Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker Review
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need to know
What is it? The MMO’s latest expansion ends a long-running story arc.
expect to pay £30/$40
developer Square Enix
Publisher Square Enix
release date come out now
audit date AMD Ryzen 7 1700X, Gigabyte RTX 2080 Super, 32GB RAM
multiplayer game? Yes
association Official website
The word “expansion” feels too small for Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker. Not only is it a full-blown JRPG that takes at least 50 hours to complete, it’s also the culmination of a storyline that’s been running for over 10 years, and millions of other players and I have been watching it for updates and expansions. It’s not just an add-on, it’s more of the final book in a long-running fantasy series.
So, to solve the big problem – yes, Endwalker is a wonderful take on the Hydaelyn/Zodiak saga (two ancient creatures locked in a conflict of light and dark involving many crystals – Final Fantasy fans know the drill) A farewell to celebrate this has come before; yes, it opens the door to a new adventure that we know is going on.
listen to my story
(Image credit: Square Enix)
When it comes to bundling things up, however, things get a little messy. While it’s running about the same amount of time as the massive expansion before it, it feels like there’s more story than usual, for better or worse. As your heroes and Descendants of the Seventh Dawn battle to overcome the “Last Days” of the apocalyptic world, they deal with multiple seemingly climatic threats and send out a bunch of villains while speeding between regions far apart Move (you go to the moon, after all). It almost feels like this plot could unfold in two or three expansion packs.
The stuff here may be plentiful, but it’s not always powerful. The moments set in the ruins of the suddenly turbulent Garlemald – an empire that has haunted our Eorzean friends for a while – are memorable, but insignificant. The once mighty empire is now in ruins, filled with grief-stricken people and citizens caught in a brutal supernatural disaster that doesn’t get the attention it deserves. So is the vibrant, colourful Thavnair, our first South Asian-inspired place here. When the fiery plague began to sweep across the land, first on the chopping block, it infiltrated a few small tragedies, giving MMOs some of the hardest-hitting moments that need to spar. In its lush jungle and ancient ruins, there are only a few characters with speaking parts, well drawn, I wish I knew more about them, but just don’t have enough time in this ambitious undertaking shine.
(Image credit: Square Enix)
Rather than make it feel like an anthology, it introduces issues like the lack of any real definitive villain (about two-thirds of the way through our first encounter with the actual final boss), and the narrative conceit that pops up , lets you take a brisk roller coaster ride and wrap yourself up. It might be fun, but the coaster is still on the track. It’s a shame because small moments are great. Those who’ve played it from the start will be fist-bumping, as even relatively small characters get a chance to shine — allies wink and nod even if it feels like it has three separate “and my axe” moments.
The last expansion, Shadowbringer, was delightful as a self-contained story in the New World, and Endwalker promises to go all-out under a shaky star, its greatest triumph, and sometimes its weakness. Although anyone who has come this far is likely to have a big smile on their face. If you haven’t played the rest of the story so far, don’t use Story Skip – it’s more rewarding if you’ve completed the full journey.
career prospects
(Image credit: Square Enix)
Uncovering an emotional and sometimes very bleak story (after all, apocalypse can often be a little risky), Endwalker delivers what’s expected. The headlines include two new jobs: Reaper, Physical DPS, and Sage, Healer (and the first new job in several years). You can then complete those new or old jobs with six new story dungeons, two additional endgames, and three trials (large boss battles). There’s still plenty to explore, with six new maps to explore, and two new cities for the newest players to hang out with: Thavnair’s Radz-At-Han and Greek-inspired Old Sharlayan (full of boring centrist academics), Both are fairly broad.
All of these additions represent the pinnacle of the FF14 development team. Both jobs are great fun, and since the MMO allows all users to switch jobs directly from their inventory, anyone can easily jump in. The reaper is all about spinning a scythe as you fill a few meters to enhance your own death personification. Meanwhile, Sage uses a robotic scalpel to not only heal, but also to erect barriers and fire lasers at monsters, while also having a little mechanical toggle that changes the mode of some of your abilities, for example, turning a single-click blast into a kind of Products that will be damaged over time. Feel very active. As usual, though, these start at a slightly lower level than the main quest (70 vs. 80 this time), which means you’ll need to spend some time if you want to take them on your journey. You’ll see 7 to 8 hours of escalation, which doesn’t seem like a long time in MMO terms – but even that can be a time when you’re eager to take your Sage on a big new journey. A chore.
(Image credit: Square Enix)
It’s debatable that there’s a third new job in Summoner, it’s been overhauled, the cute little minions are out, the bigger pals are in, because you can now directly invoke the power of Primals (the traditional summon version of FF14) , it flashes and takes up a lot of screen real estate as they rampage.
Every job is tweaked, but it’s not just adding new content. Old skills have been pruned to make way for new ones, and as usual, this is all done neatly in a way that keeps things from getting overwhelmed. My main job, Dragon Rider, has dropped a maintenance move in favor of automation, while adding a new area effect terminator that is more tightly integrated with the other moves. Neutral changes to my standard shortcut bar in terms of space feel well thought out. It’s especially useful when using the controller, and the crossbar system continues to provide excellent support for the controller, with three or four bars easily accessible at the touch of a trigger. Great to see continued work on alternative ways to play.
Likewise, crafting and gathering took a big hit. These disciplines are always a fun and more than expected pastime, but can still feel a little bloated. However, in order to reduce the need to occupy multiple inventory slots, the game has completely eliminated high-quality materials and everything feels more streamlined. Things like past tasks and skills have also been changed to account for its absence. It’s a tall order, and it feels like it’s paying off, as those with hands-on skills get ready for the plethora of new gear that Endwalker has to offer.
boss baby
(Image credit: Square Enix)
The same philosophy can be seen in the dungeons and trials you’ll be partying or going through with your AI allies. MMO mechanics have never been more readable, and boss fights can be exciting because of it, whether in the dungeon itself or in the larger melee. Each has some great mechanics that make the game feel unique while also keeping it fair. Whether it’s a snowy behemoth that hides in a blizzard before popping up and attacking most of the arena, you can track down who’s through the snowy trails it leaves behind, or juggle where to stand to avoid a deadly string of butterflies and The wings explode in one fell swoop, and it feels fun to complete your moves while dancing around their attacks. Some of the classic mechanic’s telegrams have even been expanded, with “tankbusters” now receiving a special red arrow to indicate your party’s buff partner beating is in progress.
Trust also feels better than ever. This recently added feature means that instead of queuing up with friends to receive story content, you can do it alone with NPCs. They’re also capable, so if you end up erasing there’s no excuse – it can be a great tool for learning boss mechanics. They even added to the storyline while joking back and forth. I usually always go through it with the player for the first time, but there was one instance that really struck me, how the character actors approached their mission, I just had to see how it played out. I was not disappointed.
(Image credit: Square Enix)
Single-player missions are also back, letting you play alone, sometimes as your own character, and sometimes on the side of an ally (if you fail once, easier difficulties are now offered). These don’t feel quite as spectacular as in Shadowbringers, but offer some surprisingly effective rhythm changes and unique storytelling skills while giving you control over the action. Thancred’s stealth mission isn’t Metal Gear, but it’s better than it has any rights, and the other forces you to play a much weaker character than usual, which really makes you think about which fights to fight, and which ones to avoid.
Some of this creativity carries over into the main quest, with more emphasis on keeping you in the moment rather than always bouncing randomly between quest markers. Allies will now sometimes join you as you walk around, and there are places where you can take a break for some optional chat (not unlike the Tales series’ skit system, but more limited). Less successful are the trailing tasks, which are thankfully few and far between, but as annoying as any trailing system.
It’s impressive that the team was still able to take FF14’s ornaments and crystallize them into new forms, from the work and dungeons that felt like they were the best ever, to the confidence they had while experimenting with gameplay relationship with storytelling. But while there are some stunning vistas and lighting effects, and the details of the new armor design are mesmerizing, the age of the core game can’t help but show, and it’s smooth to play. This is the final chapter of a great story and I’ll stick with it, I’m excited to see a new story from the team – but I’m dying for some bigger changes to transform Eorzea.
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