Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward

 PC
Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
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  1. RPG Fan
    Nov 5, 2015
    95
    An extensive and well-planned expansion that makes Eorzea an ever-more compelling place to get lost in.
  2. USgamer
    Aug 14, 2015
    90
    In addition to flying, players get an all-new storyline, new Primals, a brand-new raid dungeon, and three new jobs to level up. FFXIV still retains a few annoying issues here and there, but Heavensward is one of the best MMO expansions I've played.
  3. PCGamesN
    Jul 20, 2015
    90
    Putting aside the superb plot, Square have made it easier than ever to catch up: main scenario quests have had their experience rewards doubled, and also provide high level equipment. You’ll also be put in priority queues for dungeons and story instances to get you through them hassle free.
  5. RPGamer
    Jul 20, 2015
    90
    Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn will probably go down in history as one of the greatest comeback successes in video game history, so it's great to see it followed up with such an ambitious and exciting first expansion.
  6. GamesRadar+
    Jul 3, 2015
    90
    A huge expanse of wilderness added to an already excellent MMO, Heavensward opens up the world of Eorzea to even greater possibilities.
  7. 3DJuegos
    Jul 2, 2015
    90
    Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn was an amazing MMORPG but with Heavensward, its first expansion pack, we're talking about one of the best MMO titles of recent years.
  8. GamesVillage.it
    Jul 21, 2015
    88
    Heavensward is a big expansion for A Realm Reborn, a title pretty huge in itself. The main storyline is really captivating, and so are the three new jobs. Some features require a little tweaking and some dungeons are plagued by the copy-paste syndrome, but overall Square Enix is definitely fighting on an even ground with World of Warcraft.
  9. PC Gamer
    Jul 2, 2015
    87
    A hugely enjoyable addition to the world of Eorzea with plenty of room to spread your wings and explore.
  10. IGN
    Jul 13, 2015
    86
    Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward doesn't make sweeping changes to A Realm Reborn aside from new jobs and flying mounts, but the outstanding story it tells and new lands we visit reinvigorate the adventure and demonstrate why Final Fantasy XIV is one of the best MMOs out there.
  11. MMORPG.com
    Jul 29, 2015
    85
    Some may argue that the current generation of MMORPGs is filled with throw away imports that focus on monetization over quality. While that seems true for most of 2015’s releases Final Fantasy XIV’s expansion Heavensward bucks that trend and proves that there is still room for subscription based MMORPGs on the market that are not named World of Warcraft. If developers create a compelling game that is well polished and has content updates staggered at a reasonable pace they can be successful. Square Enix might even be able to teach the subscription based old dogs a new trick or two about timely content releases through an expansion cycle.
  12. GameStar
    Jul 2, 2015
    83
    Quotation forthcoming.
    All this publication's reviews
  13. Game Revolution
    Jul 5, 2015
    80
    Its world has been expanded with new areas, enemies, and group content that surpass much of what the original game offered. Leveling suffers from repetitive quest design and its zones are troublesome to traverse until you can fly, but these issues are soon left in history as you plunge into Heavensward’s magnificent story conclusion, and engage in its wonderfully composed group content.
  14. IGN Spain
    Aug 5, 2015
    78
    First extension of Final Fantasy XIV opens the Heavensward world where players will find new dangers that threaten the world of Eorzea.
  15. GameCritics
    Aug 9, 2015
    75
    The music is often phenomenal, the translation and dialogue are exquisite, and the world is one that's worth spending time in. However, it's all based on grind-heavy gameplay, and it's still subscription based. My advice is to buy it, burn through the new content, and then put it aside until the next substantial expansion is released.

Awards & Rankings

13
#13 Best PC Game of 2015
48
#48 Most Discussed PC Game of 2015
61
#61 Most Shared PC Game of 2015

User Reviews

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User Score
9.1

Universal acclaim- based on 1083 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 989 out of 1083
  2. Mixed: 25 out of 1083
  3. Negative: 69 out of 1083
  1. Ronivan
    Jun 23, 2015
    10
    Heavensward was an astonishing expansion to Final Fantasy Online. The new landscapes are just gorgeous with great ambiance. The new flyingHeavensward was an astonishing expansion to Final Fantasy Online. The new landscapes are just gorgeous with great ambiance. The new flying feature makes the game incredible, enabling fast area traveling and a new perspective to the landscapes. Soundtrack are just wondrous too. The game development made a great work, and expect great things to come.… Full Review »
  2. PhantomDusk
    Jun 24, 2015
    10
    I made an account just to give this game a review, as I do not wish to users to be deceived by the score of 5.6. These scores of "1" are givenI made an account just to give this game a review, as I do not wish to users to be deceived by the score of 5.6. These scores of "1" are given from three different crowds.

    -WoW fanboys who want to see FF fail
    -People who are angry they need to do the Realm Reborn story to experience Heavensward.
    -Mac Users.

    I will try my best to give an objective review, outlining all the pros and cons of not only Heavensward but of A Realm Reborn.

    Presentation(10) - This right here is Heavensward's biggest strength. The story of this expansion is in my opinion, greater than any MMO I have ever played, even rivaled some of SWToR's stories. If you're a new player, the starting of the story is slow. I was meh about it, but the story keeps getting better and better. By the time I hit level 50, it was one of the best stories I'd seen in an MMO. By the time Heavensward came around and I experienced 50-60, the story rivaled that of the single player FFs.

    Gameplay(9.5) - This aspect right here is what will split players. There is a 2.5s GCD instead of 1.5s. This can make combat seem slower, and mistakes are punished more severely. It's really not that bad but it's all up to your tastes. The three new classes feel and play unique and flow well, though Machinist is a bit weak right now. The side quests are quick are easy, though more of the same fetch quests mostly. Dungeons and raids are fun to play. Crafting is deeper here than in any other MMO. You can switch classes simply by changing your weapon, so there is no need for alts.

    Content(9.5) Oh boy, is there a lot of quality content in Heavensward and Realm Reborn as well. Square Enix churns out content every three months.

    -25+ dungeons, all still relevant because of the duty roulette, a system that awards you experience and tomes at the end. Tomes are like tokens that buy raid gear.
    -A challenging 8 man raid with 13 wings(Coil of Bahamut.) This is the bleeding edge of their content, for the hardcore players. Two weeks from now, they come out with a new raid called Alexander. Four weeks from now, they come out with the Savage version of Alexander, a super hardcore punishing version of the raid.
    -Three 24 man raids that are all still done. They are not as challenging as the Coil of Bahamut, but they're not necessarily faceroll easy either.
    -Trials/Primals in Normal, Hard, and Extreme difficulty. Trials are a fight against a boss in a single room, no trash mobs. Primals is the same, but they are fights against the Gods of the FF world. These fights are amazing.
    -Guildhests. These are like tutorial quests that teach you the mechanics of the game. I believe there is a roulette for this as well, giving vets incentive to run these for tomes, thus helping newbies.
    -Levequests. These are quests you with timed objectives that you can activate at any time for good experience, and sometimes other bonuses.
    -Fates. Dynamic events that happen randomly in the world that give experience.
    -Gold Saucer. A casino type city that lets you participate in entertaining side games such as Triple Triad(a card game.) And chocobo racing.
    -Many pets and mounts to collect and farm in the world, along with a plethora of achievements.

    Honestly, 5,000 characters is not enough for me to list all of the content here. The only place I'd give their content a minus is in PvP. Restricting by faction kind of ruined it, and they treat it as a side gimmick, but their PvE content is spectacular.

    -Sound(10) You won't find better music in any MMO, I can guarantee you that. The voice acting in Realm Reborn was not the best, but progressively got better. I rated sound a 10 because the voice acting in Heavensward is 3x better. These sound like actual professional actors, they really portray the emotion.

    -Lasting Appeal(10) Unlike WoW where you farm your apexis crystals and then stay in your garrison, you will never run out of things to do in FF14. If anything, you may feel overwhelmed, as there will be too much for you to do, so you may have to choose a path at some point. Or just go with the flow enjoy the endless choices available to you at your own pace :). Having a lot of choice means casuals and hardcores both have content made for them.

    -Transition/Launch Issues(9.5) I've not seen an MMO launch this smoothly in awhile. Aside from issues on the first hour of EA, 90% of this launch has been playable for most players. The lobby is more unstable than the servers themselves, which are rock solid.

    I really wanted to write more, but alas, this is where I come to a close. A forewarning, you have to complete Realm Reborn's story before Heavensward. PvP is also not this game's strong suit. If that bothers you, this game is not for you. Mac client is horrible do not get it. Realm Reborn is very newbie friendly, eases new players in just right.

    So would you rather be farming apexis crystals for yet another recolored mount? Or enjoying the unrivaled adventure that is Heavensward? The choice is yours.    … Full Review »
  3. kronosys
    Jun 24, 2015
    10
    This is an outstanding expansion to an already outstanding MMORPG. The development team's passion for this game is apparent in every detail.This is an outstanding expansion to an already outstanding MMORPG. The development team's passion for this game is apparent in every detail. If you love PVE and Story content, this isn't an expansion to be missed.… Full Review »
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