How does FF14 compare to WoW? (And other MMOs)

[VelKallor]

Good/decent-ish MMORPG story-telling

Shadowbringers has been acclaimed as the standard of excellence in every game magazine and website, its story and execution praised extensively.

Shadowbringers is a step above anything that has come before it. The perfect blend of captivating gameplay and a truly memorable story that rivals those heralded by fans for decades. It’s time to step out of the shadows and become what you must Final Fantasy XIV; the best MMORPG in the world.

Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers is what MMOs should aspire to, telling a story for the ages and engaging their players with evolving mechanics. It’s an exquisite adventure that needs to be experienced.

When the time came for the curtain call on the main scenario quest, which took nearly 80 hours of play, I was ready to stand and applaud. Storylines that have been building since A Realm Reborn are wrapped up with such grace that I have to wonder how long the writers have had their cards close to the chest. Old friends, like Thancred, are given room to reflect on their past misgivings and grow as characters. While fresh faces, like my ethereal companion, (spoiler name removed) , really stole the show, as he reminded me that the quiet after the storm should be just as cherished as the thrill of adventure. It helps that the dialogue is razor sharp and the voice acting is better than ever. Shadowbringers is my favorite storyline to be penned into a Final Fantasy game in nearly two decades. A tale of how darkness should not blindly bend the knee to light, for there is just as much beauty in a sea of stars as there is in a sunrise

BFA and Shadowlands story have been acclaimed for...well, nothing, really.

BFA was an unmitigated disaster. After Legion, the devs, out of ideas and phoning it in, decided to go back to the old, hackneyed, done to death and by now utterly worthless faction war, which no one, save a few die hards, thinks is worth a handful of beans.

Remember those legendary artifact weapons? Flamestrike, the ancestral blade of Dath'Remar? A weapon steeped in history, tied to the legacy of one of the Blood Elves greatest heroes. A priceless, irreplaceable treasure of the Sin'Dorei?

Where is it now?

Drained of its power and tossed in a bank tab to gather dust.

Forgotten.

Let the significance of that one sink in a moment.

They had the chance to iterate on Legion, to follow on to the story, to build on what Legion left, a world in upheaval.

They FAILED.