Check out our full detailed review of the PC/PS3 version of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn.
From the myriad of MMOs that are currently out in the market, Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn is probably one of my favorites when it launched back in 2013 for PS3 and PC. Since its launch, the game has received many updates and content to motivate subscribers to get their money’s worth. Several months following its launch on the PC and PS3, Square Enix has finally been able to bring the game on the PS4 with a plethora of improvements compared to its PS3 counterpart.
Gamers who don’t have a PC, they most likely have picked up the PS3 version. While the quality isn’t as good as on PC, the PS3 version wasn’t as perfect as everyone hoped it to be. One of the biggest gripes for PS3 players with Final Fantasy XIV is the inability to customize the UI, muddy textures, and pretty much the resolution that makes the text too big. Well, all of those things will change with the PS4 version as it’s probably the closest you can get to the PC version. Thanks to its cross-platform play, gamers will not have to worry about finding players to play with.
One of the biggest features of the PS4 version is its resolution. Gamers who will pick the game up on PS4 will experience the game in glorious 1080p with higher frame rates compared to the PS3 version. The textures that many PS3 gamers find annoying will be fixed in the PS4 version as the visual clarity of the game is pretty and detailed. Comparing it to the PC version that runs the game at its max settings, the PS4 version runs very close – though differences in shadows and textures are much more precise in the PC version.
Regardless if you are fond of using keyboards or the standard controller when playing MMOs, the versatility of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn when it comes to controls are there. As someone who is fond of playing MMOs on PC, the ability to hook up my wireless bluetooth keyboard and my Razer Naga Mouse pleases me a lot. There are times I’m thinking that I’m playing the game on PC but in reality, it’s all running on PS4. No mouse and keyboard? Don’t worry! The game can be played on your DUALSHOCK 4 controller and thanks to its touchpad, players will have access to a virtual mouse.
Playing the game using the DUALSHOCK 4 controller can be quite confusing at first and will take a while before players can get used it. Using skills can be performed by holding a combination of L2, L2, D-pad, and face buttons. If you have played the PS3 version, it’s exactly the same concept. With a plethora of skills that you can have in this game and actions, those who will use a controller will have to switch around through different sets – it’s quite a work but once you get used to it, all will be smooth.
