Final Fantasy XIV

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Popular franchise continues as MMO, with fantasy violence.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Final Fantasy XIV is an MMORPG (Massively Multi-player Online Role Playing Game) that requires players to pay not only for the core software but also for a monthly subscription. It has fantasy blood shown as players fight fantasy forces of evil.The game can be incredibly fun to play and may prove addictive. Parents might want to keep a watch on gameplay time limits. Note, too, that online play allows players to communicate by text. Filters are in place to screen many potentially offensive terms, but players can still share personal information.

  • Players are engaged in defeating evil, but violence plays a significant role in gameplay and is the primary means to many ends.
  • Although there are the more colorful characters around the towns, all main characters are heroic or overcome disadvantages to achieve their goals.
  • This franchise has historically had a steep learning curve. This latest iteration may be friendlier than its predecessor, but nevertheless is still challenging to understand and master.
  • Players fight forces of evil with swords, bows and arrows, magic, and other weapons both realistic and fantastical. Cut scenes display acts of violence where humans are hurt and monsters killed, with colored blood spilling.
  • Some outfits for character avatars can be sexy and there is some sexy talk, as when a character in a town of pirates talks about "polishing his mast."
  • The word "s--t" can be heard in dialogue and character text. And women are called "whores."
  • Not an issue. Although this franchise is merchandised in movies, action figures, and such, players will not see these products in the game.
  • Characters are referred to as "drunks," and there are inns where adventurers gather and drink ale and wine.

What's it about?

Set in the fantasy world of Eorzea complete with a pantheon of twelve gods and goddesses, FINAL FANTASY XIV will engage players in myriad missions and see them fighting the forces of evil using a combination of weapons such as swords and spears and magical spells including lightning bolts and fire balls. This is the 14th major installment of the Final Fantasy franchise. It shares themes and elements from earlier games but features a completely new world and story.


Is it any good?

 

Fans of Final Fantasy will find many of the franchise's iconic elements here, including sweeping musical themes, memorable characters, Chocobos (giant flightless birds we can ride), and movie-like cutscenes that feature the player's protagonist. The story and game world are wonderfully rich and complex. Players are not
limited to a single class and consequently can learn many skills -- many of which have nothing to do with fighting, such as fishing, mining, cooking, and
leatherworking.

Unfortunately, it's not an easy game to learn. The tutorial and help screens, for example, could use more mouse-over hot-tips. Most players will be forced to rely on fan sites or Square Enix's own web site for tips and explanations. However, once you get used to your interface of choice (the game supports both a PS3 gamepad and a keyboard-and-mouse setup), MMORPG fans will likely find the game a rich and satisfying challenge.

Online interaction: The online experience can vary greatly between players. The game has the usual protections of a default word filter for stronger words such as "f--k" as well as the ability to ignore and report other players. However as it is a teen-rated game, there's a black list of words that cannot be used as opposed to white-lists of allowed words. Note that these filters do not necessarily deter players from sharing personal information.


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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about how online games can be addictive and why setting computer time limits can be a good idea. How long a session do you feel is needed to "get something done" in this game? Do some missions require more time and others less?  Can you play the longer missions on a weekend instead of a school night?

  • Families can also talk about staying safe online. Do you know who you are playing with? Are you exchanging personal information with these people?


This review was written by Carolyn Koh
Teen, 16 years old
October 11, 2010
 
Sounds simler 2 FFXI
this reminds me of final fantasy XI (11) bcause this is a mmorpg ff sequel.

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Parent of 2 year old
October 7, 2010
 
A broken, unfinished mess.
This is just a poor product. It's unfinished, buggy and terrible time-sink. Don't waste your or your kid's time on it.

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Teen, 16 years old
October 8, 2010
 
bububu

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Adult
October 16, 2010
 
Good game!
This is a nice game that I was able to get free from *tinyurl*/33ghaf9.

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This review was written by Carolyn Koh
Platforms:Windows
Available online?Available online
Genre:Massively Multi-player Online Game (MMOG)
Developer:Square Enix
Release date:September 30, 2010
Price:$49.99 + $12.99 monthly
ESRB rating:T for Alcohol Reference, Animated Blood, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence

This review was written by Carolyn Koh

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

 

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