Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn PS4 Review
Summary: A Realm Reborn is everything Square Enix wanted FFXIV to be and more, with a unique class system that gives players a freedom that’s not found in many MMORPGs today. It’s fun, it’s pretty, and Square Enix is 100% forgiven.
3.8
FF Freedom!
Final Fantasy XIV A Realm Reborn
Distributor: Namco Bandai
Format: PS4 (Reviewed on both the PS3 & PS4)
Genre: MMORPG
Rating: M15+
Reviewer: Cameron Grimes
[Note: The PS3 Version is almost identical to the PS4 with the exception of up-scaled graphics and the inclusion of the touchpad]
Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn is the relaunch title of Final Fantasy XIV, an MMORPG released back in 2010 that received largely negative feedback. A Realm Reborn is Square Enix’s way of apologising for this huge misstep, bringing players a much better and refined edition of FFXIV, which should really be played on PC rather than PS3 or even the PS4 to fully enjoy what it has to offer.
A Realm Reborn’s structure is what you would expect from your average MMORPG; a huge and gorgeous open world to explore, and thousands upon thousands of quests for you to complete.
What’s unique about A Realm Reborn’s class system is the ability to change into any class you want by simply switching out and replacing different weapons that are associated to the class that you wish to become. It’s a great mechanic for players who are either unsure about which class to choose or for those who want to level up every class without the need of having to start from scratch with a new character.
A Realm Reborn is out on both PS3 and PC, and the PS3 version allows you to play on both platforms which adds to the value of this already discounted release. If you have the capability to play on your PC, but you bought the PS3 version, I strongly recommend putting down your DualShock and replacing it with mouse and keyboard. A Realm Reborn is playable on PS3 but it doesn’t run the best, with choppy frame rates and a confusing control configuration that makes navigating item and map menus feel awkward and you can easily get lost in the menus. This game benefits greatly from a keyboard’s wide array of control options. Network issues were a big problem around launch for myself personally, but they seem to have been ironed out with patches.
Graphically the game looks great but it’s clear that some cuts were made to presentation in order to remove glitches, bugs and performance issues that plagued the original release of FFXIV. Character models can vary greatly thanks to a beefy customisation system, giving players a lot of freedom in order to feel that they’re playing the game with a character that they’re completely satisfied with. There’s little to no voice acting in A Realm Reborn, understandable due to the sheer scale of the game but it does take a little away from the immersion.
Update for PS4 Version:
As you would expect the quality of the graphics between the PS3 and PS4 versions of the game vary slightly; the PS4 version sports some crisper textures and a smoother frame rate, yet it brings nothing spectacular to the next generation console.
As mentioned the PS3 edition suffers from the lack of solid controls, which can cause frustration when navigating menus. The PS4 alleviates this issue slightly with the touchpad on the DualShock 4, which operates as a trackpad. It improves the multitasking slightly but unfortunately isn’t precise enough to make any real difference.
Overall the PS4 and PS3 versions are similar enough that the scores need not be altered.
A Realm Reborn is everything Square Enix wanted FFXIV to be and more, with a unique class system that gives players a freedom that’s not found in many MMORPGs today. It’s fun, it’s pretty, and Square Enix is 100% forgiven.
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