What To Expect In ‘Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker’

Final Fantasy XIV (Image courtesy of Squared Enix)

After a year without any update about Final Fantasy XIV in 2020, Square Enix has confirmed that Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker will be released on November 23, 2021. This fourth expansion will close the major storyline, drawing an end to the war between Hydaelyn and Zodiark.

Despite being an end of the story, Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker still brings something unexpected to the table. Through Final Fantasy XIV director Naoki Yoshida’s revelation and the digital FFXIV Fan Fest on May 14 and May 15, fans are getting a clearer picture of the upcoming expansion in November.

For the fans, the best addition would be the two new jobs they can set their fingers at. Firstly, we have the Sages. Sages not only master the arts of healing and protection, but their skill combinations also offer them ability to cast aggressive spells as well. They can control floating mechanical knives called Noulith knives to attack, or they can build up barriers to obstruct the enemies, according to Yoshida. And good news for those who are interested in this support: there will be no prerequisite to play as a Sage. The only condition to experience this class is to have at least one job at level 70 in the Endwalker expansion.

On top of that, Yoshida also showcased the new class Reaper. This new class is a melee DPS (damage per second) that swings a two-handed scythe. Although the scythe is the main damage source, the gameplay experience for Reapers is not that simple; they can also summon a spiritual avatar from the Void to join the combat and even serve as a host for that avatar, transporting the power of the Void to their own.

Surprisingly, the Reaper class has never appeared in any previous Final Fantasy games. Players get to experience this brand-new skill combination in the newest Endwalker expansion, and again, without complicated prerequisites.

Besides the addition of classes, Final Fantasy XIV is getting PS5 upgrades, with a 4K resolution, faster loading times, neater visual effects, and an enhanced frame rate. Players get to choose between a full 4K resolution mode or a frame rate at 1440p resolution.

The overall gameplay is also improved. The character’s maximum level cap is increased to level 90, and from level 51 to 80, the experience points gains will be more compressed. Multiple new areas such as dungeons, housings, and major cities are being added for players to explore along the story as well.

There are still six months before the official release. Players should keep an eye on the official page of Final Fantasy XIV in hope for more information about the upcoming expansion.