When approaching the Square Enix booth at E3 this year, I was inundated with sights and sounds from some of my favorite titles. At the back of the booth was a massive screen that streamed trailers from the new Deus Ex and Final Fantasy XV. Towards the center were stations for Lightning Returns and the new HD Kingdom Hearts collection. At the front of the booth stood an area that was fenced off; two announcers sat in the middle, encircled by 16 computers all accompanied by players incessantly tapping their keyboards and mice.
I glanced up to see giant display screens that showcased a group of characters fighting a giant fire demon—it was a swag contest for Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn. Intrigued, my colleague Robyn and I got in line to try it out. I admit that I was skeptical about the game—after hearing the reviews of XIV’s initial release back in 2010, my expectations were relatively low. But Square Enix put a lot of work into the new title, and it definitely shows. The demo for A Realm Reborn ended up being one of my favorite experiences at this year’s expo.
Before entering the contest, we sat in a small theatre where one of the developers guided us through a few aspects within the game. First we got to see the character customization, which is done with beautiful lucidity. The layout is minimalistic in design and easy to follow but still offers a multitude of detailed customization options. Square Enix has put massive emphasis on character customization, and that is something not limited to mere appearance. Our guide made it clear that as a player, you are not restricted to the class you choose when you initially create you character—you can actually change it by changing your weapon. Customization does not end when you click “create,” rather it is something that can be done throughout the game itself.
Square Enix has also added emphasis on the companionship aspect of the game, arguably one of the most important features within an MMORPG. They have worked to improve the party systems, including the addition of a level-sync system in which your character will actually adjust to the level of the players you are questing with. A Realm Reborn will also support more autonomous players. Players who enjoy adventuring on their own can do so with the addition of AI companions… like a CHOCOBO. Who can be a mount and also help you kill things. And be your best friend. And take you to all kinds of cool places. And be super cute. Color me excited. Overall the game looks beautiful, filled with idiosyncrasies the Final Fantasy series is known for—and perhaps even some easter eggs.
After showing us some of the game’s key features, it was time to cover the objective of the contests. In teams of 8 we had to successfully take down Ifrit, a summon that has been seen many times throughout the series. In this context, Ifrit serves as an end-game boss—talk about throwing us to the wolves.
Part of me wanted to back-out of the contest. While I consider myself to be an MMO veteran, I had never played Final Fantasy XIV before. I had no idea how the class systems worked or how to use the controls. Ultimately, I did not want to be at fault if my party was to fall, but I decided that if I chose to DPS I surely wouldn’t mess things up.
