You'll have to jump through several proverbial flaming hoops before you start having fun in the world of Vana'diel, but the good news is, the effort may well be worth your while. Go into this game with the right expectations--knowing, for instance, that this is a time-consuming game that takes a while to get into and isn't dramatically different, at its core, from other online RPGs--and you'll find in Final Fantasy XI a different-enough take on the online role-playing genre that the experience can end up being both rewarding and refreshing. And, since the world of the game is already filled with dedicated players, who mostly seem to be enjoying the game rather than complaining about its problems, the tone of the experience of Final Fantasy XI is ultimately more uplifting than that of most other, similar games. As such, if you enjoy online role-playing, then you'd do well to try out Final Fantasy XI, which might just pull you away from your previous time-sink of choice. Alternatively, if you're a fan of the Final Fantasy series who's looking for an excuse to give online role-playing a try with this game, by all means go for it, though proceed with caution.
By Greg Kasavin
8.2
http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/final...11/review.html