Part of me wants very strongly to believe that FFXIV’s Stormblood expansion is all about perseverance, finding strength when its most needed, and the power of alliances, both good and bad. This same part of me has enjoyed bringing together various factions, despite all odds, quibbles, and apathy, in the fight for Ala Mhigo’s freedom, and would, in the end, called Stormblood a good expansion.

Flipping the coin, however, the act of playing through Stormblood has felt like pulling teeth. Everyone, including the disparate Xaela tribes, coming together in Doma was a wonderful sight, but my god, the effort to get there was gargantuan and exhausting. I’ll admit that by the time I reached Stromblood’s third act, I was soooooo ready to see the damn thing done, I bolted like hell towards the finish line…and it still felt like I was the tortoise in the race. Fine, slow and steady it had to be.