Gonna write a full review once I actually finish the Nation missions but my first 30 free days are about to run out and I won't sub for now so here's just some early impressions:

This game is surprisingly fun! I was kind of dreading getting to it but honestly combat is more fun than in like half of the previous final fantasy games. It's a bit slow but it's deep and can even get pretty intense.
The grind is pretty long but it's so relaxing, one of the best things you can do while watching a video on your second screen.
Wandering around the various regions is also very nice but man most of the dungeons suck so much. Even with maps and guides they still remain hell to navigate. I actually still have 2 days left on my sub but I need a break from all the dungeoning.

The main story is shit, but I enjoyed the side quests I've done. "The Shadowlord" is the name of a villain from a fake video game played by the nerdy older brother in a 2000s tv show and I fucking hate beastmen as a narrative device so fucking much, I know this is the first time they're used in the series and I shouldn't hold XIV, XVI, and VII Rebirth against it but it sucked here too!
But getting some insights into how the war 20 years ago affected the world of Vana'diel and its people is cool, and I've heard later expansions have better stories so let's hope that's true.

Not quite sure when I'll resub, I have a bachelor's thesis coming up so probably not anytime soon, but I am looking forward to it already.

Played on HorizonXI

Decided to give this game a go again to see if I was wearing nostalgia goggles for it, and yes. Yes, I was. While I appreciate the sheer complexity of the game, it's often to its own detriment. It also takes so long to get about anywhere. Travel is very player-unfriendly. It takes too long to get anywhere at lower levels.

It also takes entirely too long to gain levels early on. I get level 50 to 51 taking a while, but level 13 to 14 takes entirely too long if you are solo (or even in a party).

The story is also just not really there until later in the missions. The whole experience is a bit too hands-off and free form. And while I appreciate some aspects of it, like not being locked to a specific role for parties.

Also, I forgot the XP loss system for dying, and how harsh it can be.

All in all, it's still a wonderful game, but looking back I never felt like I was engaged with the game, but rather was in awe of its complexity. I'm glad that people are still having fun playing this, and I may come back to it one day when I have a little more time and patience for it.

I downloaded the free trial, but didn't play it as much as I'd have liked to because I had a bunch of other shit going on and this game just wasn't that fun. The job system is pretty cool, but it's kind of a nightmare to do anything thanks to the game's wretched controls and general inaccessibility. But it did make me think "If it weren't a nightmare to do anything, this would probably be pretty fun!" I bet FF14 is actually pretty fun. Maybe I'll develop an Old School RuneScape addiction soon.

From what I played, the world seemed well thought out, but maybe the most bland I've ever seen in a Final Fantasy game. It does look quite nice for such an old game at least, though I'm sure it's been updated some since 2002. Something really funny is that the character creator plays epic heroic music when you pick a male character, but sexy pop music when you pick a girl.

PlayOnline has an awesome Y2K aesthetic, complete with great music and sound design. Aside from that, fuck PlayOnline.