Ok so Square-Enix has just released Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn (which is basically the revival of Final Fantasy XIV which died in a whimper not so long ago).
I just so happened to be one of the lucky people chosen to play the game during the closed beta in phase 3, and the game really is amazing. It has great graphics and I love the details that were put inside the game. Yes, I am one of those people that rolled a cat-girl Mi'quote (a lot of people may bash me for it, but I still love the way she looks - and I don't give a damn that too many people have done the same - I made my character how I liked). Anyway, the world is very beautiful and the effects of spells and even weather are just amazing. You can tell just how much work went into the aesthetic of the game alone.
One critical part of the game is the newly revamped Class and Job System. Though highly controversial (some people like it, others hate it) it is in my opinion quite excellent. I enable one to experience the different roles by simply changng out your main weapon. Because of that, it's possible to change from a healer to a dps simply by switching out some gear. There are some limitations though. You can't change classes while in combat or in the middle of an instance. For me, I enjoy this change because I have always enjoyed playing different roles. Back on WoW, I rolled many different classes so I could play any role I wanted or my guild needed me to. With FFXIV's system, I can do that on one character.
The one caveat right now is that the game is cursed by a set of errors which weren't taken care of during the beta and early release. These errors make it impossible for most people to even access the game. Ever since the actual launch, I have not logged into the game because of these errors. According to Square-Enix, the problem lies with the amount of players accessing the game. They did not expect so many people to attempt to get into the game that server realms are full and near the breaking point. Their solution is to restrict access to the game and close character creation.
Anyway, my point is this: If you are planning on playing FFXIV, hold off on purchasing it until this little problem is taken care of. It's a great game in my opinion and I will definitely play it once I get the chance. However, until Square-Enix makes it so everyone can access the game and play on the same servers as their friends by allowing server transfers and unlocking character creation, all this amounts to is a great deal of frustration and negative feelings.
