Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers
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Rating Summary
Based on 46 critic reviews
OpenCritic Rating
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Score Distribution
Unscored Reviews
Top Critic
Final Fantasy 14: Shadowbringers is one of the best MMOs available for both fans and newcomers
Top Critic
Shadowbringers is a fantastic experience by any metric. That it triumphs within the complicated frame of an online RPG feels almost miraculous.
Top Critic
I can already tell it’s highly likely to end up with a number at the top end of the bracket.
Scored Reviews
Top Critic
With Shadowbringers, the development team has proven that they have perfected everything that Final Fantasy XIV is known for and does well.
Top Critic
Shadowbringers is more than just a masterful arc in a beloved tale; it's one of the best Final Fantasy stories ever realized, showcasing an MMORPG at the apex of its craft.
Top Critic
Everything from the presentation to the sound design, from new classes to new races, is so close to perfect that any criticisms I have are nitpicks in comparison to the love and adoration I have for this game, and this expansion.
Top Critic
Square Enix's third expansion for Final Fantasy XIV, Shadowbringers, raises the bar for MMORPGs into the night sky so high it's tough to see anymore.
Top Critic
Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers is a step above anything that has come before it. The perfect blend of captivating gameplay and a truly memorable story that rivals those heralded by fans for decades. It’s time to step out of the shadows and become what you must Final Fantasy XIV; the best MMORPG in the world.
Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers is outstanding, and the pinnacle of Final Fantasy XIV so far. All of its elements blend beautifully for not only one of the strongest MMORPG experiences going, but one of the strongest RPG experiences full stop.
Top Critic
As I said before, I cannot recommend Shadowbringers more. The story, visuals, music, vocal performances, and gameplay all combine together to create a phenomenal gaming experience. Final Fantasy XIV has only gotten better over time, and after playing Shadowbringers I have simply no idea how they are going to better this expansion in the future. It really and truly is that good.
FFXIV: Shadowbringers is a tale that shows us how much we need the Darkness, how balance must be kept in check, how vulnerable we all are, and how we can’t stand alone. We need others to guide us and help us push through all the things that would get in our way. This expansion is the amalgamation of what we could ever want in an adventure and what we could probably ever want in a Final Fantasy game. So come hither future Warrior of Darkness, join us in our epic and dark tale of friendship, hope, despair, wild and crazy banter, death-defying battles, and become one of the next Shadowbringers!
Top Critic
The main story, while intriguing, may leave you wanting more; battles and music are definitely where patch 5.2 shines brightest.
Top Critic
Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers is more XIV, and right now that's something I'm still happy with. The story delivers with its effortless whimsy and urgency, the battles are filled with spectacle, and the core fundamentals have only gotten better over time.
Top Critic
Become the Warrior of Darkness in Final Fantasy XIV's most epic expansion yet.
Top Critic
Does a lot of things at exceptional levels.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Top Critic
Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers is another hit for Square Enix's popular RPG. Base players have a remarkable narrative and story to explore, along with plenty of content to make the subscription fee worth it. Compared to previous expansions, Shadowbringers improves the game in a variety of ways. Whether it's the fresh story or just new experiences, there is something for everyone. So, if you're a newcomer or just a cautious fan, it's an experience that reminds us why Final Fantasy has remained so popular.
Top Critic
Shadowbringers has only further solidified XIV's status as one of the greatest Final Fantasy games ever made.
Top Critic
Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers is without question the best Final Fantasy XIV expansion yet. The gripping story gave me quite a few gut punches. Shadowbringers is fun, fast, and fluid, largely due to the latest changes made to the battle system. If you're looking for a brand new MMO or just want to get back into Final Fantasy XIV after a long hiatus, now's the time to do so as this edition is wonderfully done.
Top Critic
Coupled with a striking new world to explore, Shadowbringers' poignant and character-driven story is one of the best in the entire series.
Top Critic
Accessibility and potential to solo aside, Shadowbringers continues that redemption saga that began with Final Fantasy XIV 2.0. The greater emphasis on story and solo play mean that even the players that haven't dipped their toes into an MMORPG recently could still get in and enjoy Shadowbringers, although much of the new content can't be experienced until level 70.The links above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, Wccftech.com may earn from qualifying purchases.
Top Critic
Shadowbringers brings a completely new level to an already fantastically evolving world. From it’s deep, personal story about inner conflicts and shattered, dying worlds. To it’s emotional cast, musical scores and gorgeous landscapes.
Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers has had the smoothest launch of any MMO I’ve ever seen[...]The amount of polish that we’ve seen in other aspects of this expansion also shine through with some great quality of life (QoL) adjustments.
Top Critic
Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers is an excellent choice for New Players and Experienced Ones. The story is very attractive and gameplay mechanics are so deep. Besides thd improved trust system make you explore dungeons more and more. It's the best time to walk in Final Fantasy XIV world.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Top Critic
Top Critic
Stale mechanics and features can't bring down an epic experience featuring cool characters, incredible bosses, and a spectacular soundtrack
Top Critic
Even though some ambitious additions need a little refinement, Shadowbringers' fearless execution pays off in spades.
Top Critic
Final Fantasy 14 set a high bar with its previous expansions, but Shadowbringers stands above the rest. Expected additions come in the form of new regions and the new jobs, Dancer and Gunbreaker. Both bring their own flavor to the game, though the Dancer is the standout. More importantly, Shadowbringers tells a tale that not only contains some meaningful real-world connections, but also provides an experience that's firmly Final Fantasy-esque. Great writing, solid voice acting, and an excellent soundtrack wrap Shadowbringers up in a package that should satisfy Final Fantasy 14 fans and neophytes alike.
Top Critic
Shadowbringers delivers on all fronts, offering up great new instances, vast new zones to explore, and a new storyline worthy of almost any best-of list. Despite its few early day hangups and minor missteps, Stormbringers excels on almost all counts.
Top Critic
Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers is the quintessence of everything that the FF: Online team has learned in six years. A great story is so much more interesting than of the last single games of the series. Deep mechanics, an atmospheric world and a huge amount of content absorb all the attention, forcing you to stay in the project for a long time. Shadowbringers is not just an exemplary extension of this popular game, but also the best project in the genre for many years.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Top Critic
Shadowbringers is simply the best MMO extension ever made, period. The new world to discover is amazing, the story is amazing, the soundtrack is amazing and the updated battle system is amazing. We will only complain about one thing: please Square Enix, fix the way characters are animated during cutscenes because it is painful to watch in 2019.
Review in French | Read full review
Top Critic
Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn is a pretty cool game. Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers is an awesome extension of it, adding features that further distills the game's core appeal and adds an entire new game of shockingly excellent storytelling in terms of scale and quality. I don't really know what happens between those two points yet, and I have a long road of Final Fantasy XIV ahead of me yet. But after my experiences so far in learning the game, experiencing its latest expansion, and seeing just how much I have left to see and do, well, I'm in it for the long haul.
Top Critic
Final Fantasy XIV is one of the best MMORPGs on the market, and is easily one of the best Final Fantasy games in the series. It's packed with content, including an engaging narrative and quirky quests that are an absolute delight.
Top Critic
Shadowbringers solidifies Final Fantasy XIV as the best MMO on the market.
Top Critic
Full of emotion and high adventure, Final Fantasy XIV's Shadowbringers expansion brings MMORPG storytelling out of the shadows. Two great new combat classes, two cool new races, and a nifty system for running dungeons solo round out the experience of FFXIV's best expansion to date.
Top Critic
Shadowbringers is a shining example of why that formula works.
Top Critic
Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers is one of the best MMO expansions I've ever played. The story is incredibly good, the new jobs are ridiculously good fun, and the mechanical updates work well. The word of the First is a beautiful treat, and music is top-notch. If this sounds like your jam, you should absolutely play it.
With Shadowbringers, Final Fantasy XIV does more than just cement itself as one of the best –if not the best – top-tier MMORPG’s today, but also the best Final Fantasy game since Final Fantasy IX.
Shadowbringers is the highest point of Final Fantasy XIV to date and it brings some much needed changes, two exciting new classes and an unforgettable story that rivals even the very best Final Fantasy stories. An excellent music score elevates the package higher and with the promise of a 24 man raid series based on Nier Automata, there’s a lot more to look forward to.
Top Critic
Thanks to a substantial story developed along the ten new levels available and to the rather well-built antagonists, Shadowbringers manages to bring the player to moments of tension, epic battles and espionage missions, allowing himself some dramatic moments that make us almost hope history took an even more tragic turn.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Top Critic
Shadowbringers brings a lot to the table. From a great story, to amazing areas to discover and explore, Square Enix has truly outdone themselves this time. With many changes not only to the Jobs system, but also FATEs and just general gameplay, it's more than enough to bring new players and returning players alike to the game. Unfortunately, it's not all perfect, but the flaws are mostly revolving around issues not related to actual gameplay. Still, some will find the content boring, as per usual, but to me, it's pure fun!Score: 8.5/10
Top Critic
Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers is an awesome expansion that offers an incredible story that approaches the world we already know from a new perspective, as well as some new interesting additions in the form of jobs, races and gameplay mechanics. The bad part is that the narrative is kinda slow paced and take some time before starting to get deeper and darker.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Top Critic
An abridged telling of the story up to Shadowbringers when you use a Tales of Adventure would go a long way towards smoothing the process. As of right now, I can’t recommend Shadowbringers as a direct starting point for Final Fantasy 14. Instead, play through the base content a bit and get a feel for it. You’ll thank yourself later.
Top Critic
Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers is the strongest start to an expansion since Heavensward.
Top Critic
While the story's over-reliance on genre tropes keeps it from being truly groundbreaking, it's still among the best in MMOs, as is the new content. Shadowbringers is a great experience that could've been an amazing one.
Top Critic
If you are invested in FFXIV, this DLC will probably excite and please you. It's a fun but forgettable romp that runs just the wrong side of boring during its hours-long retelling and bland A-B mission style. If this tickles your fancy, be sure to start and play with a team of friends - it will easily be 10 times more enjoyable, if infinitely longer.
