Absence makes the heart grow fonder, huh? When I pulled up to my Free Company house the other day, saw members of VinCo lined up by our market board, and heard the little jingle that plays outside the house, a sense of comfort washed over me. That training dummy I wailed on for hours to work on our very own Black Mage guide wasn’t an apprehensive sight, but a neat little reminder of all the FC-mates who passed by, wondering about the nonstop explosions coming from the front lawn.
After more than a thousand hours in Final Fantasy XIV, there’s still excitement in taking care of unfinished business. In doing so, I’m revisiting places from all expansions — soaking in familiar vistas and listening to the songs that have told stories as sharply as any cutscene or dialogue. I remember what it was like to be inspired by the stories that took place in these areas, and the sense of wonder I had upon first discovery. It all feeds into a unique feeling that these spaces have a meaningful history that invite moments of reflection.
Getting back to FFXIV has felt good. It’s like coming home after a nice little vacation, excited to just be in my own comfortable space again.
The past few months have been a boon for games. I’ve traveled to many other worlds, some reflective of our own and some downright deranged (I’m staring into the abyss known as Caelid, by the way). Elden Ring is being hailed as one of the greatest games ever. I reviewed Ghostwire: Tokyo and the re-release of my most beloved fighter Persona 4 Arena Ultimax. I rekindled my love for motorsport in Gran Turismo 7, found my long-lost son Rowlet in Pokémon Legends: Arceus, and absolutely fell in love with a true GOTY contender in Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin. I also just returned to Lost Judgment for The Kaito Files DLC, which brought a cool supporting character into the spotlight. There’s even still the adorable pink blob waiting for me in Kirby and the Forgotten Land.
And so, I’ve been away from FFXIV for an extended period of time, enjoying other games while my Warrior of Light takes a much deserved break. She’ll be fine, even if that means forgoing weekly raid clears.
FFXIV is built in a way that doesn’t pressure you into constantly grinding for something. Those ilvl 600 gear pieces are sweet if you want to strive for them, but you don’t necessarily need them to enjoy what the game has to offer. Subsequent story quests and dungeons will have higher average ilvl requirements, but that can be reached through loot you earn along the way. Seasonal events you can take part in are common but never rigorous ordeals.
If you want, you can leave FFXIV alone for a good long while and never feel left behind. These are all sentiments FFXIV director and producer Naoki Yoshida shares as well. Several years ago, he said it himself in an interview.
“It’s alright not to play [FFXIV] everyday. Since it’s just a game, you can stop forcing yourself if it’s hard on you to keep that up. Rather, it’ll just pile up unnecessary stress if you limit yourself [to] playing just that one game since there are so many other games out there,” he stated. “So, do come back and play it to your heart’s content when the major patch kicks in, then stop it to play other games before you [get] burnt out, and then come back for another major patch. This will actually make me happier, and in the end, I think this is the best solution I can answer for keeping your motivation up for the game.”
That’s what I do naturally, and this has not changed as we head into the upcoming Patch 6.1. It’s not necessarily revelatory, but it is worth reminding yourself that you don’t always have to be keyed in on every aspect of FFXIV all the time.
When it comes to video games, the long-time critic brain I can’t turn off is always analytical about systems and mechanics, how games build their worlds, and the different ways in which they tell their stories. It’s a fun challenge to wrack my brain over why a game does or does not click with me. Sometimes, that process is as enjoyable as the game itself. Engaging with a wide variety of games has sharpened that sense again. If anything, they’re palette cleansers that span all sorts of genres and expose me to unexpectedly special experiences.
This only makes me appreciate FFXIV so much more, though. You don’t really know what you have until it’s gone — thankfully, FFXIV is never really gone, but you know what I mean. I often compare and contrast how other games are written to FFXIV, thinking about the ways they try to capture the human element. When I’m facing a tough boss fight, I break down its components and patterns like it’s a Savage raid. It’s as if everything I play is punched into a FFXIV calculator and sent back to my head for easier comprehension.
Of course, every game is different at their foundations. But the way FFXIV has rewired my brain to react and analyze both narrative and gameplay means it never really leaves my consciousness, even when stepping away from it. Sometimes, it makes me wistful about FFXIV, although it’s right there…and I can log in at any moment.
Persistent worlds full of lore have always been, and continue to be, the nature of MMORPGs and recent ongoing games. But FFXIV has the human element embedded into its very world. And I don’t just mean the actual human players behind each Warrior of Light roaming around on your server. Those of us who have connected with FFXIV in a deeply personal way will tell you it’s a narrative-first experience before an MMORPG. And with the opportunity to construct a complex, interconnected story over the span of a decade through hundreds of hours of content, FFXIV is capable of doing what other RPGs aren’t built to do.
Going to Yangxia and hearing the overworld theme again conjures memories of the tragic story of Yotsuyu. Revisiting the Crystarium and hearing its tune is uplifting, filling me with determination in ways only the “Crystal Exarch” could. Stepping back into Elpis lets me recollect the strength I have to handle personal ongoing battles between hope and despair. And when things get too heavy, chilling with fellow sickos in Limsa Lominsa lets me get silly again without judgment. And we have a wealth of gameplay reasons to return to these places.
With Patch 6.1 on the horizon, spending time capping on Tomestones to gear up for the upcoming alliance raid and Extreme trial has been time well spent — sometimes referring to my own endgame gear guides as refreshers. As I run Smileton and The Stigma Dreamscape with a freshly max-leveled Astrologian, I remember how cool it feels to keep the party alive and look good doing it. I feel like a mastermind, an aficionado in rotations and openers, dancing around AoEs and deciphering mechanics again like my vision is augmented. I’m also walking through Radz-at-Han, grooving to the theme song and in tears when the “Flow” melody hits as I turn in said Tomestones for new gear and materials. It feels good to be doing this again.
Coming back after a break lets me appreciate FFXIV more and more each time I do. And seeking out other games is a necessary part of that. It’s like having a healthy level of engagement with anything in life, right? Stepping away to catch up on everything else around you will only help you realize just how special it really is. The last thing I’d want is to resent FFXIV.
When I see our Scion friends again in new cutscenes in Patch 6.1’s MSQ and beyond, I’ll be smiling from ear to ear, even if little really happens. Because despite finding other cool characters in other games, my day-ones, my main crew, the real folks who continue to have my back, are the ones I’ve fought alongside throughout FFXIV.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder after all. It’s like I have a real-life Return cast set to transport me to FFXIV and it’s off cooldown again. Home is always where the Aetheryte is.
