So I haven't played FFXI since 2005 except a few years ago when I played a trial for a day or so then quit. I originally played FFXI back in 2004 on the PS2 and have very fond memories of it; the music along with the atmosphere really hit me hard with a wave of nostalgia when I think about it. Funny enough, the long, tedious grinding also brings back good memories -- camping the same spot hours on end or just waiting in Jeuno for a party.
Anyway, since then, I've played WoW off and on since 2006. Besides from this past October to December, I haven't played WoW since the summer of 2010; the gameplay simply sucks now. However, without an MMO to play, I've really been itching to play an MMO and that's when the thought of FFXI came up. Also the fact that FFXIV is coming out soon really made me want to play something until that game comes out. With all this being said, is it worth coming back at this point? I know a big patch/expansion just came out so I'm just curious about the new gameplay. I know it's totally different now and you can actually solo **** now. As long as there is at least one active NA server I should be good to go on playing -- just need to know if it's worth $40 at this point.