The third post-expansion patch — the center patch, if you’ll — is often an enormous deal in Remaining Fantasy XIV. This patch wraps up the primary story from the growth, leaving the final two patches to begin laying the groundwork for the subsequent growth. This often implies that gamers expertise a secondary climax that may really feel simply as dramatic as the tip of the growth correct. However Endwalker shouldn’t be a typical growth. The preliminary launch wrapped up the prevailing story, and patch 6.1 began a brand new arc. So what does that imply for patch 6.3, Gods Revel, Lands Tremble?
Properly, it implies that issues don’t get fairly as thrilling as you would possibly anticipate. After all, there’s some drama main as much as 6.3’s new story trial, however the general plot doesn’t transfer a lot in Gods Revel, Lands Tremble. As a substitute, the main target is extra on character improvement for the ex-Scions’ latest ally, Zero. And that in and of itself is an effective factor as a result of Zero is a very attention-grabbing character, given her origins. However I might be mendacity if I stated I wasn’t just a bit bit upset that not a lot progress is made on this patch, narratively. In actual fact, you find yourself in a worse place by the tip of the primary story, which makes me marvel how the builders will resolve all the things in two patches whereas additionally preparing for the subsequent growth. In actual fact, you find yourself in a worse place by the tip of the primary story, which makes me marvel how the builders will resolve all the things in two patches whereas additionally preparing for the subsequent growth. That stated, I’ve little question they’ll accomplish that in spectacular trend, as a result of they all the time handle to allay my issues in regards to the path of the primary story.
Lapis Manalis, the brand new dungeon in Gods Revel, Lands Tremble, is situated in Garlemald. This makes it a snow dungeon, and like most snow dungeons in FFXIV, it’s sadly slightly boring. The bosses aren’t terribly attention-grabbing, and just one is slightly difficult. Like patch 6.2, the final boss can be acquainted to Remaining Fantasy IV followers, as will the opponent featured within the new trial, Mount Ordeals. If you happen to’ve been protecting observe of the fiends who’ve appeared, it’s possible you’ll marvel what the 2 remaining trials can be. One is apparent, however the different is anybody’s guess in the intervening time, which can also be the place a few of my uncertainty stems from. At the least the intense model of this fiery fracas shouldn’t be almost as chaotic or irritating as Storm’s Crown from patch 6.2.
As an odd-numbered patch, Gods Revel, Lands Tremble introduces the subsequent leg of the alliance raid collection. Certainly, the patch’s title is partially a reference to the Myths of the Realm storyline, which sees you throwing down with extra of the Twelve to try to be taught the reality about Eorzea’s fabled deities. Identical to earlier than, the Twelve themselves are usually not very forthcoming, so that you don’t uncover a lot, however there are some attention-grabbing implications that would tie them extra carefully to different revelations from the growth. The raid itself, Euphrosyne, is a visible spectacle very similar to Aglaia earlier than it, however whereas the fights are enjoyable, all the things feels noticeably simpler than the earlier tour. I appreciated the problem of the primary raid, because it made working the content material over and over for gear drops extra participating. In contrast, Euphrosyne is a little more sedate, and I’m not fairly as excited to go in each week for a brand new drop. Right here’s hoping the third and remaining leg doesn’t maintain again, in each the story and fight departments.
Each patch since Endwalker correct has steadily expanded the checklist of Responsibility Assist content material, and Gods Revel, Lands Tremble isn’t any totally different. This time round, the remaining essential story dungeons from Heavensward (six in complete) have been added, which is nice for gamers trying out the free trial of the acclaimed MMO who could be nervous working content material by way of Responsibility Finder. Each dungeon has been tweaked at the very least slightly; the adjustments for some bosses are pretty minor, however others have seen a whole rework. As an example, the ultimate bosses of The Aetherochemical Analysis Facility and Sohr Khai are primarily fully new. Not solely do the updates handle a number of the annoyances of those older dungeons, however in addition they clean up the expertise, which ought to make getting them in a roulette at the very least barely extra attention-grabbing.
Gods Revel, Lands Tremble brings a number of updates to different content material as effectively. A brand new customized supply consumer on the First makes for fairly the attention-grabbing patron, the Leap of Religion GATE on the Gold Saucer takes a visit to the attractive Sylphlands, and treasure hunters and PvP-lovers have new places to take a look at. Island Sanctuary additionally will get some new content material and some quality-of-life adjustments that can see you come to your island paradise should you’re like me and stopped visiting after maxing all the things out. It’s not an entire lot — simply two new ranks, just a few extra issues to assemble or craft, and a few new animals to catch — however it is going to assist tide gamers over till patch 6.4 brings a extra substantial replace.
After all, it’s not simply the content material that’s up to date in Gods Revel, Lands Tremble. There are a selection of UI and quality-of-life adjustments, a few of that are very welcome. For instance, flying textual content now shows an icon to point injury sort, and you’ll lastly, lastly disable the automated digital camera pivot that made attempting to understand your favourite mount or getting that good in-motion screenshot a horrible ache. Others are cool but in addition considerably annoying, just like the show of immediate portraits in situations. You may select whether or not or to not show them, so the choice itself isn’t actually the difficulty. It’s extra that immediate portraits are tied to gear units, and altering something a couple of gear set requires you to manually replace the portrait too, or else you get a generic-looking mugshot. There’s an apparent answer to this — robotically replace immediate portraits if you replace a gear set — so I hope it will likely be adjusted sooner or later.
Final however not least, each new patch means new music from grasp composer Masayoshi Soken. The earlier two patches included some nice new tunes, however Gods Revel, Lands Tremble is a slight letdown, in my view. The three new alliance raid themes are the most effective of the bunch, with a outstanding fiddle including some enjoyable and whimsy, however they’re not nearly as good or addictive as patch 6.1’s alliance raid accompaniment. The brand new dungeon theme is nothing to put in writing dwelling about, and the one different main new piece of music is yet one more rendition of “Battle with the 4 Fiends” from Remaining Fantasy IV. I like this model higher than the one launched in patch 6.2, but it surely’s not likely my favourite FFIV battle theme, so nostalgia can solely take it thus far.
Gods Revel, Lands Tremble is finally a considerably awkward center patch. There’s nothing outright unhealthy about it, and it provides a good quantity of latest issues to do, but it surely’s additionally not terribly thrilling both. It’s type of the Remaining Fantasy XIV equal of spinning your wheels, which is comprehensible given the story path of the post-Endwalker patches, but it surely nonetheless feels slightly disappointing. Hopefully, the subsequent two patches will kick issues up a notch, and with the conclusions of the 8- and 24-man raid collection, it’s onerous to imagine they received’t. However I suppose solely time will inform.