It's legit impossible to tell anymore.
Pointing out how the game isn't consistent with the themes and messages it seeks to push elsewhere is hardly equal to people losing their minds. It's a story driven game, so people being invested in the narrative is to be expected. I'm not sure where you're getting the impression that anyone here believes that they live in XIV unless you're referring to those who act like criticism of Venat is blasphemy towards an actual deity...?
When every single Scion died and came back mere minutes later I daresay the writers weren't overly concerned with the idea of lessening tragedy. Many of the single player Final Fantasy games also allowed antagonists to walk away largely unscathed by the end of their respective stories, so there's certainly precedent - and since personal tastes differ, there's plenty of us who care very little for the Scions and would much rather see some of the more nuanced characters continue to exist in some form.
Stereotypical JRPG tropes are stereotypical JRPG tropes. I invest in fantasy settings because I like the fantasy elements and non-human races. Having them constantly destroyed and sidelined grows tiresome and can arguably be attributed to why World of Warcraft began to descend into irrelevancy.
I prefer darker endings in my video games, though only when they're consistent - and if they're going to bend over backwards at every turn to keep the main cast free of any lasting consequences then I don't feel it is unreasonable for the antagonists and grittier characters in general to not just be killed off again and again. The game is rapidly gaining a reputation of late as little more than a glorified visual novel with its focus on lengthy unskippable cutscenes involving burger eating and similar fluff.
Shadowbringers? Easily best Final Fantasy game ever made.
Endwalker? I still believe that in hindsight it's beaten out by Stranger of Paradise in terms logical influences underlying character actions, as well as the pure entertainment value of the characters who consume the most screentime.
"It's okay to support Emet's ethnic cleansing because it's really Venat's fault!" -this thread.
I really appreciate both of you speaking up! I actually do know another person who's posted in this thread/discussion a while ago in the past, and they've stressed out over it a bit, so I tried to reassure them that I was sure their posts were reassuring and comforting to lurkers who were reluctant to outright say something themselves. And now I am sure that the posts you have made now will be reassuring and comforting for them in turn. The circle continues!
Indeed... as a certain someone put it:
https://i.imgur.com/hnj7CkZ.png
Of the many things the plot has been accused of in this thread, that certainly hasn't been one. :p There's more complicated or convoluted FFs out there. I don't think EW is particularly complex. It's more that there is both an internal dissonance in some of its themes, and a rather larger one with SHB... to the point that one could even argue its "theme" ended up being find a way to justify Venat one way or another. I can enjoy deep plots but any "messaging" has to make sense in the context of the setting's particulars and not just be constant repetition of "this resembles that, so judge it the same way!" It also doesn't matter to me much though whether a story deals with "deep themes" or not in terms of whether I enjoy it or think it was well executed. Sometimes simplicity is a virtue.
Yeah I stopped taking the story seriously when I got to The Plenty.
Ancient, infinitely wise and all powerful beings killed themselves because a space bird asked some questions.
Uh huh.
EDIT: No wait, the Ea were arguably worse.
First of all, I'm not talking about the Ancients.
Second of all, what do you mean "account for"? The Ancients had a whole system in place to stop people like Hermes from doing exactly what he did.
Hermes just lied to them and betrayed them. The hell has "pride" got to do with that?!