<s>
Final	B-Protocol
Fantasy	I-Protocol
XIV	I-Protocol
:	I-Protocol
Stormblood	I-Protocol
is	O
the	O
second	O
expansion	O
pack	O
to	O
Final	B-Protocol
Fantasy	I-Protocol
XIV	I-Protocol
:	I-Protocol
A	I-Protocol
Realm	I-Protocol
Reborn	I-Protocol
,	O
a	O
massively	B-Protocol
multiplayer	I-Protocol
online	I-Protocol
role-playing	I-Protocol
game	I-Protocol
(	O
MMORPG	B-Protocol
)	O
developed	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Square	O
Enix	O
for	O
macOS	B-Application
,	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
,	O
and	O
Windows	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
June	O
20	O
,	O
2017	O
,	O
just	O
under	O
two	O
years	O
after	O
Heavensward	B-Application
,	O
the	O
previous	O
expansion	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
expansion	O
pack	O
was	O
released	O
as	O
a	O
standalone	O
product	O
for	O
current	O
players	O
;	O
for	O
new	O
players	O
,	O
the	O
"	O
Complete	O
Edition	O
"	O
of	O
Final	B-Protocol
Fantasy	I-Protocol
XIV	I-Protocol
that	O
originally	O
launched	O
with	O
Heavensward	B-Application
was	O
updated	O
to	O
include	O
both	O
expansions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
order	O
to	O
make	O
necessary	O
engine	O
improvements	O
,	O
service	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
game	O
client	O
was	O
terminated	O
with	O
the	O
expansion	O
's	O
early	O
access	O
period	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
special	O
upgrade	O
campaign	O
allowed	O
affected	O
players	O
to	O
obtain	O
the	B-Operating_System
PlayStation	I-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
version	O
for	O
free	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stormblood	B-Protocol
marks	O
a	O
shift	O
in	O
the	O
ongoing	O
conflict	O
with	O
the	O
Garlean	O
Empire	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
lead	O
rebellions	O
in	O
the	O
imperial	O
provinces	O
of	O
Ala	O
Mhigo	O
,	O
an	O
Eorzean	O
city-state	O
conquered	O
twenty	O
years	O
ago	O
,	O
and	O
Doma	O
,	O
a	O
Far	O
Eastern	O
nation	O
with	O
a	O
proud	O
ninja	B-Application
tradition	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stormblood	B-Protocol
was	O
well	O
received	O
upon	O
release	O
and	O
earned	O
nominations	O
for	O
"	O
Expansion	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
gameplay	O
and	O
quest	O
structure	O
of	O
Stormblood	B-Protocol
largely	O
match	O
that	O
of	O
its	O
base	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
with	O
many	O
MMORPGs	B-Protocol
,	O
players	O
interact	O
with	O
each	O
other	O
in	O
a	O
persistent	B-Protocol
world	I-Protocol
that	O
responds	O
to	O
their	O
actions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unlike	O
Heavensward	B-Application
,	O
they	O
are	O
accessible	O
to	O
any	O
player	O
with	O
a	O
level	O
50	O
class	O
,	O
regardless	O
of	O
story	O
progress	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
addition	O
to	O
new	O
dungeons	O
and	O
raids	O
,	O
Stormblood	B-Protocol
introduces	O
a	O
new	O
player	O
versus	O
player	O
(	O
PvP	O
)	O
mode	O
called	O
Rival	O
Wings	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Its	O
gameplay	O
is	O
inspired	O
by	O
"	O
old	O
school	O
"	O
MMORPGs	B-Protocol
,	O
including	O
Final	B-Protocol
Fantasy	I-Protocol
XI	I-Protocol
and	O
others	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stormblood	B-Protocol
occurs	O
on	O
three	O
main	O
continents	O
of	O
Hydaelyn	O
,	O
a	O
fictional	O
planet	O
with	O
diverse	O
Earth-like	O
climates	O
,	O
focused	O
on	O
the	O
Garlean	O
imperial	O
provinces	O
of	O
Ala	O
Mhigo	O
and	O
Doma	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Twenty	O
years	O
before	O
Stormblood	B-Protocol
,	O
the	O
Empire	O
conquered	O
Ala	O
Mhigo	O
in	O
the	O
wake	O
of	O
a	O
popular	O
uprising	O
against	O
the	O
monarchy	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
Gaius	O
 '	O
defeat	O
in	O
A	B-Protocol
Realm	I-Protocol
Reborn	I-Protocol
,	O
the	O
new	O
Emperor	O
Varis	O
zos	O
Galvus	O
made	O
his	O
son	O
,	O
Zenos	O
yae	O
Galvus	O
,	O
imperial	O
viceroy	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
Gridania	O
,	O
Ishgard	O
,	O
and	O
Limsa	O
Lominsa	O
remain	O
involved	O
,	O
of	O
the	O
Eorzean	O
Alliance	O
states	O
,	O
only	O
Ul'dah	O
plays	O
a	O
major	O
role	O
in	O
Stormblood	B-Protocol
,	O
due	O
to	O
Flame	O
General	O
Raubahn	O
Aldynn	O
being	O
an	O
Ala	O
Mhigan	O
refugee	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Immediately	O
prior	O
to	O
Stormblood	B-Protocol
,	O
an	O
Ala	O
Mhigan	O
Resistance	O
faction	O
makes	O
a	O
false	O
flag	O
attack	O
on	O
Baelsar	O
's	O
Wall	O
in	O
Eorzean	O
Alliance	O
uniforms	O
,	O
hoping	O
to	O
restart	O
the	O
war	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stormblood	B-Protocol
opens	O
with	O
sympathetic	O
Alliance	O
leaders	O
hoping	O
to	O
aid	O
Ala	O
Mhigo	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Planning	O
for	O
Stormblood	B-Protocol
began	O
well	O
over	O
a	O
year	O
prior	O
to	O
its	O
announcement	O
with	O
a	O
"	O
scriptwriting	O
retreat	O
"	O
involving	O
producer	O
and	O
director	O
Naoki	O
Yoshida	O
and	O
the	O
main	O
scenario	O
writers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Yoshida	O
emphasized	O
in	O
his	O
design	O
philosophy	O
that	O
an	O
expansion	O
to	O
a	O
MMORPG	B-Protocol
should	O
have	O
as	O
much	O
content	O
as	O
the	O
base	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Having	O
explored	O
the	O
skies	O
in	O
the	O
previous	O
expansion	O
,	O
Heavensward	B-Application
,	O
Yoshida	O
made	O
the	O
seas	O
a	O
focus	O
of	O
this	O
expansion	O
and	O
included	O
swimming	O
gameplay	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
expansion	O
was	O
announced	O
at	O
the	O
Las	O
Vegas	O
segment	O
of	O
Final	B-Protocol
Fantasy	I-Protocol
XIV	I-Protocol
Fan	O
Festival	O
2016	O
,	O
which	O
took	O
place	O
in	O
October	O
of	O
that	O
year	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
"	O
Story	O
skip	O
"	O
and	O
"	O
level	O
boost	O
"	O
items	O
debuted	O
with	O
the	O
launch	O
of	O
Stormblood	B-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
developers	O
responded	O
to	O
criticism	O
of	O
the	O
PvP	O
system	O
by	O
dramatically	O
overhauling	O
it	O
in	O
Stormblood	B-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
are	O
also	O
designed	O
to	O
support	O
a	O
potential	O
PvP	O
tournament	O
scene	O
,	O
including	O
the	O
"	O
Feast	O
Regional	O
Championship	O
"	O
series	O
which	O
was	O
held	O
as	O
a	O
part	O
of	O
Final	B-Protocol
Fantasy	I-Protocol
XIV	I-Protocol
Fan	O
Festival	O
2018	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Yoshida	O
brought	O
on	O
Yasumi	O
Matsuno	O
,	O
director	O
of	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
Tactics	I-Application
and	O
other	O
Ivalice	O
games	O
,	O
as	O
a	O
guest	O
collaborator	O
to	O
work	O
on	O
a	O
series	O
of	O
large-scale	O
raids	O
for	O
the	O
expansion	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Yoshida	O
met	O
Matsuno	O
,	O
an	O
avid	O
player	O
of	O
Final	B-Protocol
Fantasy	I-Protocol
XIV	I-Protocol
,	O
at	O
a	O
work	O
dinner	O
and	O
was	O
surprised	O
by	O
his	O
request	O
to	O
be	O
allowed	O
to	O
write	O
something	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Matsuno	O
wrote	O
the	O
scenario	O
for	O
the	O
"	O
Return	O
to	O
Ivalice	O
"	O
raids	O
,	O
which	O
involve	O
uncovering	O
the	O
ruins	O
of	O
the	O
ancient	O
Ivalician	O
civilization	O
and	O
exposing	O
the	O
truth	O
about	O
the	O
Zodiac	O
Brave	O
Story	O
,	O
based	O
on	O
the	O
fable	O
of	O
the	O
same	O
name	O
in	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
Tactics	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stormblood	B-Protocol
also	O
features	O
collaboration	O
events	O
with	O
Monster	B-Application
Hunter	I-Application
:	I-Application
World	I-Application
and	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
XV	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
seeds	O
of	O
the	O
former	O
were	O
planted	O
during	O
the	O
development	O
of	O
A	B-Protocol
Realm	I-Protocol
Reborn	I-Protocol
in	O
2011	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
Yoshida	O
took	O
the	O
job	O
as	O
producer	O
and	O
director	O
of	O
the	O
redevelopment	O
efforts	O
,	O
his	O
friend	O
and	O
Monster	B-Application
Hunter	I-Application
series	O
producer	O
Ryozo	O
Tsujimoto	O
tried	O
to	O
warn	O
him	O
away	O
from	O
the	O
project	O
,	O
fearing	O
for	O
his	O
career	O
trajectory	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
Yoshida	O
persisted	O
,	O
Tsujimoto	O
offered	O
assistance	O
from	O
Capcom	O
and	O
Monster	B-Application
Hunter	I-Application
to	O
promote	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Yoshida	O
declined	O
this	O
as	O
well	O
,	O
wanting	O
Final	B-Protocol
Fantasy	I-Protocol
XIV	I-Protocol
to	O
succeed	O
on	O
its	O
own	O
merits	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Remembering	O
this	O
gesture	O
,	O
Yoshida	O
and	O
Tsujimoto	O
reconvened	O
during	O
the	O
development	O
of	O
Monster	B-Application
Hunter	I-Application
:	I-Application
World	I-Application
to	O
finally	O
make	O
good	O
on	O
the	O
latter	O
's	O
suggestion	O
with	O
the	O
goal	O
of	O
celebrating	O
Monster	B-Application
Hunters	I-Application
newfound	O
global	O
audience	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
collaboration	O
consists	O
of	O
a	O
boss	O
battle	O
against	O
Rathalos	O
in	O
Stormblood	B-Protocol
and	O
a	O
Behemoth	O
hunt	O
in	O
Monster	B-Application
Hunter	I-Application
:	I-Application
World	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
collaboration	O
with	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
XV	I-Application
was	O
also	O
long	O
in	O
the	O
making	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
run-up	O
to	O
its	O
release	O
in	O
2016	O
,	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
XV	I-Application
director	O
Hajime	O
Tabata	O
and	O
Yoshida	O
discussed	O
working	O
together	O
but	O
wanted	O
to	O
wait	O
for	O
the	O
right	O
time	O
in	O
their	O
respective	O
content	O
schedules	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Support	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
(	O
PS3	B-Operating_System
)	O
ended	O
with	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
Stormblood	B-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
change	O
allowed	O
developers	O
to	O
increase	O
the	O
speed	O
of	O
loading	O
non-player	O
characters	O
,	O
as	O
the	B-Operating_System
PS3	I-Operating_System
had	O
limited	O
input/output	B-General_Concept
capacity	O
,	O
which	O
in	O
turn	O
permitted	O
faster	O
travel	O
speeds	O
for	O
mounts	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
special	O
upgrade	O
campaign	O
allowed	O
affected	O
PS3	B-Operating_System
players	O
to	O
obtain	O
the	B-Operating_System
PlayStation	I-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
version	O
for	O
free	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stormblood	B-Protocol
also	O
updates	O
the	O
game	O
for	O
compatibility	O
with	O
PlayStation	B-Device
4	I-Device
Pro	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
Stormblood	B-Protocol
,	O
Yoshida	O
reallocated	O
resources	O
to	O
facilitate	O
the	O
development	O
of	O
new	O
types	O
of	O
content	O
(	O
e.g.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
with	O
previous	O
expansions	O
,	O
Square	O
Enix	O
released	O
five	O
major	O
patches	O
for	O
Stormblood	B-Protocol
over	O
the	O
course	O
of	O
its	O
two-year	O
content	O
cycle	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Patches	O
and	O
expansions	O
Patch	O
Title	O
Release	O
date	O
Notes	O
4.0	O
Stormblood	B-Protocol
June	O
20	O
,	O
2017	O
Weekly	O
limited	O
content	O
was	O
not	O
made	O
available	O
on	O
the	O
expansion	O
's	O
launch	O
day	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
allow	O
players	O
to	O
enjoy	O
the	O
story	O
at	O
their	O
own	O
pace	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
update	O
also	O
premieres	O
the	O
first	O
"	O
Ultimate	O
"	O
difficulty	O
battle	O
,	O
called	O
the	O
Unending	O
Coil	O
of	O
Bahamut	O
,	O
an	O
Extreme	O
trial	O
against	O
Shinryu	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
a	O
new	O
PvP	O
mode	O
Rival	O
Wings	O
,	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
challenge	O
dungeons	O
with	O
AI-controlled	O
Adventurer	O
Squadrons	O
,	O
and	O
player	O
housing	O
in	O
Kugane	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Other	O
features	O
of	O
this	O
update	O
include	O
a	O
new	O
"	O
Limited	O
"	O
job	O
,	O
Blue	O
Mage	O
,	O
that	O
cannot	O
use	O
normal	O
party	O
matching	O
functions	O
;	O
a	O
new	O
map	O
for	O
Rival	O
Wings	O
,	O
the	O
Hidden	O
Gorge	O
;	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
travel	O
to	O
other	O
servers	O
within	O
a	O
data	O
center	O
using	O
the	O
World	O
Visit	O
system	O
;	O
and	O
the	O
addition	O
of	O
mahjong	B-Application
as	O
a	O
minigame	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nobuo	O
Uematsu	O
composed	O
two	O
vocal	O
tracks	O
,	O
"	O
Stormblood	B-Protocol
"	O
and	O
"	O
Revolutions	O
"	O
;	O
the	O
former	O
is	O
a	O
collaboration	O
with	O
Soken	O
and	O
the	O
latter	O
serves	O
as	O
the	O
main	O
theme	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
main	O
musical	O
phrase	O
of	O
"	O
Stormblood	B-Protocol
"	O
reappears	O
multiple	O
times	O
throughout	O
the	O
soundtrack	O
with	O
different	O
instrumentation	O
and	O
stylings	O
to	O
match	O
the	O
context	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Due	O
to	O
the	O
setting	O
,	O
Soken	O
incorporated	O
Asian	O
instruments	O
into	O
his	O
orchestration	O
and	O
chose	O
to	O
pare	O
down	O
the	O
number	O
used	O
in	O
field	O
tracks	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
Yanxia	O
theme	O
which	O
had	O
only	O
harp	B-Algorithm
and	O
kokyū	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
is	O
particularly	O
proud	O
of	O
his	O
work	O
on	O
Shinryu	O
's	O
and	O
Tsukuyomi	O
's	O
primal	O
boss	O
battle	O
themes	O
,	O
which	O
include	O
motifs	O
from	O
"	O
Stormblood	B-Protocol
"	O
and	O
Yanxia	O
's	O
theme	O
respectively	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
theme	O
,	O
"	O
Wayward	O
Daughter	O
"	O
,	O
received	O
the	O
most	O
votes	O
in	O
a	O
player	O
poll	O
to	O
select	O
the	O
track	O
list	O
for	O
a	O
"	O
Best	O
of	O
Final	B-Protocol
Fantasy	I-Protocol
XIV	I-Protocol
"	O
compilation	O
album	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Final	B-Protocol
Fantasy	I-Protocol
XIV	I-Protocol
:	I-Protocol
Stormblood	I-Protocol
Original	O
Soundtrack	O
collects	O
music	O
from	O
the	O
launch	O
of	O
the	O
expansion	O
pack	O
to	O
Patch	O
4.3	O
,	O
"	O
Under	O
the	O
Moonlight	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stormblood	B-Protocol
continued	O
the	O
positive	O
trend	O
set	O
by	O
Heavensward	B-Application
,	O
with	O
many	O
reviewers	O
calling	O
the	O
expansion	O
even	O
stronger	O
than	O
its	O
predecessor	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Reception	O
of	O
the	O
expansion	O
was	O
"	O
generally	O
favorable	O
"	O
for	O
both	O
PC	O
and	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
versions	O
,	O
according	O
to	O
review	B-Application
aggregator	I-Application
Metacritic	O
,	O
based	O
on	O
21	O
and	O
15	O
reviews	O
,	O
respectively	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stormblood	B-Protocol
sold	O
33,000	O
units	O
across	O
standard	O
and	O
Complete	O
Edition	O
versions	O
in	O
Japan	O
in	O
its	O
first	O
week	O
,	O
making	O
it	O
the	O
best-selling	O
video	O
game	O
of	O
the	O
week	O
in	O
that	O
region	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Because	O
of	O
this	O
,	O
Prell	O
felt	O
the	O
balance	O
of	O
the	O
level	B-Application
grind	I-Application
between	O
story	O
missions	O
was	O
off	O
,	O
a	O
criticism	O
also	O
lodged	O
by	O
Leif	O
Johnson	O
of	O
IGN	O
and	O
Steven	O
Messner	O
of	O
PC	O
Gamer	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Chris	O
Carter	O
of	O
Destructoid	O
described	O
battle	O
encounters	O
as	O
"	O
stylish	O
and	O
engaging	O
"	O
and	O
Prell	O
and	O
Messner	O
were	O
impressed	O
by	O
the	O
Susano	O
boss	O
trial	O
,	O
the	O
latter	O
comparing	O
it	O
to	O
Metal	B-Application
Gear	I-Application
Rising	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Finally	O
,	O
Carter	O
and	O
Messner	O
took	O
time	O
to	O
extol	O
the	O
improvements	O
to	O
PvP	O
,	O
with	O
Messner	O
calling	O
it	O
"	O
one	O
of	O
my	O
favorite	O
activities	O
in	O
Stormblood	B-Protocol
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Carter	O
noted	O
that	O
the	O
4K	B-Architecture
resolution	I-Architecture
mode	O
on	O
PlayStation	B-Device
4	I-Device
Pro	I-Device
was	O
an	O
impressive	O
feature	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Overall	O
,	O
critics	O
praised	O
Stormblood	B-Protocol
as	O
an	O
improvement	O
over	O
Heavensward	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Fahey	O
observed	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
is	O
"	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
few	O
 [ MMORPGs ] 	O
able	O
to	O
maintain	O
a	O
monthly	O
subscription	O
model	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
