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. 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
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. 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

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

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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.
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  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.
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