Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood
Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood is the second expansion pack to Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, a massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix for macOS, PlayStation 4, and Windows, then later on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. It was released on June 20, 2017, just under two years after Heavensward, the previous expansion. Like for its predecessor, Naoki Yoshida served as director and producer and Masayoshi Soken composed the soundtrack, with Nobuo Uematsu contributing the theme song. The expansion pack was released as a standalone product for current players; for new players, the "Complete Edition" of Final Fantasy XIV that originally launched with Heavensward was updated to include both expansions. In order to make necessary engine improvements, service for the PlayStation 3 game client was terminated with the expansion's early access period. A special upgrade campaign allowed affected players to obtain the PlayStation 4 version for free.
Stormblood marks a shift in the ongoing conflict with the Garlean Empire. Players lead rebellions in the imperial provinces of Ala Mhigo, an Eorzean city-state conquered twenty years ago, and Doma, a Far Eastern nation with a proud ninja tradition. These regions are administered by the emperor's son, Zenos yae Galvus, whose brutal oppression of the conquered imperial subjects impels the player to act. Traveling these diverse lands, players join forces with the Ala Mhigan Resistance and the deposed Crown Prince of Doma. In addition to adding new areas, the expansion pack increases the level cap, adds two new character classes, revamps the battle system for existing combat classes, and introduces swimming gameplay.
Stormblood was well received upon release and earned nominations for "Expansion of the Year". By August 2017, the title had reached a cumulative total of 10 million accounts. As with its predecessors, major content patches were scheduled for every three months. The first one—"The Legend Returns"—was released on October 10, and premieres a storyline written by Yasumi Matsuno that features his signature Ivalice setting, as well as a special "Ultimate" difficulty battle, designed to be the most challenging content in the game.
Gameplay
The gameplay and quest structure of Stormblood largely match that of its base game. As with many MMORPGs, players interact with each other in a persistent world that responds to their actions. A dramatic overhaul of the battle system accompanies the level cap increase to level 70. The changes fall into three broad categories. First, battle abilities were redesigned to eliminate redundant actions and improve the flow of combat. Second, a new set of "role actions" ensures that all players can access critical abilities to their role—tank, healer, or damage dealer. Finally, all classes gained a "Job Gauge" that displays all class-relevant information in a more visually distinct way. Two new job classes were introduced as well—the katana-wielding Samurai and the versatile Red Mage, both damage-dealing classes. These jobs begin at level 50 with their own storylines connected to the new settings. Unlike Heavensward, they are accessible to any player with a level 50 class, regardless of story progress.In addition to new dungeons and raids, Stormblood introduces a new player versus player mode called Rival Wings. Two teams of 24 players face off in goblin-run war games. Points are earned by destroying opposing bases and robot minions. Players are able to call down and pilot giant mecha after achieving certain objectives. The mode has been compared to multiplayer online battle arena games.
Finally, a new area called "The Forbidden Land, Eureka" debuted with Patch 4.2. Its gameplay is inspired by "old school" MMORPGs, including Final Fantasy XI and others. In Eureka, players must use an elemental wheel to exploit monsters' weaknesses and increase their own Elemental level. Unlike the rest of the game, players lose experience points if defeated and can even "Level Down". Later sections of Eureka permit the use of Logos Actions, which are unique spells and abilities that players craft using materials found in the zone. Eureka culminates in a high tier raid called the Baldesion Arsenal that challenges 56 players to work together to overcome it.
Plot
Setting and characters
Stormblood occurs on three main continents of Hydaelyn, a fictional planet with diverse Earth-like climates, focused on the Garlean imperial provinces of Ala Mhigo and Doma. The Empire seeks to eliminate "primals" - summoned beings shaped like deities which deplete the land of life - but chooses brutal expansionism and religious persecution to stop summons. Found at the eastern edge of Eorzea, the focus region of previous expansions, the city-state of Ala Mhigo rules over the arid Gyr Abania region. Its land bridge to the other continents acts as a buffer state to Eorzea. Twenty years before Stormblood, the Empire conquered Ala Mhigo in the wake of a popular uprising against the monarchy. Gaius van Baelsar, the legatus leading the invasion, had intended to conquer all of Eorzea, but stalled in the face of Eorzean and dragon resistance. He instead builds Baelsar's Wall at the Ala Mhigan border, waiting for an opportunity. Further, he established the Crania Lupi, a native Ala Mhigan irregular unit offering citizenship for service. After Gaius' defeat in A Realm Reborn, the new Emperor Varis zos Galvus made his son, Zenos yae Galvus, imperial viceroy. Zenos' harsh and sadistic tyranny contrasts with Gaius' egalitarian, meritocratic policies, and he whiles away his time seeking worthy opponents for lethal combat.Doma, in the far East, is a previous conquest of Zenos. Formerly a proud martial kingdom, Imperial occupation has sent rightful Prince Hien into hiding and broken the peoples' spirits. Leaving for Ala Mhigo, Zenos promotes Yotsuyu goe Brutus, a Doman turncoat who hates her countrymen, to acting viceroy. Doma takes inspiration from the cultures of ancient China and Japan. The Azim Steppe, north of Doma, houses numerous nomadic Au Ra tribes, who hold an annual Naadam as their leadership competition, based on the Mongolian Naadam festival. Hingashi, an isolationist island nation, lies eastward across the Ruby Sea. Only the port city Kugane lies open to foreign trade, with Hingashi proper off-limits, acting as pastiches of Edo-era Japan and Nagasaki, respectively. In the Ruby Sea reside turtle-like Kojin tribes, and the Confederacy, a loose pirate coalition and protection racket. While Gridania, Ishgard, and Limsa Lominsa remain involved, of the Eorzean Alliance states, only Ul'dah plays a major role in Stormblood, due to Flame General Raubahn Aldynn being an Ala Mhigan refugee.
Immediately prior to Stormblood, an Ala Mhigan Resistance faction makes a false flag attack on Baelsar's Wall in Eorzean Alliance uniforms, hoping to restart the war. The player character, named the Warrior of Light for defeating Gaius, and their peacekeeping allies the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, arrive to restore order, but one Scion, Papalymo, sacrifices himself in the process. His travelling companion, an Ala Mhigan orphan named Lyse who had posed as her elder sister Yda, is inspired anew to throw off the Garlean occupation. The twins Alphinaud and Alisaie, and the Scions' coinkeeper Tataru, aid her. The Alliance ultimately captures the Wall and fortifies, expecting imperial retaliation. Meanwhile, Gosetsu, one of Hien's retainers, comes to recall Yugiri and able-bodied Doman refugees. The Alliance contacts the main Resistance force across the Wall, led by Conrad and his lieutenant M'naago, while Zenos moves to crush the rebellion, aided by the Skulls' commander, Fordola.
Story
Stormblood opens with sympathetic Alliance leaders hoping to aid Ala Mhigo. Raubahn dispatches the Warrior of Light, Lyse, and the Scions to meet the Ala Mhigan Resistance, seeking support for an Alliance incursion. Conrad, a major Resistance leader, gladly accepts their aid. However, Fordola rem Lupis, a Garlean loyalist, devastates the resistance headquarters in a surprise attack. Garlean Prince Zenos yae Galvus joins, easily outmatching even the Warrior. Unimpressed, he withdraws, leaving survivors to rebuild. Unable to confront the Garleans head-on, the Scions follow Alphinaud's suggestion to foment revolution in Doma, Zenos' other province headed by the cruel Yotsuyu goe Brutus, to divide the Imperials' forces.The group sails for the Far East. In Kugane, they reunite with Gosetsu, crossing the Ruby Sea, aided by Blue Kojin traders. They also convince the Confederacy to drive out the Empire by breaking its contract with the Red Kojin mercenaries and defeating their primal, Susano. They find Yugiri in Doma, whom Prince Hien has asked to measure his peoples' will—if they desire freedom, he will return from exile to lead; if not, he will surrender himself to Garlemald to ease his people's suffering. When Zenos arrive in Doma for an inspection, the Warrior attempts to assassinate him but is again defeated. Zenos, intrigued, spares the Warrior, seeking a future, more intense conflict. Villagers previously rescued by Yugiri rally and drive off the Imperial retinue.
Inspired by their spirit, the Scions travel to the Azim Steppe seeking Hien. He lives among the Mol, who nursed him to health after a previous failed rebellion. Planning to win the upcoming Naadam for the Mol, he hopes to lead the Steppe's warriors to bolster the liberation army. After passing Steppe initiation trials, Hien and the Scions gain the Mol elder's blessing to participate. The Warrior secures victory for the Mol, and the Steppe's warriors eagerly join Hien's cause. Returning to Doma, Alphinaud presents Hien with a Far Eastern Alliance: the Confederacy, Doma, the Blue Kojin tribe, and now the Azim Steppe tribes. They assault Doma Castle, defeating Yotsuyu's forces. Defiant, she collapses the castle atop them, but Gosetsu holds the ceiling up for the others to escape; both he and Yotsuyu are presumed dead. Hien reclaims his kingdom and pledges to aid Ala Mhigo in kind.
On returning west, word spreads of Doma's freedom; numerous Imperial provinces go into open rebellion, stretching their forces thin. The Ala Mhigan diaspora and liberated labor-camp workers swell the Resistance's ranks. Raubahn and Conrad press the advantage, taking a key bridge on the route to the capital, opening access to Gyr Abania proper. The Warrior and Lyse also defeat the primal Lakshmi to clear the way. In the next battle, Fordola sends artillery fire against a Garlean watchtower on Zenos' orders, killing its defenders and mortally wounding Conrad. His last request makes Lyse leader of the Resistance.
The liberators push into the Lochs surrounding the capital, building a forward operating base. The Scions infiltrate a Garlean base and extract their comrade Krile, whom Garlean scientists had experimented on to replicate her Echo. Fordola has become their prototype "Resonant" and Zenos receives the perfected version. The Scions capture Fordola through trickery to fool this ability. With air support from Hien, the Alliance storms the capital. The Warrior faces Zenos a third time, finally overpowering him. Zenos retreats, unveiling the primal Shinryu, captured by Omega above Baelsar's Wall. Using his Resonant powers, Zenos fuses with Shinryu and battles the Warrior. Zenos and Nidhogg's eyes are ejected from Shinryu upon its death; Zenos commits suicide, completing Ala Mhigo's liberation, while Estinien later arrives and destroys the eyes. In post-credit scenes, Lyse amiably resigns from the Scions to focus on rebuilding Ala Mhigo; Emperor Varis is visited by Elidibus; and Gosetsu and Yotsuyu are revealed to have survived.