if your parent or grandparent thinking of buying a young person one of the new gaming consoles coming out this year. Consider this: if you’re going to buy an Xbox One or a PlayStation 4 you are in essence purchasing a Home Theater Personal Computer (HTPC). Having said, if the young person your purchasing this console floor is open to it there are great many HTPC’s available that have more capabilities and better uses for educational purposes than the gaming consoles being sold today. Myself, I haven’t been a console gamer in more than 20 years. I have looked at the specs for both of this year’s gaming consoles and two things are crystal-clear. First, Microsoft’s Xbox One… Well, there’s a reason it’s more expensive. Microsoft has packaged a personal computer into a form that a 12-year-old can look at and think of as a gaming system. On the other hand, second, Sony is selling an inferior product and did not make the crossover to HTPC. The reason for this is Sony wants to keep a steel grip on its media rights and that had a negative effect on the design of the next generation console by Sony.
.
[youtube=http://youtu.be/_ddK8O2IuiU]
.
Final Fantasy XIV (2) is, by all measures, a far superior game than what was released to me in March 2010. I’m going to tell you right now the beta of the first version of this game stank up my computer. Quite honestly, I was involved in the beta of Final FantasyXI, the very first MMORPG of this franchise and it ran better in beta than XIV. I think I’ve mentioned to everyone here before, that I am running everything you see on an HP Firebird 803 VooDoo DNA Gaming computer. This is HP’s commercial follow-up to the quite expensive‘Blackbird’. The ‘Blackbird’ was an incredible gaming computer that had a starting price of just over $6000. This meant those that could afford the Blackbird, had a gaming computer that would last them the next decade, but for the rest of us it was just something we looked at in PC gaming magazines.
So, My Dear Readers, all the screenshots and videos you see here are being done on a machine that is about four years old. I am not complaining, this machine still runs these games very well and I am not in a financial position to afford a new gaming computer anytime soon. On with the game.
.
[caption id="attachment_1937" align="aligncenter" width="630"]
Enzo Wide Shot In Final Fantasy XIV A Realm Reborn[/caption].
Due to the improvements in the video options of the game menu, you’re now able to customize the video and tje engine produces far more accurately match the capabilities of you were personal computer. This results in a much clearer, sharper, and more vivid gaming experience for this reboot of this wonderful game. Previously, my rig had a lot of difficulty running this game at the screen resolution I had. At the time the first release of this game my screen resolution was 1440x900, and I still couldn’t sustain a frame rate anywhere near 30 FPS. My current screen resolution is 1920x1080 and as you can see in the videos I am running a solid 30 FPS even while recording gameplay. To say that this is a great relief is a gross understatement.
.
[caption id="attachment_1941" align="aligncenter" width="630"]
A Nighttime Shot of Enzo in Final Fantasy XIV A Realm Reborn[/caption].
From what I can see, the quest dynamics of changed and improved, along with the interface. As I mentioned earlier in this article if you have played any other MMORPG you will find the new user interface to be very familiar. This is a great relief to me as with the previous user interface was horrible for personal computers and obviously designed for gaming consoles. You now have the action bars along the bottom to contain your spells attacks defenses or healing spells. And there are action bars along the side along with the quest log where it belongs, too. As well, they changed the intro video and how the game starts and I have to say the whole beginning video and getting started the game moves more smoothly and is better designed to be run on a personal computer.
.
[youtube=http://youtu.be/J7dxtccpnI4]
.
Bottom line, if you play this type of game and you’ve hesitated on trying this particular game I would suggest going out and buying it today. As I mentioned above right now at game stop it’s on sale for $14.99. You can’t beat a game of this caliber at that price by any measure. There are still problems with the game. I have yet to play it enough to isolate all the bugs. However, the bugs that remain are not playing prohibitive. Meaning, I’m able to play the game easily and well I finished my first couple of quests in a matter of minutes and my machine is not frozen once and there are no BSODs at all.
.
[caption id="attachment_1934" align="aligncenter" width="630"]
Registration in Final Fantasy XIV A Realm Reborn[/caption].
I’m happy to say that I now fully recommend this game for anybody would be interested in playing it and I hope you enjoy all the videos and screenshots of the polluted in today’s article. I am still working diligently to bring you a review containing videos and screenshots of my final game of theWorld of Warcraft.
.
As always I am deeply honored that you come here and read my work.
.
Thank you!
No comments:
Post a Comment