FFXIV benchmark tool released

By Mashira

With all of the E3 news buzzing around square being the sneaky tricksters they are have released a benchmark tool for FFXIV.

It shows what I'm pretty sure is the opening cutscenes. You get your choice of premade characters of every race/gender combination. The goal of the benchmark tool is to assess your computer's readiness for FFXIV, though the final specs have yet to be released.

If you're too lazy, or cant download it i'll write up a quick summary of what takes place just for you! Check it and my thoughts on the experience after the jump.

First, here's what the benchmark score means (click to view):

You start out in the hold a ship in transit to Limsa Lominsa with an assortment of other races. The camera pans over the crowd of people over to you (whoever you may be) sitting all alone in a corner. At which point you hear the following:
"Hear, feel, think."
I have no idea where this voice is coming from or what the significance is, but your character seems pretty happy upon hearing it.

So after some gameplay (which i'm going to assume is a general tutorial - didn't get to play it, though), you start walking up to the deck and into the pouring rain. But somewhere along the walk up the flight of stairs you're transported to a scene of giant fireballs falling from the sky while you stand in a sea of clouds. You're jolted out of this stupor by a wave and introduced to a Miqo'te i'm going to be referring to as "Catlady". Catlady suggests that you return to your cabin, as the sea is dangerous. But you see a guy having a hard time holding a rope down so you, being the badass that you are, walk over to help the guy out. But before you can get there......JELLYFISH ATTACK!!

The camera pans to the crew fighting these jellyfish things, at which point you're introduced to a Roegadyn i'm going to refer to as "Captain badass". While captain badass is dispatching jellyfish with relative ease catlady notices a very large tail coming out of the sea in the distance. Suddenly jellyfish start to overwhelm the guy who was having trouble with the rope previously. You run over to help rope-guy but the jellyfish shove you away. Just when it looks like all hope is lost for rope-guy captain badass pulls out a pistol and kills all of them. Captain badass tells you to start being useful and once again it cuts to gameplay and what I can only assume is a combat tutorial.

After the tutorial you start being overwhelmed by jellyfish, and just when things seem dire catlady shows up out of nowhere and uses some sort of barrier magic. Everyone save captain badass seems surprised by her display of power. The jellyfish ominously retreat and a giant snake-dragon attached to the aforementioned "tail in the sea" jumps over the ship in a moment of free willy-esque awesome. Finally you and the crew arrive at Limsa Lominsa with much rejoicing from crew and passengers alike.

I was very impressed with how well the different races fit into the scenes. For instance; during the scene where your character is walking up the stairs a miqo'te has light steps and you can hear the sound of her leather boots squeaking as she moves up the stairs. Whilst a roegadyn sounds heavy, each step seems alot more deliberate, and you can hear his chainmail clinking.

Another moment that really stuck out to me was a line that catlady said just before the jellyfish attack when you go to help out rope-guy. It was something along the lines of "So you're a brave one, eh?" When she said it to a lalafell it feels like she's almost bablytalking to it. On the other hand; when you play a roegadyn it seemed like she was addressing a young adventurer starting on a journey. The dialogue and the tone are the same but I really felt that the meaning behind her tone changed in the different context.

The graphics were amazing. From the hair textures to the miqo'te's tail and ears it all looked very natural. All in all i'd say that we're in for a visually enjoyable game at the very least.