This week on Video Game Tuesday I’m doing yet another versus column! This time it’s ESO vs. FF14:ARR!

Recently Elder Scrolls Online released for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and it’s launch has been absolutely terrible. Servers have crashed spectacularly and caused all sorts of issues. That is to be expected with an MMO, but it shows the lack of forethought from the developers.

Gameplay: ESO only has 5 abilities for each of the four classes’s 3 specializations and that’s kind of sad. I mean even Diablo 3 has more skills than that for each class and it has more playable classes.  FF14: ARR has many more abilities, with some being cooldown specific and off the global cooldown, which for console players like myself means I can be crafty and macro them together to save precious bar space.

Sideskills: Other than Gathering, FF14: ARR has the better sideskill system. Crafting actually takes skill to do, and isn’t just gather materials and hit a button which is nice.

Artwork: Both are pretty good looking, but I’d have to say the animations for FF14: ARR are better. The FF14: ARR emote system is incredibly varied and very well done, ESO on the other hand doesn’t do that as well. That being said, the musical instrument emotes in ESO are pretty cool.

Music:  Both are pretty good, but I’ve always preferred Final Fantasy’s music over any Elder Scrolls music.

Cross Platform Play: Well this is easy, FF14: ARR allows all platforms to play together. ESO doesn’t and therefore significantly limits the Massively in MMO, and will probably end up as deserted as Destiny’s public spaces.

Overall: FF14 is the clear winner in this console MMO versus match. It’s not even close, you get so much more from the game even if you have to pay a subscription to play it’s well worth the money.