Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers
released on Jul 02, 2019
An expansion for Final Fantasy XIV Online
Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers is the third expansion pack to Final Fantasy XIV. The expansion takes players to the First, one of thirteen reflections of the Source that is being consumed by a Flood of Light. The main region visited is known as Norvrandt, which is roughly analogous to the Source's Eorzea, and is the only region in the world that has not yet succumbed to the Flood of Light.
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Some pacing issues aside, Shadowbringers boasts what's probably this game's best storytelling to date. In Norvrandt, Final Fantasy XIV has an incredible post-apocalypse and what's at least facially an interesting subversion of Final Fantasy XIV's centerpiece conflict between "light" and "dark." A handful of story beats are some of this long-running MMO's best, many of them mulled over the course of the last two expansions only to suddenly deliver at Shadowbringers' heights. A few of Final Fantasy XIV's newer characters – as well as a couple of returning faces – are fun and nuanced additions to a game that often struggles with developing its cast. Even the core cast members here find room to grow into something feeling more akin to actual characters.
That's all on top of the usual trappings that make Final Fantasy XIV so special. Aesthetically, this game remains a delight, though Final Fantasy XIV's cozier notes find a little more contrast in the handful of moments where Shadowbringers openly flirts with horror. The boss fighting and raiding at Final Fantasy XIV's core continue to dazzle, and I've yet to find a better communal experience in online gaming.
I know the folks behind Final Fantasy XIV have disowned interpretations of Shadowbringers as a metaphor, but I can't shake the analogs to environmental collapse, and the bureaucratic failure presented in both Amaurot and Sharlayan's response to their worlds' supposed end. I'm not the first person to point this out, but those connections felt more familiar than I'd like as I began Shadowbringers on the tail end of a mismanaged pandemic, during a summer of intense floods and wildfire smoke, and then finished this expansion amid one of my home state's warmest winter seasons on record.
Finally, I'm nervous as this game heads into Endwalker. Chasing Shadowbringers' Emet-Selch with a nihilistic brat and an obsessed rival seems poised to let down, and even at their most theatrical, the set piece battles wrapping up Shadowbringers haven't quite delivered. I'm hoping a few of the narrative seeds planted in Shadowbringers, however, maybe bloom into something more as Endwalker begins in earnest.
That's all on top of the usual trappings that make Final Fantasy XIV so special. Aesthetically, this game remains a delight, though Final Fantasy XIV's cozier notes find a little more contrast in the handful of moments where Shadowbringers openly flirts with horror. The boss fighting and raiding at Final Fantasy XIV's core continue to dazzle, and I've yet to find a better communal experience in online gaming.
I know the folks behind Final Fantasy XIV have disowned interpretations of Shadowbringers as a metaphor, but I can't shake the analogs to environmental collapse, and the bureaucratic failure presented in both Amaurot and Sharlayan's response to their worlds' supposed end. I'm not the first person to point this out, but those connections felt more familiar than I'd like as I began Shadowbringers on the tail end of a mismanaged pandemic, during a summer of intense floods and wildfire smoke, and then finished this expansion amid one of my home state's warmest winter seasons on record.
Finally, I'm nervous as this game heads into Endwalker. Chasing Shadowbringers' Emet-Selch with a nihilistic brat and an obsessed rival seems poised to let down, and even at their most theatrical, the set piece battles wrapping up Shadowbringers haven't quite delivered. I'm hoping a few of the narrative seeds planted in Shadowbringers, however, maybe bloom into something more as Endwalker begins in earnest.
i cannot stop crying. this is it. this is peak. this is the best fuckign thing ever made i think.
You know I didn't actually play this again I'm just thinking that as time goes by I was waaaaay too nice to it lmao. Story revolves around the importance of Law and Order and Great Men. Virulent hatred of fatness. They brought back G'Raha Tia but lobotomized him so his only character trait is wanting to fuck the player now. I dunno what I should actually have given it and it doesn't really matter but god damn the story of FF14 is conservative garbage lol. Fun combat though love to do the trials with pals
Genuinely peak in every aspect from beginning to end. Absolute must play.
Holy moly peak
Llevo ya más de 300 horas con el XIV, y si bien todas las partes hasta ahora me han encantado (algunas más que otras), si que es verdad que tenías que ponerle detrás el "para ser un MMORPG" cuándo se lo intentabas vender a alguien. Shadowbringers es muchas cosas, y entre ellas es el claro final de eso, es el momento dónde el juego se justifica por haberte hecho dar mil vueltas y por haberte comido tramas alargadas de forma cuestionable, y la justificación es que básicamente te vas a joder y vas a llorar.
Es increíble lo altísimo que llega la trama principal, lo integrado que está todo desde el principio y lo muchísimo que eleva el conflicto el tener tantísimo camino a tus espaldas. Toda la trama es cojonuda ya desde el concepto, pero las ultimas 3 horas son algo magistral al nivel de lo mejorcito que haya dado la saga.
En definitiva, que auto - causarte síndrome de Estocolmo está de puta madre porque te llevas peak fiction con personajes bonicos, eso y Soken eres lo putisimo superior ojala compongas el tema de mi funeral.
Es increíble lo altísimo que llega la trama principal, lo integrado que está todo desde el principio y lo muchísimo que eleva el conflicto el tener tantísimo camino a tus espaldas. Toda la trama es cojonuda ya desde el concepto, pero las ultimas 3 horas son algo magistral al nivel de lo mejorcito que haya dado la saga.
En definitiva, que auto - causarte síndrome de Estocolmo está de puta madre porque te llevas peak fiction con personajes bonicos, eso y Soken eres lo putisimo superior ojala compongas el tema de mi funeral.