Don’t expect to be awestruck by the adventuring portion of FFXI. It’s done well, but it’s still just typical online adventuring. Most characters start out gaining a few simple quests from the local townsfolk, such as “give me 3 rabbit pelts” or “take these supplies to outpost X”. After that, it’s out for the oh-so-tried-and-true “rodent-bashing” that seems to be a staple of all RPGs. The first several hours of play will be spent frantically hunting those poor little rabbits (and a few other small critters), while running in blind panic from anything more scary, all the time trying to get just a few more experience points. After a while, with a few more levels gained, a few more skills or spells learned, and some slightly better equipment donned, the more interesting quests can begin. There are a lot of quests and missions throughout FFXI, enough to keep players busy for a while. Most are of the “bring me this” or “destroy that” variety, but there’s enough variation to keep things interesting.