On top of Shadowbringers (the latest expansion that Square Enix released), there are high expectations for the new version; and the leader of the team behind the success has gone out and said that they have put even more work into Endwalker so the players can well start rejoicing.

A nearly ten-year-long story ends

Final Fantasy XIV online (and 'A Realm Reborn') has been out since 2013, and thus the game has been around for almost ten years. At this time, the world in which the game is located has evolved along with the player, and it is this long story that is now being completed. That does not mean you will never play Final Fantasy 14; on the contrary.

Square Enix has said that this is not the end of the game, but simply the story saga that has been running so far for our Warrior of Light. After this, the team has the opportunity to set up new stories, and explore new narratives that lie outside the story of good versus evil; the light against the darkness.

And a lot has been put in the tiled stove; in fact, we should expect about 1.3 times more cutscenes and story elements than what we got with Shadowbringers (and so it's not so little)!

When is Endwalker coming out and when does Early Access start?

Final Fantasy 14 has set a new release date for their latest expansion, Endwalker, after the expansion pack has been pushed back, due to the corona. The new release date for Endwalker is December 7, 2021 - and Early Access (which you can get if you have pre-ordered the game) starts already on December 3, 2021.

Male Viera - for the first time we see the male component of the breed

The female Viera came in one of the earlier expansion packs, Final Fantasy XIV Shadowbringers. Viera is a breed that can mostly be found in the Golmore Jungle in the southern part of Othard, but is also found in certain forest areas elsewhere on the planet Hydaelyn.

The race lives by a principle they call the 'Green Word', which is an oath they have all taken to stay away from the rest of civilization. After shadowbringers, however, the women emerged from the forests and jungles, due to the critical condition of the planet.

The breed is matriarchal and you rarely see male viera (in fact, you have never seen a male viera in the game series before now) as they protect the areas from the treetops and from the shadows of the trees. In Endwalker, however, the male viera will also be a playable race, so there are now even more races to choose from in your travels through Hydaelyn; and beyond.

Reaper - formidable warrior who fights with laughter and a voidsent companion

The Reaper class has been a huge hit among players since it was announced. Players had long asked for a form of necromantic class that used dark magic, as seen in many other games; and like one that was not a tank class (we already have a Dark Knight).

Reaper uses a giant laugh to cut down their enemies - a suitable weapon for a people who were originally peasants, who felt compelled to use the powers of darkness against their enemies, in order to survive, thus combining the dark magic with their original profession.

In their work with the powers of darkness, they have created a connection to a so-called void center, which is a demonic being. This one they can now pull forward in battle, to do enormous damage, under the command of their Reaper master. Their voidsent being resembles an eerie ghost with sharp teeth, a hood over their heads, and with long, red, and sharp claws.

Sage - a healer who uses technology to protect and do damage

; "> People have been waiting anxiously for a new healer in Final Fantasy XIV - the last time a new one came was in Heavensward, which came out back in 2015. Finally, there is news for those who like to take care of their teammates.

This increases the pool of healers for a total of four different jobs, which thereby divides the healers into two roles: pure healers (White Mage + Astrologian) and healers who make shields (Scholar + Sage), who can thus support each other in various battle scenarios.

Sage uses flying high-tech cannons to protect their friends and destroy their enemies with. The cannons are called Nouliths, and these fly behind you and can torpedo through the battlefield to quickly block an attack or hit your enemies with laser beams.

Travel to the Moon and discover a wide range of new geographical locations for you to explore

In Endwalker, as the Warrior of Light, you are tossed around between a lot of different locations in Hydaelyn. Each zone is accompanied by music by Masayoshi Soken, who has produced some of the game's most iconic music to date.

You will travel from east to west, through Labyrinthos, Garlemald and Thavnair. There are two new bases in Endwalker: Radz-at-Han which is based on Aztec and Mayan culture and architecture. The second base is Old Sharlayan, which has clear Mesopotamian and ancient Greek references.

More

In addition to the things we have reviewed in this article, there are also many other things you can experience; everything from a new data center, island sanctuary, updates to the Gold Saucer and new dungeons, alliance and challenge raids. But this is only the tip of the iceberg - jump into the game and immerse yourself in the magical world, and become part of the history of the MMORPG game genre, with what is supposed to be one of the best expansions ever.

Please also read our colleagues' article about Final Fantasy XIV over at download.dk.