Final Fantasy 14 (FFXIV) Endwalker PC review: The new king of MMORPGs
Last month, I began my journey through Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker, the latest expansion of Square’s Enix popular MMORPG. This expansion is the climactic finale of the Hydaelyn Vs. Zodiark saga that has been waging for ten years. It features a new race to play as (the male Viera), new Jobs, significant changes to existing Jobs, and more.
My early impressions of Endwalker were positive. The story’s premise had me hooked, the new Reaper Job was a blast to play and the changes to Warrior and the Summoner Jobs made them more fun to play. Since then, I have completed the main storyline quests, delved into post-game content, and experimented with more job changes.
How does Endwalker fare a month after its release, and should you play Final Fantasy XIV in 2022? Let us find the answer together. This is our review of Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker on PC.
The Final Days are here
Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker (PC)
Pros:
- The storyline is a gripping adventure.
- The new Jobs and Job changes are fun to play with.
- The new dungeons, boss fights, and post-game raids are tough yet rewarding challenges.
- The presentation from sound, graphics, and music is outstanding.
Cons:
- One of the main villains is not as developed as they should be.
- Some Job changes have a decent foundation, but they still need some improvements.
- Some parts of the main storyline do drag on for a bit too long.
Final Fantasy XIV Endwalker: Graphics, Sound and Performance
Source: Windows Central
Category | Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker |
---|---|
Title | Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker |
Developer | Square Enix |
Publisher | Square Enix |
Genre | MMORPG |
Minimum requirements | Windows® 8.1 64 bit / Windows 10 64-bit Intel® Core™i5 2.4GHz 8GB RAM NVIDIA® Geforce® GTX750 / AMD Radeon™ R7 260X |
Game size | 80GB |
Play time | 100+ hours |
Platforms | PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 |
Launch price | $60 |
This game features a variety of unique locales you will explore over the course of your adventure. These include the idyllic, isolationist nation of Sharlayan, the war-torn winter fields of Garlemald, the cold, barren surface of the moon, and beyond. Every biome is rich with detail and atmosphere that is on par with modern games despite running on a game engine that is 10 years old now. The same could be said for the new dungeons you will be fighting in. Without going into spoilers, the new dungeons in Endwalker contain some of the most cinematic, beautiful (and sometimes disturbing) backdrops to date in Final Fantasy XIV.
The game’s character designs are also top-notch. Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker’s character designs manage to strike a solid balance between detailed realism and high-concept fantasy without coming across as jarring. Not to mention, the new armor sets you can acquire for your character are oozing with so much detail and personality, you’ll feel good simply wearing them, even before considering the stats.
Source: Windows Central
The new battle music for the dungeons and raids heightens the tension with bombastic orchestral scores and rock tunes that conveys the feeling that this could be your final battle. And when the story slows down for character development and plot revelations, the soundtrack cuts deep into your heartstrings with emotional melodies that will paint past expansions in a new light. Plus, there are soft, atmospheric hooks for when you are exploring new areas to get you immersed in the setting.
Source: Windows Central
The voice acting is also well-done as everyone brings their A-game in Endwalker. Backed up by a strong script filled with memorable lines, the actors give it all their all to add pathos and personality to characters they have been voicing for years.
Source: Windows Central
The only issue I have with Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker’s presentation is a problem that’s been a part of Final Fantasy XIV since day one — the color contrast. A lot of the areas in Final Fantasy XIV have a washed-out colour palette which makes exploring them feel a little dull at times. Granted the desaturated color scheme makes sense for some areas like the bureaucratic nation of Sharlayan and Endwalker’s later areas do have brighter and more vibrant contrasts. Still, I wish there was an option in the graphics settings to increase the contrast to brighten up some areas. Players have actually built mods specifically to address this, but it would be nice if Square Enix provided options themselves.
Final Fantasy XIV Endwalker: Story
Source: Windows Central
“The Final Days” is a cataclysm that almost destroyed the world eons ago and two villains are attempting to recreate it. Zenos, the bloodthirsty prince of the Garlean Empire who desires a rematch with you after his defeat at the end of Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood. And his cohort, Fandanial, a mad Ascian (villains who have plagued FFXIV since A Realm Reborn) who desires the end of the world.
Source: Windows Central
Without going into spoiler territory, the story gradually builds to an epic climax of biblical proportions. Fan-favorite characters get a chance to show off how far they have grown. Questions that have been on the backs of fans’ minds for years finally get answered. Endwalker explores themes of nihilism and finding the will to live in the face of world-ending despair.
Source: Windows Central
His single-minded obsession with fighting the main hero at the expense of the world gets old after a while, and it isn’t as interesting compared to the madness of his partner-in-war crimes, Fandaniel. Fandaniel is a fantastic villain that commits atrocities with such maniacal and sadistic glee, that I couldn’t help but be entertained by it. Not to mention, Fandaniel has tons of intriguing character development devoted to the mechanics of his insanity. By the time I learned all there was to know about him, I both pitied and despised Fandaniel and was fully motivated to lay all his plans to ruin.
That isn’t to say Xeno was a bad villain. He does get some character growth and a few great moments that got under my skin. It’s just unfortunate that Fandaniel stole the show and screentime that could’ve delved into Xeno’s backstory — which to this day is only available through a book compilation of short stories called Final Fantasy XIV: Chronicles of Light, not the the game itself. As it stands, despite being built up as our hero’s evil counterpart for years, Xenos still feels too underdeveloped to earn that right.
Source: Windows Central
Nonetheless, these sticking points don’t detract from the rest of Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker’s well-written story. It was a fun, heart-breaking, cathartic, and satisfying send-off to a storyline ten years in the making. Even the world-building had me intrigued enough to explore some of the optional side quests to find more lore about the new areas despite offering little experience points. That’s a sign of a good story if I went out of my way to engage in the side-content out of curiosity instead of necessity.
Final Fantasy XIV Endwalker: Gameplay
The gameplay structure of Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker follows the same routine as its predecessors. You progress through the story and unlock content by completing Main Scenario Quests and Role Quests. There are side quests between these Main Scenario Quests to complete, aether currents to attune to so you can fly with your mount, optional world events called “FATES,” which offer experience points to level up your character and much more.
At specific points in the Main Scenario Quests, you will have to form a party with other players using the matchmaking systems known as the Duty Finder or Party Finder and fight through dungeons populated with hordes of enemies and bosses. On top of that, you will undertake Trials that involve joining a party of eight players to take on a massive boss with multiple phases. You can also tackle a few dungeons solo with NPC allies using the Trust system.
Source: Windows Central
The boss fights are particularly challenging in this regard. They will toss out tons of aoe (area of effect) attacks down on your friends, obfuscate their senses with status effects, and unleash mighty spells that can break the laws of physics. Learning how each boss fight works and determining which attacks are best avoided or mitigated to save the party feels rewarding for my efforts. Like a choreographed fight scene in a movie where if you follow the script to the letter, the scene in question can be majestic spectacle for both players and viewers watching online.
Source: Windows Central
These were fun missions that added variety to the main questline. Even the semi-escort missions were engaging, given that some of them aren’t about protecting NPCs from enemies. They’re more reminiscent of early Final Fantasy games where party members follow you around a town and offer extra character moments and lore when you interact with the environment.
Source: Windows Central
The only sidequests worth doing from a pure gameplay perspective are those that unlock new content, such as the Raids or Role Quests for example. It’s a shame the regular sidequests offer little gameplay benefits to the player because they contain interesting side stories and lore about the world. If these quests rewarded more exp or other rewards, it could incentivize more players to pursue them. This way, they get more immersed in the story and have a good alternative way of leveling up their characters if they don’t feel like queuing up for a dungeon/trial/raid or if the queue is taking too long.
Jobs
Source: Windows Central
The new Reaper Job was a major highlight of my time in Endwalker. This is a DPS Job (“damage per second” for short, Jobs that focus on dealing damage) that summons an ominous creature known as a Voidsent Avatar to fight alongside you in battle. You mix scythe attack combos with attacks from the Voidsent Avatar to deal massive damage to the enemy.
At higher levels, you gain the ability to fuse together with your demonic companion to become Death itself. In this form, you can reap a whirlwind of destruction with enhanced scythe attacks and volatile dark magic. I absolutely adored playing as a Reaper. The multitude of attacks at your disposal coupled with mobility and party enhancing abilities made me feel like I was playing an action game half the time.
Source: Windows Central
The Summoner Job meanwhile has been reworked from the ground up to function more like a traditional Summoner from older Final Fantasy games. All of its damage-over-time spells and pets-based actions have been replaced with new attacks where you summon Ifrit, Titan, and Garuda in between summoning Demi-Bahumut and Demi-Phoenix to unleash explosive magic attacks. And at higher levels, you will be able to perform new attacks based on which creature you summoned. Even Carbuncle, your very first summon, has been given new utility abilities to assist the party with defense and attack buffs.
Source: Windows Central
When I first played Summoner months before Endwalker’s release, I thought it was slow and awkward. Having to constantly maintain damage-over-time effects and commanding my pet to get in position to deal damage was tedious work. Now, I’m having the time of my life blasting enemies to bits with my squadron of summons and I can’t wait to reach to max level to be able to summon Ifrit, Titan and Garuda in their true Primal forms.
Source: Windows Central
However, once the initial hype faded, I noticed this change made Monk too simplified for its own good. Namely, nearly all of Monk’s Off-Global Cooldown attacks (Tornado Kick and Elixer Field for example) are now locked behind Masterful Blitz. For those unaware, in many MMORPGs, abilities often have two kinds of recharge timers — the Global Cooldown (or GCD for short) is a recharge timer shared amongst all abilities that have it. And the Off Global Cooldown (or OGCDs for short), is a timer that is only tied to one specific ability unless it specifically says it is shared with another.
Source: Windows Central
Having to wait 40 seconds after using both Perfect Balance charges and doing the required GCD melee combos to activate Masterful Blitz in order to use attacks that were once used freely in previous expansions makes Monk feel clunky and slow. It’s like the equivalent of playing a beat ’em up but you’re not allowed to use your regular heavy attacks in combination with light attacks unless the game says you can. If Monk had more OGCD attacks to mix in between the moments when you’re waiting to use Masterful Blitz again, it would make the Job feel more exciting. In a way, it feels like Monk has stepped backward, rather than forwards in Endwalker.
Endgame
Source: Windows Central
For those looking for a challenge, there’s the Savage Raids and Extreme Trials. These are harder versions of Raids and Trials intended to push hardcore MMO players to their limits. The bosses in these modes hit harder, most of their regular attacks have indicators removed, and will feature brand new attacks and even new phases to the fight.
And if that’s not enough, there will be even more content coming soon for Endwalker. Such as Myths of the Realm, a 24-man Alliance Raid series that will involve the patron gods of Eorzea known as the Twelve. There will also be more player Job adjustments, new dungeons, new storylines, and so much more. So, this game has no shortage of endgame content to keep subscribers playing long after completing the main story.
Source: Windows Central
Time gating is a double-edged sword, and hard to balance in MMOs. While it does artificially slow the pace of progression down, which may be frustrating for some players, it also allows more casual players to keep up with the pace of gearing. It contributes to a more level playing field in terms of gear power levels for postgame content, so no one gets left behind — at least in theory. Also, the gear will be made readily through other means in future patches once new raids get added into the game. Thankfully, there’s a decent amount of content outside of raids even after you hit the weekly caps.
Final thoughts
Source: Windows Central
If you’re a fan of MMORPGs or Final Fantasy fan looking for a good story and fun gameplay, then Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker is for you. And if you are a returning player of Final Fantasy XIV, then you will be in an epic welcoming home party.
Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker is now available on PC, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5. Not only has Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker secured Final Fantasy XIV’s place as one of the best multiplayer games on PC, but it has also cemented itself as one of my favorite Final Fantasy games of all time.
The Final Days are here
Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker (PC)
Bottom line: Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker is a satisfying conclusion to ten years’ worth of stories. It is rife with hundreds of hours’ worth of content, tight gameplay, and a fully realized world to explore. MMORPG and Final Fantasy fans will not want to miss out on this epic finale.
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