There's one thing you need to do before you start playing Final Fantasy XIV: set the expectations right. Although nowadays people often praise it as "the best MMO out there" and compare it to World of Warcraft, the thing you need to keep in mind is that this is a narrative-driven JRPG first, and an MMO second.

Don't get me wrong, the MMO part is really good, and it is what has kept me going for over half of my play time as of writing this review. But there is a reason people say that "you either quit in ARR or become a walking advertisement for the game": the narrative is the hook that keeps you in. It is certainly possible to just skip through everything and rush to the endgame, but the experience you're going to get will leave you wondering what's all the fuzz is about.

In a way this is completely unnatural for veteran MMORPG players who have been conditioned to care about the story as little as possible. It's no wonder you would consider MMO stories superfluous filler if your experience with them has been meaningless walls of text, constant retcons and an overall lack of consideration on the writers' part. And this is the pitfall you have to avoid to experience Final Fantasy XIV to its fullest.

Is it a perfect game? Of course not. But the experience it can deliver is unlike any other game in the genre right now. And this is why this game has an almost cult-like following. Speaking of...

Did you know that this critically acclaimed MMORPG has a free trial that lets you play all the way to level 60 with no restrictions on playtime, and it even includes the award-winning expansion HEAVENSWARD? Sorry, I just felt the need to say that for some reason.

There's one thing you need to do before you start playing Final Fantasy XIV: set the expectations right. Although nowadays people often praise it as "the best MMO out there" and compare it to World of Warcraft, the thing you need to keep in mind is that this is a narrative-driven JRPG first, and an MMO second. Don't get me wrong, the MMO part is really good, and it is what has kept me going for over half of my play time as of writing this review. But there is a reason people say that "you either quit in ARR or become a walking advertisement for the game": the narrative is the hook that keeps you in. It is certainly possible to just skip through everything and rush to the endgame, but the experience you're going to get will leave you wondering what's all the fuzz is about. In a way this is completely unnatural for veteran MMORPG players who have been conditioned to care about the story as little as possible. It's no wonder you would consider MMO stories superfluous filler if your experience with them has been meaningless walls of text, constant retcons and an overall lack of consideration on the writers' part. And this is the pitfall you have to avoid to experience Final Fantasy XIV to its fullest. Is it a perfect game? Of course not. But the experience it can deliver is unlike any other game in the genre right now. And this is why this game has an almost cult-like following. Speaking of... Did you know that this critically acclaimed MMORPG has a free trial that lets you play all the way to level 60 with no restrictions on playtime, and it even includes the award-winning expansion HEAVENSWARD? Sorry, I just felt the need to say that for some reason.