Final Fantasy XI details, "impressions"

[01.01.02] » Featuring man-on-the-street interviews straight outta Japan.

   The current issue of Japanese gaming-Bible Famitsu contains an exhaustive feature on Final Fantasy XI. This feature reveals the intriguing fact that the character classes available from the beginning of the game are none other than the character classes from the original NES Final Fantasy. Yes, that means the player may choose to be a Fighter, Monk, Thief, White Mage, or Red Mage.

   The feature, which takes the cover of the year-end special issue of Famitsu, also reveals two new character races. Until now, only the human Humes, the elven Elvarns, and the cute and fuzzy Taru-tarus were shown. Now, Square reveals two more classes: the female-only Misura (perhaps to be romanized as "Mithra") and the male-only Garuga. The Mithra in many ways resemble catwomen, with pointed ears and long tails; the Garuga in many ways resemble a hornless Ox from the original Breath of Fire. Famitsu calls the Mithra both "fast" and "agile"; tall and lithe, they will probably be the race of choice for aspiring theives all over the game-playing world. The brutish Garuga will no doubt be able to don the armor and weapons of fighters, beat in the faces of many people, steal their armor and gold, and rise to the highest levels of the character rankings.

   Famitsu also generously includes a look at Final Fantasy XIs promising battle system. In a few paragraphs, they exhaustively lay down the line again and again: there will be no random encounters in Final Fantasy XI. Nor will the battles be Diablo II or Phantasy Star Online-esque hack-and-slash fests. Rather, as the player wanders the fields of Final Fantasy XI, he or she will see many enemies doing the same. A press of the "target" button will allow the player to enter an "auto-attack" real-time battle with the monster or monsters in question. In this battle, much like in a real-time strategy game, the player character will continually attack the enemy unless told to do otherwise. "Otherwise," in this case, involves the simple pop-up menu choices of defend, magic, ability, item, and flee. When the player chooses a command such as magic, there is casting time involved, just as there is using time involved when selecting an item.

   Famitsu states that the transition from field map to battle is seamless. However, as the pictures show, this transition does include a Baldurs Gate II-like text window describing the amount of damage done by whom to whom. The text in this window is conveniently color-coded, and, according to a few Tokyo high school kids enjoying a Sunday off school in their favorite hangout -- the Fujimidai Seven Eleven -- "a little ugly, and too PC-game-like." However, rumors from beta testers suggest that this window may be resizable.

   The new system for Final Fantasy XI is the "Region system," giving players a choice of three kingdoms to call home. Although the three countries in the world of Vana D'iel each have an innate race, the player is not bound to a specific region with their choice; for example, if you you want to be a Garuga in the Hume-populated empire of Bastok or a Hume in the independent Taru-taru state of Windurst, you are free to do so.

   The region system is perhaps the main "hook" of the game, as well as the main clue as to how its story components will work. Players in each region wiork together for control of the world, and can join parties with other citizens of their region to attack parties or cities in other regions. Once a week, points are awarded to each region. What these points are for, and what it all has to do with Final Fantasy XI's as-of-yet unrevealed story, is a mystery for now.

   Final Fantasy XI is currently in its beta-testing phase, which began on December 7th. It is the first Final Fantasy game to require a beta test, and if Famitsu's reader surveys are any indication, probably the last one to beta-test in Japan only.

   "What do you think of Final Fantasy XI?" Famitsu asked Tokyo's thousands of videogame dealers last week. 35% said it would be a hit, 4% said there is no way to tell, and 65% said it will not be a hit, citing such examples as the failure of the Saturn Netlink, the overwhelming price of the PS2 HDD peripheral and modem, and the Dreamcast's inability to sell its networking despite the modem's inclusion with the system.

   When asked "What do YOU think of Final Fantasy XI?" readers replied in generally the same way. Only 18% said they would play the game, 30% said they were "waiting," and an overwhelming 52% said they would not play the game.

   As for the schoolboys in the Fujimidai Seven Eleven, they fall into the "waiting" category.

   "I don't want to spend that much money," one said.

   "It looks too American," said another.

   "It'll probably sell in America, like Metal Gear Solid 2," they all concurred.

   One thirty-five year old Dragon Quest fan, who wishes to remain anonymous, said he'll definitely pick up the game on its release day. "I've played RPGs since college," he said. "Only after Dragon Quest VII, only now that I'm married with children do I want to play games with other people." Will Final Fantasy XI find the market it needs in this older crowd? For the sake of its own future, Square undoubtedly hopes so.

   In other Final Fantasy X news, Squaresoft has placed a trailer for the game on PlayOnline. The movie shows gameplay scenes as well as a bit of dialogue.

   Thanks to Tim Rogers for the translation and David Lemire for the tip.