Final Fantasy XI

Review

Although World of Warcraft garners the most attention in the MMO market, not all gamers feel love for the game. Whether these gamers think that WoW is too easy to reach the level cap or that it is too much of a solo player's game, or they think the community is too rude and/or too young, Final Fantasy XI does a great job of filling the void created by the mighty MMO from Blizzard. Not only is FFXI the second best MMORPG today, but it is also the best MMORPG for gamers who simply don't like World of Warcraft.

Before getting more into the WoW contrast, let's see why FFXI is the second best MMORPG. This game passes up old MMO stand-bys like EverQuest and Dark Age Of Camelot by actually offering a compelling story. Looking for great graphics to go along with a good story? FFXI has them as well with huge vibrant areas that offer plenty of eye-candy. The other big factor that makes this game a top MMORPG is its detailed job system that can be quite addictive.The story, graphics, and job system are all backed up by a great community. Where World of Warcraft is criticized for a having poor community with rude solo players, Final Fantasy XI focuses on players working together in groups. This working together environment lets players feel more part of the game. In addition, the game is constantly having player events to strengthen bonds between players. Although WoW is the best MMORPG right now, it can not say that strengthening bonds between players is a major focus right now.



For leveling, FFXI takes more of an old school MMORPG approach with a constant need for camping and the need to be in a group to attain the higher levels in the game. These two factors make it a huge time investment to get the most of this game while WoW offers a substantially more streamlined approach. However, this actually helps FFXI in a way since it makes leveling up more rewarding. In other words, it rewards the hardcore gamers who take the time to level and make it hard for casual gamers to equal your level. This can obviously turn into a major negative if it goes to the extreme the way it does in vastly inferior games (ie RYL: Path of the Emperor), but Final Fantasy does not take it too far. The result is a more rewarding MMO experience that gives players an incentive to reach that next level.

The funny thing about reviewing this game is that most of the downside factors can also be viewed positively. For example, some players do want to solo while other think that MMOs should be a social experience. Another example is that casual gamers do not want to spend that much time leveling so it comes down to which factors you want the most. If you are looking to spend a few hours playing and spend most of that time playing solo then Final Fantasy XI is definitely not for you. On the flipside, FFXI is currently the best MMORPG for hardcore gamers who want to spend all of their playing time in groups.



Pros

•  Good for players who want to
group. 

•  Nice job system.

•  Items are not class specific. 

•  Solid community with frequent
player events.

•  Auto translator to help bridge the
gap between Japanese and English players.

•  Good character models.

•  Great story.

•  Should satisfy most hardcore gamers
looking for a MMORPG.

Cons

•  Not
for solo players. 

•  Hard to level.

•  High learning curve. 

•  Too much camping.

•  Huge time investment needed.

•  Poor economy.

•  Head start for Japanese players.>

The Bottom
Line - The best MMORPG for gamers who
don't like World of Warcraft. 

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Worl Of Warcraft

Review

When the mighty EverQuest first entered the MMORPG industry, there was a need for a better MMORPG than Ultima Online due to that industry pioneer's simple graphics and overly complex game play. EverQuest quickly captured the top spot in MMORPGs with better graphics and addictive game play. The game was so addictive for some players that it was nicknamed EverCrack. EverQuest saw several challengers to its throne like Dark Age of Camelot, Asheron's Call by then Microsoft, and Anarchy Online but the mighty EQ stayed on top (not including Lineage in Korea). However, where EverQuest did fail was with mainstream audiences. The game was primarily suited for hardcore gamers who would spend huge chunks of time playing. The casual gamer did not get too far in EverQuest.After years of being on top of the industry in terms of popularity but not necessarily the best MMORPG, EverQuest has finally met its match in the form of World Of Warcraft. World of Warcraft takes the EverQuest-style MMORPG to a new level with simple yet deep game play. Leveling in WoW is easier than most MMORPGs and you are even given experience bonuses for a taking a break from the game. There was a void for a mainstream MMORPG until WoW came along. City of Heroes came the closest but the super hero MMORPG is so simple that it currently lacks depth.

On the other hand, World of Warcraft's depth comes from crafting, trading, and character building. Believe it or not, but crafting is actually fun in WoW. Besides being simple and easy to learn, crafting enables you to outfit your characters with the latest equipment, potions, and enchantments while being a great money maker as well. You can either sell your goods to the NPCs in every town and city or you can try to get a really huge profit by putting up your goods in an Auction House (AH). The Auction Houses are where the bulk of player-to-player transactions happen and these bastions of trading serve many purposes such as allowing you to choose from a wide selection of the latest weapons and armor, helping you find an item to complete a quest, and providing a place to find raw materials for your crafting skills quickly. With trading and crafting being so user friendly, you have an added incentive to constantly level your character since you are able to make and buy more at higher levels.

Speaking of leveling, don't expect a huge grind like most other MMORPGs because the game is very fast paced. What you can expect though is a plethora of quests as you progress through the game. These constant quests allow you to get beyond the old kill-monster-to-get-experience grind. However, you can bypass the quests altogether and just go after different monsters if that is your cup of tea. Even then, you will get a waiting experience boost (dependant on how long you stay away from the character) every time you log off for a few hours and then log back on. This allows you to constantly progress in the game while being less dependant on all-nighters and addictive binges. Oh yes, the game is still plenty addictive but you do not need to spend every waking moment in the game in order to get at or near the level cap of 60.

In fact, leveling quickly is actually one of the biggest complaints about World of Warcraft. Most hardcore MMORPGers think the game is too easy because they can reach 60 in a matter of weeks instead of months. Instead of trying to add to the grind and hurt the more casual gamers, Blizzard is looking to satisfy the hardcore gamers with more high level content (items and dungeons) and the evolving PvP system. The main PVP right now is Horde and Alliance players attacking each other's towns. Players within the Horde or the Alliance can also duel each other. The skirmishes and duels are both fun but thankfully PvP will be further bolstered by the PvP Honor System (you receive a special rank and items for honorable kills) and PvP Battlegrounds where multiple high level players from the Alliance and the Horde openly wage war.

PvP Battlegrounds may be the most important long term element of the game for retaining the high level players, but World of Warcraft is already the best MMORPG yet. No other massive online game has combined ease of use and depth in such a beautiful package. Simply put, no other MMORPG does so many things as well as World of Warcraft. You can try to find a better MMORPG, but it just has not been made yet.

Pros

•  great graphics

•  easy to get started

•  well done auction system

•  tons of quests

•  offers nice depth

•  very minimal grinding

•  constant conflict between the Horde
and the Alliance

•  duels are fun

Cons

•  not
the best community

•  has had server problems due to the
popularity of the game

•  can reach the higher levels too
easily

The Bottom
Line - Simply the best MMORPG yet!

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