I'll be honest. After doing the beta testing, Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn will be taking up most of my free time.
It reminds me of FFXI, in a very good way. I was very disappointed with the last attempt at replacing FFXI, this time they definitely got it right. The best part, my old linkshell is getting back together for FFXIV.
I'm really looking forward to World of Darkness, mostly because I used to play the hell out of the pen and paper RPG back with my friends in college.
I also played the beta and have pre-ordered the game...
I have zero experience with the previous FF MMOs, but have played many of the RPGs in the series.
I played a Lancer and only got to level 9 over the weekend, so my take is limited to the really early parts of the game.
Visuals
The game is very pretty, and i'm still in Gridania which is pretty basic forest like area. I am really looking forward to exploring the rest of the world. So far, the outfits/armor are pretty hideous... Reminds me of a bad Three Musketeers movie. If it weren't for the armor/outfits I have seen in later parts of the game, I might have quit already.
Audio
The music is pretty good, but a bit too familiar. The voice acting is almost non-existent so far. Most of the main story quests so GW2 like cut-scenes, but it's all text. I've only run into one quest so far where there was a cut scene with voice acting. I don't mind text, but even in WoW and other games the initial greeting of a NPC was voice acted, but not FFXIV (at least so far).
Combat
The combat (at least what I have seen so far), is very flashy which helps a bit to make up for the antiquated combat system (i.e. WoW like). The visuals of the different attacks I have are really nice, and I expect it only to get better. Also, with the class system (i.e. level any or all classes and job system), I really expect there to be some interesting builds. The early level mobs look pretty near, but combat with them has been pretty dull so far. My attacks are flashy, but the mob stuff is pretty flat.
Travel
The Athernet is pretty cool idea. FFXIV is a zoned game, but not really instanced at least it does not appear to be. Athernet is a series of crystals around the world, once you attune yourself to one you should be able to travel between the crystals you have attuned to (in the same network I believe). For example, the main city I am in is broken down into different sections and there is a crystal in each section. If I go up to one of those crystals I can then port to another location in that network. For those of you that have played WoW, think of it this way... Stormwind is broken into districts if there was a crystal in every district them you would be able to "quick travel or port" from say the Dwarven District to Mage Quarter. There are also Chocobo rides, but it appears I have to be level 10 to use them and so I have not had the chance as of yet.
Quests & Fates
Quests are pretty standard, but some of them have multiple steps. For example the quest give in FFXIV also has an ! mark and will give you a quest, and if it's a quest that has multiple steps, when you have completed the first step, the person you talk to (not necessarily the original quest giver) will have a different symbol about their head (forgot what it looks like). Once you have actually completed the quest there will be a green check by the quest and the person you turn it into will also have a green check.
The hunting log is pretty neat... I believe it starts at around level 5 and basically is just a list of creatures you can kill for extra xp and reward. most of the creatures will be ones you gets quests for. I did not have the chance to complete the log in the opening area, so I am not sure what happens when you do.
Fates, at least in the opening areas, have been pretty disappointing. They appear to be random (unlike GW2 scripted re-run events), but so far have no substance. The early fates have been nothing more than a bunch of mobs (usually of the same type) attacking an area at the same time. I expect and hope there to be more to Fates later on (i.e. stages of completion and stuff).
As for levequests and guildhests, I have not participated in these yet.
Reading through my take, I realize there are a few "negatives" mentioned. However, I like the game and plan on at least playing through my "free" month before I make a final decision. What I have seen so far is a solid game with a few minor quirks or inconsistencies, so of which may be non-existent later in the game.
