Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward

 PlayStation 4
User Score
8.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 624 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 537 out of 624
  2. Mixed: 32 out of 624
  3. Negative: 55 out of 624
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  1. PJ3213
    Jun 23, 2015
    9
    Very well done expansion. For those who have been playing frequently this expansion offers a great amount of content for players to dive into. Besides the new 3 jobs, older jobs have been greatly revamped. The story is as intriguing as it was previously with strong writing and decent voice acting for a good amount of dialogue. This game and its expansion is easily one of the best reasonsVery well done expansion. For those who have been playing frequently this expansion offers a great amount of content for players to dive into. Besides the new 3 jobs, older jobs have been greatly revamped. The story is as intriguing as it was previously with strong writing and decent voice acting for a good amount of dialogue. This game and its expansion is easily one of the best reasons to jump into MMORPG's… Expand
  2. Schaeffa
    Jun 23, 2015
    10
    The developers really seemed to listen to the player base to create an expansion with so many features that were requested during the base game's run. Though this is an MMORPG, it's still Final Fantasy so the story component is strong, as it was in the base game. The new story, in my opinion, is more elaborate and exciting than the portion that took players through the base game. The newThe developers really seemed to listen to the player base to create an expansion with so many features that were requested during the base game's run. Though this is an MMORPG, it's still Final Fantasy so the story component is strong, as it was in the base game. The new story, in my opinion, is more elaborate and exciting than the portion that took players through the base game. The new areas are visually stunning, and the accompanying music sets the mood to a T. Dungeons and Trials are a little more innovative with mechanics that don't seem super obvious. New endgame raids are not yet implemented, but they will be added within the next couple weeks.

    You will have to finish the main story up through patch 2.55, which was the end of the base game, to access the new content, but that's not a bad thing by any means.    … Expand
  3. BrewersFanJP
    Jun 23, 2015
    10
    I've only been playing for a few days, but what I've seen so far in the expansion has been very impressive. Here are some quick notes on it.

    The developers claim that there is just as much content in this expansion as in a standard MMORPG base game. I don't know if there's quite that much, but there is a lot to do. The new six world ares are massive, with plenty of exploring to do.    I've only been playing for a few days, but what I've seen so far in the expansion has been very impressive. Here are some quick notes on it.

    The developers claim that there is just as much content in this expansion as in a standard MMORPG base game. I don't know if there's quite that much, but there is a lot to do. The new six world ares are massive, with plenty of exploring to do. There's an added challenge that wasn't in the base game, where the overworld feels dangerous now. The new dungeons are well-designed, with a better loot system and good layouts.

    The big thing in the game is the new story quests. This picks up from the end of 2.55 (the last patch of the base game) and takes the story into Ishgard. As usual, the story will hold your attention very well, and you'll find yourself trying to level faster to unlock future story quests.

    Overall, the game is very well put together. Future patches should continue to increase the amount of content available, and keep it relevant for a long time. I'm looking forward to what the future of this game holds.

    Important Note: If you have not completed the main story of FFXIV: A Realm Reborn (through the 2.55 patch), you will not be able to access the content in this expansion. You will still be able to do some of the expansion content, such as create a character of the new race and collect experience past level 50, but you will not be able to access most content until you have completed the main story to that point. This throws a lot of people off, since most MMORPGs don't have a restriction like this (leading to some low reviews), but the story of the base game and expansion makes it worth it.    … Expand
  4. Yogi77
    Sep 20, 2015
    10
    Only giving this a ten to combat the zero's.

    This game is not a ten, by any means. But it is an extremely viable expansion to an already thriving game. I had ESO for awhile, the game is just TERRIBLE. Grind, grind ,grind, can't do this quest because you're not cool enough! Ok let's go into PVP where people have far, far higher skills than you since your level may sync but their    Only giving this a ten to combat the zero's.

    This game is not a ten, by any means. But it is an extremely viable expansion to an already thriving game. I had ESO for awhile, the game is just TERRIBLE. Grind, grind ,grind, can't do this quest because you're not cool enough! Ok let's go into PVP where people have far, far higher skills than you since your level may sync but their skills don't sync down!

    In FFXIV:H, well in the first rendition, they do, PVP is always balanced, instances are always balanced, and while the PVP system may not be as good as, say DaOC or Destiny, it's there and it's always improving.

    For those who say it's grind grind grind grind...go back to WoW! Takes 2 days played to hit cap and then easy to get gear etc! As like FFXI, it's gonna take awhile! Get used to it! 2 months is nothing compared to MMO's back in the day! Impatience is ignorance.

    Please don't listen to these ignorant imbeciles. This game, plus sub, is worth every penny, especially if you've got friends to play with.    … Expand
  5. drevil99
    Dec 24, 2015
    6
    I want to love this game, especially since I have put so much time into it already, as I have been playing since 2.0. However I feel disappointed lately, as I feel not much is being added in terms of innovative, fun content.

    I'll start off with the games strongest point. The story comes immediately to mind, I never skip any of the cut-scenes as I find them very entertaining. I did enjoy    I want to love this game, especially since I have put so much time into it already, as I have been playing since 2.0. However I feel disappointed lately, as I feel not much is being added in terms of innovative, fun content.

    I'll start off with the games strongest point. The story comes immediately to mind, I never skip any of the cut-scenes as I find them very entertaining. I did enjoy leveling my first class to 60. Another thing I love is the community is for the most part very helpful. Yes there are trolls and elitists, especially when you run dungeons, but overall, compared to other MMORPGs, I have had good experiences with other players. And finally (since I play the PS4 version) I find playing this on console very smooth. You are able to map so many abilities to the controller, which in a sense proves that you can play these types of games on consoles.

    You can have all jobs on a single character, which is listed as a plus by many other reviewers. Personally I think it's a minus. For example, to make high quality gear as a crafter, you're forced to learn and level all other crafting professions so you can use cross-class skills. For battle-oriented classes, all healers are forced to equip 'Protect' as cross-class skill and all tanks are forced to use 'Provoke' as a cross-class skill. It's the fact that a job can't stand on it's own that bothers me. Also most tanks and most healers and even dps are to similar to other jobs fulfilling the same role. This doesn't make sense to me as the game is not tuned at all for PvP (which is an afterthought in this game - this is primarily a PvE game).

    But what bothers me the most is the endless grind when you reach end-game content. First thing to note is that you don't really need much skill. It's all about the gear rating. So whenever a patch is added, new gear set with higher potential are released, and to get this gear, you are forced to run the same dungeons over and over again. Also dungeons are linear, so running them after a while becomes a chore.

    Recently in patch 3.15, the new relic quests (Anima weapons) have just been introduced. To get these, you are forced to run old content for months if you are a casual player. No new instances was added or anything to make it interesting or at least less tedious. Another concern is that I have no idea when the next major patch is coming out or what it will be about. It's as if any innovations/additions to the game have been put on hold for a long time, and I'm seriously considering unsubscribing at this point.    … Expand
  6. oathkeepings
    Oct 22, 2015
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I seriously haven't been able to put this game down since Heavensward launched. Let me tell you why.

    The 3 new jobs are extremely fun to play as. I was always kind of afraid to play as a healer, but Astrologian makes it nearly impossible to dislike healing. Astro is extremely fun. Machinist and Dark Knight are also wonderful classes that everyone should at least try their hand on.

    The Heavensward areas are GORGEOUS. This is no exaggeration. I thought the graphics were fantastic before Heavensward, but damn, they stepped it up. Also, the voice acting is fantastic in this expansion, there's tons of content to go through, the story is compelling and interesting, but also heartbreaking. I felt some serious anguish when one of my favorite characters died, still not over it either.

    The new dungeons are really great too. I've had fun in every HW dungeon. This MMO is truly a must-try for any MMO lover. The community is much more friendly and accepting than the WOW community, it's graphically gorgeous, the story is nice and long, but not boring. The seasonal events are awesome and always come with great rewards for participating. FATES are fantastic ways for people to get together and earn EXP together... The best part of FFXIV as a whole, in my opinion, is the fact you can be any class you want without having to make a million different characters. The versatility is unmatched. I love it. This game is impeccable.    … Expand
  7. willmoy38
    Feb 21, 2016
    9
    Very good game. I really enjoy the world and atmosphere of the game. Now, people say the game is a grind. What mmo isn't? I mean, one of the criticisms of mmos is that they're too involved. They begin to feel like a job after a while, and there is no real way to break away from them. If you break away for a couple of weeks, when you come back, you have tons of refreshing to do. So theVery good game. I really enjoy the world and atmosphere of the game. Now, people say the game is a grind. What mmo isn't? I mean, one of the criticisms of mmos is that they're too involved. They begin to feel like a job after a while, and there is no real way to break away from them. If you break away for a couple of weeks, when you come back, you have tons of refreshing to do. So the argument that "It's a grind," doesn't really wash with me. ALL mmos are that way. They can be overwhelming.… Expand
  8. Lerine
    Dec 20, 2021
    9
    An excellent first expansion to an already wonderful game. The Heavensward storyline keeps you hooked for its entirety, with a lot of twists and turns. The characters will carve their place into your heart, and you can be assured, you will never forget them. The music is stellar as well, with a mix of soft piano pieces and more "techno" ones.
  9. Duncs12345
    Oct 1, 2022
    9
    The music, characters, storyline, locations, dungeons are all excellent. A truly memorable final fantasy game.
  10. LastResource
    Jan 14, 2023
    10
    worth it and glad to play this game again. so much memories and nostalgia within this fourteenth game in the series. this expansion is breathtaking!
  11. Impaler
    Jun 25, 2015
    10
    This is the best mmorpg on the market and this expansion just shows you that Square Enix is in this for the long haul. This has got to be the most content rich and smoothest expansion launch of all time.

    After thinking that there would never be another mmorpg that sucked me in like WoW did early on, here comes ARR. Every system in the game doesn't feel like it was tacked on, they all    This is the best mmorpg on the market and this expansion just shows you that Square Enix is in this for the long haul. This has got to be the most content rich and smoothest expansion launch of all time.

    After thinking that there would never be another mmorpg that sucked me in like WoW did early on, here comes ARR. Every system in the game doesn't feel like it was tacked on, they all have depth to them and are fun to play.

    I would highly recommend any mmorpg fan to really give it a fair shot. The new player experience is lacking and they should improve that, but stick with it and you will fall in love with it too.    … Expand
  12. Kondor9
    Jun 26, 2015
    10
    Awesome game, more Story for one player than most single player games and playable at start not like new batman on PC.. I recommended this game for everyone!
  13. SynKazama
    Jul 13, 2015
    5
    FFXIV as a whole offers a great story, beautiful world, great music and production values. By gaming standards it's very good. By MMO standards, it's actually quite bland and really offers nothing new, and fails to even rehash anything that made the genre great.

    From a veteran's perspective (10+ years playing various MMOs): Jobs are overly balanced to the point where they don't    FFXIV as a whole offers a great story, beautiful world, great music and production values. By gaming standards it's very good. By MMO standards, it's actually quite bland and really offers nothing new, and fails to even rehash anything that made the genre great.

    From a veteran's perspective (10+ years playing various MMOs):

    Jobs are overly balanced to the point where they don't differentiate well within their trinity (Tank,Healer,DPS). Everything in the game has been designed around equality, which is odd seeing as how, like FFXI, all jobs are accessible on a single character and players are encouraged to level multiples.

    Character progression slows to a near standstill at cap with virtually no options for how you build and play your character. Unlike most other MMOs there are no talents/skill trees/ branching or specialization in either skills or equipment. All skills and abilities are automatically learned along the way, and for equipment It's simply a straight vertical climb up the iLVL chart which also offers next to nothing in terms of choice.

    Raid content is repetitive and heavily reliant upon dodge and enrage mechanics. While raids can be difficult, it is generally because people fail to execute a very mechanical formula such as failing to meet DPS checks or remembering phase changes and specific positioning.

    Dungeons are simply a means to level and gain tokens to exchange for the basic pre-raid iLVL requirement gear. There are no valuables or collectibles (besides glamour items, furniture and minions) to be obtained. No usable rare and unusual items exist at all in the world.

    Crafting provides almost no advantage to character development as equipment is, in 95% of all cases, sub-par to raid and token gear. It can be used to earn an equally useless income by crafting consumables and glamour items but ultimately provides little to be desired.

    Both of the above are done in an overly cautious means to prevent RMT (Real Money Trade).

    Despite the recent news and reviews, open world is no more dangerous than in 2.0. Players can still take down 3 enemies at a time with literally no open world danger aside from going AFK.

    The most glaring issue is in all of the limitations imposed by SE that prevent people from continuing to grow at their own pace. Nearly everything is gated by timed lockouts and access. Even gathering jobs can only obtain the most important resources at specific intervals. These serve the purpose of delaying content consumption between the patch cycles and to balance the progression levels of the player base.

    Although the attempt to level the progression of the player base is likely done to prevent elitism, it's backfired in a sense. Instead of being judged on their progress in the game, players are more often ostracized for lack of coordination, response time and general skill.

    Overall, Heavansward offers almost nothing new to the genre. The largest changes made to the game are a graphics refresh (DX11), open world flight, new dungeons, new jobs and a level cap increase. In other words, very standard fare for an MMO expansion. Once the world is seen, story played through and dungeons crawled it leaves very little for veteran MMO players to enjoy.

    If you're new to the MMO genre, looking for a casual place to hang out online with friends, really into role playing or just have a very limited amount of time to play, FFXIV may be hands down the best choice. But if you're a hardcore MMO player, raid junkie, or want to become a PvP god we're a little out in the cold right now. Hopefully 2015/16 will bring back some of the great sandbox MMO features many of us miss.    … Expand
  14. ValValentine
    Jun 27, 2015
    10
    Amazing!, all you could ask from any MMORPG or a FF series game, great Main Story full of CS-voice, dynamic events (FATES), great music, traditional questing more relevant now, beautiful and HUGE new maps, great dungeons and new primals. All jobs got new skills, 3 new jobs, flying feels great, new FC (guilds) options. 10/10
  15. TartarusEbos
    Jun 27, 2015
    10
    I have been playing since early access, I have had little to no server issues, and almost no bugs. The story is WAY better than ARR, and I did actually enjoy the msq. I have already sunk 60 hours into the expansion and can only tell you that there is still so much for me to do. This is my favorite MMO of all time and this expansion only makes it better.
  16. ptcasper
    Aug 23, 2015
    3
    First of all, the game s beautiful, and loaded with content and a great story.

    With that being said, the game is the same grind over and over. Max your character level, working on maxing your gear and item level, and as soon as you do that or get close,they release an update. In that update, there is a new currency every time, the 2 months of grinding you just did is now all futile, and    First of all, the game s beautiful, and loaded with content and a great story.

    With that being said, the game is the same grind over and over. Max your character level, working on maxing your gear and item level, and as soon as you do that or get close,they release an update. In that update, there is a new currency every time, the 2 months of grinding you just did is now all futile, and you need to start a new 2 month grind to get said currency, exchange for higher gear, and then get an item to once again upgrade said gear.    … Expand
  17. Rannie
    Jun 24, 2015
    9
    I've been playing since early access. I got my Collectors Edition yesterday, I have been enjoying the game a lot. The story line makes you want to keep playing. The graphics have had a slight upgrade for the ps4 and it runs really smooth. And what has plague normal launches with games (bad log ins and such, errors, and server downtime has been very few. Granted it has had log in errors butI've been playing since early access. I got my Collectors Edition yesterday, I have been enjoying the game a lot. The story line makes you want to keep playing. The graphics have had a slight upgrade for the ps4 and it runs really smooth. And what has plague normal launches with games (bad log ins and such, errors, and server downtime has been very few. Granted it has had log in errors but they haven't been too bad.) The only thing I haven't liked so far is the voice actors changing. Granted that won't stop me from playing the game and progressing, I'm hoping I'll get used to the changes.

    Other than that flying is fun, though I'm sure that may get old quickly but even then that doesn't spoil much. All in all it's fun to play and great to run through.    … Expand
  18. Sensin
    Jun 23, 2015
    10
    Beautifully made expansion, best expansion ever added to any MMORPG! Square Enix has done it again, amazing graphics, great storytelling, an all around fantastic experience. Best MMO out there and deserves all the praise it gets. 10/10
  19. CriticalAnalysi
    Jun 30, 2015
    10
    This game has been great! It just keeps getting better! Very story driven and rewards you for hard efforts. Better Than WOW in my opinion. They even make you work to fly, it feels so much more rewarding after you earn it.
  20. erield
    Jun 29, 2015
    10
    The expansion is well done, the improvement to the graphics even better than they were before, the story line continues to be great, especially the new job quest lines. The new zones themselves are amazing and are massive! Flying has been implemented in a way that is smart and doesn't detract from zone design at all. Those that are complaining about the completion of the original storyThe expansion is well done, the improvement to the graphics even better than they were before, the story line continues to be great, especially the new job quest lines. The new zones themselves are amazing and are massive! Flying has been implemented in a way that is smart and doesn't detract from zone design at all. Those that are complaining about the completion of the original story line to access the new content are rather flippant towards the game's story line plus the fact it isn't even hard to complete since most are over geared now plus the fact that certain trials have been reduced in difficulty.… Expand
  21. stupiddog79
    Jul 1, 2015
    10
    Yes, it is an MMO heavy on the story, so you must complete the base game's main quest due to Heavensward's story building on top of that. If you do not like that, do not buy it. But if you do, you are in for fantastic, beautiful worlds, the best control scheme for an MMO ever seen on a console, superb music, impressive bosses, and a very well-policed, helpful and non-toxic community. DoYes, it is an MMO heavy on the story, so you must complete the base game's main quest due to Heavensward's story building on top of that. If you do not like that, do not buy it. But if you do, you are in for fantastic, beautiful worlds, the best control scheme for an MMO ever seen on a console, superb music, impressive bosses, and a very well-policed, helpful and non-toxic community. Do not let the 2.5 global cool down timer fool you: Lots of abilities are off-GCD, and sooner than later you will your hands full juggling the demanding number of skills to get the maximum out of your job. And, by the way, as always, you can play ALL jobs/classes in a single character. No need to create any twinks.… Expand
  22. Kennyamr
    Jul 1, 2015
    10
    This is the continuation of the A Realm Reborn story arc. This directly follows what happens next after the great finale of ARR. Story is even better than what it was before the expansion.The addition of the new jobs has expanded the ways of players to run through content and the new abilities included in ALL jobs are giving us the change to reimagine our rotations and create new ways toThis is the continuation of the A Realm Reborn story arc. This directly follows what happens next after the great finale of ARR. Story is even better than what it was before the expansion.The addition of the new jobs has expanded the ways of players to run through content and the new abilities included in ALL jobs are giving us the change to reimagine our rotations and create new ways to play. The new areas are really really large and they make you work to be able to fly, it is a bit of a pain at first but as soon as you are allowed to fly, Oh, man you will LOVE it! the story is amazing again and all of the new adjustments are very very good in general. I am very happy with the expansion and I'm looking forward to finally beat Alexander when it comes out next week! Good luck fellow adventurers!… Expand
  23. GrumpyReviewer
    Jul 7, 2015
    7
    My story, my personal relationship, with FF ARR ended after two years and during the release of the first expansion: 'Heavensward'. I just think I came full circle with the game. I have loved it, since the beginning and devoted countless hours and days (and nights!) in this very immersive and addictive game.

    The expansion just made the game bigger, better, with more beautiful landscapes    My story, my personal relationship, with FF ARR ended after two years and during the release of the first expansion: 'Heavensward'. I just think I came full circle with the game. I have loved it, since the beginning and devoted countless hours and days (and nights!) in this very immersive and addictive game.

    The expansion just made the game bigger, better, with more beautiful landscapes to explore, more things to do. But, for me, it gave the confirmation that it will simply never end. I know this sounds naive; all MMOs are 'endless', I just never grasped this thought in a realistic way.

    Before the expansion, I had pretty much everything capped; from jobs to gathering and crafting classes. Had tons of rare stuff that took me hours to achieve. Once the expansion arrived, it felt like I had so much to do, like I was back at square one; I was lost, overwhelmed and, in my mid 30s simply (and finally) realized I just don't have time to devote almost all my free time to an mmo.

    All of a sudden, it was as if I lost the appetite for it. And I just decided that I should use my little time outside work to do something else. Take better care of myself, invest more in my social life and play games, yes, of course, always; but a more reasonable amount.

    Heavensward is 'more of the same' in a bittersweet way for me. I don't know. It's like a lover that you 'love, but don't like anymore'. And, as I say this goodbye, I stick with the thought that my beloved character will carry on, in Eorzea, the rest of my adventures. I just won't be there anymore to see it. I will forever love this game. But, for me, it's time to go.    … Expand
  24. NotCassim
    Jul 11, 2015
    10
    The best Final Fantasy since Final Fantasy IX, a great main quest, an awesome soundtrack. The developers are really listening to their fans. the graphics could be better though.
  25. DYEGameBro
    Jul 24, 2015
    9
    The expansion has you continually experiencing new and exciting twists in the game system, and the amount of things to do and experiment with is simply mind-boggling.

    This is a testament to just how passionate Naoki Yoshida and his team are about this game, and how willing they were to make things right after the original Final Fantasy XIV MMO launch turned out to be a catastrophe. This    The expansion has you continually experiencing new and exciting twists in the game system, and the amount of things to do and experiment with is simply mind-boggling.

    This is a testament to just how passionate Naoki Yoshida and his team are about this game, and how willing they were to make things right after the original Final Fantasy XIV MMO launch turned out to be a catastrophe. This appears to be reflected in the player base too, with ARR being one of square Enix’s highest grossing titles. I have dabbled in many MMOs over the years, but Final Fantasy XIV still remains my favourite, and the new world of Heavensward takes everything that has made the title so good over the past two years and dials it up to eleven.

    If you are prepared to invest a lot of hours into a game that continually rewards you, I can’t think of anything else out there right now better deserving of your time.

    www.doyouevengamebro.net    … Expand
  26. fuzzybunny075
    Oct 9, 2016
    1
    the 2.0 series or ARR were decent, there were a lot off problems with it that they were just unwilling to fix and not listen to their playerbase. now with heavensward at this point we are in the last cycle of this expansion, the game has just gone from bad to worse.

    yoshi P and his dev squad ruined the community and are bleeding subs, most servers are a waste land at this point; basicly    the 2.0 series or ARR were decent, there were a lot off problems with it that they were just unwilling to fix and not listen to their playerbase. now with heavensward at this point we are in the last cycle of this expansion, the game has just gone from bad to worse.

    yoshi P and his dev squad ruined the community and are bleeding subs, most servers are a waste land at this point; basicly everything released in heavensward has been very poorly implemented to say the least.

    the only thing that hasnt changed is them not listening to the majority off there player base, that is also why they are bleeding subs. everything they do to try and fix it, they just end up making it even worse.

    i have played since early access in 2.0, and i have personally seen that things they destroyed and just refuse to change it for the better.
    at this point they are putting all their hopes in the new expansion, with total remakes off classes, but it wont help imo.

    the damage they have done to the player base is to big, at this point SE has got to look at what yoshi P and his dev squad have accomplished and take actions, but they wont.

    for most off us it is to late and are just waiting untill are subs run out, so more people will leave. so it is going to get even worse    … Expand
  27. epistm87
    Nov 11, 2015
    0
    The monsters in the new areas are just huge HP bags. The gear threadmill at level 60 is exactly the same as the one in ARR Fates are still as uninteresting as they were in ARR.
  28. plskmane
    Jan 14, 2016
    0
    Couldn't even get the thing installed on the computer after numerous attempts with support staff, my internet support staff. After numerous headaches, e-mails, and problems this game is just not worth installing save your money, go with a more user friendly game. I spent well over 24 hours of my life just trying to get it installed because I enjoy mmorpgs but man I'll never get that timeCouldn't even get the thing installed on the computer after numerous attempts with support staff, my internet support staff. After numerous headaches, e-mails, and problems this game is just not worth installing save your money, go with a more user friendly game. I spent well over 24 hours of my life just trying to get it installed because I enjoy mmorpgs but man I'll never get that time back. Patcher/Launcher has major issues, just lookup all the problems people have with patching and installing, I literally had to change msconfig, do port forwarding, and all the other fun stuff and it still didn't work. Steer clear.… Expand
  29. starburns
    May 26, 2016
    8
    I started playing ARR back in a couple of months ago. After all the countless hours it took to get to heavansward, I was still ready to keep going. Being introduced into the incredibly massive worlds like western coerthas, Dravanian hinterlands, and the floating islands was one of the coolest experiences in my video game career. Plenty of dungeons and trials, the raid Alexander, andI started playing ARR back in a couple of months ago. After all the countless hours it took to get to heavansward, I was still ready to keep going. Being introduced into the incredibly massive worlds like western coerthas, Dravanian hinterlands, and the floating islands was one of the coolest experiences in my video game career. Plenty of dungeons and trials, the raid Alexander, and countless things to farm to keep you interested. The only major thing that I deduct points for is the duty finder. The duty finder sucks. God only knows how long it will take for me to get into a stage in the raid, or do my daily roulettes. The duty finder for me takes away a lot of the fun that I have in the game especially when I'm trying to farm for various objects in dungeons or raids. Some instances it takes 15 minutes just to do a trial that will take no more than 10 minutes. How this was countered was letting you play like normal in the regular game while you are waiting. Although this takes away from the hype of doing some awesome content, This feature helps lessen the boredom. All in all, This game can at times leave you speechless by how cool it is and the concept is amazing, but the duty finder and many smaller inconveniences take away from much of the excitement… Expand
  30. Nightlistic
    Mar 6, 2016
    0
    Why Square Enix thought it would be a brilliant idea to lock the entire expansion behind a years worth of content before players like myself who left after running out of things to do in the vanilla game is beyond me. I completely wasted my money buying this DLC as I never even reached Heavensward because of burning out waiting two to three hours in que for the blasted dungeons that theyWhy Square Enix thought it would be a brilliant idea to lock the entire expansion behind a years worth of content before players like myself who left after running out of things to do in the vanilla game is beyond me. I completely wasted my money buying this DLC as I never even reached Heavensward because of burning out waiting two to three hours in que for the blasted dungeons that they so annoying force onto the player by locking the story lines progression behind them. Simple to much effort to reach the new content to be worth the money I spent. I keep the game as a reminder to never buy into another one of this franchise's expansions again.… Expand
  31. PblcNme
    May 28, 2016
    7
    i believe this is an excellent mmo. it has amazing graphics. i feel that they do not produce as much content as they did in their first expansion thus not being as great as they used to be. you almost feel no need to attempt the harder content. If you wait 2 weeks you can achieve the same goals as you would if you were to try the hardcore side. I do not know what the issues are buti believe this is an excellent mmo. it has amazing graphics. i feel that they do not produce as much content as they did in their first expansion thus not being as great as they used to be. you almost feel no need to attempt the harder content. If you wait 2 weeks you can achieve the same goals as you would if you were to try the hardcore side. I do not know what the issues are but heavensward content did bring the final fantasy aspect as well as a realm reborn content.… Expand
  32. DrGerm
    Jun 19, 2020
    8
    Still more FFXIV fun. Little grindy, but opens up to some fun dungeons and all around more stuff to do.
  33. Genis94
    Sep 21, 2016
    10
    From amazing visuals to fantastic combat, Heavensward has got it all. Building upon the success of A Realm Reborn, they've opened a few new zones in the form of Ishgard, Dravania, and the Sea of Clouds. I'll be boiling down the key points of my review with Story, Additional Content, Gameplay, and Visuals/Music.

    Story: While A Realm Reborn kept the story fairly safe, drawing many    From amazing visuals to fantastic combat, Heavensward has got it all. Building upon the success of A Realm Reborn, they've opened a few new zones in the form of Ishgard, Dravania, and the Sea of Clouds. I'll be boiling down the key points of my review with Story, Additional Content, Gameplay, and Visuals/Music.

    Story: While A Realm Reborn kept the story fairly safe, drawing many parallels with the first Final Fantasy, Heavensward flips that on its head and goes for something very new. I'll not go into detail as it is better to experience it fresh, but suffice it to say that this different approach has solidified an identity for Final Fantasy XIV as an MMO that can draw in the player on their story as well as the gameplay.

    Additional Content: While other MMOs may struggle to develop substantial content to keep players engaged (looking at you Warlords of Draenor) Heavensward releases new patches every 3-4 months that are loaded with additional raids, dungeons, trials, and several quality of life features. From adding new crafting features and recipes to entirely new game modes in the form of Palace of the Dead, the development team pours all their effort to keeping the game fresh and enjoyable for their fans. and let's not forget the three new Jobs added to the game in the form of Dark Knight, Machinist, and Astrologian. These jobs add further diversity to the already unique roles in the game.

    Gameplay: If you're already familiar with the combat from A Realm Reborn, you'll be happy to hear that the depth of combat has only gotten better. Fights such as Ravana and Bismarck add a new level of mechanics and challenge to test your coordination and skill within the game.

    Visuals/Music: It goes without saying that Square Enix is known for their striking visuals and great music, and Heavensward is no exception. From the beautiful city of Ishgard to the incredible design of their brand new primal: Ravana, the art team has been hard at work to create a game that looks and feels great. On the musical side tracks add an extra layer of atmosphere to zones and dungeons, and tracks like Dragonsong are truly fantastic to listen to.

    In conclusion Heavensward is an expansion that nails it on the head in every way possible. Any fan of good MMOs should certainly give it a try.    … Expand
  34. Drakon
    Aug 11, 2016
    10
    Final Fantasy XIV Heavensward is the perfect example of what an expansion should be. The new areas are massive. The story is one of the best stories in any mmo ever. The music is some of my favorite from the entire series. This is good work on all fronts from the developers. Going into Heavensward you will get a lot more of the same from A Realm Reborn. That said ARR was well done,Final Fantasy XIV Heavensward is the perfect example of what an expansion should be. The new areas are massive. The story is one of the best stories in any mmo ever. The music is some of my favorite from the entire series. This is good work on all fronts from the developers. Going into Heavensward you will get a lot more of the same from A Realm Reborn. That said ARR was well done, and this content feels just as good. The expansions only real shortcoming is the extensive grind toward the end of the roughly 60 hour story (pre-patch now about 75 hours as of 3.3) The story masterfully makes you feel helpless and unable to comprehend just the scope of the insurmountable hatred the dragons have for the people of Ishgard. The story is just the beginning, the end game offers some of the best content the game has to offer. Currently there are 8 segments of the long term 8 man raid "Alexander," and 2 segments of the 24 man "sky pirate" (not official name) raid series. Beyond that there are lots of dungeons to do, daily missions, new beast tribe quests, new classes, and much more. Be prepared to lose literally thousands of hours to this soul sucking amazing game. Definitely recommend this game to any fans of the mmo genre.… Expand
  35. saintninja
    Dec 12, 2020
    10
    Dragons. Many cool Dragons. Dark knight, Dragons and some steam-punk. This is insane and cool combination. My advice:do not skip cutscenes in this expansion!
  36. kwstas
    Feb 13, 2016
    8
    this feels like someone take world of warcraft and blow some life in a dead game . good game if you search for an mmorpg this is a great one . such an original game
  37. smw119
    Feb 24, 2017
    9
    Heavensward is an expansion that provides exactly what it should, which is a large chunk of content and hundreds of hours of gameplay. The new areas are vast and inspired while communicating a sense of wonder that feels right at home with a lot of the games other areas. The new Au'Ra race coupled with much more gear, an ever growing number of dungeons and 3 new jobs to explore, there'sHeavensward is an expansion that provides exactly what it should, which is a large chunk of content and hundreds of hours of gameplay. The new areas are vast and inspired while communicating a sense of wonder that feels right at home with a lot of the games other areas. The new Au'Ra race coupled with much more gear, an ever growing number of dungeons and 3 new jobs to explore, there's little to say that's negative about this expansion.
    It does exactly what it should, it expands your experience well beyond the original ARR. Not to mention the voice acting is finally raised to a standard that's not utterly laughable like much of the base game was. If you're invested in this MMO and want even more, then this has what you're looking for.    … Expand
  38. Latorn
    Sep 2, 2020
    10
    It took a long time to reach this point, but the quality of the game soared and as I continued playing it just got better and better. Now that Heavensward is included in the free version of FFXIV there is no reason a Final Fantasy fan shouldn't give it a try and experience one of the best Final Fantasy stories of the modern era.
  39. XV_
    Aug 7, 2019
    9
    As far as expansions go, Heavensward easily stands as one of the best out there and I don't know but this doesn't feel like an expansion at all but more like a full sequel or something like that.

    Everything that ARR did good, Heavensward does it better even greater, so long is the sloppy story with a lot of boring diversions and subplots, here you feel like the story and every character    As far as expansions go, Heavensward easily stands as one of the best out there and I don't know but this doesn't feel like an expansion at all but more like a full sequel or something like that.

    Everything that ARR did good, Heavensward does it better even greater, so long is the sloppy story with a lot of boring diversions and subplots, here you feel like the story and every character are getting somewhere, sure you have to be introduced in certain scenarios and plots that aren't that great, but they never get that long or boring.

    The gameplay maintains, with a few tweaks and upgrades but the challenge was really good this time, the dungeons also didn't feel boring and the new skills were also good, there is everything for everyone. As for the real challenge that comes with the endgame, here's where things get double great, the extreme battles are so intense that you'll need a lot of skill and maybe luck (because other players) to conquer them, but they are some of the finest that I have ever played on a videogame.

    Going back to the story, I really liked that the story is simpler and focuses on way fewer characters, something that works for the best because in ARR sometimes it got really convoluted, here you will find an amazing story of journey, love, despair, and hope, themes that I really like, and speaking of characters, the main cast is just fantastic, my favorite above all is Alphinaud, I don't remember the last time I was so invested in a FF character like him, is that good.

    The music still is very good, and it has a lot of diversity as before so I don't have an issue with it, the graphics are also good for an MMO standard.

    I have some issues but there are so minor, like in order to use the new fly ability to soar the sky through the maps, you need to find certain "thing" in different parts of the map, and also do some sidequests that for the most part are OK but not that fun, I get that it's to slow you down but it can be really boring and bothersome, so I hope that this can disappear in future updates.

    Heavensward is a magnificent story, filled with amazing characters, plot twists and challenges that every FF fan should have.    … Expand
  40. LiyuLitra
    Dec 25, 2018
    9
    One of the best if not THE best expansion for any mmo that is out there. They improved the story a lot, and the gameplay and dungeons are great too. 9 out of 10, great expansion
  41. k3llist
    Apr 25, 2019
    9
    The best MMO currently available. I will not list all its features, just say it’s great. And I recommend everyone, who love mmo, play in ffxiv.
  42. Akiin
    Jul 25, 2023
    10
    - one of the best Storylines ever - a heavenly soundtrack for the ages - masterful worldbuilding and a lot of lore HEAVENSWARD IS A true masterpiece
  43. Thaksin
    Mar 25, 2021
    8
    Драконы, женщины, рыцари, магия - КЛАССИКА! Что еще нужно человеку, который скучает по фэнтези приключению, где главным злом является дракон? Готическая атмосфера тоже на месте.
    Из минусов, я не понимаю полеты в этой игре, ты проходишь локацию и под конец прохождения, тебе дают возможность там летать, блин! Как второе, отсутствие игроков в старом контенте, редко кого встречаешь, все в    Драконы, женщины, рыцари, магия - КЛАССИКА! Что еще нужно человеку, который скучает по фэнтези приключению, где главным злом является дракон? Готическая атмосфера тоже на месте.
    Из минусов, я не понимаю полеты в этой игре, ты проходишь локацию и под конец прохождения, тебе дают возможность там летать, блин! Как второе, отсутствие игроков в старом контенте, редко кого встречаешь, все в актуале, хотя хорошо бы было придумать схему где старый контент причем такого масштаба был не забыт.    … Expand
  44. Anima2z
    Jun 28, 2020
    10
    This game is a love letters to the original FF series, the best MMO out there
  45. DevilSurvivor
    Nov 18, 2021
    10
    This expansion does what both JRPGs and WRPGs have been forgetting to do for a very long time:
    Tell a good story.
    It improves on everything from the base game: locations, classes, customization, abilities, content, and so on. On top of that, it gives you a story that is easy to understand yet has so much nuance to it, sometimes even letting the player interpret it themselves, something    This expansion does what both JRPGs and WRPGs have been forgetting to do for a very long time:
    Tell a good story.

    It improves on everything from the base game: locations, classes, customization, abilities, content, and so on. On top of that, it gives you a story that is easy to understand yet has so much nuance to it, sometimes even letting the player interpret it themselves, something uncommon for JRPGs where everything feels very stiff and "this character will say how things are supposed to be!".

    An expansion that, without any surprise, will stick to the memories of any players, and it keeps constantly being mentioned as the best or second best story in XIV. Characters also feel important as they end up being mentioned later on, some of them sticking with you on your journey while others becoming pillars for characters' morals.

    With the free trial, there's no excuse not to play this expansion now.    … Expand
  46. Dom007
    Mar 28, 2021
    9
    The first of the three excellent expansions to FF14. The storytelling is strong with very good writing and the overall additions to the game are really good.
  47. slavicbruh
    Mar 11, 2021
    10
    After my extraordinary experience with the main game of FFXIV, A Realm Reborn, I decided to purchase the complete edition of the game. I was eager to jump into Heavensward after the cliffhanger ending of A Realm Reborn (which I will not spoil), and I came out starstruck.

    Heavensward is a high fantasy tale that involves a war between the city of Ishgard, and the dragons of Dravania. The    After my extraordinary experience with the main game of FFXIV, A Realm Reborn, I decided to purchase the complete edition of the game. I was eager to jump into Heavensward after the cliffhanger ending of A Realm Reborn (which I will not spoil), and I came out starstruck.

    Heavensward is a high fantasy tale that involves a war between the city of Ishgard, and the dragons of Dravania. The setup is so simple, yet the story as a whole is so well written, and so emotional that I'm positive it would've won at least 2 Oscars if it was turned into a movie. While the gameplay is mostly similar, there are new abilities added for all jobs, and there are 3 new jobs that are introduced. Each one feels unique from each other, which is true for all jobs in the game.

    The characters have much improved in this expansion, and they feel a lot more relatable than in A Realm Reborn. Alphanaud, for example, has turned from a snobby teen with much power at his fingertips, to a runaway who's disappointed at himself for being fooled. More characters like Estinien and Haruchefaunt, who have only appeared but briefly in A Realm Reborn, have made a return here and have been built up quite nicely. They both have an impact on the story and are characters that I won't soon forget (especially Estinien, as he appears in other expansions as well).

    The last thing I should mention is the new areas. Regions like Dravania, land of the dragons, and Abalathias Spine, an area in the literal sky, have been added. Flying through these areas feels like a dream, and thanks to the catchy soundtrack, sightseeing here and there is fun on its own.

    This is easily the best expansion in all of FFXIV (well... almost the best ;] ).    … Expand
  48. erazor2021
    Aug 18, 2021
    0
    If you don’t like the Trial / “Realm Reborn” take my word, you won’t like any of it…

    New players hope you are ready for 200+ hours of MSQ which is mainly reading text. I fell for the recent hype. To all the people who says “it gets better” seriously, what is wrong with you? This constant insincerity is what kept me going. IT DOESN’T GET BETTER (a least to the point it serves as a    If you don’t like the Trial / “Realm Reborn” take my word, you won’t like any of it…

    New players hope you are ready for 200+ hours of MSQ which is mainly reading text.

    I fell for the recent hype. To all the people who says “it gets better” seriously, what is wrong with you? This constant insincerity is what kept me going. IT DOESN’T GET BETTER (a least to the point it serves as a valid argument).

    I just finished Shadowbringers 5.5 MSQ, and let me tell you, this is an “interactive Novel” more than it is a video game.

    Sure with each expansion the game (novel) gets a little better, in terms of graphics, animations, storytelling, but the CORE of the game doesn’t change, it is still this outdated mmorpg tab targeting, with its main FOCUS on MSQ, which is basically walls of text.

    Your quests in order of occurrences is: talk, travel, click objects, kill NPCs, do dungeons/trials/story instances.
    They added one different mechanic in Stormblood lol, which is to “click stuff in FPS mode”.

    I can count the EPIC moments of the story in one hand! 3 of them were in Havensward and 2 in Shadowbringers (forget RR and SB).

    The main focus of this game is the MSQ, but the problem is; the MSQ is 90% fluff pointless writing and storytelling, you could cut out 80% of this writing and still get a concise accurate description of the story, albeit just more on point.

    What Square Enix is doing is inflating game time content with more and more text and sloppy animation screens, which I’m not kidding stretches the MSQ than it really needs to be. I’m not even talking about important background build up, I’m talking about content you won’t even remember because it served no purpose in the grand scheme of things. (Anything you wont remember a month from now isn't worth reading about).

    Because the MSQ is mainly storytelling, and single player orientated, why not just play better solo video games that are much, much better technically advanced in gameplay, like GTA 5, Witcher 3, red redemption 2, and hundreds of others titles?

    There were times I was so desperate to just “play” the game, because there is so few dungeons/trials and killing quests in-between all the walls of text.

    One could always pay a story skip potion, but the fact is MSQ is the focus of this game, the endgame is extra stuff. Players and Square have both said that MSQ is the focus of the game, and the more casual player base.

    WoW = focuses on repeatable endgame content after a short introductory (and often crap) storyline.

    FF14 = 200 hours of MSQ (at minimum) at which point you can cycle through some endgame content and get max ilvl gear fairly easily. But levelling others job/crafts, which has its own questlines seems be one of the most popular things to do.

    I won’t be buying Endwalker. People who enjoy reading fluff for hundreds of hours to see one good cutscene here and there, you do that, enjoy! I’ll watch it in a recap YouTube video and do more productive things with my life than read FLUFF MSQ content, which is intentionally used to extend game play time.

    “You can always make more money, but you can’t make more time” think about if you’re really enjoying that 200 hours or if you’re only enjoy small amounts of it. Whilst the epic moments were epic, the pain of going through so much unfun content to see it was not worth it. The balance is definitely not there.

    Even most fans think the post RR quests are so bad, yet square hasnt fixed it by just removing it for new players by using a short narration cutscene to bring players up to date for havensward. (And i heard it was even worse, oh dear God).    … Expand
  49. Rodmund
    Nov 25, 2021
    10
    Отличное продолжение, продолжайте в том же духе!

Awards & Rankings

19
#19 Best PS4 Game of 2015
66
#66 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2015
79
#79 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2015

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 20 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 20
  3. Negative: 0 out of 20
  1. SpazioGames
    Oct 28, 2015
    85
    Quite a good expansion for this MMO, rich in content and novelty. The fact that Heavensward is this neat is testament to the quality of the base game. If the level of the new contents stays like this, players will stay in Final Fantasy XIV's world for a lot of time.
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  2. Multiplayer.it
    Sep 29, 2015
    90
    Heavensward literally expands A Realm Reborn which means it acts more like a sequel, rehashing basically the same stuff over and over with little novelties except for the marginally useful flying mounts. It does this job - no pun intended - extremely well tho, and tells one of the most engaging tale in the whole franchise.
    Read full review
  3. GameTrailers
    Sep 16, 2015
    90
    The vast majority of Heavensward is outstanding and it’s easy enough to endure the occasional slow patch. A Realm Reborn was an impressive revival when it launched in 2013, and Heavensward elevates the game to an even higher level. Rarely do expansions feel so fully formed.
    Read full review
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