Now, of any MMO I've played the FF XIV story has been my favorite, though admittedly I never made it very far into other MMO's.
Though there was a lot of trout that bothered me about it, specifically there seems like so many things shoe horned into the plot that only exist because it's an MMO.
One example, MMO's these days like factions and joining groups. Enter the three Grand Companies. You are told by Alphanaud the things you would be doing for each grand company. You are told about the specific area's Primal problems you would be helping out with.
...And then the first plot missions are all about fighting the primals regardless of your choice of company. You're job is already to do all this trout.
It seems as if the story and characters were all planned in advance, and then later they were told it was an MMO, and things started to get rushed into the plans.
Also, you clearly have a set cast of characters that form a party in the different members of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. You are constantly working closely with them, they have distinct personalities, and even at the end (SPOILER)When you chase off the Ascian) it's all their spirits that join together. Yet while you work with them alot, it happens sparadicly, so you dont' really feel that unity by games end when that happens.
Also the out of place fetch quests. Ask face about all my yelling when I was tryign to get the guy to tell me how the smurf to fight Titan, yet instead I risked life and limb in a canyon questing for cheese, and then set a table for my own feast.
I loved how the game, trough Ysolda, basically acknowledged how much of a waste of time this all was. All this feels like stuff thrown in to pad out the games length and give you reasons to quest random trout.
I feel the fact the game is an MMO hurt it's writing incredibly.
I know that it likely wasn't originally intended to be single player, considering the original FF XIV launch and what not, but that's how the game comes across with a very tight and focused story on your little group.
So, let's discuss the games story here!