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Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn rolls out in beta this February

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Square-Enix brass from CEO Yoichi Wada on down have pointed to 2010’s troubled MMO Final Fantasy XIV as the root of its Japanese development problems. The company’s famous Japanese studios responsible for the Final Fantasy series and other role-playing games have barely pumped out any HD games for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, or PC besides Final Fantasy XIII sequels because it’s required the full efforts of the staff to rehabilitate Final Fantasy XIV into a product that people will actually play and make the company some money in the process. Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn may share a name with that 2010 bomb, but it’s very much its own beast and now the game is coming to the public.

Square-Enix released a broad roadmap of the extensive public beta testing for A Realm Reborn in time for Christmas this week, alerting fans that are eligible to participate that they will finally be able to play the new MMO in February.

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The beta testing will be lengthy and well ordered based on Square’s plans, a measure that hopes to avoid an opening similarly catastrophic to what befell the company when Final Fantasy XIV first launched two years ago. As outlined, the beta test will be conducted in four phases before the game opens officially to the public.

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Phase 1 will only include people playing the Windows PC edition of the game and will focus purely on balancing issues, looking to make sure that the game’s revamped mechanics work smoothly, though naturally balancing will be ongoing as with all MMORPGs. Phase 2 will then focus on controls with the goal of optimizing Final Fantasy XIV for a traditional 18-button video game controller rather than a mouse and keyboard. This naturally leads into Phase 3 which will begin testing the PlayStation 3 version alongside the PC edition. Phase 3 will also test how the game imports characters from the original Final Fantasy XIV. Phase 4 will be fully public beta testing open to all with a full launch of the game to follow.

The early phases will place a number of restrictions on play, capping the level to 35 and only making between 10 and 15 worlds (i.e. different servers) available, expanding as the beta phases move forward.

If you’re interested in participating in the Final Fantasy XIV beta before Phase 4, Final Fantasy XI players, also called Legacy Holders, and Final Fantasy XIV Service Account Holders can participate. You can also apply via a website that will open in January.

It’s impressive how Square-Enix is playing it slow and steady with the development and release of A Realm Reborn, but as The Secret World and Star Wars: The Old Republic have proven in 2012, it’s difficult for a major MMO to make an impact on the market these days. Will Square’s effort result in success or will this game be the straw that breaks the camel’s—or the Japanese development staff in this case—back.

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Anthony John Agnello
Anthony John Agnello
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Anthony John Agnello is a writer living in New York. He works as the Community Manager of Joystiq.com and his writing has…
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth: all piano sheet music locations and rewards
Cloud playing the piano in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.

While there's no shortage of ways to distract yourself while playing Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, one of the most unexpected minigames is the surprisingly deep piano system. In most of the major hub towns you encounter across the expansive world, Cloud can find a piano to sit down at and tickle the keys. You're free to play any song you want in free play, but you can turn this system into a full-on rhythm game, almost like Guitar Hero, by collecting sheet music of some of the game's most iconic tracks. There's even an NPC near each piano who will reward you if you get a high enough rank on each song. Cloud may not be the most expressive in his words, but he can sure play the piano with heart. Here is where you can find all the sheet music and what rewards await if you can master them.
Where to find all sheet music

Sheet music, thankfully, isn't hidden away in chests or has to be purchased for crazy amounts of Gil, but a few do have some hidden requirements. Each new composition is found on a piano in the world and is free to snag once you sit down. Even if you don't feel like playing right then and there, make sure you always at least grab the music to add to your collection so you don't have to backtrack later and get it. There are eight in total to find, and some will only come later in the story, but none are missable once you open up fast travel back to previous areas. This is the natural order you can collect them.
On Our Way
Our first piece of music can be picked up once you hit Chapter 4. During this section, go to the Crow's Nest town in the Junon region, which you can only enter by doing the "When Words Won't Do" side quest. Once you complete this quest and can freely enter the town, hit up the bar and grab this tune.
Tifa's Theme
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Barret's Theme
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Cinco de Chocobo
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Two Legs? Nothin' to it
One chapter later, in Chapter 10, you need to do a little exploring in Cosmo Canyon to find your way to the piano, but the icon on your map won't lead you astray.
Aerith's Theme
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Let the Battles Begin!
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One-Winged Angel
We're not sure if fighting Sephiroth or getting this song is harder. If you want to play this terrifying arrangement, you need to donate all 88 Treasure Trove items to Johnny. This more or less requires you to 100% the entire game
All song rewards
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When Words Won’t Do is actually a story about parents struggling to let go of their kids. Under Junon’s mayor sends players on this quest to help her son and unborn grandchild, and Barrett wonders if he’ll ever be able to let Marlene go during the mission. That’s thematically fitting for an escort mission where you can’t keep something out of your sight.

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Cloud and Aerith charging up an attack.

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How to pressure Thunderclaw

Pressuring and eventually staggering enemies all comes down to exploiting their weakness(s). Normal attacks build a little stagger, and some abilities deal good stagger too, but if you don't hit an enemy's weakness at least a couple of times then you're likely just to kill them before they become pressured.

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