Final Fantasy 14 developers reveal what makes Endwalker’s little moments so special

With our heroes, the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, against the apocalypse known as the Last Days, it’s no surprise that Final Fantasy 14: Endwalker is a game of large scale.

Acts as the concluding chapter of the portion of the Hydaelyn-Zodiark saga that has been continued ever since A Realm Reborn released in 2013, it had to tie together nine years’ worth of plot threads and see you cool across the globe, hop on for some fun around the moon, and then shoot you into space. Oh, and there are some gods that need killing for good measure. But it’s not the epic battles or the high stakes that make Endwalker worth playing, it’s the little moments – hugs between loved ones and small smiles from old friends that really make it. should be special.

“At the end of the day, no matter how great a given history is, it is each person’s life that creates those historical threads,” Natsuko Ishikawa, lead story designer, told VG247 in a recent interview.

Endwalker is filled with giant moments like fighting through hideous dungeons and fiery skies, but the shot that resonated with me the most was a hug between one of the Scions, Urianger, and his best friend’s mother. him, Moenbryda, who gave her life for their cause in A Realm Reborn.

It was a regret because he carried him with him for so many years and wasn’t able to face her parents because of it. Across the various expansions, he’s made brief mentions of weirdness and mournful stares – but in Endwalker he’s finally forced to face his greatest fear.

As Warriors of Light, we’ve been with Urianger for years, so the moment he finally met Moenbryda’s parents, I could feel my breath choking with tension.

But soon her mother pulled him into her arms and Urianger’s frame, stiff with shock, quickly melted into both relief and grief as they shared tears. It’s only a small moment, but its intimate tenderness is a beautiful companion in the great adventure the game takes us on.

“When Urianger from Scions of the Seventh Dawn burst into tears as she received a hug from her best friend’s mother – I believe that encountering such events and being in contact with every piece of life that makes history is exactly what it is. meaning of ‘live. in that world,’ said Ishikawa.

That is to say: by showing us small moments between characters, it gives context to what we are fighting and what we will lose.

Just before the Warrior of Light and Scions make their final push to face Meteion at the far edge of space, they pause to enjoy one last night together. You sit and linger over drinks with Y’shtola, Urianger and Thancred as they reflect on how time has changed them and their outlook on life. Nothing really happened, no great revelations, but that’s the point.

In that moment, your companions let their guard down and became your friends, and suddenly you realize that this is what you can lose. The world is a big place with millions of people, all of whom will die if you fail, but it is this little drink with your partner that makes you really feel that weight. This little moment shows you these characters and what their lives really are like for you. Even in the face of despair, they are with you.

Endwalker may contain some of the biggest twists and turns we’ve seen in Final Fantasy 14 so far, but it’s the quiet moments that really make up for it.

It’s these little moments of hope like this that set the stage for whatever Yoshi-P, Ishikawa, and the rest of the development team are working on for the future of world-loving MMOs.

You can watch our full interview with Naoki Yoshida and Natsuko Ishikawa in our big Final Fantasy 14: Endwalker interview at the link.