FINAL FANTASY XIV Online - Switch 2 Review
"The mad lads not only pulled it off, but they did a great job of it as well!"
It’s well known that FINAL FANTASY XIV Online is considered one of the best MMOs out there, and now, with its release on the Switch 2 on August 14th, it’s now available on a Nintendo console for the first time. It seems unbelievable that something originally available only on PC is now on every current-generation console, including the portable Switch 2. So how does the tiny but mighty console hold up to one of the biggest games it’s ever had?
The Good
I can’t really talk about FFXIV without addressing the elephant in the room: the free trial. If you’ve never played the game before, use the trial. The trial has been expanded to include not just A Realm Reborn but also Heavensward, Stormblood and Shadowbringers. That’s almost ten years' worth of content. Players can play the entire game up to level 80 without paying a cent. There are two restrictions, though. Trial players cannot invite others to a party, but they can join a party they have been invited to. They also cannot initiate trades, but other players can trade with them. During this time, there are no subscription fees and no upfront fees. There’s literally nothing to lose from trying it this way.
One of the reasons that the free trial is such a good deal is because it contains both Heavensward and Shadowbringers, which received critical acclaim for their writing, along with Endwalker. It’s kind of a meme that you should never skip the story in FINAL FANTASY XIV Online, but it’s only because it’s true. It starts confusingly, as the opening sequence shows what happened at the end of 1.0 when the servers were shut down. I remember when I first saw it, I had no idea who any of the characters were or what was happening. A Realm Reborn takes place five years later after the events of that opening. Now, five expansions later, I have a fondness for all the characters, as well as great memories. Just…be prepared for the emotional damage.
Speaking of emotional damage, the music for the game is fantastic. Playing the Shiva trial is an experience that I personally love taking new players through because it’s when the music goes beyond the next level. So much of the music is attached to the game that sometimes just hearing the music can bring back the emotions I felt at certain points. I know I often have favourites in the base game and each expansion, but trying to pick overall favourites is hard simply because there is so much good music. It was actually something that disappointed me with Dawntrail: the motifs from the trailer were overused, but it’s the only expansion that does it.
The great writing and the fantastic music are supported by a genuinely interesting world. Each dungeon has its own lore. Side characters may come and go, but they often remember the Warrior of Light. Even items in the game have lore attached to them. I remember how excited I was that we were going to Thavnair in Endwalker, as the game had so many items from that location. It definitely lived up to my expectations! There’s flavour text for everything. NPCs move locations and have conversations. In one particularly desolate area, an NPC is hanging from the edge of a cliff about to fall. You can’t save him, trust me; I tried. There is no reason for this NPC to be there, other than to mess with players. That’s the level of detail that the world goes into. Those jumping into FFXIV for the first time might be a bit apprehensive of the fact that they are starting so far behind everyone, but they needn’t worry. Not only is the community pretty darn great (they’ve only won awards every year), but all dungeons can be played with NPCs rather than other players. This isn’t true for trials, which require eight players to do, but people will know it’s your first time if you’re watching the cutscene. Most people are forgiving and understanding. The game is designed for players to take it at their own pace, as it is massive.
And now all that is available on a small portable console. Optimised to be played on a small screen and to be easily transported. However, due to its MMO nature, players will need access to the internet and placing the Switch 2 in sleep mode will log them out of the game. It’s completely understandable, as the game doesn’t really have an offline mode. Perhaps surprisingly, the game runs amazingly on Switch 2. The graphics look good, although the music struggles a bit on the handheld speakers, and I’ve seen little to no evidence of the prolonged black screens between cutscenes. It’s astounding how they managed to get it all to work so well. Oh, a bonus is that FFXIV does not require a Nintendo Switch Online subscription to be played.
TL;DR
- Expansive Free Trial
- Great writing
- Great music
- Amazing world
- Solo mode
- Now portable
The Bad
Anyone who has played FINAL FANTASY XIV Online will tell you that the worst part is getting started. Luckily, it is easy to buy from the eShop, so that’s one negative taken care of. However, the game will take some setup before it’s really ready to play. This is true for new and existing players.
The PC version of the game uses Hotbars, while the console versions use Crossbars. Players will be able to set these up to play exactly how they want. It is basically a blank slate. The other thing that will require setup is the UI, as certain options can make players' lives easier or hinder them. This is especially true for the setting for the Crossbars in the UI. There is an option to access a second set of Crossbars simply by pressing the triggers twice, but the game doesn’t tell you about this. Luckily, there are heaps of tutorials online to help players get started.
The only other downside to FINAL FANTASY XIV Online on Switch 2 is the fact that players old and new will require a different subscription. This isn’t a Nintendo Online Subscription but rather a separate FINAL FANTASY XIV Online for Switch 2 subscription. It will require payment via Square’s Mogstation on PC. If you happen to already have a subscription due to owning the game on another system, you still need the Switch 2 subscription as well. Due to the constraints of the system, a separate sub was the only option, but players with a current other console sub will get a discount. That was very wordy because these are all similarly named but different things. So to refresh, FFXIV for Switch 2 sub: needed. Nintendo Switch Online sub: not needed. If you already have an FFXIV sub, the Switch 2 sub will be half the price.
TL;DR
- Setup takes a while
- Another Subscription
Final Score: 8/10
When it was announced that FINAL FANTASY XIV Online would be coming to Switch 2, I actually couldn’t believe it. It just seemed like it would be impossible to make such a huge game run on a console with a focus on portability. However, the mad lads not only pulled it off, but they did a great job of it as well! I’m finding that Switch 2 is my favourite way to play dungeons, duty supports and trusts. There’s just something about being able to relax instead of being hunched over a PC and watching TV during cutscenes I’ve seen a load of times. Plus, take advantage of the trial, if only for the memes’ sake.
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