If you, like us, have been curious about the differences between Square's first MMO, Final Fantasy XI, and Square's upcoming MMO, Final Fantasy XIV, then a gameplay demonstration from GamesCom 2009 will likely provide an answer: One of the games has a "V" on the end of its title, while the other doesn't.
Okay, okay, there's a bit more to it than that. In the gameplay demo -- which was captured by GameVideos and posted after the jump -- we can see the biggest difference right away: The game's combat system has seen a major overhaul. Gone is the weird drop-down menu system, which looks to have been replaced by a much more streamlined hotbar, as seen in the whack-the-obese-chicken footage. Also, FFXIV looks absolutely stunning. That's not much a shocker, though, considering Squeenix's pedigree -- a history that includes beautiful-looking games and an inability to count sequentially.
[Via Massively]
Reader Comments (81)
Posted: Aug 19th 2009 4:44PM (Unverified) said
I'm not much for MMO's or online gaming in general...but this looks very good.
Posted: Aug 19th 2009 4:46PM (Unverified) said
Still early though....the clipping is gawdawful.
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Posted: Aug 19th 2009 5:17PM (Unverified) said
not much for online gaming but you still feel the need to whore your psn
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Posted: Aug 19th 2009 5:33PM Wiizer said
The guy that has been demoing XIV is either hiding the attacks, or he's just really horrible at controlling the characters.
He just runs around most of the time, and if we're lucky he spends five seconds attacking a bird that's been jabbing him in the back for the past 5 minutes..
Check GameTrailers, and there is not one demo where you can tell what the Hell he is doing.
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He just runs around most of the time, and if we're lucky he spends five seconds attacking a bird that's been jabbing him in the back for the past 5 minutes..
Check GameTrailers, and there is not one demo where you can tell what the Hell he is doing.
Posted: Aug 19th 2009 4:45PM eat it said
NO SINGLE PLAYER, NO BUY!
...sorry I've been spending too much time reading comments on the LBP post...
...sorry I've been spending too much time reading comments on the LBP post...
Posted: Aug 19th 2009 4:53PM (Unverified) said
Good one Paul.
Don't worry, someone will find something to complain about. Oopsie, I guess someone already did...."the clipping is gawdawful." I must be a super secret treeshitty fanboy, yes thats it....fooled all of you didn't I.
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Don't worry, someone will find something to complain about. Oopsie, I guess someone already did...."the clipping is gawdawful." I must be a super secret treeshitty fanboy, yes thats it....fooled all of you didn't I.
Posted: Aug 19th 2009 5:21PM Shagittarius said
At first I thought that was just a picture of some white guy, then after awhile I realized it was a member of the blueman group!
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Posted: Aug 19th 2009 4:46PM salid20 said
THis is gonna own FInal Fantasy XIII on so many levels..........no not really
Posted: Aug 19th 2009 4:55PM (Unverified) said
Jack_Jackington, you're missing the point of what SpyderTaco said...
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Posted: Aug 19th 2009 5:04PM (Unverified) said
lol i doubt hes a troll. maybe he just doesnt like mmos?
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Posted: Aug 19th 2009 4:46PM (Unverified) said
wow, compared to final fantasy 11 this looks great. gameplay looks better too. all im wondering is if square is gonna make a excuse to not release it on ps3 =( square has not even released one game on ps3.
Posted: Aug 19th 2009 4:51PM Brother Unit No 4 said
That would be hilarious considering this is PS3/PC-exclusive.
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Posted: Aug 19th 2009 4:53PM Andrew Yoon said
Actually, Square released Crystal Defenders a few weeks ago. And Final Fantasy VII PSone.
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Posted: Aug 19th 2009 5:45PM Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi said
Andrew those dont really count....lol
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Posted: Aug 19th 2009 6:48PM Xoonaka said
Come on Yoon, Crystal Defenders is trash. It was trash on the iPhone when I played it, and they didn't change much when porting it over to the PS3. Let's all pretend that one didn't happen.
By the by, I wonder how the "hotbar" scheme will translate over to consoles.
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By the by, I wonder how the "hotbar" scheme will translate over to consoles.
Posted: Aug 19th 2009 4:51PM (Unverified) said
This looks absolutely stunning, too bad we won't get our hands on for a couple of years.
And it also sucks that the video quality sucks, we here on the internets can't appreciate the beauty of the graphics.
And it also sucks that the video quality sucks, we here on the internets can't appreciate the beauty of the graphics.
Posted: Aug 19th 2009 4:52PM PantsParty said
I can't friggin wait! I spent so much time in FFXI.
Looks amazing!
Looks amazing!
Posted: Aug 19th 2009 4:57PM sithyaoigamer said
Looks purdy, but it's gonna take me a lot of convincing for me to stop playing WOW.
Posted: Aug 19th 2009 4:58PM (Unverified) said
I couldn't really tell from the video, but I really hope they did away with the hidden turn based combat from 11. I played 11 for a little bit because of a friend, and even though there wasn't any turn based bar I could remember seeing, the battle would always go like this
Friend attacks
Beast attacks
I attack, rinse and repeat until beast is dead.
At least in WoW, it's somewhat turn based but they have tricks that mask it very well. Rogues for example can use any combination of moves until their energy depletes, and then they wait..but you can get gear or enchants that can lessen the waiting time or make you attack faster.
Friend attacks
Beast attacks
I attack, rinse and repeat until beast is dead.
At least in WoW, it's somewhat turn based but they have tricks that mask it very well. Rogues for example can use any combination of moves until their energy depletes, and then they wait..but you can get gear or enchants that can lessen the waiting time or make you attack faster.
Posted: Aug 19th 2009 5:19PM (Unverified) said
Whatever the name, it's all the same thing when battles were constantly happening in the order that I listed.
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Posted: Aug 19th 2009 6:13PM (Unverified) said
Well keep in mind I only played a black mage until about level 18-20 before the boredom became too much and I told my friend I was cancelling. I played with my friend that whole time (I had to, couldn't kill anything on my own as a Black Mage...another issue I had with the game), and that's exactly how the sequence went with every encounter we had. I guess we were too low for those spells/gear.
I don't fault the game too much though, as it debuted before WoW changed everything. But if they repeat the same mistakes with 14 I'll be very upset.
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I don't fault the game too much though, as it debuted before WoW changed everything. But if they repeat the same mistakes with 14 I'll be very upset.
Posted: Aug 19th 2009 4:59PM (Unverified) said
You have to remember the game probably isn't gonna come out for another year.
Posted: Aug 19th 2009 5:03PM Elfonzyo2 said
I looks like the damage has been increased.......
Oh and it looks awesome, I shall be getting it for sure.
Oh and it looks awesome, I shall be getting it for sure.
Posted: Aug 19th 2009 5:04PM Lukeyo said
THEY GOT RID OF THE SHITTY MENUS WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Posted: Aug 19th 2009 5:05PM (Unverified) said
there are some problems but they still have time to fix them
and it looks really good..
i try to stay away from these games but i might give it a try..
and it looks really good..
i try to stay away from these games but i might give it a try..
Posted: Aug 19th 2009 5:06PM (Unverified) said
This is giving me flashback of FFXI ... /fish ... /fish ... 'Your fishing increased by .0001'
Posted: Aug 19th 2009 5:06PM (Unverified) said
wait who said this is free to play
Posted: Aug 19th 2009 5:08PM Abriael said
Lol, really? They actually kept the game an almost complete secret until one year from release. It's pretty unprecedented in the MMO industry
Posted: Aug 19th 2009 5:09PM Abriael said
What's most impressive is the depth of the field of vision. You can really see miles away. No damn little fog to hide the flaws of the engine. It looks simply lovely.
Posted: Aug 19th 2009 5:09PM Kaio said
FFXIV is going to be awesome.
Posted: Aug 19th 2009 5:11PM Shagittarius said
FFXI was such crap they are gonna have to do an awful lot more than that to convince me to give them another shot at it.
Posted: Aug 19th 2009 5:20PM jynxycat said
Clipping like that can be fixed in a few days :P
Considering we JUST learned about the game at E3, I'd say to even have a playable version of the game, is good progress.
Considering we JUST learned about the game at E3, I'd say to even have a playable version of the game, is good progress.
Posted: Aug 19th 2009 5:20PM Captain Planet Planeteer Power said
I think someone at Square Enix poured a little too much weak sauce into that, paltry (or should I say, poultry? :snickers:) at best, gameplay footage.
Posted: Aug 19th 2009 5:26PM Abriael said
It'll be fun to see all the 360 fanboys that now are spewing hate on the game, suddenly start to appreciate it when the 360 version will (quite probably) be announced :D
Posted: Aug 19th 2009 5:32PM ummhello said
damn this looks awesome.....but why does it have to be an MMO? unless it's free to play, I'm not getting this.
Posted: Aug 19th 2009 5:52PM (Unverified) said
I'm more then happy to pay for a monthly subscription of a game that doesn't stink like the majority of free mmos instead of playing a bad free to play and then also being forced to buy extra gear, items, jobs, quests etc.
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Posted: Aug 19th 2009 5:35PM (Unverified) said
Oh FFXI, how much I disliked thee. Hopefully FFXIV will be better!
Posted: Aug 19th 2009 6:17PM (Unverified) said
you musta dislike it cause no one help you or u just suck at it!
veteran for 7 years FFXI best experince my friend.
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veteran for 7 years FFXI best experince my friend.
Posted: Aug 19th 2009 5:41PM (Unverified) said
I downvoted you, I bet you it won't be free to play.
Posted: Aug 19th 2009 5:41PM Mr Khan said
Looks just like FFXI so far. The proof is in the details, i guess, something a guy like me wouldn't notice.
I should really send this to my friend, though. He's still on that game religiously
I should really send this to my friend, though. He's still on that game religiously
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