Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward Review: A rewarding MMORPG, Final Fantasy XIV

eavensward is the expansion to last year’s critically acclaimed PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 MMORPG, Final Fantasy XIV. Adding several new dungeons, abilities--including the ability to take flight--and Jobs to come to grips with, Heavensward would already be the most significant content update the game has yet seen. But then there’s the story: the main scenario has moved to Ishgard, Dravania, and other northern Eorzea settings for a 45- to 60-hour campaign to rival most standalone RPGs. Through in a new race (the Au Ra, a race of humanoid demons featuring bulk males and petite females), and you’ve got one of the biggest value propositions in gaming--to say nothing of the extremely high quality of the base game itself. A small warning: Although care was taken not to reveal spoilers, there are a few in this review for A Realm Reborn and the story that precedes Heavensward. Carrying on from the core Final Fantasy XIV experience, this expansion starts off with the main-character Scions on the run after you were blamed for the assassination of Nanamo, the sultana of Ul’dah. You travel to the northern realm of Coerthas, where you finally get permission to enter the notoriously closed, isolated city of Ishgard, which has been sealed away from visitors for centuries due to the Dragonsong War. This war, between the citizens of Ishgard and the great wyrm Nidhogg’s army, is the crux of Heavensward’s early narrative beats. I do not want to cover the storyline too much, as it will be to easy to spoil some of it by even just describing areas you visit, but I will confidently say that Heavensward carries one of the best Final Fantasy storylines in a very long time, with some amazing tributes to previous games. The story carries on even after you have seemingly resolved the main conflict, with one of the best tributes and twists in a Final Fantasy game in a long time. Upon arrival to Ishgard, one of the landmark locations in Heavensward, you’ll notice the city isn’t the grand, rich institution the rest of the world thinks it is. Homeless line the lower streets looking for food and warmth to survive the night. Denizens live in constant fear of dragon attack. A faith-based ruling body adorned in extravagant architecture and the elite of society who occupy the city’s higher tiers contrast sharply with its darker aspects. Functionally, the city is massive and takes some time to navigate; fortunately, there are plenty of teleport crystals dotted throughout the area, so once you have been round it, navigation becomes a snap.