With adventure and a brutal war raging throughout FFXI, could a spunky dancer be your key to rekindling your love with Vana'diel?

It’s been too long since I last saved the world.

As a die-hard fan of the Final Fantasy series, life just feels empty when I’m not locked in an epic struggle between the forces of good and evil.

Don’t get me wrong -- I enjoy the therapeutic soloing on Buburimu Peninsula as much as the next guy. It’s just that I feel more in my element when I’m hurtling toward a lunar foe in the Big Whale, battling my father in depths of Sin or chasing a genetic freak with a ridiculously oversized sword.

About a year and a half ago, my closest linkshell mates and I prevented Ragnarok by the slimmest of slim margins. Since then, the only time I’ve saved the world was in A Crystalline Prophecy -- but that wasn’t epic enough to count.

Final Fantasy XI started feeling less and less like Final Fantasy. Most of my friends from my social linkshell left, and then my dynamis linkshell disbanded as well. Square Enix released A Moogle Kupo d’Etat, but, as was the case with ACP, I just couldn’t convince myself that Vana’diel really needed my help.

Lately, though, I’ve got that feeling in my bones. There’s electricity in the air. Something wicked this way comes. And this time, it really is up to me to stop it. Put an end to the wickedness.

I’m talking about Wings of the Goddess.

For the first time in a long time, I’m beginning to care about the future of Vana’diel -- no pun intended.

Of course there are downsides to Wings of the Goddess. The thing is, there aren’t very many. Some people believe the battles are too easy and that there aren’t enough rewards. The only widespread criticism I agree with is that Square Enix has taken far too long to release the storyline content. Unfortunately, this is a serious flaw. There’s a good chance we’ll know how the television show “LOST” ends before we see the next chapter of WoTG.

That said, the most recent batch of missions had me on the edge of my seat, wondering what would happen next, eager to leap into the next battle -- and I haven’t even completed the apparently awesome Windurst quests released in this week’s update.

If Anza’s recent thread in the general forum is any indication, I’m not the only adventurer who has been hooked by WoTG’s unique storyline. What works about the Wings of the Goddess story, and why does it seem so unique to Final Fantasy XI?

Long ago, I remember the development team discussing the unique structure of the WoTG storyline. Now, I get it. The only way to fully appreciate this expansion is to do all of the nation quests and missions. Although I’ve found Bastok’s story to be somewhat less stimulating (insert Lastok joke here), each quest line is generally clever, compelling and dramatic. The main storyline, which ties in seamlessly with the nation quest storylines, is a blend of humor and heroism, sadness and hope -- and it works perfectly.

The other thing I enjoy about the WoTG storyline is that it’s easy to understand. More than once during Chains of Promathia -- widely regarded until now as the best storyline in FFXI -- my static party spent considerable amounts of time debating exactly what had just happened. There’s none of that in Wings of the Goddess. It’s not that the story is overly simple or dumbed down; the story telling is just that good.

Some have criticized the battles of WoTG for being too easy. However, I applaud Square Enix for making these battles fast-paced and exciting. Nothing else I’ve experienced in the game comes close to the heart-pounding, feather-flying fury of the Windurst quest "A Manifest Problem," which Pikko and I duoed many months ago.

Have I mentioned how spectacular the cutsenes are? I talked about the storyline, which is basically synonymous with cutscenes. Still, I want this to be emphatically clear: the cutscenes of WoTG are THE. BEST. CUTSCENES. IN. THE. ENTIRE. GAME. Even Kanye West would agree. In addition to conveying the excitement of the story, the cutscenes breath life into the expansion's supporting cast. Lilisette, with her vibrant costume, spunky dialogue and detailed facial expressions, is perhaps the most memorable female of Final Fantasy XI since Prishe.

I’m not going to reveal any spoilers, because I know many players have yet to experience the story. It’s shocking how few people have completed even a few Wings of the Goddess missions. We’ve all heard the complaints that there isn’t enough incentive to progress through the storyline. To those people I ask, “What more do you want?”

Square Enix is giving us what may prove to be the superior storyline of Final Fantasy XI. Forget the fact that many quests reward you with valuable, sellable items, or that shiny pieces of gear will likely await adventurers after the final battle (whenever that may be). I’m aware that many gamers are obsessed with itemization, and I expect other MMORPGs to be e-peen-centric.

I just don’t expect that from Final Fantasy XI.

Say what you want about Square Enix, but give Wings of the Goddess a chance. Round up five friends, pick a day or night and start a mission static. The storyline missions are being released at a snail's pace, but they're worth the wait. Nobody can accuse Square Enix of failing to give their most die-hard fans exactly what they want.

That would be: an amazing storyline; emotion; nostalgia; the chance to static with friends; excitement; epic battles.

And, of course, a chance to save the world.