FFXIV Free Trial Review, Play Final Fantasy 14 Today

Final Fantasy 14 (FFXIV) Free Trial Review

Welcome to Eorzea, the world of Final Fantasy 14 (FFXIV)! Square Enix have created a fabulous online version of their hugely successful Final Fantasy series of game. It is packed full of features, stunning graphics and a class-based system that allows any one of your characters can play and level any and all unlocked classes. The FFXIV Free Trial is phenominally feature-rich. Can you become the Hero the Mother Crystal wishes of you? Only time will tell in this story-driven MMO. I’ve already been playing for years now and, while I am now subscribed, I must have been playing for free for a year or more! So let’s dig into the detail of the FFXIV Trial!

FFXIV: A Realm Reborn

It has been some five years since the Warriors of Light fought in the Battle of Carteneau, which would be called thereafter The Calamity. A desperate struggle against the Garlean Empire had seen an attempt to drop one of Eorzea’s moons onto the realm to destroy it, and the Warriors of Light, completely. However, it was no ordinary moon (Ben Kenobi quote, anyone?) but home/prison to a dragon Primal called Bahamut.

Only by calling upon The Twelve (the gods of Eorzea) was the dragon cast down, but not before the war claimed many foes and Warriors. Both the Warriors and the Garlean Empire incurred heavy losses. The destruction of that battle changed the landscape and climate irreparably.

Five years after the Calamity, Hydaelyn selects an adventurer – you – to be the champion of the Warriors of Light. But shadowy figures, visions of the past and, of course, the Garlean Empire will not grant you peace. You must unite the peoples of Eorzea if they are to stand against the threats to the realm.

You are the centre of the story in FFXIV and what your character achieves both on their own and with others is world-changing.

Detailed Character Creation

Creating your character, the defender of Eorzea, is a hugely detailed process (this is a good thing)! From choosing your race and gender, you are then presented with loads of options for nearly every possible part of their appearance. This is more detailed than any other game I’ve played, with the exception maybe of Dragon Age: Origins (I haven’t played any other DA games). But you seem to have more options for Free Trial members than other MMOs I’ve played or reviewed to date.

You can also earn other unlocks for your character, such as new hairstyles or tatoos.

Oh and you can, once you’ve done the unlock quest, utilise the Aesthetician to change some of your appearance settings whenever you feel like it too!

FFXIV Free Trial Races

There are five playable races with the Final Fantasy 14 Free Trial. These are:

  • Hyur: the closest match to “Human”, I suppose. They make up a large proportion of the population and encourage multiple languages and embrace differing traditions.
  • Elezen: originally the only inhabitants of Eorzea, Elezans are tall, slender and have pointed ears. (Think Elves from Lord of the Rings).
  • Lalafell: a tiny people, chubby but cute. They originally just liked the farming lifestyle, but shipping trade routes encouraged some to travel.
  • Miqo’te: are a feline humanoid, complete with ears and tail. Unlike the Cathar of SWTOR, however, Miqo’te are not completely covered in fur.
  • Roegadyn: Tall and muscular, the Roegadyn are best known for earning their living on or near the sea.

View Races

To help prevent people on slower connections from waiting for shots, I’ve put the screenshots of different FFXIV races on the next tap/section.

If you’re on a phone and want to skip past seven shots, then skip to Other Races.



2024: I believe it is now possible for Free Trial members to play as an Au’ra/Auri. This is because the Trial was extended to include the StormBlood expansion.


Other Races

These races can be unlocked by a one-off Mog Station fee, or through purchase of expansions.

  • ShadowBringers: Hrothgar (male only, at present)
  • ShadowBringers: Viis (both male and female are available)
  • DawnTrail: Female Hrothgar (probably)

Story-Driven Questing

As you can tell from my attempt to introduce A Realm Reborn, story is at the heart of FFXIV. Your role in this core story is called the “Main Scenario” (MSQ) and will start either in Ul’dah, Limsa Lominsa or Gridania. But the Main Scenario is not the only story.

Class Quest Storylines

As you embark on your class progression (or all classes, if you like!) – each has its own story to tell. For example, the Thaumaturge class tracks a Lallafel who lives in the shadow of his fellows, wanting to be a gifted sorcerer but lacking in the talent. The Gladiator story, starting in Ul’dah, develops a story where the “Bloody Marauders” are becoming more active and need facing. It explores tensions between NPCs Mylla (your Guild leader) and Aldis. Both the Main Scenario and Class Quests feature cutscenes and standalone quests called “Duties”. The storytelling is compelling in FFXIV.

Crafting and Gathering Questlines

I’ve seen crafting in FFXIV described as a “game of its own” elsewhere on the web, and this is true. Aside from its own gearing and levelling mechanisms, crafting (Disciples of the Hand) and gathering (Disciples of the Land) all have their own stories. Up to ShadowBringers, each type of crafting discipline features its own distinctive story. In ShadowBringers and EndWalker, they’re modified slightly but there’s no less content to enjoy as you find and make things.

Smaller Questlines

As with other MMOs, NPCs throughout Eorzea provide quests and some may go further into mini-stories. Do take the time to read the dialogue text, as you begin to understand people and their concerns, as you help them.

Do Any and All Classes with the FFXIV Trial

It took me ages to get my head around this when I first started my FFXIV Trial. Your one character can be any and all classes. In Final Fantasy XIV, you level each class separately but you can switch between them by changing your weapon, or by saving “gear sets”. This paved way for me to understand how “you are what you wear” works in Albion Online, because the principle is similar. If you choose to take up crafting (professions are called “Jobs”) then these level up in a similar way too.

Here was my character when just starting out in three classes.

Crafting, Gathering and Leves

As I mentioned in Do Any and All Classes, you can choose to take on as many or few crafting Jobs as you like. They level in the same way as a class/role and include a gear-set that can improve your crafting ability. Also if you keep quest rewards, or crafted items in your Armory Chest, you can re-use crafted gear on a different job or class too.

The crafting Jobs also have mini-stories as you serve the clients of your crafting guild.

It took me quite a long time to figure out crafting when I first started playing. But basically, you can gear yourself completely by picking up all the crafting and gathering jobs. And we’re still talking on one character here!

FATEs – Level Up Between Quests

FATE stands for Full Active Time EventsExternal Link (Opens in New Window/Tab), which are randomly-spawning, optional quests of varying levels. They take place in the open world, meaning all players can contribute. Your reward is then based on your contribution to reaching the end goal.

But FATEs enable you to gain XP en route to a different destination. They do not require grouping up and they de-spawn once the FATE objective is completed or the timer expires. It gets you used to the idea that groups can form for content, but without the requirement of you taking on a specific role. This is a really neat feature that I had not discovered in another game at that point.

Generous Inventory Space

I was genuinely surprised at how much storage space you get in FFXIV. Not only do you have tons of space in your normal bags/inventory, but you are also provided with an ‘Armoury Chest’.

Armoury Chest

Inventory

Outfit Glamours

Some aspects in FFXIV, such as crafting, are pretty complicated to a new user. Or at least it was to me! So it is also with how Final Fantasy 14 handles ‘outfits’. In other MMOs, such as making SWTOR Outfits, they’re handled simply by ‘Cosmetic Outfit’ tabs into which you just slot gear or cosmetic-only items. If you want to create an outfit in FFXIV, it is a little trickier.

In keeping with its Magic-Lore, ‘Glamours’ are used to change the appearance of an item. This is done by obtaining (crafting or purchasing) Glamour Prisms. Essentially your “Gear Sets” double up as “Outfits” – meaning you could hide your plate armour with a linen tunic or dress, for example.

The difficulty is keeping track of what is, and is not, glamoured. And any time you change a gear set you may want to re-glamour it.

I’ve managed to get around this a little by using a gear set I’m not using to make a “cosmetic outfit”, say for travelling around a city in casual gear. However as I quest deeper, I suspect I’ll need to keep a stock of glamour prisms and not accidentally trash clothing items I like the look of!

Final Fantasy 14, Free Trial Limits & FAQ

Is the Trial Time Limited?

No, you can take as long as you want in Eorzea investigating the many aspects of the game.

Which Expansions Does It Include?

  • A Realm Reborn (the “base pack”)
  • HeavensWard
  • StormBlood

So there’s a lot of gameplay without any upfront cost.

Is it Level Limited?

Yes, you are currently limited to Level 70 (the maximum level for StormBlood). However, remember that you can try any and all classes and jobs. So you are free to level all these to Level 70.

Is Any Up-front Purchase Required?

No, you may set up a Square Enix account, or more than one account, for free. You do not have to buy content packs, or subscribe, in order to enjoy the FFXIV free trial.


What Other Restrictions Are There in the FFXIV Free Trial?

You can find a definitive list of free trial limits from the Square-Enix website. However, I have provided some of the key ones below.

  • You can make a total of 8 characters but only one per game world.
  • Free Trial Players cannot use the in-game mail system.
  • You cannot reply to, or start, whispers/tells in chat.
  • You cannot buy or sell on the player-to-player Market.
  • Free players cannot start or join a Free Company (Guild)
  • You cannot add others to your friends list, nor can you form a party (for Group content). However, you can join a party, and use the Duty Finder to clear group dungeons.

How Do I Get Started?

Simply make your way to the FFXIV official website, select your language and click Start Your Free Trial!

TL;DR – FFXIV Free Trial Review Summary

Final Fantasy 14 offers beautiful graphics and immersive story. There is no need to rush through because your FFXIV free trial is not time limited. Your ability to level each class and crafting job to Level 60 for free means you can take your time exploring all the main aspects of the game. There is no doubting that Square Enix have been very generous to free trial members. It is such that FFXIV is now part of my general gaming mix now, so I can highly recommend checking this MMO out!


About the Author

Fibro Jedi
Fibro Jedi

I have been playing MMOs for about ten years and began writing guides to The Lord of the Rings Online in 2017. I've only been creating content about Final Fantasy XIV since 2022, but I am glad for the mix. My current games include LOTRO, FFXIV and the occasional Palia session too.

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