Final Fantasy XIV
Over at the Japan Fanfest this past weekend, Square Enix gave us a little bit more info on Final Fantasy XIV: Storm blood, the game’s second expansion. First off the launch date — June 20, 2017. That “secret” class that they revealed in Las Vegas is now officially the Red Mage, and will wield both black and white magic as well as melee abilities.
Usually in the MMO field things could change, but pre-orders are set to go live on January 24, with a collector’s edition in tow. The expansion will also see the return of Nobuo Uematsu, who will reveal the game’s title track in February. As for other little tidbits, it’ll have swimming (in specific bodies of water), a new beast tribe, a unique Primal (Summon/Aeon), and an Ivalice-like raid.
Features of Final Fantasy XIV
Available on console – Reborn successfully bridges the gap between PC and console gaming. It can be played on PS3, PS4 and PC. The user interface and controls are intuitive for both styles. The game looks perfect and runs flawlessly on any system (you don’t even need an updated PC, if that’s the route you want to go).
Compelling story – The story of Reborn is as immersive as most top-tier RPGs, no small accomplishment for an MMO. The tale follows your up-and-coming adventurer as he or she arrives in Eorzea and is forced into the center of a nation-wide conflict. Set a few years after a cataclysmic event, the events of Reborn require players to follow in the footsteps of the legendary “Warriors of Light” and defeat the growing threats of the bestial primals, as well as the second rise of the Garlean Empire.
All-in-one class system – No more “alts”. No more grinding dailies for reputation on several characters. No more endless loops of the same quests. Do it once… and move on. Reborn allows players to experience every scrap of content on one play-through, making the MMO tradition of raising multiple “alts” obsolete. All you have to do to switch classes is change your weapons. You can save your gear sets to make the change simple and quick, and you can even use abilities from other classes that you’ve leveled up.
Intricate player housing – Despite the growing competition for fun player housing in online games, Reborn still shines. Free companies (guilds) and individuals can buy lots and build houses, which players fill with furniture that they have bought, crafted, or looted.
Dynamic leveling – Square Enix has built in several methods of leveling your other classes, even after completing the main storyline. Each combat class gets an experience boost based off of the character’s highest class (if you have a level 50 white mage, other classes will get a 50% experience bonus).
Companions – Another fun element of combat in Reborn is the companion system. Players are eligible for a quest to train their chocobo mounts in combat at level 30. Chocobos earn experience by assisting their masters in combat, and can be trained to focus on tanking, healing, or dealing damage (or taught a few skills from all three specialties). Chocobos match the player’s level, so you can still use them even if you’re starting on a new class at level one.
