Final Fantasy XI Online review:4 stars (To Amazon buyers.) - To Amazon Buyer,

When you purchase this game purchase it new. a used game will most likely not be playable. This game is unique in that a registration key becomes invalid after 3-4 months of play. What this means is that the game is garbage... literaly. Once a key is dead the game is defective and you have to repurchase it. Even if the game was only played 1 or 2 times, that 3-4 month rule still stands... unless the seller has been paying the monthly fee right up untill you recieve the game.5 stars (Fun and addicting - maybe a little too addicting.) - I'm going to start out by saying that I don't play this game anymore,so a lot of things may have changed and this review may not be completely accurate. I stopped playing because the game got way too addicting for me and took over my life. This game is very time-consuming and addictive. If you want a game where you can maybe play an hour every now and then, this isn't the one. Only play it if you have LOTS of time to spare, or else you'll get nowhere. Sometimes it can take over an hour to just form or find a decent party. It also not a soloing game. There is only ONE profession that is made for soloing, and you can't even get that until you reach level twenty. It would be possible to solo if you really want to, but it's no easy task and would probably take about ten times as long. If you're looking for a good MMORPG that isn't quite so time-consuming, yet still fun and challenging, I would suggest Guild Wars.

Everything is made difficult in this game, which is one thing I
actually liked about it. It is very real, lots of real life aspects and no easy ways to do things. In some games traveling is easy to cut back on wasted time, but not in this game. It is pure walking until you reach level twenty. To bring that into perspective, it takes about twenty minutes to walk from one side of one of the major kingdoms to the other. Even when you can get a chocobo at level twenty, it's nice at first, but it still takes forever and costs you quite a chunck of gil (money). There eventually are easier ways to travel, but those are way down the road.

One of the things that really ruined the game for me was the situation a higher levels. I started playing the game on the day it was released, and since I put so much time into it, eventually I was one of the very few American players my level on the server. And I mean very few, maybe about four others. There were Japanese players my level, but it was difficult to group with them, because the Japanese players, as you may know, frequently do not like to party with Americans. So basically I was stuck. It was taking me literally about four hours average to find/form a party, and that's if I was lucky. I'm sure there are plenty of high-level American players now, but at the time it was just not set up well.

The graphics are gorgeous, the battle system is perfect, and the
players aren't as bad as some of the ones I've seen in other MMORPGs. However, the servers can get very crowded, especially in certain hotspot leveling areas, and even on a fast computer it can be extremely diffiuclt to move around. If you're thinking this will have it's typical Final Fantasy vibe to it, don't, because it's nothing like any Final Fantasy game you've ever played. It really is a game you can fall in love with though, especially if you enjoy working hard and don't depend on cheats and shortcuts to get through games. One of the best games I've ever played!4 stars (A few nits, but overall an exremely solid game) - I enjoy playing this game immensely, playing it more often than any other game. A lot of the things other people dislike, I found are the best parts of the game.

For example, players have to cooperate to get things done. Personally, I think that's good. There's very little actual role playing, but I'd rather get to know a real person than a flimsy myth.

There is a bit of a steep learning curve. At first, it's very hard to do anything. You will have to put some time into learning your way around, and it's best if you have real-life or online friends who already play.

People make a lot about the random dying. The thing is, at low levels, dying isn't a big deal. You come back, you lose a few experience points, big deal.

One nice thing is that there's always something new for you to do when you get to a higher level. Others have complained about all these quests that you are given that you cannot do. Well, these are things for you to work on, and as you work up, you will get more assignments. It's not like you get everything when you first start playing.

Yes, moving around is tedious. I agree that this is probably the most serious nit. But this does it make it more rewarding when you gain the ability to ride a Chocobo, ride an Airship, or learn a teleport spell.

I thought this game wouldn't be good for people who really demand instant gratification from a game. But my 9 year old son, who definitely is in that category, just bought a copy with his own money and plan to contribute some of his allowance to the monthly fee. (I'll help him with that, though, it is one of the pricier MMORPHs.)

Square Enix has been actively developing and maintaining the game. They respond to requests and complaints and add new features and special events constantly. You can bet there will be something special for Christmas, Easter, Valentine's Day, and so on.

Final Fantasy XI Online Features:
Computer Role Playing Games (Game, rpgs, rpg, crpg, crpgs)
CD
Note: this online-only game requires an Internet connection and charges a monthly fee payable by credit card
Massively multiplayer online roleplaying Final Fantasy game
Experience missions by yourself or join up with other party members to form alliances
Explore the incredibly vast environments that make up Vana'diel
Connect and communicate with thousands of other gamers

Final Fantasy XI Online is the CD-ROM version. The full version can be purchased by clicking on the "CLICK HERE TO ORDER" button below for around  19.99USD.