Thank you for the Shadowbringers story devs! No spoilers, just thanks!

Just got to the end of ShB tonight. Played through with my BF, and every part of the ride was amazing.

Sorry if there is already a post for this, I didn't see one yet, only critiques and complaints. I wanted to add my voice.

Don't wanna go into too much detail to avoid spoiling wandering eyes.

But from the bottom of my heart thank you so much. The story in this base expansion blows everything else out of the water, and we have more coming soon!!!

I can tell everyone worked hard on this story, it's intricate and felt like I was playing a single player rpg.

From the characters, to the music and onward. Norvrandt was brought to life in a way I don't feel we've experienced yet.

Thank you for all your hard work, I can't wait to see where you take us next!

I'm near to the end as well and I have nothing but gratitude for the story they crafted here. I also want to congratulate the writing team from graduating from Plotters to Planters in terms of writing quality. It's so refreshing to have the characters and plot work in tandem, instead of the plot being god and the characters bowing before it's whims even when it doesn't make sense for them to do so. All in all I felt like I was playing a main-line singleplayer entry into the Final Fantasy series and it has been nothing short of /amazing/ thus far.

This is right now is a real masterpiece and I concider shadowbringers already as the best RPG story experience I ever had and I played my fair share of RPGs. The story had me in awe all the time.

So is the story that short it can be completed in a weekend? Seems disappointing if it’s just a handful of hours.

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Originally Posted by DynnDiablos

So is the story that short it can be completed in a weekend? Seems disappointing if it’s just a handful of hours.

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Nah people just devoured. It is like a book, you can sit and read to the end or control yourself and enjoy slowly.

Adding, I'm thankful too!
Mature, and the new zone is just amazing!
Still on main quest 72, but what I experienced so far and hunted is just sublime!

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Originally Posted by DynnDiablos

So is the story that short it can be completed in a weekend? Seems disappointing if it’s just a handful of hours.

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We played 13 hours on the third day, That was only level 78-80. All we did was story and dungeons to get to the next part of the story. We stopped for food, stretching, bathroom breaks, and had a full eight hours of sleep between, otherwise all we did these last three days was the story. The story is massive.

We took time off together to be able to binge it before he had to go back to work.

IMO The story feels like it's a lot longer than SB. SB took us much less time to get through.

I am very happy. This is the best part of the game easily. The story, music etc is so good. I am only at 77 in MSQ though so not sure how it will all end yet.

What an amazing masterpiece of an expansion start. You sure set up the latter really high here. Please keep this momentum going.

If i ever was worried about my character. This at the 5th lightbringer and the end where my WoD was puking and in so much pain. It was here.. at this expansion.
I am just so invested and my bond with my character is really strong. (I know its just a videogame but having a playtime /playtime of over half a year...)

Nothing but grattitude from me as well. Keep it up!
Thank you Square Enix. Next stop. Eden!

The story is going to give me nightmares. There was one cutscene toward the beginning so screwed up I am still thinking about it. Probably the darkest MSQ so far. I will say the music is absolutely stunning.

Glad you wrote this post. I was feeling the exact same way. This expansion's story was PHENOMENAL! It put the word "Fantasy" back in Final Fantasy and I thank you. I haven't finished, (sorta taking my time)... but so far its been the most fun I've had since starting FFXIV.

So KUDOS to the team for this amazing experience and I can't wait to spend this holiday weekend in the game! See you all there. Thanks again Devs!!!!!!

I have to add my total agreement; the story is amazing, astounding, and completely enthralling. I’m only at level 74 (yes, been playing since Friday too ), and I am savoring every moment.

I have literally cheered at some moments, gasped at others, and yet have no idea how this is all going to turn out.

I giggle every time a certain character has his temper tantrums like a 2 year old.

And like Arya, I have a list of people who must die. I sincerely look forward to being the one to kill them.

So congrats SE, you have truly turned me into the Warrior of Darkness.

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Originally Posted by Wolffriend

I have to add my total agreement; the story is amazing, astounding, and completely enthralling. I’m only at level 74 (yes, been playing since Friday too ), and I am savoring every moment.

I have literally cheered at some moments, gasped at others, and yet have no idea how this is all going to turn out.

I giggle every time a certain character has his temper tantrums like a 2 year old.

And like Arya, I have a list of people who must die. I sincerely look forward to being the one to kill them.

So congrats SE, you have truly turned me into the Warrior of Darkness.

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You will definitely enjoy this then. Good luck on your journey through Novrandt and dont hold your breath too long :)



Spoileredit:

The last words of Elidibus worry me quite a bit:

You have wrested the advantage, Hydaelyn. The thieving hands of Your disciples tighten their grip on our star.
The origins of the world remain hidden and its inhabitants ignorant of their broken existence, just as You and Your creators desired.
They celebrate the gift of imperfect life─uncaring, unknowing as we weaken and fade.
But do not imagine Yourself rid of us.
Though Your champion has indeed proven the most egregious obstacle to our ascendance─a barbed thorn in my side─she may yet be removed and cast into the abyss.
Oh yes...it can be done. I will keep these “heroes” mired in the First, and victory will be ours at the last.
Warriors of Darkness now, are they? Then their fate is decided.
They shall meet the same end as those who came before─death at the hands of Warriors of Light!

So does this mean we will face new warriors of light but are on the darkside now like we faced ardbert and the others while on the light side? Things get blurry here...

Not even done with the story and completely amazed by this expansion! Yes as stated above me, the Fantasy is back in Final Fantasy! I love the story, the artwork, the music..did I say the music!!?? I can't wait to get to the end to see how this works out, at level 73 I have a ways to go yet and love the fact that I do have that ways to go! Thank you for this expansion, I am really loving this one.

Im only at lvl 74 and so far............ Its awesome. A true masterpiece. The first 10 hours of gameplay( including the side quests, fates, crafting, etc) Its just awesome. The music, my gosh the music is fantastic. I give it a 9.5 out of 10 with the .5 only being from certain job design changes.

I'm still only just starting the story. Just completed the first dungeon and am in love with this expansion! It totally feels like a brand new story and 100% is a breath of fresh air compared to what we have been getting from previous expansions. It might just be me, but this expansion feels extremely anime-inspired and I am loving it!

My hat is off to square on the story for this expansion, it is just amazing. So far the best story I have seen in any mmo to date.

Almost at the end of the story myself and if the end is a good as the rest so far looking forwards to it greatly. They need to keep up this level of story telling in FFXIV.

Just finished the story. Hands down one of the best video game stories I've ever played, and definitely deserving of the Final Fantasy brand. There are so many questions raised and answered. Some threads are still dangling that makes you invested in the future while still giving you a satisfying end.

Immensely better than Stormblood I feel, and I can't wait until Eden and all the later MSQ quests.

I agree 100%, such a superb story!!! It keeps getting better, and better and better! It's sooooo good!

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Originally Posted by Zeromon

Just finished the story. Hands down one of the best video game stories I've ever played, and definitely deserving of the Final Fantasy brand. There are so many questions raised and answered. Some threads are still dangling that makes you invested in the future while still giving you a satisfying end.

Immensely better than Stormblood I feel, and I can't wait until Eden and all the later MSQ quests.

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This so much. It tied off some ends and opened up so much. I don't know if I can last till the raid and 5.1 for more MSQ. I want to know everything noooow.

same simply thanks yoshi-p and the whole dev team for bring this to us.... the waiting was long, but honestly when you finish the story you have experience soo much.... continue like this!

I haven't finished it yet but so far it is imo blowing Heavensward out of the water. For the first time since HW launch I'm actually enjoying the story instead of suffering through most of it. I'm even reading all quest texts from side quests. And I'm far from done. So yeah, thank you dev team! Shadowbringers feels more like an FF title than SB, HW and ARR ever did.

Just to add my voice to the positive vibes.

When I first saw Shadowbringers being announced, I thought this would all feel like one big side-quest.

BOY was I wrong!


I didn't think they'd be able to top off heavensward, but they did. Absolutely amazing, phenomenal work.
So many revelations!

This is exactly the kind of story I wanted after SB. Despite any salt over jobs or anything of that sort, this story is absolutely amazing. You did well, squeenix. You did very well.

Pretty sure I'm only like 35% in or something lol (just getting to the forest XD) but it's been really good so far. Great pacing and story, definitely feels like they took the past lessons and mastered them here. I've not had any quest gate issues but I suppose it's probably because I've done all the side quests and every time I walk by a FATE I actually do it now (to rank up and get currency) lol.

Story is amazing. I've hit story level 78 and am starting to dread having it come to an end. It's really a lot more than I expected they did a wonderful job on it.

Idlike say thanks too for story, jobs, mechs and all respect you gave to community all these years. This game its even more amazing than others dlcs!! The soundtrack is great too!!!

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Originally Posted by Vahlnir

I haven't finished it yet but so far it is imo blowing Heavensward out of the water. For the first time since HW launch I'm actually enjoying the story instead of suffering through most of it. I'm even reading all quest texts from side quests. And I'm far from done. So yeah, thank you dev team! Shadowbringers feels more like an FF title than SB, HW and ARR ever did.

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I couldn't have put it any better!!

I rarely use the forums, but I'm glad I found an appreciation post for story! :D Whilst I enjoyed HW (especially post-dragonsong) and SB, I'm so thankful for how story-heavy and lore-building this expansion was.

For me what really surprised me was how human they make the WoL feel! The fact we see our character eat, sleep, struggle and worry in their downtime really sold this for me as an expansion- it felt like his/her life, and really helped me sympathise with them. That's so rare for an MMORPG, and I really welcomed the immersion- I think Yoshi-P said in a live-letter SHBR could feel like a single player RPG, and I can see why haha!

There were lots of amazing moments, but I thought this smaller addition really played an important part in the narrative!

I'm not done yet but I have to agree. I've been with the series since the beginning. After XIII and XV, I was worrying that Final Fantasy had lost their storytellers. I think this expansion makes it clear that they haven't.

There's really only one issue, I won't spoil because it's so new, that I wish the story would have resolved differently. But all in all, I have to say this is probably the best story they've told to date.

yeah the MSQ was just the best,best expantion so far already for me,keep on like this

I have a few nitpicks for it, some of which are only due to the way SE did the trailers and hype for the xpac, but the story is for sure the best FFXIV has had so far. I don't think we have to worry for the patch parts of the story either this time around, though I do hope both the 8-man and 24-man stories are able to compare.

Course given who is involved with the 24-man story I think we'll be good there.

I am the same way, the MSQ so far just blows me away and I’m only half way in it. All my friends have also said the same thing. Thank you SE!

Best story so far, I fell in love with most characters, the lore/world-building and the music (by god, Rak’Tika, the final map theme and Innocence theme are legendary). I also felt dread knowing it was coming to an end, but unlike other expansions it wasn’t the dread of feeling there was less and less time for them to tie up loose ends, but instead just dread at having to finish such an epic story. That sort of dread is fine, as it shows just how amazingly gripping and well told the story is. Kudos to SE.

Just finished the story. Simply amazing.