Final Fantasy XIV elevated to new realm of brilliance
More often than not, the vast majority of vibrantly-coloured MMORPG titles belie their rather black-and-white take on morality. The same cannot be said, however, for Final Fantasy XIV’s latest expansion: Stormblood. Similar to the portrayal of the tyranny of humans and the brutality of war in the much-lauded The Witcher 3, Stormblood boldly ventures into much themes much darker than those typically experienced by MMO enthusiasts.
Stormblood shows us villages where the locals tremble at the mere idea of resisting oppressors who have abused them for more than two decades. It shows us traitors who’ve deluded themselves into believing they’re fighting for the same reason as freedom-minded rebels. The basic structure of dungeons, quests, and trials hasn’t changed much since 2015’s Heavensward expansion, but almost everything about Stormblood is worth experiencing, whether it’s the new lands, the two new classes, of the fantastic tale that unfolds over the full span of this war-ridden world.
My only major gripe is that Stormblood’s story is chopped up and sprinkled over the typical grind of an MMO. Compared to the main story quests, which are bursting with drama and exposition, the side quests are largely forgettable. What’s worse, they shed light on just how limited Final Fantasy 14’s quest design really is.
Just about every quest involves going to a place, clicking an object, and then returning to the quest giver. The main story quests mask this problem with expert storytelling and boss fights, but side quests offer very little beyond the experience points they reward. By the time I was halfway to the new level cap of 70, I was fed up with them. Fortunately, Stormblood has diversified the ways you can level up. Running dungeons with a group or competing in PvP are both so much more fun that I actually regret not dropping the ludicrously tedious side-quests sooner.
Stormblood’s group content is up there with some of the finest I’ve ever experience in an MMO. While the combat is still the same MMO-style we’ve come to know and love, the battles themselves are a spectacle of brilliant visuals, dramatic music and moments that border on the downright insane. The final boss is one of the most satisfying boss fights I’ve ever been involved in. The battle itself takes such an absurd turn after a few minutes that you couldn’t be blamed for the involuntary vomit of expletives that will inevitably burst forth when it comes. Outside of these encounters, Stormblood’s combat is much improved thanks to a sweeping overhaul to combat’s underlying rules and new ‘job gauges,’ a user interface element that feeds you visual information related to your job’s playstyle, making each one feel more distinctive and unique than before. Stormblood is bursting with content and improvements, and truly elevates Final Fantasy XIV to a whole new realm of brilliance. A must for any Final Fantasy Online players.