Square Enix- Don't Review FFXIV Yet!

[Sleepless Dreams]

PSXtreme recently got a request from SE to not review FFXIV for at least another month.

Anyone who has played FFXIV, unless they are a complete SE-hound, knows the extreme problems the game has right now. It's of AoC proportions. But the FF fan base may keep it alive. If all of the nasty reviews that have been popping up on many of the fan sites are any indicator, there is definitely a problem.

Does anyone else find this incredibly unprofessional to go "WAIT, don't review the game until we fix it!"

Isn't this why Blizzard has it's "soon" thing going on?

Wait until a game is finished before publishing it.

[seam]

Is the game still in beta?

Or did they actually release it? Sorry, I haven't been keeping up with it.

[Deleted]

it's an MMO. you can't judge an MMO by it's first release. bugs will be fixed, classes will be balanced, content will be added. in addition, you can't judge an MMO after only half a month of playing it. that's like judging a movie from the first scene, or even the opening credits. you haven't even got the time to explore it decently.

PC-Gameplay, one of the leading magazines in the Benelux concerning computer games has done similar things with LotRO, WoW, AoC and other games, but that was on internal decision. WoW was reviewed a month later because the review copy arrived too close to the deadline. LotRO was reviewed a month later because a major bugfix patch was released really close to the deadline. it's perfectly reasonable for MMO's to be reviewed when the game is actually playable.

[Mijen]

The people behind APB did the same thing. That went well.

Yes... Any game, even an MMO should be judged very early on. It allows the consumer to know they're buying something that is not yet polished as well as allows the devs to step up their game and change what needs to be.

[Nahte]

Is the game still in beta?

Or did they actually release it? Sorry, I haven't been keeping up with it.

It came out September 14th, oddly enough.

The console versions are coming out in March, I think.

[Viertel]

it's an MMO. you can't judge an MMO by it's first release. bugs will be fixed, classes will be balanced, content will be added. in addition, you can't judge an MMO after only half a month of playing it. that's like judging a movie from the first scene, or even the opening credits. you haven't even got the time to explore it decently.

PC-Gameplay, one of the leading magazines in the Benelux concerning computer games has done similar things with LotRO, WoW, AoC and other games, but that was on internal decision. WoW was reviewed a month later because the review copy arrived too close to the deadline. LotRO was reviewed a month later because a major bugfix patch was released really close to the deadline. it's perfectly reasonable for MMO's to be reviewed when the game is actually playable.

Yeah no. FFXIV launched with the ability to do 8 regional quests, and 8 local quests per 36 hours. That's 16 quests in a day in a half. They're all fetch or kill quests with no variety. At level 10, and every 10 levels (until cap of 50) you get 1 quest that deals with the storyline.

The majority of the game is spent grinding experience, until your fatigue kicks in and the game decides to kick you in the nuts. Gathering is all a "Hot'n'Cold" game with diminishing returns kicking in after 30 minutes, with you getting virtually nothing after an hour. There is no AH, and since the retainer (offline, NPC bazaar type deal) is so awkward and useless -- you can only list 5 items -- it's not even worth mentioning: no way to establish any sort of game economy.

So, there's no real economy, no real content for leveling, and there's no endgame. You get copypasted terrain (yes, terrain: stop trying to say terrain is the same as doodads, idiot defenders), some halfass, poorly coded graphics engine, and shallow gameplay along with the worst UI designed in the history of MMOs.

There's a major difference between a work in progress (almost every other MMO) and a paid beta. FFXIV is the prime example of the paid beta.

It came out September 14th, oddly enough.

The console versions are coming out in March, I think.

It comes out tomorrow, Sept. 30th. Collector's Edition players got to 'enjoy' 8 days of pure grinding in a shallow world on the 22nd.

[Nahte]

It comes out tomorrow, Sept. 30th. Collector's Edition players got to 'enjoy' 8 days of pure grinding in a shallow world on the 22nd.

I've seen release dates posted on all 3 dates.

[Direshadow]

From what i've heard, the game seems to be in a pretty awful state, even for Beta. Copy and pasted terrain, poorly designed quests and systems, a limit on how much you can play the game...

I swear, every year the Japanese video game developer scene takes a step back. The problem seems to go beyond the so called "differnces" between western and eastern tastes. Most titles are just suffering from lazy development.

[Deleted]

From what i've heard, the game seems to be in a pretty awful state, even for Beta. Copy and pasted terrain, poorly designed quests and systems, a limit on how much you can play the game...

I swear, every year the Japanese video game developer scene takes a step back. The problem seems to go beyond the so called "differnces" between western and eastern tastes. Most titles are just suffering from lazy development.

Japanese people make the best games ever... it's just a lame stereotype to blame the "asian gamestudios". And I agree, I was in the beta, and the game is extremely boring. But I have to disagree with the scenery thing since the scenery is absolutely gorgerous.

[AvalonTLW]

If i am not wrong, World of Warcraft had quiet a few bugs itself on release.

[Cluck]

If i am not wrong, World of Warcraft had quiet a few bugs itself on release.

They did yes, however I don't recall hearing about them telling any reviewers to hold off their reviews for a month.

In regards to someone else earlier: Perhaps it is unfair to review an MMO at it's immediate release, but at the same time it is something that gets done to all MMOs. If a reviewers decides on his own to give an MMO more time before reviewing it that's their choice, but when it is something dictated by the company running the MMO, I'd say that as a potential customer of theirs that's worrying. It's essentially admitting that you released the game in a state that wasn't review ready yet.

[Deladeu]

If i am not wrong, World of Warcraft had quiet a few bugs itself on release.

World of Warcraft, Burning Crusade and Wrath all had major issues on release - servers weren't stable for weeks, in fact it used to be like that after every major patch. Don't get me started on shit like the release of Barthilas either - had to log on at 8am in the morning before school and wouldn't be in past the queue by the time I got home at 4pm. How about Wintergrasp lag where you couldn't move for 30 minutes every 2 hours because it completely screwed the server.

WoW fanbois - quick to jump on other MMO's failings but always forget to mention their own MMO's crap.

[Deleted]

World of Warcraft, Burning Crusade and Wrath all had major issues on release - servers weren't stable for weeks, in fact it used to be like that after every major patch. Don't get me started on shit like the release of Barthilas either - had to log on at 8am in the morning before school and wouldn't be in past the queue by the time I got home at 4pm. How about Wintergrasp lag where you couldn't move for 30 minutes every 2 hours because it completely screwed the server.

WoW fanbois - quick to jump on other MMO's failings but always forget to mention their own MMO's crap.

Seriously have you even tried the game? As a beta tester and a huge FF fanatic my opinion is that it's beyond saving.

[Gecko]

World of Warcraft, Burning Crusade and Wrath all had major issues on release - servers weren't stable for weeks, in fact it used to be like that after every major patch. Don't get me started on shit like the release of Barthilas either - had to log on at 8am in the morning before school and wouldn't be in past the queue by the time I got home at 4pm. How about Wintergrasp lag where you couldn't move for 30 minutes every 2 hours because it completely screwed the server.

WoW fanbois - quick to jump on other MMO's failings but always forget to mention their own MMO's crap.

I can't say that I experienced that on the server I play on (Azshara - one of the lowest of the low pop servers). Then again, I did try Emerald Dream for a bit and it was a horrible experience that I wish to never repeat with 2,000+ in Dalaran and WG being very near to your description.

[Deleted]

asians make as good games as they speak english

Metal Gear solid 1,2,3,4, ninja gaiden sigma, final fantasies 1-10, all castlevanias, dead or alive series, tekken series, shenmue 1 and 2, power stone 1 and 2, 2, super mario games, zelda games, resident evil series, just cause 2, silent hill series, naruto: ultimate ninja storm, soul calibur series and crazy taxi 1 and 2 prove you absolutely wrong.

[Viertel]

World of Warcraft, Burning Crusade and Wrath all had major issues on release - servers weren't stable for weeks, in fact it used to be like that after every major patch. Don't get me started on shit like the release of Barthilas either - had to log on at 8am in the morning before school and wouldn't be in past the queue by the time I got home at 4pm. How about Wintergrasp lag where you couldn't move for 30 minutes every 2 hours because it completely screwed the server.

WoW fanbois - quick to jump on other MMO's failings but always forget to mention their own MMO's crap.

More drivel posted from you; let me make something clear.

FFXIV doesn't fail because of the server lag. Every single MMO (and expansion) has server lag issues due to a massive spike of increased load. It's unavoidable and understandable. No one is deducting points from FFXIV because of this.

What you, and every other single, narrowminded Square-Enix Defender fails to notice are the gameplay flaws. It fails because of the core gameplay concepts -- they're fucking horrible.

Gameplay flaws != server issues.

Use your damn brain.

[Deleted]

Metal Gear solid 1,2,3,4, ninja gaiden sigma, final fantasies 1-10, all castlevanias, dead or alive series, tekken series, shenmue 1 and 2, power stone 1 and 2, 2, super mario games, zelda games, resident evil series, just cause 2, silent hill series, naruto: ultimate ninja storm, soul calibur series and crazy taxi 1 and 2 prove you absolutely wrong.

and don't forget the pokémon series, Metroid, Pacman and 90 % of the nintendo games.

[Viertel]

I can't speak for the "professional reviewers" but it looks like the Japanese gamers have spoken up. That's a little suprising in and of itself.

http://www.amazon.co.jp/product-revi...owViewpoints=1

[DarksunG]

Yeah no. FFXIV launched with the ability to do 8 regional quests, and 8 local quests per 36 hours. That's 16 quests in a day in a half. They're all fetch or kill quests with no variety. At level 10, and every 10 levels (until cap of 50) you get 1 quest that deals with the storyline.

The majority of the game is spent grinding experience, until your fatigue kicks in and the game decides to kick you in the nuts. Gathering is all a "Hot'n'Cold" game with diminishing returns kicking in after 30 minutes, with you getting virtually nothing after an hour. There is no AH, and since the retainer (offline, NPC bazaar type deal) is so awkward and useless -- you can only list 5 items -- it's not even worth mentioning: no way to establish any sort of game economy.

So, there's no real economy, no real content for leveling, and there's no endgame. You get copypasted terrain (yes, terrain: stop trying to say terrain is the same as doodads, idiot defenders), some halfass, poorly coded graphics engine, and shallow gameplay along with the worst UI designed in the history of MMOs.

There's a major difference between a work in progress (almost every other MMO) and a paid beta. FFXIV is the prime example of the paid beta.



It comes out tomorrow, Sept. 30th. Collector's Edition players got to 'enjoy' 8 days of pure grinding in a shallow world on the 22nd.

Played the beta.. I can't understand why anyone would play this game.. It's SO bad.

[Deleted]

and don't forget the pokémon series, Metroid, Pacman and 90 % of the nintendo games.

Ye lol, in my opinion japanese make the best games ever.