Final Fantasy XIV Patch 5.2, Echoes of a Fallen Star, is now live, continuing the story that began with the launch of its latest expansion, Shadowbringers. Like previous Shadowbringers patches, Patch 5.2 introduces new dungeons and raids along with smaller updates and fixes.
After being branded a failure in its first incarnation, Final Fantasy XIV eventually grew to become one of the most beloved Final Fantasy games through a full relaunch and several successful expansions. Many reviewers and players alike see Shadowbringers as the best part of Final Fantasy XIV yet. Screen Rant gave Shadowbringers 5/5 stars, saying that it “tells the best story that Final Fantasy XIV has ever told.” Unlike most MMORPGs, Final Fantasy XIV is heavily focused on presenting a compelling narrative that continues from patch to patch, and its story is one of the game’s most commonly praised features.
Given the importance of story to Final Fantasy XIV, the most exciting part about the new patch is the quests it adds to continue its ongoing tale. Along with main story quests, Patch 5.2 also adds new quests for the Nier: Automata crossover that began in a previous patch as well as side quests related to the new ocean fishing feature, according to Square Enix. Another quest chain, Sorrows of Werlyt, ties into the arrival of Ruby Weapon, an incredibly powerful foe first seen in Final Fantasy 7.
Related to its new quests are a new dungeon and raid being added to Final Fantasy XIV. The Anamnesis Anyder dungeon is a new max-level activity for four players (or NPCs), while the Eden’s Verse raid is the second leg of the Eden raid that was first introduced in Shadowbringers Patch 5.01. Designed for eight players, the Eden raid is the highest level content currently in Shadowbringers, particularly for players tackling it on the recently added Savage difficulty.
All manner of additional updates are also included in the patch, from new Gold Saucer prizes and Ruby-themed mounts to tweaks in loot drops. One interesting change that’s had some players talking recently is the Eternal Bonding in-game marriage ceremony making its suits and dresses usable by characters of any gender.
Final Fantasy XIV can be a difficult game to get into, especially with its notoriously sluggish first chapters, but sticking around for Shadowbringers can be rewarding. With what’s often been called the best story in MMOs playing out over several years worth of updates, there’s a lot to dig into for newcomers who might be wondering why patch day has veteran players so excited.
Final Fantasy XIV is available now on PC and PlayStation 4.
Source: Square Enix