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Final Fantasy XIV’s new Island Sanctuary is more Tom Nook sim than peaceful paradise, but it worksNo rest for the wicked
No rest for the wicked
There were high expectations going into Buried Memory, patch 6.2 forFinal Fantasy XIV- new raids, new story, and, most importantly, a new mode called Island Sanctuary to fulfil all of your farming dreams. There were Harvest Moon andAnimal Crossingmemes aplenty in the run up to release, with players hungry to customise their own cosy piece of Hydaelyn.
FINAL FANTASY XIV Patch 6.2 - Buried MemoryWatch on YouTube
FINAL FANTASY XIV Patch 6.2 - Buried Memory
With only a little information before the release, hopes were high. Too high. A lot of people were hoping for customisation similar to the player housing that lets you design your own home with hundreds of furniture pieces. As much as it pains me to say it, Island Sanctuary could never meet those expectations. How could it? It’s a game built within another game and confined within the limitations of it.
But then you get your workshops, and it’s time for your inner Tom Nook to come out to play.
This sanctuary won’t farm itself
The island has its own currency, two types of cowrie shell to buy things like mounts and nice clothes to reward you for playing. You earn them over time from things like levelling up or selling the things you find on the Island. They’re also used to pay your mammets to build things, so if you want to expand your hideaway you need to start earning those sand dollars, and the best way to do that is through the workshops. Let the ruthless sales tactics begin!
Essentially, workshops let you build and export goods that can only be made from materials on your island. Give the workshops the right ingredients and they’ll knock together potions, weapons and furniture to sell on the mainland so you can start raking in those bells- er, I mean, cowries. However, buried inside that simple premise is a crafting and shipping schedule to manage, as well as a market research panel to see which items are in most demand or are oversupplied so you can gauge what items will net you the best returns. It’s safe to say that no one was expecting that kind of management experience as part of their peaceful respite. But while it may not be very relaxing, it is fun. There’s satisfaction in creating an efficient schedule. Of course, players have already devised spreadsheets to track animal spawns and plot the fastest routes for gathering materials in what is meant to be casual content.
Your island also gains exp and ranks up when you do things like gather items, tend to your crops or build anything, and with each new rank comes new recipes for making stronger tools to catch larger animals for your pasture, or more customisation options. Ultimately, though, every player island looks the same. Every Island is identical, and while you can choose what to build in each plot, the plots can’t be moved. You can change what your paths and stairs look like, and let loose up to 40 of your own minions to roam around, but that’s it. You can’t create anything truly unique like with player housing.
