A memory in crystal (Spoilers)

With Endwalker on the horizon I want to reflect on some of the best stories from 2.0-5.55

There will be spoilers so this is not a thread if you don't want to be spoiled.

The first one that comes to mind for me? Is Seat of Sacrifice. My dad passed away the July before it came out, and I was having a rough time.

So I was playing it, and cleared it. Then when Elidibus said “The rains have ceased, and we have been graced with another beautiful day. But you are not here to see it. We will meet again at Journey's End."

Like how ever so many months of grief, anger, and sadness came out from me and I will not lie and say I didn't ugly cry, but after that moment? And after that scene? All the sadness and grief I was feeling? Was gone, I never had a video game impact me like that..well at least to that degree.

Personally, i think Seat of sacrifice has many story to tell from the mechanic/battle which reflect player's class/job, the last sundered ascian that actually just a kid(mentally?) trying to do what his friend/family expect of him, including the great song which soken made when he was fighting againts cancer, i think 5.3 is one of the best patch ever in ff14

For me personally, I would have to say my favorite moments from Shadowbringers was the final stand off against Emet-Selch, as well as Seat of Sacrifice and the 5.55 ending leading up to Endwalker when the WoL looks at the full moon. That was a cool scene and I absolutely love it, even if nothing particularly exciting had occurred with the WoL just looking at the moon.

Still the whole final

Amaurot dungeon and of course, the climax after for me.... it was utterly amazing. The scenery as that glamourous pinnacle of civilization burned and the very planet writhed in agony. The music (Mortal Instants). The horrible monsters as the Ancients' darkest fears were given flesh. Emet's sombre and sincere commentary of the whole thing.

And the scene after, as he dispatches the Scions without breaking a sweat, while the WoL finally succumbs to the corrupted Light - how close SE really came to making the WoL clock out for good, even if it was resolved by a literal deus ex machina from Ardbert (emulating the climax to FFVII Advent Children Complete to boot!). Seeing the WoL speak... with a voice... not their own... (and the big WHAM right in the lore with the WoL momentarily replaced by an Ancient destroyed a decade's worth of careful backstory crafting for my character instantly, my head was spinning from the revelation.). My heart was basically racing from the moment he opened the door in the Capitol and all those ominous flames shot out.

The only problem is that SE will have to pull all stops out to top this in Endwalker, but I'm sure they will succeed! :D

Also, I have to mention still the scene early on with

poor Tesleen's fate... her transformation seeing exactly what happens when someone is turned into a sineater was shown in every gruesome detail (other than what happens when they're encased in that coccoon of feathers, probably for the best), and that there was absolutely nothing Alisaie or the WoL could do to stop it. It showed how utterly and totally broken the First really was, and I became even more determined to save what was left. Of course, cue the irony, with the WoL very nearly sharing that same fate (as mentioned above.).

Base Heavensward, Post Stormblood and Shadowbringers had the most impact to me, particularly the latter.

To see even the main protagonist (WoL) being vulnerable & comes close to breaking or dying; that kind of stories always stirs me emotionally, in a bizarre way. (I do not count those active time maneuvers moments in duties, btw!)

I have a very deep appreciation for Heavensward and especially Shadowbringer's story. There are so many deep and heartbreaking moments but I'm a sucker for happy endings and while some don't agree with the conclusion of G'Raha Tia arc, for me it was a big highlight of the expansion.

The thematic of 'Hope' is a recurrent one in Shadowbringer and it was a thing of beauty to watch our favorite Exarch cling onto it throughout the story, even making the ultimate sacrifice for his Hero of Light... and then wake up back home where he gets to adventure by his hero's side, just as he'd dreamed all these years.

Brings a smile just thinking about it, and very few games have managed to make me genuinely smile like that.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Izanagi_Fiaresu

The first one that comes to mind for me? Is Seat of Sacrifice. My dad passed away the July before it came out, and I was having a rough time.

So I was playing it, and cleared it. Then when Elidibus said “The rains have ceased, and we have been graced with another beautiful day. But you are not here to see it. We will meet again at Journey's End."

Like how ever so many months of grief, anger, and sadness came out from me and I will not lie and say I didn't ugly cry, but after that moment? And after that scene? All the sadness and grief I was feeling? Was gone, I never had a video game impact me like that..well at least to that degree.

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I lost someone over a month after the patch was released. I had To the Edge on repeat in my house for a while after that. There was something about it that helped me to cope in a small way. Probably the overall themes of life and death. The song came at a good/bad time depending on how you look at it. It's definitely my favorite theme in the entire game, with Answers as a close second.

Might sound weird, but one of the biggest moments for me was the Bloody Banquet, when the WoL is framed for regicide. IRL I've never been framed or accused of murder of any kind (thank God) but my life wasn't exactly a bed of roses. Being a loner and an outcast growing up, I really felt it when the WoL became public enemy #1. The cinematic for Heavensward showing the WoL pound his fist on the wall in anger represented what I'm sure almost everybody felt during that scene.

The other biggest moments were, you guessed it, 5.0's finale and 5.3's finale. Amaurot remains my favorite dungeon. Emet-Selch is my favorite villain.

Oh I also forgot about Yotsyuo's story. Like god that made my heart hurt

Healer role quest and weapon trial story ending

So many moments in the story are relatable. G'Raha Tia's story gave me hope also and made me happy. When Haurchefant's death affected me. When he looked over at me just before he sacrificed himself I thought omg he's gonna die. It brought that emotion too me in a raw way because I wasn't expecting it. And that is one reason I really have enjoyed this story and can't wait for what the future will bring with the ending of this story.