This story is really underwhelming - it's opened to mixed reviews.

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Originally Posted by RulerOfPotaoes

The main issue is that we are not the main character of this story. Us the players, in a rpg story.

The WoL is a side character that hangs in the back just silently nodding every now and then. Seriously even when you're walking with the other characters the WoL is in the back of the group.

And the only interaction the group has with the WoL or acknowledgement that we're even there as well. Is when we get asked an opinion on something.

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Agreed. And even the illusion of choice isn't a thing because there's always only one correct answer. If you pick the wrong one, someone just tells you that you're stupid for thinking that and forces you to go the way they want you to. It's Wuk's story. Like I said earlier in the thread: If this was FFX, we aren't Tidus. We aren't Yuna. We're Lulu or Kimahri. We're the experienced powerful adventurer who are along to help out the actual main characters.

Yeah, this story is irredeemably boring and frustratingly stupid. Getting through it is a complete slog and more often than not, when I load into yet ANOTHER useless cutscene, I'm instinctually alt+tabbing out.

I think the most egregious thing is the fact that we, the player, might as well not even be there. We are watching a story unfold around us, one that we more or less have no stake in, and occasionally acting as a guard dog for the ACTUAL main character, Wuk Lamat.

The issue is extremely not that the WoL isn't the 'main character'. This is how traditional MMO stories were told, and a lot of them are far more engaging than Dawntrail's. For most of FFXI, your character is just an adventurer helping the expansion's main character and it's great.

The issue is poor writing and poor pacing shinin a light on the fact that FFXIV is primarily a visual novel. If the story isn't good, there's nothing to have a good time with. In other games, you could at least shrug and enjoy the gameplay.

They should have told more about 7.0’s story during 6.1-6.5. It takes too much to explain the fundamental lore. I felt like playing ARR main story.

Sad to say it is a lot different that Stormblood or Endwalker. Seems a little lacking. I like it but it is pretty slow and plodding. Just one persons opinion though so don't lose your mind if you love it. XD

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The issue is extremely not that the WoL isn't the 'main character'. This is how traditional MMO stories were told, and a lot of them are far more engaging than Dawntrail's. For most of FFXI, your character is just an adventurer helping the expansion's main character and it's great.

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Totally agree. You can have plots where the player isn't the main character - it's not a requirement in other settings, and it shouldn't be a requirement here.

I think the biggest issue is just that they've done a horrible job getting the players invested in what is happening. The story is asking us to care about Wuk Lamat and the Succession Rite but they've completely failed to give us any reason to.

So far till lvl 95 dungeon it felt like a story was written by a random intern in the office. It just feels like not a proper MSQ, but rather one of post expansion patches.

It feels like Stormblood except they didnt have the buildup from Heavensward or the established Garlean threat so they had to speedrun a lot of shit

I am truly very disappointed. I was never one who would complain about the story. I went through stormblood and even ARR just fine. There are ups and down in every expansion which I understand. But this is just so bad I need to come all the way here to tell SE and the team that if they keep this pace going we are going to see pre ARR history replay itself again.

I know it’s suppose to be a relaxing expansion. Still, Relaxing is not boring. This is the first time I fell asleep couple of times in MSQ. I dislike the way they write Wuk lamak. I dislike how every character has no personality. I feel like I am chewing cardboard boxes. Pacing of the story is bad and I don’t feel any connection with the characters. And for the first time I am tempted to skip everything. It’s not fun and I feel sad and puzzled as to why Yoshi p even green lit this in the first place? The writing feel so sloppy.

Of course people can simply dismiss any of us who don’t enjoy the game’s plot. But I am not the npc that always claps for wuk lamak. I want to see this game continue. Then again I can see the clear signs that this game starts to have issues. Though we need to see how the sales data is going to be but I really have a bad feeling about this. If that’s the case I hope it’s a wake up call for SE. You need to take care of FF14 more and stop spreading yourself thin!

I think they went all in on Wuk Lamat (at least so far, 3 zones in), and the problem with that is, if you're not sold on her at all, or only a little, then you're in for a real bad time, because it's basically the Scions baby sitting two teenagers (mostly Wuk Lamat) for the majority of the time. There was a solo duty fight that just happened when my WoL was forced to just sit there and i had to play as someone else, and I thought to myself, "why am I even here?" Which isn't a great thought to have for what's supposed to be such a pivotal moment in a character's development.

I'm fortunate in that there's only been that one duty and a couple of eye rolling moments early that I really didn't like, and I've grown to like the characters enough so I'm enjoying my time for the most part.