Final Fantasy XIV has been a staple part of my life for the last five years. It’s certainly been my MMO home longer than any other. It’s a game that has helped a new friendship blossom into a relationship I never thought possible, and one that helps me stay in touch with friends I might otherwise have lost as our lives went in different directions. It’s a world that just keeps growing, not just through expansions adding new locations and quests, but by slowly convincing the gaming population that Final Fantasy didn’t fizzle out with XIII (not that I believe that, anyway). There’s no denying that Final Fantasy XIV still feels oddly stuck in the past at times. New expansions, especially Shadowbringers, have demonstrated Square Enix’s ability to push passed its own barriers to create some truly stunning battles and cutscenes. But it’s hardly an innovator at this point. My MMO roots trace back to Runescape, World of Warcraft, and a plethora of free-to-play games from the early 2000’s boom, and while Final Fantasy XIV has been the one to hold my attention the longest, there are still many aspects to this story-driven title that I think pale in comparison…