Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers Reviews

Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers is ranked in the 99th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
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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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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MMORPG.com
Top Critic
8.5 / 10.0
Jul 15, 2019

Shadowbringers brings a lot to the table. From a great story, to amazing areas to discover and explore, Square Enix has truly outdone themselves this time. With many changes not only to the Jobs system, but also FATEs and just general gameplay, it's more than enough to bring new players and returning players alike to the game.  Unfortunately, it's not all perfect, but the flaws are mostly revolving around issues not related to actual gameplay. Still, some will find the content boring, as per usual, but to me, it's pure fun!Score: 8.5/10

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9 / 10.0
Jul 17, 2019

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn is a pretty cool game. Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers is an awesome extension of it, adding features that further distills the game's core appeal and adds an entire new game of shockingly excellent storytelling in terms of scale and quality. I don't really know what happens between those two points yet, and I have a long road of Final Fantasy XIV ahead of me yet. But after my experiences so far in learning the game, experiencing its latest expansion, and seeing just how much I have left to see and do, well, I'm in it for the long haul.

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9.9 / 10.0
Jul 18, 2019

FFXIV: Shadowbringers is a tale that shows us how much we need the Darkness, how balance must be kept in check, how vulnerable we all are, and how we can’t stand alone. We need others to guide us and help us push through all the things that would get in our way. This expansion is the amalgamation of what we could ever want in an adventure and what we could probably ever want in a Final Fantasy game. So come hither future Warrior of Darkness, join us in our epic and dark tale of friendship, hope, despair, wild and crazy banter, death-defying battles, and become one of the next Shadowbringers!

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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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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 22, 2019

Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers is outstanding, and the pinnacle of Final Fantasy XIV so far. All of its elements blend beautifully for not only one of the strongest MMORPG experiences going, but one of the strongest RPG experiences full stop.

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94 / 100
Jul 23, 2019

Coupled with a striking new world to explore, Shadowbringers' poignant and character-driven story is one of the best in the entire series.

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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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XGN.nl
Top Critic
8 / 10.0
Jul 24, 2019

Shadowbringers is the most balanced add-on for Final Fantasy XIV yet. The DLC makes a few missteps, but the magic of the new story and areas make up for it. The adjustments to the game invite new players while the new content entertains the veterans.

Review in Dutch | Read full review

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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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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Digitally Downloaded
Matt C.
Top Critic
Jul 26, 2019

Shadowbringers is a shining example of why that formula works.

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Jul 30, 2019

The question that every Final Fantasy fanatic asks is probably whether it's worth taking on all the extra obstacles, just to experience another epic adventure. As an online role-playing game, it requires a standard monthly subscription and each individual expansion also has its price. Looking past that detail, Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers is yet another excellent game in the series, albeit a little too suited to online gaming to attract exactly all puritans.

Review in Swedish | Read full review

Wccftech
Top Critic
9.3 / 10.0
Jul 30, 2019

Accessibility and potential to solo aside, Shadowbringers continues that redemption saga that began with Final Fantasy XIV 2.0. The greater emphasis on story and solo play mean that even the players that haven't dipped their toes into an MMORPG recently could still get in and enjoy Shadowbringers, although much of the new content can't be experienced until level 70.The links above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, Wccftech.com may earn from qualifying purchases.

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9 / 10.0
Aug 1, 2019

Shadowbringers is the highest point of Final Fantasy XIV to date and it brings some much needed changes, two exciting new classes and an unforgettable story that rivals even the very best Final Fantasy stories. An excellent music score elevates the package higher and with the promise of a 24 man raid series based on Nier Automata, there’s a lot more to look forward to.

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GameMAG
Top Critic
9 / 10
Aug 7, 2019

Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers is the quintessence of everything that the FF: Online team has learned in six years. A great story is so much more interesting than of the last single games of the series. Deep mechanics, an atmospheric world and a huge amount of content absorb all the attention, forcing you to stay in the project for a long time. Shadowbringers is not just an exemplary extension of this popular game, but also the best project in the genre for many years.

Review in Russian | Read full review

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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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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