I think the animations are fine as is. They don't look too over the top to me, but they are noticeable which is the goal from what I can tell. I think especially in a multiplayer atmosphere, it is important feedback. To have visually distinct animations that indicate what a player or NPC use in battle is important. Sure, there are other ways to see these effects, but animations do a good job of giving that feedback without having to search the UI.
