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NOTE: I started this prematurely a while back, but ended it abruptly. I did so under the urge to post about this great game, but I realized I was doing it an injustice by writing on such short notice. With that, I bring you the full realization of that same attempt.

Enjoy!
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HEY. YOU.

YEAH, YOU.

Did you know there was a Final Fantasy that took place in between Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy XII? Spooky - I know. There was this rumor that there was such a game - but it was online... so surely it didn't count for anything. After all, why should I pay monthly for a Final Fantasy? I never have before. Well, if you did, you treated yourself to one of the best in the series in terms of storyline, immersion, and satisfaction.

For those not in the know, I'm referring to...



In fact, for those who played FFXII so dutifully and loved it, you can thank XI for many of those game-play elements, enemies, and overall structure.

For those too lazy to Wikipedia, here's the history lesson:

The game debuted in Japan first on the PS2 console May 16, 2002 and on the PC for Japan November 7, 2002. What? JP and NA release? You bet! Welcome to the interesting dichotomy of this MMORPG. This game then hit the shores of NA on PC first October 28, 2003 and then PS2 later on March 23, 2004. In 2006, Xbox 360 would join the pack for the NA, JP, and EU release. How's that for multicultural?

I was lucky enough to join the game February of 2004 on my PC thanks to some non-stop bugging from my friend Danji would said: "YOU HAVE TO PLAY THIS. IT'S WORTH IT." Ugh. Famous last words much?


My friend in all of his starting-gear-glory.

So... I picked it up... and played for 4.5 years. I chose Ramuh as my world and went on to play as an Elvaan named Aneubis living in San d'Oria... before realizing I hated the direction I was going. Afterwards, I switched to a blonde, short-haired hume named Wintieu living in Bastok and thus my world was opened.


This was a much later point in my FFXI career. However, I always flaunted my Bastokan pride... as shown above.

This wasn't my first rodeo - I had previously played Phantasy Star Online for the Dreamcast. However, this was my first hardcore MMORPG and I wasn't sucked in immediately. The game had its share of faults, hiccups, frustrations, and time-sinks. In lieu of that, the game also had its successes, glories, celebrations, and worthwhile-moments. For anyone just glancing at it or trying it for a day - hell, maybe even a week - I can understand why you'd dislike it. For those who stayed around for a bit longer, you know the love/hate relationship that FFXI creates with you.

Some will debate the atrocities in the game and compare them to other games that were out at the time like World of Warcraft, Ragnarok Online, Maple Story, Guild Wars, Everquest 1/2, Lineage, Runescape, Star Wars Galaxies, and so on. Fact is: FFXI boasted one thing that not many of those games could match: a phenomenal storyline and an entire franchise's worth of content to fall back on.

SO!

With that, I'm going to bring to you the Top 100... well, Everything's of Final Fantasy XI... by 5's. I will include what screen-shots I have left, detailed descriptions, and maybe my own examples of what I experienced with the examples given.

Hopefully, those who are hardcore FF advocates - but never played this game - will learn what this particular game was about and add it to their FF knowledge and culture.

This game means so much to me; friend-wise and passion for gaming alike.

Tonight, I will post 100-96 and get this thing kicked off. Hopefully this is something everyone can look forward to whether you hated, loved, or never played the game.

Until then, I'll leave you with a snippet of conversation that I used to experience in Final Fantasy XI.

Remember, think of Balrog losing every time you read this as he screams:
MY MONTHLY MMORPG MONEEEEEYYYYYYYYYYYYYyYYYyyyYY!