Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood Reviews
Final Fantasy XIV Online: Heavensward & Final Fantasy XIV Online: Stormblood are prime examples of how you should follow up a great opening chapter in a multi-game game like Final Fantasy XIV Online: A Realm Reborn. The time spent with Final Fantasy XIV Online now feels like it is really getting somewhere instead of just one long introduction. While Final Fantasy XIV Online: Stormblood doesn't quite balance the leveling experience with the story questline, everything comes together as an overall amazing experience leading into Final Fantasy XIV Online: Shadowbringers.
Art of the Revolution, Eastern Memories and Western Memories, feel like great companions to one of Final Fantasy XIV's less appreciated expansions. The art is much more varied than any of the other art books and uses much more dynamic posing for characters. Seeing how they converted this bold artwork into in-game models is very interesting, although I still would have liked more commentary from the artists.
While it doesn't quite soar the heavens like its predecessor, Stormblood is ultimately a solid addition to Final Fantasy XIV, with plenty to see, loads to do, and lots of little improvements to make the whole experience better.
For all you lapsed players, 4.4 continues the good will Square Enix has garnered since Heavensward. It's still one of the most polished games on the market right now by any metric, and even if you don't stick around forever you'll get something out of it.
Stormblood is simply amazing. Not much more can be said about it. With a very well-crafted story, some tense and epic battles, two new classes, and wonderful zones, saying anything else would ruin so much of the expansion and what makes it great.
Narratively, the goal of Stormblood was to create change for the better. In reality, the developers ultimately succeeded in this same goal. Going forward, it’ll be interesting to see how this is reflected in the upcoming content patches that will further build on what the expansion is seeking to achieve.
Final Fantasy 14's second major expansion, Stormblood, delivers yet another fantastic story that would please even the most discerning of Final Fantasy fans.
After playing the reborn Final Fantasy XIV for nearly three years, each expansion feels like a game of give and take. They’re very good, but tend to fall into the same routine as the base game. That’s not so much of an issue if that routine is a winning one.
Thanks to Stormblood and all the innovations - Final Fantasy XIV is back on the honorary Olympus of the best MMORPGs on the market. Naoki Yoshida and his team did the impossible by making a great game even better, while fixing the annoying problems. Ultimate Final Fantasy of our time is here - and it's Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Final Fantasy XIV second expansion pack, Stormblood, is a storytelling achievement, but nothing more. The game it's a showcase of the archaic scheme that governs every MMO in existence. Nevertheless, it's a rich and vibrant world which proudly carries the name of Final Fantasy.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
The best Final Fantasy XIV has ever been. Ever moving forward, Square Enix has managed to craft one of the most focused storylines in the game thus far, backed up by exceptional voice acting and a desire to keep quests fresh with great boss battles, characters and dungeons. The main area Stormblood suffers is postgame, where there is little desire to top that subscription back up once the main story and few unlockable dungeons and raids have been completed. Whilst it lasts, though, thoroughly engrossing from start to finish.
The second expansion of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn makes a full center and manages to make even more interesting a game that stoically resists the passage of time and business models. Stormblood in fact loads on his shoulders the thankless task not only of adding new areas and contents to the already alive Eorzea, but of passing a level that must equalize both the differences between the various jobs, and reduce the gap between those who can devote a lot of time to it and those who can not.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Stormblood tells an intriguing tale of resistance and rebellion, with well-defined characters, exciting dungeons, and awe-inspiring new classes, but leans just a bit too heavy on the grind.
Stormblood is the perfect expansion for Final Fantasy XIV players who want something new and refreshing. With gorgeous visuals, new areas to explore and an immersive questline, it's something players won't want to miss.
What this all amounts to is an expansion that doesn't push Final Fantasy XIV in bold new directions because, quite frankly, it doesn't need to. Stormblood takes everything that makes the game good and doubles down on it, expanding the world of Hydaelyn and filling it with more to see, do, and experience. Minor issues with its story and storytelling notwithstanding, this is everything I could want from a Final Fantasy XIV expansion.
Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood in some aspects is worse than the previous expansion, in others – slightly better. Overall, however, we get fun for several dozen more hours with the promise of several hundred more in further updates.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood in some aspects is worse than the previous add-on, in others - slightly better. However, we get fun for several dozen consecutive hours with a promise of a few hundred more in further updates.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Yet more proof that Final Fantasy XIV is the best MMORPG around.