With Final Fantasy XIV(FFXIV)'s Patch 6.3 around the corner, players will definitely be playing the game again. This will most likely lead to non-players becoming interested in the game. If you are one of those players and are wondering if you should start your journey in this game, then don't worry. Here are 10 reasons why you should try out and play the critically-acclaimed MMORPG FFXIV, from its gameplay to its story, to its free trial.

Free Trial
Whenever the FFXIV Free Trial gets brought up, it usually comes in the form of a spiel. Specifically, it comes in this form:

Did you know that the critically-acclaimed MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV has a free trial up to Level 60 and includes the entirety of A Realm Reborn and the award-winning expansion Heavensward with no restriction on playtime?

In case you were wondering, I typed that from memory. This free trial is something FFXIV is really known for, and for good reason. I had friends who played FFXIV, and although they did not say this outright, the good points they listed down about the free trial were basically what I said above. You get to play the game for free up to level 60, you don't have restrictions on playtime, and you get to play both A Realm Reborn (ARR), the base game, and the first expansion, Heavensward (HW).

Just to clarify, by the way, the “up to Level 60” part doesn't mean you can't play anymore once you reach Level 60. It just means you can't level up past Level 60 (the game's current level cap is 90). Not only that, but unlike most other MMORPGs, that's level 60 on ALL of the classes players have access to (from A Realm Reborn to Heavensward, which is 13 classes). Before I bought the full game myself, I had already spent at least 556 hours in this game. That was when I finished HW and hit 60 in a lot of classes. Even then, I could still play the game. What other free trial lets you do that?

Low system requirements

Now, let's say that you want to try the Free Trial. You might be worried that such a game would need powerful computers to run. After all, some modern MMORPGs have system requirements that rival AAA games. Thankfully, you don't have to worry about that. Taking a look at the minimum system requirements, it's actually pretty tame.

  • OS: Windows 8, 10, 11, 64-bit
  • CPU: Intel Core i5 2.4Ghz or higher
  • RAM: 4GB or higher
  • Disk space: 80+GB (full game with all expansions)
  • Graphics Card: NVidia Geforce GTX750 or higher, AMD Radeon R7 260x or higher
  • Screen Resolution: 1280×720

These system requirements are a far cry from a lot of modern games, mainly because this game has been out since 2013. Thankfully, the game's system requirements still reflect that. This also serves to really help players get into the game. Also, if you have a PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5, you don't have to worry about the specs at all and just play on your console.

Great character customization

Let's say you've downloaded FFXIV for free, and you are now creating your new character. Final Fantasy XIV's character creation is not as extensive as, say, some Bethesda games or those with a lot of sliders. Even so, the game gives you quite a bit of freedom when it comes to making your character. You can adjust your character's height, bust size, hairstyle and color, eye shape and color, and more. If you're picking some of the other races, like the dragon-like Au Ra (best race) or the bunny Viera (which sadly needs the Shadowbringers expansion), you can even adjust the appearance of their horns and ears respectively. What's better is that your appearance actually matters in FFXIV.

FFXIV isn't like a lot of games with character creation. You don't spend hours making a character, only to never see it again. You will see your character's appearance the whole game, and you will actually learn to love your character, much as I did.

Cosmetics on point

Since we're on the topic of characters, let's talk about game cosmetics. A lot of FFXIV players consider cosmetics, or Glamour as the game calls it, as the true end game. Players can make armor take on the appearance of other armor (with conditions of course), which lets them spice up their looks. Do you want to be a Paladin with black armor and evil-looking weapons? You can do that. Maybe you want to be cute while wielding a scythe emanating with dark energy? That's also possible. Are you in the mood to look evil while wielding healing White Magic? You can make that happen. Glamour is such a huge part of this game, and is something you will have to experience for yourself.

Beautiful scenery

Once you log in to play FFXIV, you will immediately see just how much effort the developers put into it. From the forests of Gridania, to the waters of Limsa Lominsa, to the sands of Ul'dah, you will see just how much love and detail went into creating these locations. Not only that, but as you progress into the game, you will reach even more places, like the snowy mountains of Coerthas, or the Japan-like Doma. You will go far and wide in your travels in Eorzea, and it will all look very beautiful.

Really good story

The story of FFXIV is also a very good one. Of course, you will hear some people argue that the base game, A Realm Reborn, has a slow, almost slogging start and that the story really begins at Heavensward. I am inclined to agree with this statement, mainly because there were times when I did feel like that. In fact, players can purchase FFXIV story skips, so that they can get to the “good parts” already. However, I highly recommend AGAINST doing that.

Before this game is an MMORPG, it is a Final Fantasy game. The amount of care, love, and attention that the developers and writers put into FFXIV's story is insane. There are many times when I find myself thinking that I wish I could wipe away my memory of FFXIV so that I can experience the story fresh all over again. Sure, there are times when FFXIV's story gets slow, like between ARR and HW, or parts of the Stormblood expansion. However, once the puzzle pieces fall into place, and you realize just how well the writing is, it will all be worth it. So please, don't skip the cutscenes and conversations.

Likable characters

In your journey through Eorzea you will meet a variety of characters. There are your main allies, like Y'shtola Rhuul or Nanamo Ul Namo, as well as side characters such as the marriage assistant in the church. In your side quests, you will meet even more people, each with their own goals, aspirations, and desires. Although some of the characters are just there to fill up the world, a vast majority of them help in world-building, teaching you so many details that you won't get from just playing the Main Quests. Who knows, you might find your favorite game NPC here.

FFXIV has gameplay

FFXIV's gameplay plays a lot like other MMORPGs. This is, of course, not a bad thing. The developers managed to get the feel of an MMORPG right, while also not taking away from the Final Fantasy experience. Your attacks feel fantastical enough, the various dungeons and trials are nicely done, and more. The game just feels so good to play, and it feels very optimized. They also have a little something for everyone, giving players so much freedom. You can dungeon dive, go treasure hunting, gamble at the casino, and even go on fishing trips. There is so much gameplay to experience in FFXIV, that you can spend hundreds of hours just doing whatever you want.

Welcoming community

What's even better is the community. FFXIV won Best Community Support during TGA 2022, as well as  Best Community in the Golden Joystick, and for good reason. Toxicity is very rare in FFXIV. Sure, you will sometimes meet players who don't like how you play or think you should do things differently. However, they are a small minority of players. A lot of the players here love helping each other out. If you need help in a dungeon, chances are there is someone who will help you. If you don't know the mechanics of a raid, there are people who will take the time to teach you what to do. What's even better is that as a whole, players refuse to spoil new players about the story. We all know what it's like to play FFXIV and experience its story and gameplay for the first time.

That's something we want our new players, or Sprouts, to experience.

Amazing developers

And finally, let's talk about the game's developers. Naoki Yoshida, who fans lovingly call Yoshi-P, has been this game's producer ever since it relaunched. It was thanks to his work, as well as those working under him, that FFXIV is the way it is now. You can tell just how much the developers love this game. FFXIV's music (shoutout to Masayoshi Soken by the way),writing (Natsuko Ishikawa is the best), gameplay, and so much more were made with love from the developers. Not only that but the developers even care about the players. Yoshi-P plays the game itself, so he knows exactly what needs to be done. He even said before that it's okay not to play the game, as people do get burnt out from MMORPGs.

It really goes to show that the team behind this game doesn't just see sources of money. They see people who hunger for a good game.

In any case, these are ten reasons why you should play the critically-acclaimed MMORPG FFXIV. If you want to try out FFXIV's Free Trial, you can check out the PlayStation Store or the official website (PC) to sign up. Hopefully, you will get to experience FFXIV's story, gameplay, and more for yourself. Once you're done with the free trial, you can buy FFXIV for yourself and play everything else.