Ultimate Fantasy 14’s newest replace, Rising Gentle, sees the conclusion not simply to the epic Endwalker storyline, but additionally to probably the most bold tasks the event staff has undertaken prior to now few years. Because of mentioned mission, gamers can now solo each necessary dungeon alongside Ultimate Fantasy 14’s essential story.
Sadly, that doesn’t fairly imply one can play by means of the whole thing of the story with out having to sometimes group up with different gamers.
What You Can (and Can’t) Solo in Ultimate Fantasy 14
Ever for the reason that begin of the Shadowbringers enlargement, there’s been an ongoing mission to make it to be able to staff up with a celebration of NPCs as a substitute of gamers to beat each required dungeon in Ultimate Fantasy 14‘s essential storyline. As of Patch 6.5: Rising Gentle, this has been accomplished, with all 54 of the sport’s necessary 4-player dungeons now solo-able.
That is nice information for individuals who love world-class RPGs however are much less keen on multiplayer video games. If, nonetheless, you’ve heard that you would be able to now play by means of all the story of Ultimate Fantasy 14 solo, that’s not fully true. There are nonetheless a number of 8-person trials all through every of the sport’s expansions, and so they all require you to group with different gamers.
The sport additionally has three necessary 24-person raids to deal with, and it’s price stating that the solo-friendly dungeons are solely ones which might be a part of the principle story. Whereas that’s nonetheless a superb 300+ hours of content material, there are nonetheless a great deal of dungeons which might be a part of the sport’s facet quests — lots of that are simply as important to FF14’s lore as the principle story.
Ought to Gamers Be In a position To Play Ultimate Fantasy 14’s Complete Principal Story Solo?
The primary story of most MMOs might be performed fully solo as of late, and given how Ultimate Fantasy 14’s narrative has been so lauded over the previous few years, it’s little surprise the staff at Sq. Enix would ultimately make their sport much less reliant on having to staff up with others.
The genre-wide transfer to accommodate gamers who don’t need to partake in group-based content material is a considerably contentious one. Does it dilute the MMO expertise? Eh, arguably. However Ultimate Fantasy 14 has all the time been extra of a themepark than a sandbox, so it’s a sport that’s completely suited to solo-friendly methods.
There’s all the time going to be an urge for food for recent Ultimate Fantasy tales, however that fandom won’t essentially really feel comfy with having to group up with different gamers. Getting chucked into a gaggle with a bunch of randoms might be anxiousness inducing, and becoming a member of a guild can include its personal set of pressures.
At worst, these gamers can now play by means of (most of) Ultimate Fantasy 14’s essential story in their very own pleased little nook of Eorzea, blissfully ignoring everybody else round them. They don’t want to fret about letting down their dungeon group in the event that they mess up throughout a boss combat, and if their playtime is proscribed, they will soar out and in when they need and benefit from the story at their very own tempo.
At greatest, they could come to really feel comfy within the sport in spite of everything and combine themselves extra overtly into the neighborhood. Some would possibly argue that holding at the least the principle story’s 8-person trials as group-only content material would assist funnel them into this, however certainly a participant will finally select themselves whether or not or not they’re going to go down that path. Wouldn’t it not be extra helpful for Sq. Enix to have the ability to promote Ultimate Fantasy 14 as utterly solo-able with none concessions?
Let the gamers come of their thousands and thousands.
Why Ultimate Fantasy 14’s Solo-Pleasant Future Is Nice for Everybody
Personally, I’m a giant fan of the Obligation Assist system’s implementation in Ultimate Fantasy 14.
It values my time, and the NPC AI is strong. My response occasions aren’t one of the best, so realizing that I can simply keep on prime of one in all my NPC teammates to keep away from assaults as a substitute of getting to maintain observe of the whole lot else occurring on the display is a boon.
If nothing else, it’s a a lot better means of studying a dungeon’s mechanics than watching a YouTube information or dying repeatedly in a gaggle. Some evenings I simply need to play the sport by myself; listening to a podcast whereas I grind out the sport’s all-important endgame currencies. Obligation Assist solely provides to the sport, taking nothing away within the course of.
Plus, from a enterprise perspective, it’s a transfer that is sensible. Opening the sport as much as a complete new viewers forward of the Xbox launch is a clever choice, and with the Dawntrail enlargement set to kick off a complete new story arc for the primary time in 10 years, why not make the sport as attractive as attainable to the widest pool of potential gamers?
Certain, these solo gamers won’t be actively contributing to the in-game neighborhood. But when their subscription payment helps to maintain the sport alive and kicking for an additional decade, then that’s a plus for everybody.
Now that you would be able to solo all of the dungeons in the principle story, it appears solely pure that growth will transfer on to creating the sport’s different necessary group content material solo-able subsequent. It’s not been introduced but, however I’ve received my fingers crossed that this may start in subsequent yr’s Dawntrail enlargement. Till then, there’s by no means been a greater time to leap into Ultimate Fantasy 14.
Have solo dungeons satisfied you to take a look at the sport? Be sure you learn our prime 10 suggestions for freshmen information to get you off on the proper foot. Don’t neglect to additionally tell us how you’re feeling in regards to the sport’s implementation of future solo content material within the feedback part down under.