Endwalker is not the end, but it is very definitely an end. In the game, it is the end of the tale of Hydaelyn and Zodiark, the Ascians, and the Scions of the Seventh Dawn who rose to challenge them. In our universe, it is the end of the second era of Final Fantasy XIV, a midnight that transitions into a bright and new day for the players and developers, in which anything could happen. But for now, the clock is still striking twelve, and I’m absolutely thrilled to see what will happen at 12:01.
Wrapping up a story is never easy, even in a single-player game. Wrapping up a near decade-long arc and meeting the high bar set by previous expansions is even more difficult, but Endwalker manages both with aplomb. Even with the promise of a new adventure on the horizon, I was still sad things were over when I reached the end credits and immediately wanted to start a replay. By my reckoning, this is the sign of an exceptional, unforgettable experience, and I enthusiastically recommend it to anyone with even a passing interest in FFXIV.
A great finale for the long story arc, nothing felt contrived or cliche luckily. Many of the side content introduced such as the relic weapons felt nice as they allowed focus to be redirected to other aspects of the game as almost everyone still has something to do and work on. The island sanctuary was a fun and chill inclusion. The patch stories felt nice as they connected and resolved many things though some things did seem to resolve a little too easily and conveniently.
Endwalker exudes excellence. The minor shortcomings pale in comparison to the sheer magnitude of its achievements. It’s one of the most ambitious MMO expansions ever made, and a magnificent conclusion to a journey that boasts some of the best storytelling in this medium. Those harboring reservations about the time commitment should carefully consider that you’re missing out on one of the best experiences in gaming. It’s been a remarkable eleven-year journey, and here’s to many more adventures to come.
It’s obvious that Endwalker is going to be a favorite of many Final Fantasy XIV, while for others, it might not have hit that high bar that was raised with Shadowbringers. Regardless, Endwalker is still a fantastic addition to a game that was originally one of the worst received in the series. It truly is the comeback story of video gaming. Naoki Yoshida and his team should be commended for the incredible amount of world building and story telling that they’ve been able to pull off for, now, over ten years. Final Fantasy XIV continues to be a game that we would recommend everyone experiences. That is, as soon as the game stops being so popular that it’s able to resumes sales.
It’s something that delves deep into the existential question regarding life and death, and our reason for living under suffering. It also goes in an immensely different direction, one that it felt impossible to see coming. This is all enhanced thanks to the original soundtrack that goes well beyond what we could have hoped for, immersing us in a tale we will never forget. That’s not to say there aren’t flaws, though, as there’s a few moments throughout the campaign that felt like padding, and some of the solo instances, as creative as they may be, killed the flow of events. This is on top of a good chunk of gear being reused assets. Thankfully, all of this pales in comparison to the rest of the adventure, witnessing one of the most well-written RPG stories ever told. Truly, Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker is like nothing you’ve ever experienced before, in an MMO or otherwise.
It's impressive that the team is still able to take FF14's trappings and crystalise them into new forms even so many years on, from the way jobs and dungeons feel like the best they've ever been, to their confidence when it comes to experimenting with the relationship between gameplay and storytelling. But while there are some stunning vistas and lighting effects, and the detailing on new armour designs are enchanting, the age of the core game can't help but show, smooth as it is to play. This is a great final chapter to a story that'll stick with me, and I'm excited to see the team tell a new one—but I'm eager for some bigger changes to shake up Eorzea when they do.
For all that Endwalker suffers from pacing issues and the sheer amount of plot lines it lobs at us, an earnestness carries the entire story. Endwalker is jubilant in its sincerity, and tender in the way it treats life and death, mankinds' inevitable failing and flaws. It doesn't shy away from grand proclamations that would come across as cheesy if it was any other game, with any other cast of characters. But because it's FFXIV and because the Scions are people who accompanied us through Ala Mhigo's revolution, averting the apocalypse on the First, and much more, Endwalker's loud and bold demands for hope, light, and love fall more on the endearing side rather than hamfisted sentimentality. Endwalker is a fitting, emotional conclusion to a years-long journey for us adventurers, and I can't wait to see what's next.
A rather awesome game with a solid story. Nonetheless, I can only give it 7 out of 10 points because the post patches are very clichéd and predictable, which I didn't really enjoy. Regarding the main story in Endwalker, I must unfortunately agree with some, who have already criticized it, as I also believe that crucial factors in the story were simply omitted. I also agree that there was a lot of potential wasted in Zenos's story, instead of utilizing it, his character was ultimately only used to propel the WoL towards their goal. Virtually no background was given about him, whether Solus may have conducted any experiments on him, what it was like for him to see the end of Amaurot repeatedly since childhood in his dreams without anyone explaining it to him, and generally, the fact that he was so different from everyone else was never explored. So, that was quite a disappointment, also that unlike the Ancients, he was not given a redemption arc and it simply ended with a blunt, albeit cool animated fight. Because that doesn't fit at all with what Endwalker aims to convey. It could be that the writers seem to have believed they offered him a satisfactory closure in that he got what he wanted, but I question the logic of giving basically an addict his fix and then leaving him. A fight was never what he needed, only what he wanted. As others have noted, a very questionable ending, especially when you look at the rest of the expansion and what it aims to convey.
Now the game itself is really nice and I liked Endwalker, but I must also say, that the post patches after 6.0 were really bad. The story and new characters were boring and kinda cringe like some others said and also the features were kinda boring.6.0 on the other hand was for the most part awesome. Even though they really should have done more with Zenos. I've waited all that time for them giving us finally a bit of backstory and maybe even give him the Vegeta treatment (which would have been amazing), but in the end... nothing. Some nice speeches from him, sure, but that was pretty much it. Really lame that they didn't do anything with him in the end. I dunno about the next expansion since the last patches were rather poor, but we will see how it turns out.
If we are discussing 6.0 expansion the game would probably be a solid 8/10. With subsequent patches after this score drops to a 3/10. The casual or mid core content is way to easy and not engaging or pressuring enough for players to comeback. The game prides itself on its great community but they are no where to be found due to lack of social content. Awful playerbase has been taken over by erotica roleplayers. Encounter design in alliance raids have gotten very lazy and braindead. I was a longtime player of 10 years and quit the game.
Is it fun? Yes. Is it in a playable state? Kinda. Should you wait until the patch that fixes the stuttering and FPS issues bugs and glitches ..
So far Good but need improvements and better optimization.
SummaryEndwalker is the fourth expansion pack for FINAL FANTASY XIV Online. Experience the climax of the Hydaelyn and Zodiark story, and encounter an even greater calamity than ever before as you travel to the far reaches of Hydaelyn and even to the moon.