Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward Reviews
But as I said, these three issues are incredibly minor when considering the sheer scale and variety of content in the game, and they haven't stopped me logging over 300 hours in total play across Final Fantasy XIV and now Heavensward. I don't use the five-star rating to describe the perfect game. As per our scoring process, a five-star score is like a five-star hotel; it's a deluxe experience that offers something meaningful well beyond what most games do. But Final Fantasy XIV has genuinely developed into the best MMO on the market as far as I'm concerned, with its brilliant post-game content and now, with the additional Heavensward content, the best is just getting better. This game is a compelling argument for the continued validity of the subscription model for MMOs.
An extensive and well-planned expansion that makes Eorzea an ever-more compelling place to get lost in.
A huge expanse of wilderness added to an already excellent MMO, Heavensward opens up the world of Eorzea to even greater possibilities.
Square Enix's MMO has gone from turmoil to triumph, but can the latest expansion take it even further?
Final Fantasy XIV evolves with Heavensward, an expansion that takes A Realm Reborn upwards on the wings of a Chocobo. In addition to flying, players get an all-new storyline, new Primals, a brand-new raid dungeon, and three new jobs to level up. FFXIV still retains a few annoying issues here and there, but Heavensward is one of the best MMO expansions I've played.
Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward is more A Realm Reborn, which is a fine thing to strive for in my book. Whether you're the type of player who enjoys crafting, endgame content, or role-playing, there's so much to do here for people of all skill levels it's insane. While I fizzled out a bit after completing the main story in 2.5, Heavensward has rekindled my flame.
Even so, the vast majority of Heavensward is outstanding and it's easy enough to endure the occasional slow patch. A Realm Reborn was an impressive revival when it launched in 2013, and Heavensward elevates the game to an even higher level. Rarely do expansions feel so fully formed. A Realm Reborn is no longer a grand apology, but instead a fantastic Final Fantasy game in its own right.
The beautiful new areas, incredible story, and massive additions to existing content make Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward an amazing package. Despite some minor annoyances, the overall amount of additional, enjoyable content proves to be highly entertaining for those who have exhausted Final Fantasy XIV Online: A Realm Reborn. Whether you're a newbie or a returning adventurer, there's no better time than now to give the brilliant world of Eorzea a shot.
All in all, you'll literally get hundreds of hours of gameplay to do, with more content added roughly every three months. This is hands down the best MMO on the market currently, in my opinion, and I think every Final Fantasy fan should at least play it through. Even if you're not the type to join clans, it's a game you can play almost exclusively solo except for a couple bosses and some mandatory dungeons. If you have been waiting on picking up Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward there is no better time than now to pick it up. It's a solid 4.5 out of 5 for me.
Yoshida and his team has cemented FFXIV's place amongst the MMO titans that dominate today. They're not going anywhere - if any new MMO is going to see a decade plus lifespan, it's this one. Don't wait another second - Final Fantasy XIV, along with Heavensward, is an MMO you need to be a part of.
We couldn't have asked for anything better than Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward. It comes packed with a staggering amount of content that will leave players overwhelmed in both quantity and quality. It contains a storyline that's highly entertaining and rivals most RPGs in length, three new jobs that are more than welcome additions and flying mounts that help revolutionize traversal in Eorzea.
Heavensward reconfirms Final Fantasy XIV as one of the best MMORPGs out there.
What more can really be said? Everyone was expecting a nice and self-contained story at best, a bit of a romp, and nothing exceptional. Getting a well-crafted story, developers learning how to up their game to create intense battles from their prior experiences, and so many other improvements, was simply not expected. There is a distinct rift in quality between the base game and this expansion, and considering A Realm Reborn was already very good, this new rift showcases just how great Heavensward is.
...Heavensward takes Final Fantasy XIV's reborn realm and takes those high emotions from Patch 2.55 and twisting them into a beautifully dark Final Fantasy story while also polishing many aspects of the gameplay to make the game both more accessible and enjoyable.
As a title, Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward is polished. It might not always get everything right, but when it does, it does it pretty damn well. It’s an example of developers finally finding their footing and taking a game to its limits. Even if those limits are the consequence of a rather shameful disaster.
A hugely enjoyable addition to the world of Eorzea with plenty of room to spread your wings and explore.
FFXIV: Heavensward is light on new features, but its story and wealth of content make it an expansion to remember.
Some may argue that the current generation of MMORPGs is filled with throw away imports that focus on monetization over quality. While that seems true for most of 2015's releases Final Fantasy XIV's expansion Heavensward bucks that trend and proves that there is still room for subscription based MMORPGs on the market that are not named World of Warcraft.
All in all, Heavensward made for a great expansion for the game, and is a great springboard for things to come.
Leveling suffers from repetitive quest design and its zones are troublesome to traverse until you can fly, but these issues are soon left in history as you plunge into Heavensward's magnificent story conclusion, and engage in its wonderfully composed group content.