How is this game?

[AllieCetra]

Ive been a long time final fantasy fan. Hence the name Cetra being my gamer alias since around 7th grade. A few friends tell me to give a realm reborn a shot, but we haven't talked about the game in detail. That said before I dive in the deep end I'd love some feedback about what random players think. Is the game fun at max level? Are there plenty of things to do? How is the raiding system? Ultimately will this be fun for me and not the huge borefest that WoW has become?

[Polarthief]

Raiding has a fair bit to do; most of the raids are quicker, 1-4 boss zones, with extremely unforgiving mechanics (usually one-shot if you fail to avoid them). Fights are more based on skill and mechanics than raw gear and output. Outside of raiding, you have plenty of ways to gear up, through crafting, dungeons, the "easier" raids and whatnot. You can even queue for most of the older content (and with the community NOT being a toxic pile of shit like WoW's, it actually works pretty well). Every patch usually adds a few dungeons, maybe at least 1-if-not-more-than boss/raid zones, and nerfs older content through a stacking-buff system, just like ICC/Dragon Soul, or even Determination from LFR, though this is removable on a per-player basis if you so choose to do the content without it. Outside of that, you have a Justice/Valor point system, which always keeps dungeons fairly relevant as each new "tier" has made the old Valor become the new Justice and we get a new Valor point, which buffs overall player iLvl and power.

There's tons of small/side stuff to do, on top of only having one character for all the classes that there is (SPEAKING of which, they just casually dropped a class [Rogue/Ninja] in a patch. Didn't even take an expansion to add!), professions each have their own class (and skills to craft/gather!), and who knows how they'll change everything up in the expansion (coming June 23rd), with 3 new classes. I'd say give the free trial a try and see it for yourself.

[Thyranne]

Pretty much what Polarthief said. Just one thing I'd like to add: the game is horribly slow at low level. Most classes only become fun at level 30 (when you unlock your job) and there are a lot of talk, talk, talk at low level too but it does get a lot better later.

[Madruga]

If you are a Final Fantasy fan, you definitely should try this game, even if just to see the main storyline. It is simply amazing.

This game can work somewhat as a single player RPG if you so desire. Of course, the dungeon and most trials (rainds with 1 bosses, aka Onyxia) are part of the storyline, so it is required that you find a group for them, which is easily done in the Duty Finder (the LFG from FF14).

And the single player storyline doesn't end at level 50. They add some dozen quests with each patch, and the finale in patch 2.5 is.... one of the best things I have ever seen in gaming.

In addition to all that, there is a lot to do at endgame. There are many ways to gear up, many hard mode dungeons and trials, casual raids and hardcore raids. The casual raids can be somehat easily be done... The hardcore ones will break you. And there are also sidequests, Hunts, Fates, you can level all classes on one char, the Relic weapon...

Definitely give it a try.

Oh and just a heads up... The begining is really slow. it takes a few hours for the game o catch up. Keep playing until level 20, which is also the cap for the trial, and you will see the game catching up quickly.

[AllieCetra]

Thanks for the input. I'm definitely gonna give it a shot. Slowness in the beginning shouldn't bother me to much. Back in BC when I first started WoW I toughed it out and even hated the gryphons so much I grinded quell thalas dailies and sold embued netherweave bags for my epic flight money. Ive also been told there is a recruit a friend program. Are the benefits anything like WoW for instance triple XP or some type of enhanced leveling?

[Thyranne]

Thanks for the input. I'm definitely gonna give it a shot. Slowness in the beginning shouldn't bother me to much. Back in BC when I first started WoW I toughed it out and even hated the gryphons so much I grinded quell thalas dailies and sold embued netherweave bags for my epic flight money. Ive also been told there is a recruit a friend program. Are the benefits anything like WoW for instance triple XP or some type of enhanced leveling?

Hmm as far as I can remember you can receive extra exp from:

Free Company actions (free companies are guilds) (5%/10% extra exp).
Rested Experience (not sure how much %).
Recruit a friend (only up to level 25) (20% extra exp).
Collector's edition helm (only up to level 10) (20% extra exp).
Food (3% extra exp).
If you have a class with a higher level then your current class (50% extra exp) (don't forget that you can have all classes on the same character).

And a quick hint: always do your hunt logs and challenge logs, they give you some nice experience.

[Katabolic]

Quick reply. Slower combat, fun pve, fast content updates, little pvp. If you can get into pve try it! Gorgeous game and you can try it for free!

[Sorrior]

Oh and MASSSSSIVE patches look into the gold saucer and manderville stuff too even a side quest series to help a moogle mailman.