I can’t believe I’m typing this, but I’m contemplating returning to FFXIV for the first time since the time of heavensward being a distant child of hype. I have questions, as my tastes and needs in the “shared world” genre of game have evolved and matured over the years.
I can’t **need** other players, not in the “make sure you have friends/a group to play with regularly to play at all” sense. I recall being brought to the edge of extreme discomfort tanking the ARR story arc. I recall hating Garuda, finding that fight being part of the core story being ridiculous, but I soldiered through until the ARR credits rolled. The only reason I wouldn’t reroll anew if I came back now is I never want to go through something like that gauntlet of interdependence again.
I currently play an MMO which self-enables the main accessible thoroughfare of the game. I can solo queue for all group content as a responsibility-light DPS and only have to do so rarely, spending the rest of my time as a solo-friendly class enjoying overworld or role-agnostic instanced content.
I’m just really burned out/upset with said MMO, and wondering if FFXIV holds the same standard of “owning my time,” because my memories from the ARR days were the opposite of that, but it was such a gorgeous world. Completion of the main thoroughfare of the game was uncomfortably interdependent and I don’t have to tolerate that if I’m willing to wait for my burnout for my main game to heal... but I’d like something to do over the holidays.
I’ve heard rumors of FFXIV having role-agnostic or evening solo-friendly content above and beyond the overworld I used to enjoy in FFXIV. I’ve heard rumors of systems involving NPC dungeon companions for doing 5- mans, something I’d hoped chocobos would become in the ARR era.
I like MMOs for the shared world with other players. I don’t like needing other players to progress through the “Main Street” ideally accesssible thoroughfare in the game. I don’t need to touch “optional or higher difficulties,” I just want to take in the world, its story, and have things to do on my own time. How well does FFXIV in 2019 match up to its competitors for self-enabled experiences on time owned, not borrowed from others?
Bonus question: how kind is it to “new players,” because a) I may not be able to recover my account and b)... I never want to fight Garuda again.
Thank you in advance for any and all helpful replies!