8 Things FFXIV: Heavensward Does Better than World of Warcraft

For the past two weeks I have been playing Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward non-stop. As I encounter some of the expansion's best qualities, I can't help but think to myself how other MMORPGs can improve by looking at what Square Enix has done right, including the legendary World of Warcraft.

Check Out: Reviewing Heavensward's All New Level 3 Limit Breaks (with videos)

If you're wondering how a young game like Final Fantasy XIV can have MMO fans singing praises, look no further than the gallery below. Note that you can see my screenshots in full-screen by clicking on them in the gallery.

Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward Launch Coverage

FFXIV: Heavensward Review

FFXIV: Heavensward Guides

20 Things You Might Not Know

Rating the All-New Level 3 Limit Breaks

A Guide to Choosing Which Job to Play

8 Things Heavensward Does Better than WoW

FFXIV is the Second Most Popular Subscription MMO

8 Things FFXIV: Heavensward Does Better than World of Warcraft

Flying mounts are well-implemented

During previous expansions, World of Warcraft would allow you to invest in the ability to fly through its new zones with in-game currency. However, you would need to journey to the level cap before being able to explore zones from the sky. In Heavenward, you're given free reign to fly in each area roughly around 80% through your progression in each zone. So, you are able to enjoy slower-paced exploration on the ground for a few hours before being able to take to the sky. This is made better by the way that flight is unlocked, which is through completion of a few quests and by gathering aether currents. It's a much more thoughtfully crafted system than what World of Warcraft has.
More than one platform option

While World of Warcraft's PC system requirements are very modest, its PC-only nature is both a gift and a curse. There are millions of gamers in the world who simply aren't able to play on a PC, whether it be due to costs or lack of room for an office desk. In contrast, Final Fantasy XIV has been available for PC, PS4, and PS3 for nearly two years, and Square Enix's commitment to console support has continued through Heavensward. It helps that the gamepad controls are well thought out.
Duty Roulette keeps old content fresh

In Final Fantasy XIV all players are rewarded on a daily basis for queuing up for random lower level content. This is done through the Duty Roulette system, a system that provides a massive experience bonus in addition to a system that keeps old content relevant. Those who have recently joined the game or veterans who are leveling new jobs have been treated to fast queues thanks to this system. World of Warcraft has no equivalent.
An art team that cares about the journey to level cap

World of Warcraft has always saved its best gear design for end-game. Unfortunately, in many cases that means that while you're leveling you look like a clown, and remain that way until you hit endgame and begin completing raids. Burning Crusade leveling gear made everyone look downright awful. Follow-up expansions have done a better job, but usually make everyone look the same for the duration of the leveling experience. Heavensward hates that idea, and has a wealth of beautifully designed gear for the journey from 50 to 60. Players can feel their progression through the new content and not look silly in the process.
New skills invigorate every job

Blizzard usually does a great job of improving jobs when going from expansion to expansion—the current Warrior design is awful, though. However, radical additions to a job aren't all that common. In Heavensward, each existing job received five new skills. For the Paladin that means a powerful offensive toolkit, for the Summoner it means exciting new DPS options, and for the Dragoon it means an improvement from fun-to-play to downright amazing. Unfortunatey, hotbars are now filled to the brim, so next expansion Square Enix will have to do what Blizzard has done in recent times and trim skill lists.
Play the new jobs without rerolling

Final Fantasy XIV's job system is one of its best features. Every player can play as every job without having to make a new character, something completely foreign to World of Warcraft. With the addition of three new jobs in Heavensward, players have been able to easily experience what the new jobs offer without having to ditch the progression of their main character. In contrast, World of Warcraft would require you to make an entirely new character if you wanted to try out Death Knight or Monk.
Story is presented in a thoughtful manner

Although World of Warcraft has gotten better at story presentation over the years, it's still poorly constructed. Most players have no idea what's going on because of how most interactions between the player and NPCs is done through text. In Heavensward, its epic story is delivered with cutscenes of many varieties. Nearly everything is acted out, a lot of it is voice acted, and as a result it's easy to follow what's happening and have context to what you're doing.
Memorable battles aren\'t just for endgame

$Memorable battles aren\'t just for endgame$
It's uncommon to encounter substantial bosses that you remember after leveling in World of Warcraft. After all, that should be saved for endgame, right? Well, Heavensward has two brand-new primals (Ravana and Bismarck) and you encounter both while leveling. They are epic fights with great mechanics, atmosphere, and even music. Experiencing these battles helps to breathe excitement into the leveling experience.