Why FFXI tops many other games

Zorwrath

Let me start out saying that I've played FFXI for about 3 years now. I've also, played WoW, GW, SWG, EQ & EQ2, and DAOC.

            First things first, FFXI is not for kids. The community is mostly adult based, but it is a very tight community. Compared to the other games I listed above, by the time you hit 75 in FFXI, you know almost everyone on the server, while in the others, it's only the few who are on your friend list. It does take time to level up, but it's fun, and you usually switch leveling areas about every 5 levels, so there's always something new, as in the others, some of them are too easy to level up, and some are too hard. Next, the graphics in FFXI are beautiful in today's terms, and the game came out almost 6 years ago, with no graphical updates. The graphics are realistic looking, but not ugly realistic, like EQ2, and the enviroments are fantastic. There are 18 classes in FFXI, not too many lik DAOC, but not too few like WoW. All of the classes serve a purpose, and no matter wat class you are you will find a group. The gam is not gear based like WoW is, to where it's 70% gear and 30% skill, but in FFXI, skill does come out on top rather than gear. Although gear is important to keep up with being able to do your job, it's not to the point where only the hardcore gamers can kill things. The crafting system in FFXI is very good, compared to others. If you manage to get a skill to 100, you will be popular on the server, and will be rolling in the gil, where as in WoW, the trade skills are easy to level and won't get you much money because you're competing with all the other 70s to get customers. The best thing about FFXI in my opinion is the mission system. In a lot of games you don't even have the oportunity to do mission, you just get quests to guide you with the story. The missions start of almost as soon as you enter the game, al the way to 75. Once you do hit 75, the missions become more and more challenging, and at the same time they get more and more rewarding. With 3 different main storylines, and several othr side stories, you'll be occupied for months doing the dozens and dozens of challenging missions. While the endgame is much like EQ, where you have to compete with other linkshells for HyperNotoriousMonster claims, there are also HNMs where you have to have reagents to spawn them, so others can't take te claim. While there are no instanced areas, save for a few missions, there will always be people to talk to and party with, along with all the missions, areas to explore, quests, and strategic fights to engage in, FFXI is be the top, and most underrated MMO out there to date.