Each has some great mechanics that make the bouts feel unique, while also remaining fair. MMO mechanics have never been more readable, and boss battles, whether within dungeons themselves or the larger bust-ups, feel thrilling as a result. The same philosophy can be seen in the dungeons and trials you'll either be partying up for or undertaking with AI allies. It's a huge undertaking that feels like it's paid off as those good with their hands prepare to juggle the heaps of brand new gear Endwalker has introduced. Past content like quests and skills have all been altered to account for its absence, too.
With high-quality materials blasted out of the game entirely to reduce the need to take up multiple inventory slots, however, everything feels more streamlined. Always a fun and deeper-than-expected diversion, the disciplines could still feel a little bloated. Similarly, crafting and gathering have been hit big. It's great to see the commitment to alternate ways to play continue. It's especially useful when playing with a controller, which continues to be fantastically supported with the crossbar system that allows easy access to three or four bars all at the touch of triggers. A neutral change to my standard hotbar in terms of space, which feels deliberate. My main job, Dragoon, has dropped an upkeep move in favour of automating it, while adding a new area-of-effect finisher that makes it integrate more closely with the rest of the moveset. Old skills have been pruned to make way for the new, and as usual it's all smartly done in a way that avoids things becoming overwhelming. You'll be looking at 7-8 hours of levelling, which doesn't seem too long in MMO terms-but even this can be a chore when you're raring to take your Sage on the big new journey.ĭebatably there's a third new job in Summoner, which has received a substantial overhaul The cute lil' minions are out, and bigger pals are in, as you can now call directly on the power of Primals (FF14's versions of traditional summons), which flashily take up large chunks of screen space as they rampage.Įvery job has received tweaks, but it's more than just adding new stuff. As usual, though, these start out at a level a bit below the main quest (70 versus 80 this time around), meaning you'll need to put in some grind time if you want to take them on your journey. Sage, meanwhile, uses robo-scalpels to not only heal, but erect barriers and blast lasers at monsters, all while juggling a little mech toggle that alters the mode of some of your abilities to, for instance, turn a single-hit blast into one that damages over time instead. Reaper is all about twirling a scythe around as you fill up a couple of meters in order to power up your own personification of Death. Both jobs are terrific fun, and thanks to the way the MMO allows all users to switch jobs straight from their inventory, easy for anyone to jump into. There's plenty to explore, too, with six new maps to stomp around, along with two new cities for up-to-date players to hang out in: Thavnair's Radz-At-Han, and the Greek-inspired Old Sharlayan (full of stuffy centrist scholars), both quite expansive.Īll of these additions represent FF14's development team at their peak.
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You can then put those new jobs, or your old ones, through their paces with six new story dungeons, plus two extra endgame ones, and three trials (large-scale boss battles). The headline additions include two new jobs: the Reaper, a physical DPS, and Sage, a healer (and the first new one in a few years).
Peel back the emotional and at times very bleak story (apocalypses tend to be a little dicey, after all), and Endwalker provides what's expected.