Also gonna write a proper review of this one once I actually finish it but I just gotta say, while I appreciate adding more things to the game that make it more friendly to solo players it is incomprehensible to me why you would lock that behind progressing in a story that is supposed to tie up all the other stories.
I want to save this whole thing for the end but I also want to be able to summon 4 trusts so I guess I had to start the first few missions of a story that I won't see the end of for probably years.

Gonna write a full review once I actually finish the Nation missions but my first 30 free days are about to run out and I won't sub for now so here's just some early impressions:

This game is surprisingly fun! I was kind of dreading getting to it but honestly combat is more fun than in like half of the previous final fantasy games. It's a bit slow but it's deep and can even get pretty intense.
The grind is pretty long but it's so relaxing, one of the best things you can do while watching a video on your second screen.
Wandering around the various regions is also very nice but man most of the dungeons suck so much. Even with maps and guides they still remain hell to navigate. I actually still have 2 days left on my sub but I need a break from all the dungeoning.

The main story is shit, but I enjoyed the side quests I've done. "The Shadowlord" is the name of a villain from a fake video game played by the nerdy older brother in a 2000s tv show and I fucking hate beastmen as a narrative device so fucking much, I know this is the first time they're used in the series and I shouldn't hold XIV, XVI, and VII Rebirth against it but it sucked here too!
But getting some insights into how the war 20 years ago affected the world of Vana'diel and its people is cool, and I've heard later expansions have better stories so let's hope that's true.

Not quite sure when I'll resub, I have a bachelor's thesis coming up so probably not anytime soon, but I am looking forward to it already.

shelved 2023: my gawd thats cool but fucking hard, like middle of the game and i feel like it takes me two hundred tries to do shit right, bashin my head against a wall until shit works
ill come back to this later aurgh

updated 2024 review coming: