Samuel O

Final Fantasy XIV; A Realm Reborn: A User Guide On Final Fantasy Realm Reborn Samuel O

Final Fantasy 14 has always been a good MMORPG (at least since its 2013 makeover), but over the past few years it's morphed into the best overall MMORPG you can play today. It's so good, in fact, that its story has evolved beyond merely being "good for an MMO" and into one that can stand proudly beside any of the singleplayer games from the series.
There's never been a better time to play. Square Enix's Patch 5.3 greatly expanded the free trial for new players from level 35 all the way to level 60, which means you can play through the base "A Realm Reborn" game and 2015's excellent Heavensward expansion entirely for free.
Square Enix also trimmed much of the fat from A Realm Reborn's sprawling storyline and introduced some welcome quality of life changes, including the ability to fly in any of A Realm Reborn's zones. Each FF14 expansion has been better than the last, and updates have tightened up some of the original campaign's shortcomings (and help you get through the whole thing more quickly too). Trial players can also play the Au Ra race and the Astrologian, Dark Knight, and Machinist classes, which previously weren't available without buying specific expansions.