Quote Originally Posted by TaleraRistain View Post
That's a core facet of Final Fantasy, though. They built up the multiverse idea in later games and XIV carries it strongly, but all the way back to the early games the games in a series were "echoes" of each other in some ways. You see the same monsters, different versions of the same people, etc. So Ivalice has a lot that is familiar, but also tells its own story fitting easily into the broader XIV story
Honestly, I always thought it felt lazy.
Not that they're doing it because they're lazy, but I really dont enjoy seeing a new boss and thinking "oh, instead of something new it's the obligatory Ifrit insert."
Either way, it doesn't change the fact that FF14 Ivalice and the Ivalice from any other game are completely unrelated. Them being echoes of each other doesn't even mean anything. It's just a cute way to justify a large easter egg.

As for the notion Ivalice "fits into" the broader story...
I mean... that's kind of a meaningless notion.
There isn't anything in FF14 that doesn't fit in.
And if Ivalice only "fits into" the broader story by not being at odds with it, being an isolated series of side quests, that's pretty disappointing.
I honestly don't see how anyone can be satisfied with Ivalice, let alone do so while also ragging on Nier for sharing some of it's failings.