I’ve played FFXIV all the way up to Shadowbringers and absolutely loved it, being my first MMO and all. The story and characters really hooked me, along with the fantastic soundtrack. I’m curious how FFXI stacks up against FFXIV, especially in terms of story and overall gameplay experience. Is it worth jumping into FFXI now?
4 Answers
I think you should really experience Endwalker and all its patches before diving into XI. It’s a lot of fun!
FFXI is still an amazing game with a rich story and vast world. There are tons of classes to explore. Depending on whether you’re going with official or private servers, the player base might be smaller than FFXIV, but those that are there tend to be more dedicated. The combat is quite different, though, and you’ll need to manage multiple gear sets for your class, which can be a hassle during battles.
Definitely finish the Endwalker expansion for FFXIV first! It wraps up the whole story beautifully and is well worth it. Trust me, you won’t want to miss it!
Keep in mind, FFXI is really a product of its time. While the story and gameplay were amazing back then, it’s quite different now. You definitely miss the community feel that was prevalent during its heyday. Nowadays, NPC Trusts can carry you through fights, but back in the day, you needed a group of players to level up together. It made connections much stronger, unlike the current FFXIV vibe.
Totally agree! If you’re into community gameplay, FFXI has that old school charm, but you’ll find the mechanics are a different beast altogether.