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r/ffxiv. • 6 min. ago. FFXIVShadows. New to Final Fantasy 14 and I have two questions. [Question] I just started playing and am level 30, I know MMOs typically have a good amount of reading but this game seems a bit over the top especially with the main story. Does that change with later DLCs?
A community for fans of the critically acclaimed MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV, with an expanded free trial that includes the entirety of A Realm Reborn and the award-winning Heavensward and Stormblood expansions up to level 70 with no restrictions on playtime. FFXIV's latest expansion, Endwalker, is out now!
A community for fans of the critically acclaimed MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV, with an expanded free trial that includes the entirety of A Realm Reborn and the award-winning Heavensward and Stormblood expansions up to level 70 with no restrictions on playtime. FFXIV's latest expansion, Endwalker, is out now!
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- Verdict
- Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker Review
By Leif Johnson
Updated: Mar 21, 2022 6:40 pm
Posted: Dec 21, 2021 8:47 pm
"Has your journey been good?" a key character asks me, in reference to all my years of adventuring. We’re a few hours into Final Fantasy XIV's latest expansion, Endwalker. "Has it been worthwhile?"
My character never really gets to answer, and many hours later, I think that's because Square Enix also directs the question to us as players: Have the last eight years of FFXIV and all those hundreds of cutscenes been worth the time? I wish I had had the chance to say so, because after Endwalker, my answer is an unequivocal “yes.” Parts of this roughly 50-hour story move a little slower than I'd have liked, but when so many games, TV shows, and movie series seem incapable of delivering a satisfactory ending, it's refreshing to see one that mostly manages to stick the landing to an arc that’s gone on for so long. For that matter, Endwalker is good enough that it removes any doubt that this reborn MMORPG deserves inclusion in any discussion of the best Final Fantasy stories ever written.
That's partly because FFXIV is now a complete tale, with this expansion marking its end to what its 2013 reboot began. Endwalker wraps up virtually every major plotline introduced within that time frame, ranging from the long struggle between the semi-deities Hydaelyn and Zodiark and the ambitions of the Ascians to the fate of the Garlean Empire. Even the new zones suggest a desire to be done with whatever came before; in Endwalker, some of the spots I visited included the South Asia-inspired island nation of Thavnair, the scholarly city-state of Sharlayan, and Garlemald itself – as though Square Enix were trying to scratch off all the places that have long been mentioned but never visited.
When you do need to fight, Endwalker usually gives you legitimate reasons rather than concocting ridiculous scenarios to justify killing 10 sheep or whatever in the style of many other MMORPGs (and early FFXIV itself). But Endwalker prefers to sprinkle its leveling journey with quests where no fighting happens at all. Some are better than others – lore nerds like me will relish those where NPCs follow you and offer optional chats at specific points. Less successful are the several stealth missions requiring you to trail NPCs without being noticed and end if your quarry spots you – no one liked those missions in early Assassin’s Creed games and they’re no better here. The most maddening quest in Endwalker, though, simply makes you walk around a village and find people to talk to. It sounds basic, but they’re annoyingly well hidden and I probably spent half an hour trying to track everyone down. Fortunately, these moments are mere blips in Endwalker's epic running time, and the story usually cleanses the palete with an awe-inspiring reveal or emotional moment. Even the hated village quest is quickly followed by a tearjerker cutscene that closes an arc left untouched since A Realm Reborn.
Even the hated village quest is quickly followed by a tearjerker cutscene that closes an arc left untouched since A Realm Reborn.
“
Such moments remind me, again, that Final Fantasy XIV is already eight years old (not counting the original disastrous launch), and if I look around, I can see in the distant textures that it's starting to show its age a bit. But Square Enix’s MMORPG serves as a reminder that good art direction and sound design sometimes outdo games that need a mythical GeForce RTX 3090 to run properly. The last two zones in Endwalker are visual wonders, and one scene in particular drives home the power of Masayoshi Soken's excellent and ever-present soundtrack by taking it away. The music stops. No animals make noise. And by stripping FFXIV of most NPCs and music at that moment, Square Enix reminds us how much it does with aging resources.
Final Fantasy XIV doesn't allow that sad moment to linger for long, though, and in doing so, it reminds me of an inescapable weak point in the story. We all go into Endwalker facing the end of all things, but I already knew that once I was done with the story, I'd be free to craft at my leisure in Sharlayan's plazas, join hundreds of players on bos...
Shadowbringers weaves such a beautiful tale that it's tough not to gush about each and every strand of it individually. There might be some awkward job balancing changes here and there, but the fumbles are never enough to take away from how magnificent this expansion is as a whole. I arrived a stranger in Norvrandt, but I left as one of their own a...
Read the full Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers Review
Reaping the benefits
But that free time also leaves room to level the new Reaper and Sage jobs that start at level 70 (and unlock once you have another combat job at 70). Armed as it is with a scythe and clad in gothy cloaks, the Reaper is one of the best additions to FFXIV's DPS roster in years. Its ability rotation is shockingly simple, but so far swooshing my scythe to fill up a bar that lets me summon a wraith that boosts my damage remains endlessly exciting. It's a little too edgy for my tastes, but even so I'm having so much fun with it that it'll be the next job I level to cap.
The Reaper is one of the best additions to FFXIV's DPS roster in years.
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As if offering a counterpoint, Sage presents a far greater challenge, as it's partly designed around shielding allies and healing your tank by dealing damage to foes. I still don't really have the hang of it, but I like how it combines the best parts of Scholar and White Mage into a package that more experienced healers are clearly enjoying. Seeing a talented Sage in action in dungeons is a sight to behold, and I look forward to attaining even a fraction of that skill.
Endwalker's story hits hardest when you've been with its characters from the beginning, watching people like Alphinaud and Alisaie mature from spoiled brats to wise leaders or learning the contexts for all the folks you'll meet in some key cutscenes. (Alas, there’s no sign of Hildibrand Manderville.) What worries me, though, is that the barrier to access this part of this story for new players is now so high that, well, it practically reaches the moon. Endwalker's story alone takes around 45 to 50 hours to finish at the minimum if you watch all the cutscenes. To reach that, though, you also have to work your way through the hundreds of hours of story in A Realm Reborn, Heavensward, and Shadowbringers. I like to think it's worth playing through all that without paying for a story boost, but then I've been playing this game for the better part of a decade and wouldn’t have time to play through it in essentially one go if I were to start today. Clearly this isn't deterring too many people, though, considering that Final Fantasy XIV is currently so popular that would-be new players can't even buy it.
But a part of me hopes that all these resolved plot lines and definitive endings pave the way for an easier entry into the series for new players in the upcoming expansion. And whatever is on the horizon, I look forward to seeing it.
Packed with hours of meaningful cutscenes and unforgettable new zones, Endwalker marks a satisfying conclusion to Final Fantasy XIV's story as it has existed to date. While it doesn't introduce many new gameplay elements, it does deliver two new excellent DPS and healing jobs that should appeal to both new and experienced players and includes some ...
EDITORS' CHOICE
Review scoring
amazing
Final Fantasy XIV's Endwalker expansion brings its longest story arc to a satisfying close and cements its place as one of the best Final Fantasy stories ever told.
Leif Johnson
Reviewed on PC
Jan 28, 2022 · published 28 January 2022. Big in 2022: Whether you're a new or a returning player, Final Fantasy 14 has a lot of life after Endwalker. Comments. (Image credit: Square Enix) The trouble with...
Dec 20, 2021 · Reviews. Final Fantasy 14: Endwalker feels great when it works, but takes very few risks. The Monk and Summoner reworks are particular high points. By Todd Harper Dec 20, 2021, 11:35am EST....
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Jan 5, 2022 · Final Fantasy XIV does take a little while to get going, though not nearly as long as I think some make it out to be. And so much of it, for me and for others , is the world and its characters. It ...
