Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood is Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn‘s second expansion pack. Square Enix developed and published the massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG). Final Fantasy XIV was initially launched in August 2013 and replaced a 2010 version of the game that failed. The 2013 version worked for the PlayStation 3 and Windows. As the game grew in popularity, it eventually received releases and upgrades for the PlayStation 4 and 5, the Xbox Series X and Series S, and, OS X.
Stormblood is the second major expansion pack, debuting on June 20, 2017. Stormblood followed up the release of the first expansion, Heavensward. Shadowbringers, the third expansion, was released in 2019, and the fourth expansion, Endwalker, came out in 2021. Square Enix announced a new Final Fantasy XIV expansion earlier this year titled Dawntrail and it will be playable in the summer of 2024.
Despite the original attempt at Final Fantasy XIV bombing, the reviews for the relaunched version were strong overall. Steam rates Final Fantasy XIV Online a 9 out of 10. Stormblood also received glowing reviews upon release. In under two months, the expansion sold 10 million copies, and it was nominated for “Expansion of the Year”. IGN rates Final Fantasy XIV Online: Stormblood a 9.2 out of 10. IGN calls the expansion “amazing” and says “almost everything about Stormblood is worth experiencing.”
Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood Premise
As expected from any good expansion, Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood builds on the story of Final Fantasy XIV Online and its first expansion, Heavensward. The expansion begins with the Alliance attempting to help Ala Mhigo. Lyse, the Warrior of Light, and the Scions are sent to meet with the Ala Mhigan Resistance, and Conrad, one of the Resistance leaders, is grateful for the help. Soon after, the Resistance headquarters suffers an unexpected attack at the hands of Fordola rem Lupis, a Garlean loyalist. In the aftermath, Lyse and the Scions are forced to look for alternate methods to deal with the Garlean Empire. This sets them off on a journey to divide and conquer, with hopes of weakening the Imperials’ forces by targeting other regions.
With this introduction set in place, players can expect to travel far and wide. Stormblood takes place all across Hydaelyn, sending players far and wide across the three main continents that make up the fictional planet. Throughout their travels, the player will meet a wide range of characters and groups of people. No matter where they are, their goal remains the same: Weaken the Empire. This results in plot points that focus on alienating the Garlean Empire from its allies. For example, while in Gosetsu, they convince the Confederacy to force the Empire out by breaking the Red Kojin mercenaries contract.
The seeds that the player and their companions spark throughout the Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood expansion slowly cripples the Garlean Empire. Multiple Imperial provinces and allies turned on the Empire, causing the rebellion to spread far and wide.
Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood Main Characters
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When playing Final Fantasy XIV and its expansions, it’s important to keep in mind that the game is massive. The player will come across dozens and potentially even hundreds of characters. Many of these characters are small NPCs that help flesh out the state of the world, but there are still a lot of major characters that help push the story along. There are far too many to list, so let’s take a look at some of the most prevalent characters.
- The Warrior of Light: The Warrior of Light, also called Adventurer, is the playable character and main protagonist of Final Fantasy XIV. This MMORPG allows players to create their own characters and insert them into the canon as the main protagonist. It’s important to note that the “Warrior of Light” title isn’t unique to Final Fantasy XIV. This term is often applied to the player’s hero character throughout the entire franchise. In this game, the Warrior of Light becomes an important member of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. Upon first introduction, the Warrior of Light is described as being stoic and silent. This is a common trope for games that allow the player to create their own character, so they can fit anyone they want into the world state. As more expansions come out, the player gets more control over how they want their character to come across.
- Lyse Hext: Lyse Hext is one of the main characters in Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood and serves as the game’s narrator. She is an Ala Mhigo refugee who fled to Sharlayan. Lyse travels with her elder sister, Yda, who inevitably joins the Circle of Knowing. Tragically, Yda dies during a mission. After Yda’s death, Lyse assumes her identity with the help of Yda’s partner, Papalymo. For years, Lyse pretends to be her sister, aiding the Circle of Knowing, which eventually becomes the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. Papalymo’s death inspires her to resume her true identity and reveal herself to her colleagues. Lyse’s heart remains in Ala Mhigo, where she returns to help liberate it from the Garlean Empire.
- Scions of the Seventh Dawn: The Scions of the Seventh Dawn is a mix between the former Circle of Knowing and the Path of the Twelve. The Warrior of Light, the player’s main character, is a prominent member of the group. Other prominent members round out the main cast of the Stormblood expansion. These members include Alphinaud, Alisaie, Lyse, Y’shtola, and Krile, who travel with the Warrior of Light to aid the Ala Mhigan Resistance. These key players are prominent throughout the expansion and help players on their quest to weaken the Garlean Empire’s hold on the lands.
- Zenos yae Galvus: Zenos yae Galvus is one of the overarching antagonists of Final Fantasy XIV and he is the main antagonist of Stormblood. Zenos is Emperor Varis zos Galvus’ son and he is described as bloodthirsty and cruel. He has a love for battle and he is the viceroy of Ala Mhigo and Doma, two territories conquered by the Garlean Empire. Zenos is as obsessed with becoming as powerful as possible as he is with finding someone who can match his strength.
Final Fantasy Titles in the Series
Final Fantasy is a massive franchise dating all the way back to 1987. As of now, there are 16 main games, starting with Final Fantasy (1987) and going all the way to Final Fantasy XVI, which came out earlier this year on June 22, 2023. Final Fantasy is considered an anthology series primarily, meaning that each game tells a different story and usually focuses on new sets of characters. The gameplay for each game varies as well. Some games, like Final Fantasy XIV: A Realms’ Reborn, are MMORPG. Other games play out as solo story games or branch out into other genres like third-person shooters, racing, tactical role-playing, and action role-playing.
Main Final Fantasy Games
- Final Fantasy (1987)
- Final Fantasy II (1988)
- Final Fantasy III (1990)
- Final Fantasy IV (1991)
- Final Fantasy V (1992)
- Final Fantasy VI (1994)
- Final Fantasy VII (1997)
- Final Fantasy VII Remake (2020)
- Final Fantasy VIII (1999)
- Final Fantasy IX (2000)
- Final Fantasy X (2001)
- Final Fantasy XI (2002)
- Final Fantasy XII (2006)
- Final Fantasy XIII (2009)
- Final Fantasy XIV (2010 original) – This is the original launch of Final Fantasy XIV, which failed upon release.
- Final Fantasy XIV (2013) – This relaunch was much more successful. To this day, fans of the franchise still play the game and it’s expected to receive a new expansion in 2024.
- Final Fantasy XV (2016)
- Final Fantasy XVI (2023)
This numbered main series only scratches the surface of the Final Fantasy franchise. There are a number of spin-off games, remakes, sequels, and prequels that aren’t officially part of the main series. While some of these games are extremely relevant to the canon, like 2022’s Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, others are not.
Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood Cheat Codes
©FINAL FANTASY XIV / Square Enix – License
There are no official cheats for Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood. That said, the Final Fantasy XIV community has a reputation for crafting creative and useful mods for the game. Unfortunately, that means that console players won’t have access to these enhancements. Modding on console is next to impossible, but PC players have the luxury of downloading mods and custom content (CC) to their heart’s content. The modding community is pretty large. Just Googling “Final Fantasy XIV mods” will come up with mod and CC downloads, tutorials, and videos for PC gamers to use.
Modding Final Fantasy XIV doesn’t go without its risks, though. Many games allow players to mod as much as they want, like The Sims 4. Final Fantasy XIV is not one of these games. Using mods violates Square Enix’s Terms of Service (ToS). While plenty of players do use mods for their game, third-party tools are strictly prohibited.
Square Enix’s Final Fantasy XIV support page states: “Square Enix strictly prohibits the use of third-party programs or tools as these disrupt the balance of the game. Third-party programs and tools that permit automated or “absentee” play are prohibited.” The policy also says: “Accordingly, the following activities are prohibited: 1. Modifying, analyzing, integrating, and/or reverse-engineering game software or data. 2. Creating, distributing, using, or promoting utilities that interact with the game.”
Basically, that’s a lot of fancy talk that says modding is against the rules and players can get in serious trouble for it. Most seasoned players seem to agree that as long as the player doesn’t flaunt their modding, they can probably get away with it. With that in mind, we don’t recommend modding Final Fantasy XIV.
Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood Cheat Codes FAQs
How do I claim free Stormblood?
Earlier this year, Square Enix offered Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood as a free download. Unfortunately, this offer only lasted through May 8, 2023, so players can no longer claim the expansion for free. That said, Final Fantasy XIV’s Free Trial and The Starter Edition both include Stormblood. The Starter Edition includes the base game and the first two expansions, Heavensward and Stormblood.
Do you get Stormblood with Endwalker?
Yes, if players purchase Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker, they’ll receive all of the previous expansions. These expansions include Heavensward, Stormblood, and Shadowbringers. The Endwalker expansion costs $39.99, but players need to have a version of the base game in order to play it. Endwalker does not come with access to the base game.
How many hours to complete Stormblood?
The Stormblood expansion comes with hours of new playable content. In fact, it’s an overwhelming amount of content. According to HowLongToBeat.com, Stormblood can take anywhere from 60 hours to almost 350 hours. The lower end is likely how long it’ll take if the player just charges through the main story without further exploration.
Is Stormblood worth it?
The reviews for Stormblood are positively glowing. If the player enjoyed the base game and the Heavensward expansion, they’ll likely enjoy Stormblood just as much. Not only is the expansion fun and engaging, it offers hundreds of hours of new content, so the player gets their money’s worth.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©FINAL FANTASY XIV / Square Enix.