Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers Reviews

Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers is ranked in the 99th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
PCMag
Top Critic
Sep 13, 2019

Final Fantasy XIV is one of the best MMORPGs on the market, and is easily one of the best Final Fantasy games in the series. It's packed with content, including an engaging narrative and quirky quests that are an absolute delight.

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9.5 / 10.0
Aug 15, 2019

Does a lot of things at exceptional levels.

Review in Italian | Read full review

8 / 10
Jul 23, 2019

While the story's over-reliance on genre tropes keeps it from being truly groundbreaking, it's still among the best in MMOs, as is the new content. Shadowbringers is a great experience that could've been an amazing one.

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Alan Bell
Top Critic
7 / 10.0
Jul 26, 2019

Extremely lame animation and ultra-awkward pauses are just two of the many issues this game engine is plagued with. It’s been an issue since the beginning, of course, but as someone who dips in at the launch of an expansion and then drifts away over time, it’s always a harsh reminder of just how bad this system is each time I re-sub and fire up the game again. Why they insist on using it so often when it’s so bad is beyond me - there are other options, people!

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Atomix
Top Critic
85 / 100
Jul 21, 2019

Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers is an awesome expansion that offers an incredible story that approaches the world we already know from a new perspective, as well as some new interesting additions in the form of jobs, races and gameplay mechanics. The bad part is that the narrative is kinda slow paced and take some time before starting to get deeper and darker.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

5 / 5.0
Jul 10, 2019

With Shadowbringers, the development team has proven that they have perfected everything that Final Fantasy XIV is known for and does well.

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9 / 10
Jul 10, 2019

Shadowbringers is simply the best MMO extension ever made, period. The new world to discover is amazing, the story is amazing, the soundtrack is amazing and the updated battle system is amazing. We will only complain about one thing: please Square Enix, fix the way characters are animated during cutscenes because it is painful to watch in 2019.

Review in French | Read full review

8 / 10
Jul 15, 2019

Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers is, mechanically, the strongest entry in the franchise but the narrative falls short of being truly great.

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98%
Mar 22, 2020

The main story, while intriguing, may leave you wanting more; battles and music are definitely where patch 5.2 shines brightest.

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4.8 / 5.0
Jul 25, 2019

Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers is another hit for Square Enix's popular RPG. Base players have a remarkable narrative and story to explore, along with plenty of content to make the subscription fee worth it. Compared to previous expansions, Shadowbringers improves the game in a variety of ways. Whether it's the fresh story or just new experiences, there is something for everyone. So, if you're a newcomer or just a cautious fan, it's an experience that reminds us why Final Fantasy has remained so popular.

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10 / 10.0
Jul 5, 2019

Shadowbringers is more than just a masterful arc in a beloved tale; it's one of the best Final Fantasy stories ever realized, showcasing an MMORPG at the apex of its craft.

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10 / 10.0
Aug 8, 2019

As I said before, I cannot recommend Shadowbringers more. The story, visuals, music, vocal performances, and gameplay all combine together to create a phenomenal gaming experience. Final Fantasy XIV has only gotten better over time, and after playing Shadowbringers I have simply no idea how they are going to better this expansion in the future. It really and truly is that good.

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Leif Johnson
Top Critic
Jul 13, 2019

Full of emotion and high adventure, Final Fantasy XIV's Shadowbringers expansion brings MMORPG storytelling out of the shadows. Two great new combat classes, two cool new races, and a nifty system for running dungeons solo round out the experience of FFXIV's best expansion to date.

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9 / 10.0
Jul 19, 2019

Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers is one of the best MMO expansions I've ever played. The story is incredibly good, the new jobs are ridiculously good fun, and the mechanical updates work well. The word of the First is a beautiful treat, and music is top-notch. If this sounds like your jam, you should absolutely play it.

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4.6 / 5.0
Jul 10, 2019

Shadowbringers brings a completely new level to an already fantastically evolving world. From it’s deep, personal story about inner conflicts and shattered, dying worlds. To it’s emotional cast, musical scores and gorgeous landscapes.

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MMOGames
Jason Bassett
Top Critic
9.5 / 10.0
Jul 15, 2019

Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers is without question the best Final Fantasy XIV expansion yet. The gripping story gave me quite a few gut punches. Shadowbringers is fun, fast, and fluid, largely due to the latest changes made to the battle system. If you're looking for a brand new MMO or just want to get back into Final Fantasy XIV after a long hiatus, now's the time to do so as this edition is wonderfully done.

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10 / 10.0
Aug 8, 2019

Everything from the presentation to the sound design, from new classes to new races, is so close to perfect that any criticisms I have are nitpicks in comparison to the love and adoration I have for this game, and this expansion.

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Cubed3
Top Critic
7 / 10
Mar 26, 2020

If you are invested in FFXIV, this DLC will probably excite and please you. It's a fun but forgettable romp that runs just the wrong side of boring during its hours-long retelling and bland A-B mission style. If this tickles your fancy, be sure to start and play with a team of friends - it will easily be 10 times more enjoyable, if infinitely longer.

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Digitally Downloaded
Matt C.
Top Critic
Jul 26, 2019

Shadowbringers is a shining example of why that formula works.

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Gamefa
Top Critic
9.1 / 10.0
Jul 8, 2019

Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers is an excellent choice for New Players and Experienced Ones. The story is very attractive and gameplay mechanics are so deep. Besides thd improved trust system make you explore dungeons more and more. It's the best time to walk in Final Fantasy XIV world.

Review in Persian | Read full review