Review of 6.3 Story Content

[IkaraGreydancer]

Idk. I feel like people are mostly saying 6.x has been a low point because of the height that 6.0 itself was. It's the biggest point the game has ever been at so now that things are on a new track it has to work its way to building that again. I don't believe the 6.x series has been perfect but I do believe it's been far from bad or boring. They have taken a more serious approach with it as some of the other stories are more light hearted like MotR. It's always nice to see the other Scions off doing their own things. Why I find it odd when folks say they shove them in our face all the time when that's really not the case.

XIVs story telling can flip at times with sometimes things being laid out plain and other times them expecting players to think more n find the answer. Sometimes they only give out nuggets here n there which paves way for community discussion/theory crafting like I believe they are doing with Golbez. Some folks are enjoying the discussion while others have called him the Jailer and moved on. Can't please everyone.

I've said it many times n I'll say it again. If the first few books in a series isn't hitting you, don't buy anymore issues. Just move to another series. You'll love yourself for it when you find something that clicks

[Gemina]

I can understand why people wanted the Twelve to not be related to Vanet/Hydaelyn (Even outside the whole hate she gets) and perhaps a twist would have been more intriguing, but I think it also makes perfect sense that they are connected. I like the idea that Hydaelyn knew the Sundering could wreck unintended havoc on reality and installed them on Etheirys like an anti-virus (Though why just on the Source… unless each Shard has their own version of the Twelve who protect them?).

The way I saw it is they are simply divinities true, as they themselves claim to be. And do not intervene with the affairs of mankind. The lore book describe Althyk as the first to come from the 'Whorl', and along with Nymeia gave birth to sisters Menphina and Azeyma. More would come to existence through whorl like Thaliak, with some going on to 'create' additional gods of the Twelve. Iirc Nymeia just created Rhalgr on a whim as creation was getting out of control. And then there's Oschon, who just popped up out of nowhere. Not even the other gods know where he came from. It's all so mystifying, and I love that. Were they around pre-sundered Etheirys, or did they come after? I felt it would've been ok to just leave these questions alone.

I feel the direction they are going is what leaves the potential for holes to pop up all over the place. Are they sundered as well? If not, how did they avoid it. We learned that Amet, Lahabrea, and Elidibus avoiding it was no small or easy feat. How does Emet know their true identities? Unlike my above statements, these questions do indeed need to be answered, or it leaves a giant hole. It's nowhere near as mysterious as the twelve just being gods, whom for some reason have decided to make themselves present to certain members of mankind.

I must say that, whilst I have been enjoying the 6.x MSQ very much, I am a little disappointed in just how the FFIV elements are being used. Now I am fine with the game taking past game elements and incorporating them in their own ways (I also liked the Nier stuff) and I utterly adore what we have seen about the Thirteenth, Void culture, the Contramemoria ect, but the Fiends aspect feels a little lacklustre. Bit too ‘copy and paste’. Feels like they could do more to intagrate them into the wider fabric of the Thriteenth. Speaking of which, it kinda boggles my mind how the most interesting parts to the Four Fiends, their backstories and how they joined Golbez, is hidden in an optional side quest many will miss! At leats give it a blue ! so more people will find it...

I am very curious just how we will see Golbez by the end of this patch cycle. I still think they can do good by him, and I adore his voice actor.

After a little more digesting, everything going on with Golbez, the archfiends, Azdaja (gorgeous dragon BTW) could have taken place during an intermission from the previous plot with Hydaelyn, Zodiark, and Endsinger. I know Yoshi and team wanted to move on, but it was without question very rushed. Garlemald, the 13th, and Elpis are each expansions within themselves. They could have put the story on hiatus to explore the Garlemald and Zenos, and the 13th and Golbez. Easily. They made Anima, and two archfiends dungeon bosses, and this could all have been avoided.

[VelKallor]

The buuz never bothered me (anyway).

GO TO YOUR ROOM.

NOW.

[Carin-Eri]

And most zarring part about this particular story line is it feels like no one really give a crap about meeting the twelves. Like Ghara came back with the contraption and he seems to put more emphasis on making sure to return it safely because the forum only "loan" it to them. Like ... really? We're meeting "the" twelve Gods here, you would think as soon as the world got out everyone will pool resource into an expedition, not treating it as a favor for a side project. Like seriously, I think the only reason they put that over-excited fem-roe in there (to the point of cringe) is an effort to instill the kind of excitement they think people should have about the storyline but know only a few would.

I don't know - 50/50 on this one. I mean, on one hand, it's not really difficult to believe that the Forum might have been skeptical with regard to the claims about the Twelve appearing to a select few. And one might be forgiven for thinking they're perhaps not taking it all that seriously since they (presumably - I think I recall reference to her being from Old Sharlayan?) sent the somewhat eccentric Snoegeim to The Omphalos.

On the other hand I'm not sure why they wouldn't believe it as it's probably not the most outrageous claim they've ever heard!

[Momo_Kozuki]

My takes:


1) The Myth raid continuation is okay. The big revealing seemingly goads players to believe a certain individual on the moon has something to do with The Twelve, which leads to speculations about the The Twelve's true origin. I think NPCs will be revealed to be wrong by the next raid release. In the other hand, I enjoy how the five deities introduced this patch, as they warm up to players significantly after the facade in the first raid. Menphina has her spotlight with character development, which I think cuz she is Oschon's lover, who is suspected to be Deryk, who may play the major part next raid.



2) MSQ feels short this time, mainly cuz there are not much happening in between the dungeon boss and the trial boss. I feel like meeting the twin again should let players explore a bit more about the Garlean instead of just briefing "Ay, we are doing better than before!". Also, when the group is back to Radz-at-hans, instead of just immediately going to fight trial boss, perhaps there should be moments alone between WoL and Zero, so that the later can discuss in-depth about what she has gone through in Garlemald and tell WoL about her past more, instead of just spamming "the fire in my breast". Also, no one knows about what she has gone through, not even WoL, cuz it was her own reminisce, not an echo vision.



Still, despite of Garlemald section being short, I will give a thumb up on including dialogue about players being a Reaper and there are changes in NPC dialogue before the solo duty. I wish to see more this level of details in future contents.

3) The dungeon itself is cool, but only cool if you play Reaper. Otherwise, the second boss' test messages don't echo well to non-Reaper players when it mentions Reaper-related NPC names.


4) I think the post-trial story does justice with the character development of Rubicante. He is known as the charismatic Archfiend of Fire in FF4 who fight fair, and his counterpart in FF14 is well done, despite being very brief. However, the trial is named "Mount Ordeals", which is a mountain that doesn't exist in The Source (it was training place of pre-Rubicante in the Thirteenth pre-Flood of Darkness). The fight with Rubycante happens in The Source, which doesn't have this mountain. This feels like a rare oversight of FF14 story writer.

5) I love Tataru story involving the Four Lords. It is played light-heartedly, not unlike the Four Lord trial story itself, and it ends with a cool glam!



It is not strange to see FF14 have up and down when it comes to story. 6.3 is a "down" moment for me. I enjoy the story of side contents, but MSQ feels rushed.

[Raven2014]

I don't know - 50/50 on this one. I mean, on one hand, it's not really difficult to believe that the Forum might have been skeptical with regard to the claims about the Twelve appearing to a select few. And one might be forgiven for thinking they're perhaps not taking it all that seriously since they (presumably - I think I recall reference to her being from Old Sharlayan?) sent the somewhat eccentric Snoegeim to The Omphalos.

On the other hand I'm not sure why they wouldn't believe it as it's probably not the most outrageous claim they've ever heard!

Except the claim is not made by random people, it's made by the scion with the WoL as one of the main PI. The forum know better these are not the people who make such claim out of thin air.

I see where you're coming from. I do understand the difficulty with going the direction I was hoping for in order to prevent plot holes. I suppose I shouldn't say "lazy writing", but it is definitely the easier approach to the implementation of the Twelve. The thing is though, the twelve had nothing to do with Endsinger as for as preparation goes.

I think it does. If you dissect what written as their role, they're pretty much shepherded humanity down to path of independently grow. Remember after the sunder mankind is like a new born babe and each of the twelve are tasked with "inspiration" for an aspect of life. But they're also 100% hand-off 'cause if they serve as the handicap, humanity wouldn't be ready. The thing Halogne keeps saying "we're what faith make us to be, but the faith is yours and yours alone" exemplify this.

Both Venat and the tweleve approach to mankind actually reminds me a few very loving but also extremely stern parents. I remember a father who told his daughter that if she still wants to stay in the house after 18, she has to pay him rent. But the day she finally move out a few years later, he gave her a jar that had all the rent she had paid over the years. He never touched a penny, that was simply his way to prepare her for real life.

[Elissar]

It is not strange to see FF14 have up and down when it comes to story. 6.3 is a "down" moment for me. I enjoy the story of side contents, but MSQ feels rushed.

Interesting. On 6.2 i felt more interested in Pandaemonium than the MSQ, the end was just...crazy.

[Hurlstone]

The way I saw it is they are simply divinities true, as they themselves claim to be.

Thats fair. I can understand wanting to keep them mystical and divine as you say. Personally speaking though, I have been wanting an explanation on the Twelve ever since I played The Praetorium back in ARR haha. I really love how FFXIV has handled the idea of Gods with Primals. Its kinda one of my favourite fantasy tropes, dissecting the notion of Gods and their relationship with mortals. So far I like what they are doing with the Twelve, regarding their origin and how Dynamis may be connected to their changing forms. Though naturally will be keeping judgement until we know the full story. Alot still could happen.

I feel the direction they are going is what leaves the potential for holes to pop up all over the place. Are they sundered as well? If not, how did they avoid it. We learned that Amet, Lahabrea, and Elidibus avoiding it was no small or easy feat. How does Emet know their true identities? Unlike my above statements, these questions do indeed need to be answered, or it leaves a giant hole. It's nowhere near as mysterious as the twelve just being gods, whom for some reason have decided to make themselves present to certain members of mankind.

Personally speaking I am more happy with those questions being unanswered then the Twelves actual origins. Not to say I do not want those answers, I really do! Its clear that Emet knew about them, but did they know about the Sundering and the Rejoinings? My hope is we do get some answers in 6.5. Should also worth noting we are the type of nerds/fans who like to discuss the story on forums, there will be those ALWAYS asking and poking for answers no matter what the game gives us. Part of being lore fans!

After a little more digesting, everything going on with Golbez, the archfiends, Azdaja (gorgeous dragon BTW) could have taken place during an intermission from the previous plot with Hydaelyn, Zodiark, and Endsinger. I know Yoshi and team wanted to move on, but it was without question very rushed. Garlemald, the 13th, and Elpis are each expansions within themselves. They could have put the story on hiatus to explore the Garlemald and Zenos, and the 13th and Golbez. Easily. They made Anima, and two archfiends dungeon bosses, and this could all have been avoided.

Its certainly true that all those things could easily be expansions in their own right, and I would really have loved the Void in particular to be an expansion of its own. Then again I get that Yoshi wants to wrap the main story up now and explore new ground. I think it may depend on just what the next expansion is, and how much this current story will effect it. My current idea is we will free Azdaja and then accompany her to Meracydia in 7.0, but who knows. Could be that Golbez is being set up as the villain of that expansion over this.

[aveyond-dreams]

Interesting. On 6.2 i felt more interested in Pandaemonium than the MSQ, the end was just...crazy.

Likewise. However if Hiroi messes up the ending to Pandaemonium in 6.4 then I will flat out refuse to play a 7.0 written by him. I've already been burned enough by Ishikawa's bait and switch, I'll not be going through that again anytime soon. This is the first time in a decade when I've even had to consider not buying the next expansion, all of it due to how badly Endwalker set multiple aspects of the game on fire with story just being one of many key failings that no one seems willing to address.

[Renalt]

I will flat out refuse to play a 7.0 written by him. .

Yeah you will. You have a compulsive need to complain. You'll be back every single time.