I first played Final Fantasy 14 back in 2010 in its original form and like a lot of gamers, I came away thinking that Square Enix had finally succeeded in killing off its most valuable franchise. Quests were broken, the frame rate was awful, combat was a joke; in short, the title got very little right and everything else wrong. But as of April 2014, Final Fantasy 14 PlayStation gamers are second fiddle no more. The release of the title on PS4 has shored up many of the PS3 version’s shortcomings and has added additional functionality that in some ways outshines even the PC release. PS3 players with a PS4 wondering if they should upgrade to the new version have already had that decision made for them by Square Enix. All players who own the PS3 version of Final Fantasy 14 can automatically upgrade and download the title on PS4 for free. The only caveat is that doing so will remove your license for the game on PS3. If you haven’t yet purchased a PS4, this title may not be worth the $400 investment by itself, but if you’ve already moved on to the next generation, this upgrade is a no brainer. The other big feature for the PS4 version of the title is support for Remote Play on Playstation Vita. To be clear, this reviewer does not own a Vita but I should still note that everything I’ve seen elsewhere on this feature is that it’s an overall positive addition to the game. Battling through a complex fight might be a little difficult with the limited control options, but the Vita looks perfect for checking the Auction House and working on your crafting. The ability to play a massive MMO the size of Final Fantasy 14 on a handheld is an impressive technological feat if nothing else. The main storyline is just as good as ever on the PS4. I personally feel it’s one of the stronger stories Square Enix has put together in an RPG in quite some time, although I should note that it doesn’t really take off until your character is in the mid 30s. The user interface, which tended to overwhelm even the largest TV screen on the PS3, has received a much needed revamp and no longer gets in your way. I still found the default size of the text to be much too small and would often get off of my couch and walk closer to the screen on occasion before I decided to put the time in and customize it to my liking. Some dips on the frame rate can still occur if you are tackling something like a FATE with a large amount of other players, but overall it’s a smooth experience. You can share all of these improvements with your friends through the PS4’s built-in social features that allow you to share photos and videos of the game. Those coming from a PC will not be nearly as impressed, as a high end PC is still king when it comes to graphics, draw distance, frame rate, and other such variables. That said, only the most discerning of gamers will notice or care about the difference. Combat in Final Fantasy 14 on the PS4 follows the same basic feel of every MMO since EverQuest and World of Warcraft. I will again note that the ability to hotkey your abilities to the controller can actually create a more intuitive experience than on the PC. The game allows each character to learn all of the many classes, and mix and match abilities from each. As someone who hates leveling alts in MMOs, this is still one of my favorite features of the game. Level up the classes you want on just one character and be done with it. An entirely new gameplay experience is as simple as switching out your gear. Final Fantasy 14‘s soundtrack is on par with other top titles in the franchise’s excellent musical history. That’s probably not surprising to anyone who knows that the one and only Nobuo Uematsu was involved. In fact, 14 is the first game since Final Fantasy 9 to have its original score at launch entirely composed by Uematsu. Additional composers have pitched in since then but it’s clear that it is Uematsu’s game. There are plenty of slight nods to other soundtracks from previous Final Fantasy games for those with a keen ear. My only disappointment is that a large part of the main story is told through text, with only the biggest events receiving voice acting. I suppose that’s acceptable, though, for a game of this size. If you’ve been away from the game for some time, you’ve missed two major patches that have added hours of replayability to the game. There are plenty of new dungeons, boss fights, and even player housing to sink hours of game time into. +STORY +GRAPHICS +SOUND +REPLAYABILITY
