Official Website

Platform: PlayStation 2, PC

Genre: RPG

Number of Players: Many
Peripherals: Sony HDD, Ethernet Adaptor

Back when Square made the official announcement that they were working on Final Fantasy XI, I was quite pleased. I had finished FFX months before that, and I was eagerly awaiting any news on a new entry into the series. Then however, Square dropped a bombshell. FFXI was going to be an online only adventure. I've sworn away from the world of online RPG's for quite a while. I've seen what has happened to those that have become far too addicted to Everquest, and the game has been nicknamed Evercrack for a reason. My problem with Everquest was really the fact that there was no storyline at all, and I got the excuse of, "Well, you can make up your own." Great idea! I can make my own story up, pay a monthly fee, and just let all of those AD&D book simply go to waste. Sorry, but if I'm going to make a story, I'll go the old school path. However, Square then dropped yet another stunning revelation: FFXI would have a story, and they planned on releasing updates to not only add more into the world, but continue the story as well. Okay, so they managed to get my attention.

Just like with almost every Final Fantasy title to date, XI places you in a new world filled with unique characters and locations. This world is Vana'deil, and twelve years prior to your adventure, a war, the Great Crystal War, tore through the land. This is what caused the forces of darkness to grow in power and thus, in order to rid the land of the threat; an alliance was formed to bring peace back to the land. Though victory was won on that faithful day years ago, the menace is once again looming, and it's time for you to join in the fight and free Vana'deil from those that would seek to enslave the inhabitants.

In many ways, FFXI is a visit back to the old style of the series, but also brings in new elements of character creation as well. Before I even attempt to dive into that however, let's look at a few very important things with the game. First off, you are going to need to hard drive add on, and you will get one since Final Fantasy is packaged with it. You're also going to need the Ethernet adaptor since obviously, the game is online. With all that in mind, and assuming you do have all of the proper materials, it's time to get started, but this isn't going to be a game that you can just dive into and start playing.

First, you're going to need to install the PlayOnline content, and that's going to take some time. It will download some new additions to improve your gaming experience, and that will take some time. Once you've got that taken care of, the next thing is to start the game itself. However, this is not going to be the usual technique of just allowing the disc to load. You are going to need to run the game from the HDD instead and that will actually allow you to get online. Now, you think you're probably ready to play, right? Wrong. Now, you need to get your online account up and running, then you also will need to take care of any of the other additions that you might want to include, and the package comes with the Tetra Master card game (that's those addictive card games that many of you spent hours playing in FF VIII and IX) and then the Rise of Zilart expansion. It seems like a lot of work to go through just to play one game, but this is an epic RPG, and when you're talking about an MMORPG, it's much larger than your average console RPG title.

For those that are well versed in the world of Final Fantasy, I'm going to assume that you think that you are going to be taking on the role of some young man between the ages of 17 - 21 who has a cocky attitude but is determined to save the world. Well, once again, you're completely wrong. FFXI is going to let you create your own character. First, you're going to need to select your race. There are five different races that you can choose to play as in the world of Vana'deil, most of which will let you play as either male or female. The races of the world consist of:

Hume - basically, these are human type characters and one of the best choices if you really aren't certain what you want to play as when you begin FFXI

Tarutaru - they look cute and are sure to be the attraction to females everywhere. These diminutive creatures however excel in magic.

Elvaan - yes, these are just elves, but under a different name and are excellent warriors.

Mithra - a sexy cat-like female only race. While watching her teaser (and that's just what it is) I was wondering just what Square is trying to get at (you'll see when you watch it.) The Mithra make excellent thieves.

Galka - an enormous, male only race that has brute strength and powerful hand-to-hand fighting skills

Once you've selected your race, then you will need to decide what they are going to look like. This is one of the areas I was a little disappointed in. The only thing that you really are going to change is the appearance in regards to the hair color and style, and even then, each of the selections only offers two different colors. Hopefully that will be something that is changed in the future with another update. Once you have that taken care of, the next step will be to choose what your class is going to be, and this is where the game gets old school.

When you first begin, you will be able to select the class you would like, and many of these are going to bring back memories for those that have played FF since the original game. You can play three different mage types (black, white, or red), a monk, a warrior, or a thief. However, don't expect there to be any of the usual looks. For example, the black mages won't be dressed in the standard long robes, pointed hats, and glowing eyes. Think back to how you made your character look. That's what you are going to look like in the game, so choose wisely. The classes will also have jobs, much like FF Tactics and while some of these will be fairly easy to get, others are going to require you to go out on quests. The sub jobs will give you new abilities that you can perform, making your character much more unique.

The next step is going to be coming up with a name, and that can be either a very easy task. I think all of us have been through online naming sessions where every name that we choose is already in use, and no one likes to have numbers after their name. Finally, you will choose what area you hail from, and there are three different locations: the Federation of Winurst, the Republic of Bastok, and the Kingdom of San d'Oria.

Believe it or not, you are finally ready to jump into Vana'deil. I know, it's taken quite a while to get things set up, but it's going to be worth the effort that you put into everything.

The gaming world itself is where things get ever more complicated, and so I'll make an attempt to just cover some of the key elements, otherwise this will end up becoming a review of epic proportions.

You'll begin your adventure in whichever location you have chosen as your homeland. You will start by meeting some of the locals who will give you a bit of information and how to get around. By targeting an individual, you can speak with them. You will find both PC's and NPC's, and while an NPC will give you hints, tips, offer quests, or perhaps just babble gibberish, talking to a PC is going to require actually typing. You can use any USB keyboard, one the many controller/keyboard combinations, or use the popup keyboard that is built into the game, although that one is quite time consuming. But please, be polite and try not to write any of those foolish looking sentences. You know the ones I'm talking about.

The main town will give you the chance to buy weapons, armor, and just about anything else you can imagine, but don't forget to equip them. You also will have your Mog house where you can store items, auction off those you don't want (don't worry, I don't think that anyone is charging outrageous shipping amounts), decorate, do a little gardening, and even change what class you are if you desire. Also in the towns, you will find guilds that will allow you to gain different skills. You can learn cooking, blacksmithing, fishing, and a list of other things. You can actually be a part of all of them, and learning skills will allow you to even begin creating things on your own in some instances, but also be aware that some guilds will charge you to join as well. And yes, some of these essentially are just things that will waste time, but that's okay.

Adventuring outside can be done one of two ways: either you can go alone or you can form a party and go out with them, and usually, a party is the best method, especially when you start getting higher in levels. Combat is all done in real time, with the usual waiting period in between attacks. Battle will gain you experience of course, as well as an item here and there, but there are other benefits as well. You will improve your skills as well, such as how well you can use a dagger, how well you can dodge or cast spells, and just about anything else. Unlike the other games though, should you die, you'll be sent back to the town you came from. Initially, that's not a problem, but as you begin gaining levels, you will loose experience. But, it's much better than having to run out and search for your body. Another nice feature is having the ability to kneel down to heal both hit points and magic points.

The graphics in battle, and as well as the rest of the game, look fantastic. There is plenty of visuals when melee weapon attacks, and those get even better when you start adding magic into the mix. Also, when you are a part of a party, when you get multiple characters that have their attacks just right, that will set off a combo attack, much like those in FFX-2. These are known as skill chains when dealing with weapons and magic chains when spells are the key focus. One difference in battle though is that you can actually move around in the area, although to flee combat you will have to select disengage from your list of options. For some, like myself, it's going to take a few battles to get more familiar with the combat style, and although it does have similarities to Final Fantasy, it is very unique but simple to use once you get the hang of it.

The world of FFXI is enormous, and in fact, the expansion adds on new locations to explore. As you adventure, you will find yourself in lush forests, icy mountains, dank dungeons, and almost any other location you would expect to find in the world of FF. But, walking is half of getting there. You also can get around by airship, chocobos (no surprise) and a few other ways as well. You also may even find yourself with a pet later on in the game that you will be able to train and take into combat with you.

However, these are but a few of the key elements of the game, and there is so much more that just what I have covered. Again, it would take a mammoth review to look at every aspect of the game, and there is so much that is here. You'll have to take into consideration things such as your fame, something you'll gain by participating in quests or conquests, or worry about if you are hated or not, and this is all going to be dependant upon your actions and your success as you wander the world.

Keep in mind however that while there may be a monthly online fee for FFXI, which is going to cover a single character. You can have multiple PC's, but it's going to cost you an extra dollar for each, and even playing the Tetra Master game is going to cost an additional fee as well. It's all money well spent however, and it looks like Square-Enix really managed to get this world fine-tuned. It looks much better than some of the other MMORPG games I've seen, such as Everquest, and since they do have an actual storyline going on as well as actual quests that you can be sent out on, without someone else having to create them, there is a great deal that can be done, seen, and participated in. One of the best features however is that not only will you be able to game with other PS2 FFXI players, but you can also work with PC gamers and even those that are located in other countries, such as Japan for example. This is the first time a company has managed to successfully integrate a game like this on two different platforms.

Final Fantasy XI is going to have other MMORPG designers taking a second look at what can be done with games of this type. This isn't the type of thing that's going to make someone like me want to play Everquest, but that shouldn't be the case at all. In fact, you should just be worried about FFXI to be honest. While I would have really liked to have gone much more in depth regarding this game, I think that the basic game play elements are going to be good enough for anyone to determine if in fact this is really want they want to purchase. You're going to be getting the game anyway when you buy the hard drive, and the first 30 days are free, so why not give it a try? But, when we start seeing a decline in our traffic, I think we'll have a pretty good idea why that is. I won't however state that this is a replacement for the regular games in the Final Fantasy series, and I'm still very much a fan of the heavy storylines, the teenage coming of age story, and all of the other things that have become very much a part of the Final Fantasy series, but I can at least say that with XI, it's a story without end, and I know that's one thing that the fans have been awaiting for years.

-mike-