The highly anticipated fourth expansion for Final Fantasy XIV is a huge moment in the game's lifespan, bringing a huge amount of new content as well as some welcome changes to breathe new life into Square Enix's now decade-old MMORPG. Despite technically being an expansion, the anticipation ahead of its December 2021 release was much more akin to the release of a full game, and with good reason.
The headlines for the Endwalker expansion include a wealth of new story content for players as well as new locations, new jobs, and a new playable race. There is a lot in this expansion for fans to get excited about, and these are just some of the highlights.
There's An Enormous Amount Of New Story In Endwalker
One of the best things about previous expansions to Final Fantasy XIV is the amount of new story that has come with them, adding to the already weighty lore of the world. The new story alone is comparable to what you could get with a full-price RPG, which is something the expansions are known for.
Even for players more interested in just experiencing the new raids or the new small-scale PVP content, the details of this richly constructed narrative are hard to resist. Players should be prepared to get through a lot of cut scenes, however, to get to the new gameplay.
Endwalker Brings Closure To Final Fantasy XIV's First Grand Saga
The Endwalker expansion brings to a close an ambitious story that started a decade ago. Endwalker represents the climax of the tale of Hydaelyn and Zodiark, a massive story that spans kingdoms, realms beyond time and space, and, of course, the moon.
In the final chapter of this epic, the Warrior of Light is tasked with preventing the seemingly inevitable calamity of the Final Days. As tensions rise, Endwalker brings the conclusion of the story and represents the payoff to this huge saga that players have been waiting for.
There Are Unique And Beautiful New Areas In Endwalker
The new locations are a welcome addition to the world of Final Fantasy XIV, each bringing its own unique flavor. The new hub city of Old Sharlayan is an enticing and bustling place and, deep below, the subterranean world of Labyrinthos brings the kind of classical, ancient beauty that the name suggests.
Thavnair is another very pretty location, an important island nation hidden behind Sharlayan. Garlemald, on the other hand, is exactly as imposing and terrifying as its status as the imperial capital would suggest. Mare Lamentorum may be desolate as expected of an area of the moon, but is still an intriguing world that adds to the story.
Endwalker Features A New Playable Race
While not a huge leap from previous races already in the game, being similar in appearance in stature to Hyur and Elezen, the new Male Viera is still a cool addition to the game. Resembling tall, slender men with rabbit ears, the new race will appeal to a lot of players. Their lore is also interesting, originating from a strongly matriarchal society. The Viera aren't the only female-dominated race in the game as the Miqo'te also has a large gender imbalance, according to Final Fantasy XIV lore.
Male Viera are forbidden by code from interacting with the outside world under threat of exile in their commitment to protecting the woods from outsiders. The new playable species may not be revolutionary but it is an interesting and most importantly fun addition to the game.
Endwalker Adds Fun New Jobs To Final Fantasy XIV
One of the best parts of the game is choosing the Final Fantasy XIV job that's most suited to your personality. The Endwalker expansion adds two new roles to the mix and both are enjoyable to play. Sage is a fun new healer role that's more aggressive than previous healers, allowing the player to heal another party member while dealing damage.
Reaper is the new option for a melee DPS type and is a good option for players who like managing resources a lot, as well as having interesting combos for dealing damage. Both of the new jobs genuinely bring something new to the table.
Endwalker Brings Interesting New Threats
The Endwalker expansion brings two new major threats. Anima is the spooky, otherworldly, chain-wielding monster threat that presents a challenging if predictable boss fight for players. The Anima resembles other terrifying, alien-like monsters who make up some of the most powerful bosses in Final Fantasy. There is a more memorable new threat in the form of the Magus Sisters, however.
The Magus Sisters are a trio of gods who provide another potentially difficult challenge for players. Each of the gods is a powerful foe in their own right and beating them is one of the highlights of the expansion.
Endwalker Makes Useful Changes To Final Fantasy XIV's Battle System
The changes to the battle system may seem small but may be a real boon for some players. These changes include a new ground targeting system that may be more intuitive especially to newer players. However, players still have the option to toggle between the two targeting systems to whichever they prefer.
A UI change also means that a teammate reviving another member is now clearly marked, a big help to anyone who has experienced the pain of accidentally reviving a member who was already being revived. The changes to the battle system brought by the Endwalker expansion keep things fresh without straying too far from what players are familiar with.
Endwalker Is A Well-Made Expansion
While players will mock the low-poly, textureless grapes and possibly be frustrated by long wait times and login issues, Endwalker as a whole is very well made and has surprisingly few issues for such a huge new addition to the game.
In addition, the update brings small but major changes that will help keep the game alive such as a higher level cap for dedicated players and a new data center in Oceania that will help more players enjoy a more convenient Final Fantasy XIV experience.
Endwalker Brings With It An Influx Of Returning Final Fantasy XIV Players
As one of the most anticipated and largest expansions to the game so far, Endwalker has inevitably brought a huge amount of players back to the game and may draw in a large number of new players as well with the hype surrounding it.
A game is nothing without its players and this is especially true for MMORPGs like Final Fantasy XIV which rely on an active player base to keep the game fun and engaging. As a result, there is no better time to play the game than now.
Each Final Fantasy XIV Expansion Keeps Getting Better
It seemed like nothing could top Shadowbringers for size and content, but Square Enix has done just that in the form of Endwalker. While this expansion is in one sense the end of an era, as the end of the grand saga that began 10 years ago, it still feels like there is a lot more to come from the game.
Expansions like this keep the game worth playing, both for established players and drawing new players into the game. Endwalker suggests the game still has a long and exciting future ahead.