FINAL FANTASY® XI: Ultimate Collection Seekers Edition

Hard to get into, but insanely addicting once you finally break through the wall. This review is coming from the perspective of a completely new player experiencing the game for the first time. I just finished the Chains of Promathia expansion at the time of writing this review. The first 20 hours of gameplay are honestly rough. You have to overcome a lot of hurdles before the game starts showing its true colors. The controls feel outdated, PlayOnline is annoying, and the early nation missions aren’t exactly the most exciting content, both FFXIV and FFXI first pull you in at the start of the expansions. A lot of guides are basically necessary if you want to follow the story and understand the systems. As a new player, the game does a terrible job explaining many of its features and quality of life options. I didn’t know about Survival Guides until near the end of the standalone game, and I didn’t discover Trusts until around level 30. I also had no idea Unity Warps existed, so I walked all the way to Jeuno the old school way just to get my first mount. At the time it felt frustrating, but looking back, those moments are part of what makes the journey memorable. Without the help of the players from the in-game assist chat, I probably would have quit at the start. Once you get past that initial barrier, though, the game becomes something special. The world starts opening up, the systems begin to make sense, and there’s a feeling of adventure that modern MMOs rarely capture. Exploring new areas, unlocking features, and slowly learning how everything works feels incredibly rewarding. The standalone game can feel slow and confusing at first, but once you move into the expansions, the game really starts to shine. The story becomes much more engaging, the characters become memorable, and the world feels like it has a lot more depth. What started as something I was forcing myself to push through eventually became something I genuinely wanted to experience. It’s definitely not a game that holds your hand, and I understand why many new players quit before they get to experience the game. The early experience can be frustrating, especially without outside help. But if you’re willing to push through, use guides, and let the game slowly reveal itself, there’s a truly unique MMO experience waiting. A frustrating first impression, but one of the most rewarding games I’ve played.

Coming from XIV, Its very hard and I would recommend a smart phone or second monitor with Wiki-guides ready to go, currently I'm level 55?-60? (dont 100% remember, I'm back to XIV) Dont take me switching back as a bad say or slander on the game though... My time in XI, Every small thing from leveling to unlocking Palidan or traversing the world itself felt like a grander adventure that XIV really cant replicate. The challenge and gruelingness annoyed me at first but later became something I respected and level downs actually makes you respect the world enviorment and keeps you on your toes. How I made my gill, figuring out auction house. will I ever return? perhaps after I get V and VI knocked out. I wouldn't mind a grand facelift remaster ( Maybe a dev cheap option like an HD2D to preserve the story mr. corperation Square Enix ) though... Only play if you have supreme patience and really are one who loves to walk through fine gaming history or are dedicated to beating all main lines. It has a solid very good from me.

[h3]A terribly aged MMO.[/h3] I tried Final Fantasy XI for a short while on the Xbox 360 some 20 years ago but couldn't get into it. Back then, I didn't understand why anyone would want to play it when the much better World of Warcraft was right there. Now, two decades later, I decided to give this game another try. It's not gotten much better. While the game might have seen some updates over the years since, it's still a very slow and obtuse game I can only recommend to the most diehard MMO players and Final Fantasy fans. From its controls to the UI and gameplay itself, Final Fantasy XI has aged terribly. The only positive remark I can give this game is its story, which I liked a lot better than WoW's vanilla story, and managed me to push through for about 50 hours. That said, during all that time, I wished I was playing Final Fantasy XIV instead.

The signup process and getting an activated account for this game is absolute dogwater. The fact there are 15 minute YT videos trying to explain the sign up process for a game made by one of the largest game makers in the world is asinine, requesting a refund. I thought FFXIV account management was bad, but this just isn't worth the trouble.

**FINAL FANTASY XI** is an old-school MMO in the best possible way. It doesn’t hold your hand, the world feels enormous, and there’s an incredible amount of content to explore. The Ultimate Collection gives you years of expansions, storylines, jobs, areas, and quests all in one package. The combat is slower and more strategic than modern MMOs, but once you understand the systems, building your character and experimenting with different jobs becomes incredibly rewarding. Vana’diel has a unique atmosphere that still feels special after all these years. The music is fantastic, the story gets surprisingly deep, and there’s something satisfying about playing an MMO that actually expects you to learn its world instead of rushing you straight to the endgame. The interface and setup definitely show the game’s age, but if you can get past that, there’s a massive and memorable RPG underneath. **A true classic with an absurd amount of content. Highly recommended for Final Fantasy and old-school MMO fans.**

playtime doesn't reflect true game time because steam only counts the time you're in the launcher as play hours this is literally the best mmorpg to ever exist

Infuriating setup and sign-up process aside, its a solid and unique mmo experience that still holds up as a Final Fantasy worth playing. It does not hold your hand and forces you to interact with others, as an MMO should. Being designed for the PS2 means that it plays best on controller. A fascinating 2002 time capsule.