a rec for those looking for a long-term game investment. i have a very love/hate relationship with this game. getting the downsides out of the way: if you're not careful you can waste a lot of your free time, the community is cringe-inducing, there can be a grind, and the story has dry spots. i wouldn't have started this game if it didn't find me during unemployment, but what i've played is so fun and unique i still make time for it to this day. i have a lifelong on-again-off-again relationship with MMOs and the combat here is really engaging at higher levels. there are many second-life elements that add a lot of personalization to your experience. it's one of my favorite fantasy stories of all time (it is super story-focused, nearly every aspect of gameplay is tied to story, though not all side-stories are as S-tier as the main questline). i've put over 1000 hours into it over 3 years, compared to other similar games it doesn't demand all of your time to be a good player, you can maximize your experience with whatever level of effort you put into it. it took 2 years of playing through what the game has to offer to hit endgame. i've played it more than any other game in my life. the new expansion's early access starts in 2 days and i will be playing all weekend.