I just finished MSQ

And I have the feels. ;-; My first thought at seeing the credits was "noooooo, I don't want it to end!" Guh, this story was so good I could've just kept going and going and going.

When the credits to ARR rolled, I was surprised, but relieved. When HW's credits rolled, I was happy yet relieved. When SB's credits rolled, I had the feels but I also felt unsatisfied - like the story wasn't very "wholesome." But this one? So good.

Thank you, dev team, for giving us such a good story. :'c Excuse me while I go feel empty now, haha. :*

I think Natsuko Ishikawa was the lead writer for this MSQ, having previously written the DRK job quests, the Coils of Bahamut storyline, and the Crystal Tower storyline. She's really incredible.

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Originally Posted by Daralii

I think Natsuko Ishikawa was the lead writer for this MSQ, having previously written the DRK job quests, the Coils of Bahamut storyline, and the Crystal Tower storyline. She's really incredible.

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She needs to be their permanent MSQ story writer from now on, she can write one hell of a story.

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Originally Posted by RyuDragnier

She needs to be their permanent MSQ story writer from now on, she can write one hell of a story.

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She also wrote the 1-50 ALC questline which is by far the best crafter questline in ARR. If she doesn't get the permanent lead writer position after all of this I think the fanbase has every right to riot. Looking back on what we were given before versus what she wrote for us in this expansion there's absolutely no comparison. It's like living off tofu out of necessity before being offered a delicious slice of cheese pizza or steak.

Natsuko Ishikawa, I love you. Not only is this MSQ amazing, but the 30-50 DRK quests were incredible - my absolute fave of the class stories. xD I had no idea about the author! She's the best thing that's happened to FFXIV in the past few years story-wise, then. No joke. I found her take on DRK and SHB so refreshing, well-paced, et cetera. I could go on, but I won't. xD


I wouldn't mind seeing her write another storyline (Hell, even be the main writer for however many expansions left!) but I worry about eventual burnout. For now, though? If she can handle it... oh my gods. Yes please.

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Originally Posted by RyuDragnier

She needs to be their permanent MSQ story writer from now on, she can write one hell of a story.

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I fully agree. The story is just so damn good in Shadowbringers.
Stormblood was "ok"

I finished the MSQ yesterday evening and it was the best expac in my opinion. Until then HW was my big favorite but ShB didn't leave a dry eye. There were so many emotional moments, so many characters to get attached too, so many "minor" NPCs that left an impression. I job well done and I wonder how they ever going to live up to the expectations in the next patches / expacs.

Well good thing the story is not over yet....


until 5.3 of course, then it is off to the 5.4 to 5.5 Pre-6.0 storylines.

The ending still have me laughing a bit though because of the whole...

"unable to swim" part.

Natsuko Ishikawa also wrote the ROG quests and Azim Steppe portion of the Main Scenario. She's amazing and I hope she gets frequent raises!

I like Ishikawa and Shadowbringers was amazing, but I have a feeling she can only do dark and weird.

I hear you. The post Amarout scene was fantastic!! Possibly the best scene in all the ff games (imho).

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Originally Posted by Izanagi_Fiaresu

I like Ishikawa and Shadowbringers was amazing, but I have a feeling she can only do dark and weird.

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I get where you're coming from, but honestly between the way she uses humor in MSQ, Azim Steppe, and her skill level I'd argue she'd probably do just fine on other tones but possibly enjoys dark and weird more lol. Speaking as someone who also does a bunch of dark and weird stories.

Seen cases where writers can honestly only do one type of story well and crash when taken out of their comfort zone. There's a different kind of read on that imo.

I recently finished the story and it was amazing. I can’t wait for more! HW was my favourite and SB was really boring for me until 4.3 but this one is my new favourite, I devoured it.

I fucking love the ending part where the kid comes up to you, askes who you are and RIGHT before the credits drop, you look at him, and do a -shh- emote. It's cut and framed in such a way that right after that emote is hit BOOM roll credits. It felt like I was watching the part of a movie and I fucking screamed so loud. This whole patch, has been paced stupidly well, even right down to the zones and music. One of the best is right before you go to Mt Gul right? The build up from getting the massive rock man up, to watching it reach out the ground to the music ramping up. You running thur the dungeon getting ready to save the day, then to have that massive mic drop where you FAIL. THEN it's not done cause you have this massive cool down period where you're questioning yourself then to finally go to the last 2 zones where even the MUSIC is slowly lettign you have your moment to finding the last place and how both those zone's OST ramps you up again to the big reveal. They played it so where the battle music doesn't even stop that jazz... SERIOUSLY SE!!!!!!! Omg.... Words can't express how best they treated this and it shows. NEVER STOP!!!

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Originally Posted by Insertcoins

I fucking love the ending part where the kid comes up to you, askes who you are and RIGHT before the credits drop, you look at him, and do a -shh- emote. It's cut and framed in such a way that right after that emote is hit BOOM roll credits. It felt like I was watching the part of a movie and I fucking screamed so loud. This whole patch, has been paced stupidly well, even right down to the zones and music. One of the best is right before you go to Mt Gul right? The build up from getting the massive rock man up, to watching it reach out the ground to the music ramping up. You running thur the dungeon getting ready to save the day, then to have that massive mic drop where you FAIL. THEN it's not done cause you have this massive cool down period where you're questioning yourself then to finally go to the last 2 zones where even the MUSIC is slowly letting you have your moment to finding the last place and how both those zone's OST ramps you up again to the big reveal. They played it so where the battle music doesn't even stop that jazz... SERIOUSLY SE!!!!!!! Omg.... Words can't express how best they treated this and it shows. NEVER STOP!!!

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i loved the the whole "Shh" moment with the little kid i hope in post content we can tell him more "stories"

When he cried, it broke me... Shadowbringers has been like a gathering storm, slow to start but all the while you could feel it... feel it building, knowing it was going to be big, then you reach the last area, final dungeon, final battle and it never disappoints, it even got me to sympathise with the villain something only Heavansward got close to, I felt pity for Nidhog more in that he'd surrendered himself to his rage and was now just a consumed monster, unable to even see a means to alter his course.

Emet-Selch while an ass for most of his run, really feels fleshed out, he's not just evil finally we have true reason, motive and conviction. What he did and intends to do is still wrong but even Alisaie asks would we do any different? He wants his world, his people, his friends back, and we don't want to lose ours, one of us is going to lose everything, who here is really right? I liked that. And when he falls, it's almost relief, because I think in a way he wanted to lose, a part of him anyway, we're supposed to be someone he knew, a part of them anyway and you can almost see how this has eaten at him, he may even doubt, he wants to be proven wrong, he wants to let go, for one of us to rise up and prove we can continue on, we don't need to go back to how things were, it'll be alright, and finally, finally someone doesn't disappoint him and he's glad that it's you, his old friend and bidding we remember him, remember they lived he may finally rest, leave it to you to carve something new.

Just hire the writer for the MSQ full time or something, cause yeah this xpac MSQ has been hands down the best. Loveable villains, hateable villains, hateable allies, loveable allies. It's got a nice mix of everything.

If I had a critique, itd be pacing at times was a touch dragged out. Which might be the devs dragging things out. But at times there was quests that didnt world build or anything. It was literally just "run and talk to a dude cause...yeah." I get you need lulls to balance the high paced parts, but those lulls shouldnt be boring nonsense.

That aside though, amazing story this time round. Well worth it.

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Originally Posted by BlitzAceRush

When he cried, it broke me... Shadowbringers has been like a gathering storm, slow to start but all the while you could feel it... feel it building, knowing it was going to be big, then you reach the last area, final dungeon, final battle and it never disappoints, it even got me to sympathise with the villain something on Heavansward got close to, I felt pity for Nidhog more in that he'd surrendered himself to his rage and would just a consumed monster, unable to even see a means to alter his course.

Emet-Selch while an ass for most of his run, really feels fleshed out, he's not just evil finally we have true reason, motive and conviction. What he did and intends to do is still wrong but even Alisaie asks would we do any different? He wants his world, his people, his friends back, and we don't want to lose ours, one of us is going to lose everything, who here is really right? I liked that. And when he falls, it's almost relief, because I think in a way he wanted to lose, a part of him anyway, we're supposed to be someone he knew, a part of them anyway and you can almost see how this has eaten at him, he may even doubt, he wants to be proven wrong, he wants to let go, for one of us to rise up and prove we can continue on, we don't need to go back to how things were, it'll be alright, and finally, finally someone doesn't disappoint him and he's glad that it's you, his old friend and bidding we remember him, remember they lived he may finally rest, leave it to you to carve something new.

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I agree with everything you said.

I'm actually honestly sad that he died. I almost wanted to redeem him. I felt so bad for him. I'm so sad that it had to be us or him. There doesn't seem to have been any other way though. The emotional response I had to that shows how amazing the story was though.

One thing I liked about the MSQ is it was different than the other content and more in line with previous Final Fantasy games:

2.0 Stop bad Empire
3.0 Stop bad Religion
4.0 Stop bad Empire again
5.0 Save the world.. two worlds even.

Most of the previous final fantasy games end up with the hero(es) saving the world. Its a common fantasy trope, but its one the FF series is well known for. Though hopefully they don't take this to heart and have it become a common occurrence. It happening in Shadowbringers was great timing. So this isn't to say that 2.0-4.5 was bad content storywise, they were quite good. But the climax of 5.0 is icing on the cake. It was well done.

I have a hard time putting how I feel into words. The MSQ has absolutely blown me away with a torrent of emotion and intense awe at this masterfully crafted Story. It was not only a endless amount of emotional gut punches but also sheer disbelief at how amazing the story for Shadowbringers is. Natsuko Ishikawa, thank you so much.


P.S. Square pleade for the love of the twelve make her the permanent story lead.

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Originally Posted by Daralii

I think Natsuko Ishikawa was the lead writer for this MSQ, having previously written the DRK job quests, the Coils of Bahamut storyline, and the Crystal Tower storyline. She's really incredible.

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That explains a lot then. Those were already some of my favorite stories in the game.

I loved HW, but ShB is my favorite MSQ by far. I'd say favorite expansion, but, well, it just came out a week and a half ago. Lil' bit soon perhaps. :P

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Originally Posted by Avidria

I loved HW, but ShB is my favorite MSQ by far. I'd say favorite expansion, but, well, it just came out a week and a half ago. Lil' bit soon perhaps. :P

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I have to disagree with it being a lil' bit soon to say. :P ShB made me more emotional and engrossed in its storyline in the first couple of hours than the majority of SB's. What's more, I found myself invested in the characters I once merely tolerated. I have never been so eager to see what happens in the .X series. ShB has firmly established itself as best MSQ for me.

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Originally Posted by Destati

I have to disagree with it being a lil' bit soon to say. :P ShB made me more emotional and engrossed in its storyline in the first couple of hours than the majority of SB's. What's more, I found myself invested in the characters I once merely tolerated. I have never been so eager to see what happens in the .X series. ShB has firmly established itself as best MSQ for me.

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Yep, pretty much the same for me here. I was pretty disillusioned as far as the Scions were concerned for the longest time. I didn't really like any of them even from the start of ARR and my feelings carried over to Heavensward and Stormblood. Shadowbringers changed that. They felt like actual companions, friends even. And I enjoyed their company through the MSQ. Every last one of them. And I was engrossed in the story from beginning to end. Shadowbringers is already the best for me, hands down.

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Originally Posted by Vahlnir

Yep, pretty much the same for me here. I was pretty disillusioned as far as the Scions were concerned for the longest time. I didn't really like any of them even from the start of ARR and my feelings carried over to Heavensward and Stormblood. Shadowbringers changed that. They felt like actual companions, friends even. And I enjoyed their company through the MSQ. Every last one of them. And I was engrossed in the story from beginning to end. Shadowbringers is already the best for me, hands down.

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I think one of the best things that ShB reflects over the other expansion MSQs is the character development. The scions feel more human in their interactions and motives than previously, and with the new dialog interaction you get a larger sense of interaction in the events that are going on and the exchanges between the characters.

The more it looked liked we'd be fighting Emet-Selch, the worse I felt, because I didn't really want to fight him. I just felt he was a great character, and at some point thought he might actually come around. Of course, then he changed into something else, and the gloves were off o.O