I played this game to completion 11 times and was still finding new things within it.

the depth of its worldbuilding brings to mind one very important question:

what do they eat?

and it answers that question and every other question while not feeling like exposition somehow.

This was my first fallout game

i chose a helluva way to start.

I played this game once and it took me less than 10 minutes to break it.

I unknowingly started my quest for breakage by trying to punch the baby, and through this I accidentally gained the knowledge that you can teleport out of the house before the Vault-Tec rep shows up. I went about exploring the world and realized that getting past a certain point triggers the nukes to go off and kill you. You can't enter the vault early either, the elevator doesn't work.

I was determined, though. I would not let these digital shackles bind me, and so I set out on a journey to find a way out of bounds without triggering the nuke, and it only took me like 2 minutes to find it! If you go down the river path at the bottom of the hill on the way to the vault, you can reach the edge of the prologue map and then lean over to fall off the edge into a pool of water. From there you can freely teleport as you observe the wonderful sights and scenery of this new dimension you are now probably trapped in forever, or maybe not, I dunno. I haven't touched the game since then so maybe there's more out on the horizon, and maybe one day I'll pick it back up and go exploring again but it was fun to do this little discovery.

It just works/10!

P.S. If there is any chance that Todd or any Bethesda employee is reading this, would like to let you know that I do work in QA and I'd be interested in joining you for the right price wink wink

Final Fantasy XIV, a realm that teems with magical wonder and intricate storytelling, is a testament to both the heights of creativity and the depths of frustration. Within its sprawling landscapes, players embark on a journey that balances moments of awe with instances of exasperation, ultimately shaping a unique experience that varies from one adventurer to another.

At the heart of the game lies the enigmatic figure of Rivers Cuomo, a mere one-foot-tall enchanter armed with the power of telekinesis. While this premise might sound intriguing, the execution leaves much to be desired. The frustration of navigating the game world at a sluggish pace, akin to trudging through molasses at a paltry 5 frames per second, creates a stark contrast to the potential grandeur of this character's abilities.

Amidst this mix of brilliance and struggle, Final Fantasy XIV manages to stand above the likes of Team Fortress 2, a game notorious for its stagnant updates. Even at its weakest, FFXIV's worst version outshines the lackluster offerings of other titles, a testament to the dedication of its developers to provide consistent improvements and patches, epitomized by the updates up to version 1.23b.

Yet, it's essential to acknowledge the game's shortcomings. An infuriating lack of functionality can lead to moments of sheer frustration, leading players to humorously contemplate fleeing to the welcoming embrace of Team Fortress 2. This ironic perspective underlines the tumultuous relationship between the player and the game, oscillating between captivating immersion and baffling technical difficulties.

Final Fantasy XIV's journey is an emotional rollercoaster, a complex blend of awe and annoyance that creates a distinct flavor of gameplay. It's a world where a diminutive telekinetic maestro should be able to save a girl's father effortlessly, yet is bound by a sluggish reality. For those willing to endure its quirks, the magic of Eorzea can still enchant, even if the experience is more turbulent than anticipated. Rating: 7.5/10