Have you heard of the critically acclaimed MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV?

Hello everyone, it's finally time to tell you about such a glorious adventure of mine as Final Fantasy XIV!

With MMORPGs and online games in general I was familiar very conventionally and always believed such games are created only to waste the time. For the most part, they are, so I never had the desire to go and play, because I'm simply used to other ways of wasting my time. As time passed, however, I started to see more and more people playing FFXIV, and all I heard from them was how good the game was, both in story and in general.

So, I finally gave in to the enticement and started playing. My head was spinning from the sheer amount of content, and I had no idea what to do, but still enjoyed it. Even so, I was physically exhausted, so decided to put the game on hold for a while.

One day my husband, our friend, and I decided to wager on whether we could complete the story all the way to the final story-ending expansion, Endwalker, in 3 weeks. That was my main incentive to get back into the game.

A Realm Reborn

Despite a fair amount of running around and rather boring quests, I still enjoyed it, and I'll try to explain why.

If I were asked to describe A Realm Reborn, I'd say first and foremost the introduction to the lore, the characters and the world of the game as a whole. And all of the above are undoubtedly the undeniable strengths of the game.

Speaking of the positives, I should also mention the story. Yes, there isn't much of it, especially compared to the next expansions, but I was genuinely worried about the characters and even cried, and I also started to perceive the Warrior of Light as a written character for the first time.

Unfortunately, A Realm Reborn often scares away potential players, so I want to give some advice for those of you who still want to start playing but still have doubts.

First of all, only take the story quests and quests that unlock the features you need. There's no need to level up through other quests, because you get all the experience you need through story quests and dungeons.

Secondly, if you're starting to think the game is boring, just remember with each expansion it'll get better and better. Believe me, your patience will be rewarded tenfold.

Crystal Tower

Although Crystal Tower is not an expansion, I wanted to highlight it for two reasons: it's a must-play 24-player Alliance Raid series and it's the first time my favorite character, G'raha Tia, appears.

Crystal Tower is still going to play a significant role, and I can no longer perceive it in isolation from everything that's going to happen next. Also, this will be the first time you can hear the incredible Eternal Wind!

Heavensward

Have I finally come to one of the strongest expansion ever? An incredibly sad story about dragons and humans that makes you feel for both sides of a centuries-old conflict.

In contrast to A Realm Reborn, Heavensward has a very fast pace, which makes it play in the same breath.

As for the gameplay, it stays pretty much the same, and to me, that's probably the only downside. Otherwise, it's a great expansion that's hard to complain about.

Stormblood

Perhaps the most controversial expansion. This is where one of the most charismatic villains, Zenos yae Galvus, appears, as well as many other great characters.

The music, which was already terrific, is taken to a new level. The Far Eastern locations, and especially Kugane, just can't help but marvel at its beauty. The gameplay, still virtually unchanged, is also moving forward as it progresses. Duties and dungeons are becoming more complex and varied, the proper use of skills is starting to carry more weight.

Since everything is so good here, why did I call the expansion controversial? Despite the advantage in the form of characters, the story has gotten worse. One of the main antagonists of the supplement, Yotsuyu, turned out to be a completely empty character, lacking any interesting backstory or motivation.

The fast paced quests were hopelessly lost and replaced with more quests based on the same formula. Frankly, I literally wished they would end sooner. The locations of Gyr Abania also seemed completely uninteresting and completely unattractive, the only thing saved me was the music.

Shadowbringers

Where to begin? I've heard a lot of positive reviews about this addition, but I've always been skeptical of them. After compliting it, I can only be another person leaving another positive review.

I like absolutely everything: the long-awaited return of Crystal Tower, the transformation of the protagonist and, accordingly, completely new challenges, the oppressive atmosphere of all-consuming light, stunning main and secondary characters, the story of each piece of the world and, of course, the music, which again exceeded all expectations.

The pace of the quests here, although not fast, but as comfortable as possible, in addition, the quests themselves, in my opinion, insanely interesting. If you're an impressionable person, then prepare a few packs of tissues to wipe your tears, the plot of the addition will kill you morally.

Endwalker

Well, I finally got around to the expansion that finish the current story! I liked Shadowbringers so much that I could hardly believe Endwalker would be better. You wouldn't believe it, but they actually managed to do better! Not only is it a great addition in and of itself, but it's also a great ending to the story.

Unfortunately, it's rather dangerous to talk about the plot of the last two expansions, and if I start listing the mechanics introduced in them that positively affect gameplay, it'll drag on.

So I guess I'll just sum it up. If you, like me, are interested in great plots, then this game should by no means be bypassed. There're so many great things about it, it's impossible to list them all in a day. It was really hard for me to keep all those emotions inside, so I'm glad I could share some of them with you. Please give this game a chance, it certainly deserves it.

Do you think my husband and I were able to win that very wager? Unfortunately, we got sick, so we spent the crucial two or three days that we planned to finish the Shadowbringers post-content in bed. Nonetheless, it was the best three weeks of my life, and I'm happy I spent my vacation that way.

If any of you've read this huge impression to the end, then you definitely did well, thank you!