7 Reasons Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward Sets the Bar for Expansions .

It’s been just over three weeks since Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn threw the gates wide open on its much anticipated expansion, Heavensward. Myself, like millions of others, rushed headlong into the realm of Ishgard, desperate to sink our claws into the next chapter of Square Enix’s rebirthed MMORPG. If you’ve played Final Fantasy XIV in the last year, chances are you’re familiar with the high level of quality on display. But even with the steady stream of content updates making their way to our computers since A Realm Reborn launched, I have to say I went into Heavensward with just a tinge of skepticism. Would this expansion really keep up Square Enix’s winning streak with Final Fantasy XIV? The answer is, well, yes. But even more so, I have to say how pleasantly surprised I am that Heavensward not only continues to inspire the kind of love that keeps you up at night, but also sets the bar for expansions in a way that I haven’t seen in quite some time.

 

A Tale Worth Telling

I have a confession: I didn’t much care for Final Fantasy XIV’s story. It had it’s moments, to be sure, but so much of it felt mired in bright-eyed enthusiasm and a “friendship conquers all” mentality that had me rolling my eyes more often than not. It was a story that I appreciated because of how readily many MMORPGs abandon their own. But, it was still a far cry from the amazing narratives of the SNES-era Final Fantasy games that elevated this whole franchise to greatness.

But Heavensward brings XIV closer to that original glory than the main story ever did. Ishgard is a land steeped in turmoil, and the war between the dragons and Ishgardians is more nuanced than the conflict between Eorzea and the Garlean Empire. While the previous story (pre 2.5) settled more into a rehash of the age old conflict of dark versus light, Heavensward’s story is full of surprising twists and characters that embody shades of grey not typically seen in the previous storyline. Furthermore, many of the original voice actors have been replaced, and while Heavensward is still capable of some truly laughable performances, others like Estinien and Iceheart are compelling and rich characters to dig into.

I’m not saying Final Fantasy XIV’s story was garbage by any means, but Heavensward already feels like such a solid improvement that it has me just as excited for future content updates as XIV did when it first launched years ago. Plenty of expansion packs feature a new chapter in their respective stories, but Heavensward is the first time in a while that I’ve actually cared for that story and am invested in seeing it continue to unfold in the coming months.

 

Do You See Those Mountains?

Flying is hardly a new addition in MMORPGs. In fact, World of Warcraft was likely the first to build an entire expansion pack around it with the release of The Burning Crusade way back when the world was young and full of promise. But Final Fantasy XIV has never been a game about pushing the boundaries or innovating in the genre. Instead, XIV is all about going back over the foundation paved by others years ago and smoothing out all of the kinks to make the smoothest ride possible. XIV feels like the nearly perfect manifestation of “theme park” style MMORPGs. So while flying might not be anything to get your feathers ruffled over, Final Fantasy XIV’s take on it certainly makes the system feel as fresh as the day I first set foot in World of Warcraft’s Outlands.

First of all, flying isn’t just handed to you the moment you play the game; you need to earn your wings. Though the system isn’t perfect, having to spend a considerable amount of time within an area before you can unlock the ability to fly there accomplishes two things: firstly, it makes flying feel like a reward rather than a given, and secondly, it prevents the whole system from feeling trivial within minutes.

Unlike the Outlands, Ishgard feels built from the ground up to support flying—locking some aspects of the map out entirely unless you can get there atop your winged steed. By the time you unlock the ability to fly through a zone, you deeply appreciate what a luxury it is, thus making the effort feel all the more rewarding.

 

The Power of Choice

It’s fairly standard for MMORPG expansions to drop a new class or race into the mix, but XIV has added three new jobs to its already impressive roster. Each job slots nicely into their respective roles while offering a unique way of playing the game. One element of Final Fantasy XIV that I’ve always enjoyed is the nuance that exists between how each class is played. This isn’t a game with several skins for essentially the same job, but rather, each DPS, tank, and healer augments the other in some unique way while having their own flavor to combat.

The new jobs, Dark Knight, Astrologian, and Machinist, each bring something entirely new to the table, like the Astrologian’s element of randomness in how they heal. Even better, each job also comes out of the gate fairly well balanced—especially if you’re inclined believe Yoshi P. when he said that any Machinist complaining about an apparent lack of DPS needs to shape up (in the nicest way possible).

Considering each new job also carries with it a brand new story to play through and experience, that is a serious amount of things to see and do.

 

So Much to See…

Expansion packs for MMORPGs are nothing if not beasts considering how much content they need to pack on the disc to keep players sated until the next release. But even still, plenty of them are dwarfed in comparison to the size of Heavensward.

For starters, the main story alone will take you a considerable chunk of time to get through. Sure, most of that time will be spent looking for lost moogles in the Churning Mists (I still have nightmares), but even when you’re fighting the urge to drink toilet cleaner while hunting for furry friends, Heavensward almost has too many things to do. The story alone will take a vast chunk of time, but if you’re a completionist, that is only the beginning as you work to level the three new jobs, or work to take your crafting classes up to the new level cap.

Of course, getting to 60 is only the beginning; now you have to gear your character. Alexander just released and with it Heavensward’s new raid treadmill fires up at full speed ready to absorb the next 800 hours of your life as you work to progressively conquer each new tier.

 

She’s a Beaut!

You know a game is gorgeous when, years later, it is still capable of dropping your jaw. Final Fantasy XIV is just one such game. The sweeping vistas of Eorzea were, to put it mildly, breathtaking and wonderful. But, much like everything else, Heavensward builds upon the wonderful foundation of A Realm Reborn and takes it to new heights (heh).

Just like in Eorzea, each new zone of Heavensward is gorgeously detailed and unique, giving each area a distinct and memorable feel. Square Enix always had an artistic eye, but Heavensward feels like it unchained the imagination of the art team entirely. The result is that Heavensward is beautiful on a whole new scale. Areas like the Sea of Clouds are vast swathes of inviting dreamscapes. Floating islands turning lazily in the clear sun or the frenetic flashes of light as an etheric storm settles over the Churning Mists are sights that will captivate you.

 

Crafting an Airship

Airships have long been a part of Final Fantasy’s milieu and now, for the first time ever, you get to build one all to yourself—well, share one with your lovely free company. Same thing, really. Though the airships’ functionality is limited at the moment, you can expect the system to only grow in time with future content updates rolling out in the coming years.

Even still, few games are capable of maintaining such a balanced and rewarding crafting system, and XIV’s continues to put most others to shame. Building an airship is a fantastic use of time, if only because of how it necessitates the need to work together as a free company.

In a genre that is becoming readily more about a single-player experience, having a system that rewards teamwork and builds relationships is a fantastic addition to a fantastic expansion pack.

 

Bigger, Better

If you haven’t caught on to the underlying theme I’m tapping at, it’s that just about everything in Heavensward is an evolution of the core elements that made XIV such a winner to begin with. As far as an expansion goes, there isn’t much more you could ask for. Each of the new additions—classes, flying, zones, dungeons, raids, hunts—are natural extensions from the core game. In a sense, Heavensward feels like it was designed for the fans more than anyone else. This wasn’t an attempt to win over a new audience or allure would-be subscribers, but merely continuing to reward XIV’s most dedicated and loyal players.

Sure, Heavensward isn’t perfect and, as much as it expands upon the best parts of the base game, it also continues to bear the same problems that XIV has. Gear, while beautiful, is still boring and the upgrades so minimal that it threatens to dispel a sense of accomplishment earned from achieving a coveted piece. But I can forgive all that.

Heavensward is, like A Realm Reborn was when it first launched, a proud step forward in the new legacy of Final Fantasy. With the main series struggling to find its way, and Final Fantasy XV still on the distant horizon, fans of the franchise can take comfort that Heavensward continues to push onward and upward.

What do you love most about Heavensward? We want to know! Leave us a comment so we can all gush about the expansion together and forget all our troubles.