Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker
By now, most people have heard of the critically acclaimed MMORPG Final Fantasy 14. With an expanded free trial and everything, you know the whole deal at this point. More importantly, though, this year was when we all finally walked to the end. The game’s fourth major expansion, Endwalker, released and wrapped up a decade-long story in the making. A story that has taken us from protecting our own homes all the way to the literal edge of the universe, and I know it’s not one I am going to forget anytime soon. We got all of this along with a bunch of new features and content to carry us through the whole year.
You could argue that the most-important thing for an MMO to have is tons of content to keep players busy, and even though Endwalker may have seen more space between updates, those updates have been wonderful. New alliance raids with interesting theming, great boss designs, and amazing music have all been highlights. Even with the slightly more difficult savage raids, I know my group has been having a fun time clearing out the tiers. Where else can I have a great time beating up a sexy vampire theater nerd with seven of my best friends while an amazing boss theme plays that includes silly little surf-rock breakdowns? That’s Final Fantasy 14 Online, baby! This also isn’t even mentioning the new Adventurer Plate system, the PvP rework, and Overwatch-like payload mode that is a blast to play. Or even the survival game and Animal-Crossing-like Island Sanctuary mode that lets you relax and gather materials while building up your own Island. The development team has been busy trying to give us a lot of things to do, and it shows how much they care.
The biggest thing for me, though, even so long after it came out, is the story. The game nailed how we wrapped up a decade-long tale and started up a brand-new adventure. The themes and moments that took us to the end really left a big impact on me, and they all hit especially hard after the outstanding expansion before it, Shadowbringers. I am not going to spoil anything because I still think FFXIV is a game that everyone needs to experience, but it is something to see how far this game has come in all the years I have been playing it. Storylines and characters that follow you through your whole journey grow and change, and to see that all come together in a wonderfully emotional final zone is something I won’t forget. It does a lot to go beyond just asking things to your character and will sometimes even directly ask you, as the player, to reflect on your journey and what it meant to you. It’s a story about ends, accepting that death is inevitable, and even though things can get rough or seem impossible, it’s always important to do your best, not lose hope, and forge ahead. The sorrow of a thousand worlds weighs heavy, and yet we can all walk on. — Ben Janca