Last Fantasy XIV: Endwalker assessment — Over the moon

Last Fantasy XIV turned my obsession in 2021, and that was throughout a “sluggish” time for the sport, at the very least by way of main new content material. I joined the MMO in the course of the finish of its Shadowbringers growth. Nevertheless, it by no means felt like a sport in a lull. It was as alive and content-filled as any on-line title I ever performed. Taking part in FFXIV turned my favourite factor to do in 2021.

Then Endwalker comes and someway makes all of it even higher.

That is Last Fantasy XIV’s fourth main growth. Every has constructed off of the sturdy basis Sq. Enix created with 2013’s A Realm Reborn, which remade the abysmal, authentic model of Last Fantasy XIV into one thing respectable. Now Endwalker brings lots of the story factors began with A Realm Reborn — and a few from even the unique model of FFXIV — and provides gamers a satisfying conclusion whereas promising extra adventures for the long run.

Every growth has strengthened Last Fantasy XIV’s greatness. Now Endwalker cements it as one of many biggest MMOs of all time.

The story continues

Endwalker provides rather a lot. Foremost, gamers have a brand new story marketing campaign. This continues the primary narrative of the sport and takes you thru new zones, dungeons, bosses, and extra. Doing this story will get you to the brand new stage cap at 90, unlocking new talents in your job class alongside the way in which.

I don’t need to spoil something in regards to the story, however it’s a worthy successor to Shadowbringers’ masterful story. It’s a bit much less centered. Endwalker has much more unfastened ends to tie up. If there’s a knock in opposition to the story, it’s that it does really feel like the ultimate act of a bigger narrative and fewer like a self-contained story with threads that hook up with the bigger plot, as expansions like Shadowbringers and Heavensward have been. However in case you’ve performed by all of these different expansions, it’s so thrilling to see all of those totally different characters and story branches come collectively for one thing of a grand finale.

Above: We’re happening an journey!

Picture Credit score: GamesBeat

The brand new zones are the general finest bunch we’ve ever gotten from an growth. Every is magnificent and distinctive. One has you exploring an underground conservation space, full with fabricated sky and solar. One other is sort of a Last Fantasy spin on India, which stands out from the overplayed medieval or far japanese aesthetics that many fantasy video games usually depend on. And in case you’ve been paying any consideration to Endwalker’s advertising and marketing, you realize that you just go to the moon. Whelp, seems that the moon is a brilliant cool place to go to.

The marketing campaign is as lengthy and fascinating as any single-player RPG. Heck, it’s higher than most of them. It’s not usually that you just hear anybody say that an MMO is value enjoying only for its story. Last Fantasy XIV is the uncommon exception, and rewards gamers who’ve dedicated the time to expertise the MMO’s plot up thus far.

Get a job

Endwalker additionally provides two new job courses. Sage is a healer with one thing of a futuristic tech aesthetic. They use shields that take up harm simply as usually as they heal harm allies straight. They will additionally restore some well being to a choose goal as they harm enemies.

Reaper is a brand new melee harm job. They wield big scythes and have a ton mobility. They will sprint and teleport round an area, making it simpler to dodge enemy assaults. In addition they have a darkish shadow that may present itself and even possess the participant for a lift in harm and/or velocity.

Each new jobs are fashionable and enjoyable to play. Even in case you don’t see your self utilizing one in all them as your major job, they’re value leveling up. In Last Fantasy XIV, a single character can be taught each job. You don’t want to begin a brand new avatar from scratch as you’d in a sport like World of Warcraft. This makes it simple to modify between jobs or to begin leveling up a brand new one. Since Reaper and Sage begin at stage 70, any veteran FFXIV participant ought to give them a spin.

Above: The Sage in Endwalker.

Music mastery

Plenty of Endwalker is implausible, however nothing is nearly as good because the soundtrack. Composer Masayoshi Soken created a rating with stunning, haunting new preparations and considerate callbacks to earlier songs from Last Fantasy XIV’s life. The soundtrack turns emotional moments into the form of borderline-traumatic set items that you could’t cease fascinated by. There are a number of songs that I’ve been enjoying on loop since beating Endwalker’s marketing campaign.

Soken composed a lot of this rating whereas battling most cancers throughout a worldwide pandemic. The truth that he was in a position to create music this unbelievable beneath such extraordinary circumstances is without doubt one of the biggest artistic efforts in gaming historical past.

It retains going

It’s extremely simply how a lot Endwalker gives. The primary story marketing campaign is already rather a lot. You additionally get a ton of sidequests, together with one for every job position — like healer, tank, or magical harm supplier — that sends you again to areas from earlier expansions.

We’ve additionally gotten the primary Excessive Trial fights, which gives a few of the finest gear your character can get in case you and 7 others can handle to take down tougher variations of the bosses from the primary story. That is the primary time I did Extremes, they usually’re a blast. Last Fantasy XIV makes it simple to discover a group of gamers, and these fights supply an awesome problem. We additionally bought the primary wing of this growth’s 8-man raid sequence, Pandemonium, which gives 4 extra wonderful boss fights and its personal story content material.

Other than the 2 new jobs, Endwalker additionally makes changes — some huge, some small — to Last Fantasy XIV’s present courses. My beloved Pink Mage is extra satisfying to play than ever due to some good balancing modifications and new talents. I’m excited to succeed in the brand new stage cap with each single job within the sport.

Above: Endwalkers gives some wonderful locations to discover and journey in.

One finish, one starting

Last Fantasy XIV turned one in all my favourite video games of all time in 2021. Endwalker makes me positive that I’m going to maintain enjoying all through all of 2022.

Not solely does Endwalker supply a satisfying conclusion to 1 chapter of Last Fantasy XIV, however it creates a tremendous basis for the MMO’s future. Endwalker will make sure that Last Fantasy XIV’s latest meteoric rise received’t come crashing again right down to earth any time quickly. Last Fantasy XIV’s prospects are over the moon.

Last Fantasy XIV: Endwalker is out now for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC. Sq. Enix offered a code for this assessment.