When comparing Final Fantasy XIV Online: A Realm Reborn vs World of Warcraft, the Slant community recommends Final Fantasy XIV Online: A Realm Reborn for most people. In the question“What are the best online multiplayer games on PC?” Final Fantasy XIV Online: A Realm Reborn is ranked 2nd while World of Warcraft is ranked 9th. The most important reason people chose Final Fantasy XIV Online: A Realm Reborn is:
The combat in FFXIV is incredibly polished. It requires quick, real-time decisions and reactions, as well as a plan for how your team is going to take on whatever you're fighting. Like many games, it begins as simply hitting your attack buttons and waiting for your abilities to be ready again. FFXIV, however, has taken it a step further and has implemented complex combos and other interactions. These other interactions often have wildly different end results, so you must decide how best to use them.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Combat is very in-depth
The combat in FFXIV is incredibly polished. It requires quick, real-time decisions and reactions, as well as a plan for how your team is going to take on whatever you're fighting.
Like many games, it begins as simply hitting your attack buttons and waiting for your abilities to be ready again. FFXIV, however, has taken it a step further and has implemented complex combos and other interactions. These other interactions often have wildly different end results, so you must decide how best to use them.
Pro The story is incredible
Most MMORPGs don't offer much in the way of a story line, but that is not the case with FFXIV. The story will span the entire world, and is completing it is actually a requirement to get into most of the game's content. However, it doesn't feel like you're being forced into following a story you don't care about, the characters get into your head and you begin to feel like an actual hero.
It's very well written, and can be listened to in multiple languages if you prefer that.
Pro An absolutely stunning game
Final Fantasy XIV is gorgeous. The developers clearly put a lot of time and energy into creating all types of climates, ranging from harsh, desolate deserts to untamed, icy wastelands. The cities and villages in this game are vibrant and alive, while the cinematics can be dreary and depressing.
Apart from the landscapes, the spells and abilities of this game will take you by surprise. Every ability is animated very well, and has gorgeous pixel designs to pull you even further into the game.
Pro Play all classes with one character
You don't have to create a different character for every single class. Your one character can be every single class. Each class has a specific weapon (bow for archers, daggers for rogue, axes for marauders, etc.), and you just equip that weapon type and your character switches classes. Each class starts at level, so you have to level each class you want to play, but there are numerous ways to get exp so it feels a little less like a grindy chore.
Pro Plenty of side-quests to keep the player busy
For those that would like to level their character without having to d a lot of grinding in dungeons or the main story, There is quite a lot of side-quests on offer in this game. So many in fact that the player could level up through mainly side-quests if they liked. Every area the player reachers will see plenty of NPCs that will offer a new quest to go out on (an even sometimes multiple quests), which not only means a ton of content but an actual story to the game (that is different from the main quest) that can keep the player involved without feeling like they are repeating the same things over and over again.
Pro Very polished
The game is very old now but has been under constant development since release so despite its age it still looks and plays very well.
Pro Most recognized MMO in existence
WoW is the defacto MMO, almost every MMO created after it came out has been influenced by it in some way. Still to this day it is one of the most played MMO's online and has one of the largest brands tied to its name.
Pro Constant stream of new content
Title says it all. Best MMO ever made.
Pro Low system requirements
Due to the stylised 'cartoon' graphics you won't need a top end gaming rig to be able to play WoW and have it look good.
Cons
Con Pay to play
The game itself has a base price of $19.99, but also has expansion pack prices that could be added on top of that. This is just to get the game, once purchased the player will also need to pay a monthly subscription of $12.99 to continue playing the game, which can add up over time making for a pretty steep investment for some.
Con Tedious experience
WoW doesn't offer an engaging story [until endgame] or anything beyond point-and-click gameplay, especially with the many other MMORPGs following its model, which leads it to quickly become tedious.
Con Class homogenisation
In the early days of WoW there were significant differences between the classes; classes had unique skills which defined that class and giving it its identity. Unfortunately, over the years, most of that variety has been stripped away and now all of the classes have minimal differences other than being ranged, melee, healer or tank.
While this was done to (unsuccessfully) bring balance to the classes, it ultimately resulted in a lot of the flavour of the game being stripped away leaving a much blander experience overall.
Con It's all about the destination, not the journey
Vanilla Wow used to have a very slow leveling process, this allowed people to experience and enjoy the world and dungeons as they leveled up. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case and the leveling process has been completely destroyed by being made trivial. It is so fast that if you enter a dungeon you will almost certainly have out leveled any loot you find by the time you finish it. Not that most people worry about loot while leveling as most players have access to heirlooms which further trivialise the leveling process and turn your character into a leveling God.
Con Subscription required
WoW requires a $15-a-month sub to play. This can definitely deter some people from playing. There is a trial mode, but it is very restrictive.