What makes this game worth playing? What keeps you playing?

[Shougun]

You can go past the character limit by editing your post, I find it is easiest to write what I'd like to say and then copy it all so when I cut it down I can quickly edit and post the whole thing. Just be sure not to lose your copy, so you don't have half a post lol.

Well the first thing I would point out that SE has made the entry to this game very. . easy for new people to get into. As a level 30 any job you barely have any of the mechanics that will encompass the job you play at max level, which is good if you feel like you want more buttons to play with . Some jobs will also have an easier entrance to their toolkit than others, that playing it and maximizing its efficiency are quite separate. Bards used to be very mobile and I heard of bards using one macro for all their skills (or never using songs..), but then a good bard would probably squirm hearing you just used a macro to combo.

As for outside of your character mechanics, the game has a number of difficult encounters at the used to be cap 50 and then again at 60 (though the truly hard lvl60 mechanics are coming in a patch very soon).

(Possible Spoilers)
Titan Ex: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wR3aPDe5fcI
Turn 9: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_lnPoQNu7w
SMN Guide: http://solitude.guildwork.com/_/rihns-smn-guide

I personally like playing for the environments (game is very pretty), I love SE's concept art and they've been getting closer to their concept arts post 1.0 - awesome. The FF atmosphere, the incredible music, abilities, job system, and moogles and chocobos. Did I mention the Job system? Being able to maintain one character for all your needs is incredibly convenient and feels great (I do not like leveling alts, and I -do- like playing other classes and not having to do the introduction quests 5 times, minor 1.0 to 2.0 job system complaints aside.. lol). The story has been a pleasure, something I don't expect from an MMORPG. I also like that I can generally stay a few steps behind the leaders by playing at my own pace. I certainly can't be at the top of the mountain without putting in the real hours on end game raids, but I can be quite close and not feel like I need to tell my wife I'm going to be gone on the weekend "Please push food under the door! Don't forget to recycle the air in my room kthxbye".