Apollo5x5

I got into FF14 right before this expansion came out. This review is late, but I didn't think to talk about it here til now. The story from the base game to the expansion before this was fascinating. There were several highs and a few lows throughout my blast through ARR, HW, and Stormblood. When this game came out I started a bit burnt out, but once I started getting into the main story quests (MSQ) I got a HUGE second wind. I beat the MSQ in a few weeks, not because it was short, but because I couldn't stop playing. Music - some songs are decent, but the main song for my playthrough was called "High Treason." Such a powerful musical movement that I listen to when I'm not playing the game, even to this day. There are lots of songs like this within the game that just captivate me. Gameplay - I started the new Tank class, Gunbreaker, when it released and I had a lot of fun getting to learn new rotations and play through the class quest. The dungeons and bosses were a lot of fun to play through and the overall experience of the game was my favorite for an MMO at the time. Story and Characters - This is where the meat of the playthrough occurred. The main villain is one of my favorite fictional characters of all time. Only other ones that come to mind at this level are from playstation 1 games I played back in the early 2000's that continue to live with me today (Ghaleon from Lunar 1 and 2 really come to mind). This story is also an amazing bridge to Endwalker. Overall - This game is a love letter to fantasy and mmo players. Story is rich with content, characters are phenomenal, and the experience within the community is something I will treasure in my gaming life. You'll notice a trend with FF14 players talking about how important it is to experience the story (and I'll mention please feel free to experience the game the way YOU want to). If you're someone who enjoys the elements I discussed above, take the time to enjoy the journey. I remember into a month of this game existing, IGN's FB group had a lot of people saying this should be game of the year, and it was mine and many other's game of the year. Be safe and be sure to give this game a shot!