Square Enix Casts Pheonix Down; Final Fantasy XIV Will Try Again in 2013

I have a tendency to love the idea of Massive Multiplayer RPG's right up until the point where I start to play them. The monotony of the mission structure and the less than stellar plot progression is more than enough to quell my enthusiasm. The build up to release though sometimes snags my attention because I am a sucker for open game worlds and stunning vistas. I am usually far more excited about exploring a vast, interconnected world than actually building a character or interacting with other players. With that said, I spent about two months of my life playing Final Fantasy XI on the PC and was only able to hold on long enough to reach level 20. Unfortunately, I let my game fizzle out of existence long before I achieved my goals of roaming the plains as a summoner.  

It may not seem like much but hanging onto a game of this scope for that long was a big accomplishment for me. I adored the world of Final Fantasy XI way more than that of World of Warcraft. The more realistic art style, classic Final Fantasy musical score, and iconic figureheads that the series is known for made it much easier to become enveloped in the world. Unfortunately, it was the incredibly slow character progression that ultimately led me to drop the game 20 levels in.

Now we stand on the cusp of the release of yet another MMO. An MMO that I am sure is destined to fail like every other MMO in this post World of Warcraft era. Final Fantasy XIV, originally announced at E3 2009, was eventually launched on the PC only to be accosted by critics and fans alike thanks to a bevy of technical flaws. Square Enix has since announced that they will be relaunching the game in Q1 of 2013 with a new coat of paint, improved technical performance, and a completely revamped UI and gameplay engine. 

Square Enix has finally started to let little details trickle out about the anticipated release of the PS3 version. Being an MMO on a console is especially tricky given the wildy different control schemes. This week Square Enix commented on the UI that will be available in the PS3 version and reiterated their confidence in the Cross-Platform gameplay that they announced from the beginning. (Check out the new screenshots in the gallery) Below is an excerpt from their recent Playstation Blog Post:

"In Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, we’ve put an emphasis on customisation. Knowing that everyone has their own personal tastes, not to mention the need to have a load-out that compliments the character and role you’re playing in-game, all of the UI elements that you see in the screenshots can be enabled, disabled, and repositioned to suit your preferences. Menus are also simple to navigate, with the command you’re looking for only a few button presses away."

My excitement for this title has dwindled following my distaste for Final Fantasy XIII and the embarassing launch of the PC version over a year ago. With that said, I am now more interested than ever to see what kind of response they will ultimately have. How much does fan response really feed into design choices? Can a game so near death truly bounce back and become worthy in the eyes of fans? I am reluctant, especially if they plan to charge subscribers the same premium price ($14.99 per month) they pay for World of Warcraft; A game that has been polished to high-hell since birth. 

If the game launches with a reduced subscription fee or even a free-to-play, micro-transaction based subscription model, I may be willing to give it another go. The game certainly looks good and I have always found it easier to feel invested in the worlds they create than any other fantasy RPG out there. If you are at all interested in this title and eager to follow the arch of title as it attempts to rise from the ashes, "reborn" if you will, I encourage you to check out the full Playstation Blog post.

[Source: Playstation Blog]