After shutting down in 2012 from a misfired launch, the famous Square Enix-produced massive multiplayer online game (MMO) as officially relaunched as “Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn” in August 2013. Players were brought back into the changed world of Hydaelyn with a much more stable server structure, improved game-play and smoother performance.
The story has a clearer focus and more dedication to world-building and atmosphere. No aspect of the game showcases these drastically heightened expectations more than Shadowbringers, the newest expansion to the game.
Patch 5.3 introduces a new threat to the universe of “Final Fantasy XIV” as a whole, digging at some nostalgia if you happened to play the older Final Fantasy games.
In the new world of Norvrandt, you as the player finally face against one of the long-standing enemies since the game was relaunched, as well as saving your friends and allies along the way from your enemy’s plans for a calamity.
The game operates similar to other MMOs, such as “World of Warcraft,” with your character being able to use various types of weapons and magic to defeat enemies. You can play with other people to go through dungeons and intense boss fights, as well as some raids that crossover with other titles. You can also adventure in the open-world of Hydaelyn on your own and see what the game has to offer.
The graphical fidelity of “Final Fantasy XIV” holds up well seven years after the relaunch of the game. It can create some of the most awe-inspiring environments to be seen in a fantasy genre video game without having intense performance issues that may plague other games.
Perhaps the best quality of “Final Fantasy XIV” is its dedicated development team. In just the last patch, three of the 17 combat classes in the game received big changes to make them more fun and easier to play. Meanwhile, the more passive classes, such as crafters and gatherers, received new end-game content to work on while we wait for the next major patch to roll in.
“Final Fantasy XIV” has expanded its free trial to include not just the base game, “A Realm Reborn,” but also the first expansion, “Heavensward.” There is no time limit on this trial either. So try it out and see if it is the right fit for you.