[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0k6QHeAmY58]
Final Fantasy XIV was a Hindenberg-scale disaster when Square Enix released it three years ago. Why the company didn’t change this totally made-over relaunch’s name, I couldn’t tell you, but here it is, sub-titled “A Realm Reborn” and rethought from tip to toe. Previews are modestly upbeat, commenting on how improved the new game is compared to the original, though using less-than-inspired words like “competent” to describe the new mechanics. Whether FFXIV will have what Final Fantasy fans in 2013 are looking for, to say nothing of what it’d take to court MMO wonks enamored with what may be the best MMO ever made — hello, Guild Wars 2 — remains to be seen.
August 27
PC, PlayStation 3