Completely agree with OP in all aspects, thank you!

Another point I'd like to raise is how I can't stand grinding, and how this game forces you to do so in order to make any progress as a "war" class.
In any other Final Fantasy you were able to travel/adventure/progress in the story while at least maintaining the appropriate level of your character. In XIV this is not the same.

In XIV you must patiently kill the same monster over and over and over until you reach the appropriate level to do anything. This alone is EXACTLY like other MMOs and drastically takes away from the Final Fantasy feel; I may as well play those free MMOs out there...it's the same thing.

Do you see what I'm saying?