A detailed criticism (the good, meh and bad) of Endwalker thus far

[angienessyo]

Agreed with your points! I've also gone over to WoW along with several friends that were just tired of being bored in 14. Though I haven't cancelled my 14 sub, I'm enjoying progging TEA and playing with a blue static, but I don't do much beyond raid log. I cleared the last few raid tiers pretty early but I didn't really even clear P9S until this week because I just didn't feel motivated to do it anymore. (I only went back into savage because some friends desperately needed a caster) It's been a bummer of an expac. I think the only content I actually truly enjoyed that came out this expac was like, Barb EX and P8S.

[Raikai]

The MSQ, like you mentioned, it was intended to be filler and idk why some people had such high expectations for it. I'd even say that is a pretty cool story for a filler and Zero is an interesting character.

Raid storyline, feels weaker than ShB, and at the same level of HW and SB, but that's probably because Eden really felt like part of the MSQ due to its importance.

Honestly, the point that I put as outright bad for EW (and ShB partially) is Job design, which of course involves the infamous 2min meta burst for all the points stated in the OP, and honestly? I can't see the team managing to deliver an exciting job design as long as this cursed thing lives. So and so that my big expectation (unrealistic for some) for 7.0 is just one job but the resources that a second job would take being used to overhaul the 2min meta.

[remiff]

The MSQ, like you mentioned, it was intended to be filler and idk why some people had such high expectations for it. I'd even say that is a pretty cool story for a filler and Zero is an interesting character.

Raid storyline, feels weaker than ShB, and at the same level of HW and SB, but that's probably because Eden really felt like part of the MSQ due to its importance.

Honestly, the point that I put as outright bad for EW (and ShB partially) is Job design, which of course involves the infamous 2min meta burst for all the points stated in the OP, and honestly? I can't see the team managing to deliver an exciting job design as long as this cursed thing lives. So and so that my big expectation (unrealistic for some) for 7.0 is just one job but the resources that a second job would take being used to overhaul the 2min meta.

Unfortunately, given how the devs ignored the negative but constructive comments about the bad changes to the battle system/balance to the endwalker jobs,
I don't think they will make any changes to the 120s meta, which is clearly not a good thing.

Even if I still hope like many players a throwback to the design of the battle system.

[Themarvin]

You should always put the good things about about the current stuff as well instead of just showing off the bad things... it make little sense... and being able to see good in everything or at least the intend would be a big step ahead for the community, if they could reach that stage, or that stage at all.

Would be easier to get to the devs and the likes if it is more like we really like this and that part of it, BUT... why not add something else to it, at better touch... and addition to the monument that this game is, and maybe a better finish to things.

If these things is not done or looked into or even considered with critisizing everything, then you may be stuck in the same on going loop forever, of not getting additional touches added to it or worse... an entire new kind of content, where as the old content just remain hidden old and burried after a few years and worse forgotten.

[Heroman3003]

My main criticisms of 6.0 is that I really didn't like the final boss's execution. I liked the fight, but I didn't like how the big bad to end of the Hydaelyn-Zodiark storyline was just thrown to us.
My other main criticism is to stop with the fake deaths. I get it appeals to people, but after a certain point, it stops to mean anything when you can just assume or guess they are going to come back so it's meaningless to get upset about it. Looking at you Y'shtola.

For the first point, while I do agree that Endsinger does come out a bit out of left field, I do believe that the 'true final boss' being something brand new was kinda predetermined as early as Shadowbringers main MSQ. Fighting and defeating Zodiark was inevitable, however then came reveal that Final Days are a thing, and Zodiark is what's holding it at bay. And with Endsinger being less necessarily a 'person' big bad and more 'anthropomorphized cataclysm' big bad, that's the only way I feel they could have dealt with Final Days without a rugpull on level of "Someone specific is right here on the star and was the cause of Final Days all along and Ascians never found it/dealt with it", which I imagine would have way more plot holes. So they kinda were in a corner there from the moment existence of Zodiark and Hydaelyn was made into a grey morality area, and Final Days were written as 'the true threat'. They could have potentially done longer buildup over patches/more expansions, sure, but I doubt that would have resolved the fact that Final Days (personified) would be the final boss in the end.

For the second point... Yeah, but also I don't feel like that's applicable to Endwalker nearly as much as it is to Stormblood/Shadowbringers, which both have had way more death baits on multiple characters. Endwalker's only significant ones were in UT, but, again, I don't know if it was anyone's experience, but I kinda knew it obviously wasn't death, and not even for meta "they wouldn't kill everyone" reasons and more for "there is a way to bring them back that was handed to me 15 minutes ago and I'm explicilty told they're still there around me, just incorporealized and dispersed" reason. So I never saw it as death and more... "putting a life on the line". Imo, it amps the stakes in even more ways because then it's up to you succeeding on whether they live or die, but that's more subjective view of the narrative. Ultimately, I do agree that several characters had great moments to die in the past (Y'shtola in SB, Y'shtola in ShB, Thancred in ShB, G'raha in ShB....), but didn't, but at the same time, for all of them as of current moment, I feel like they have done enough with characters for me to not feel like they kept them alive for no reason whatsoever, even if it took Y'shtola all the way until EW patch MSQ to actually gain personality and motivations.

[Raikai]

Unfortunately, given how the devs ignored the negative but constructive comments about the bad changes to the battle system/balance to the endwalker jobs,
I don't think they will make any changes to the 120s meta, which is clearly not a good thing.

Even if I still hope like many players a throwback to the design of the battle system.

I just wonder if they are really that shortsighted to think that not just about a preference thing, but that the 2min meta is extremely unhealthy for future development.

I mean, any mmorpg with this kind of vertical progression system is due to face brickwalls at some point, but the 2min meta just makes that even more egregious.

[Rufalus]

A little too much just didn't land. I think Island Sanctuary has to be singled out as the biggest misfire. It could have been the defining feature of the expansion and something to keep us occupied between patches. It failed to offer any enjoyment at all and will be abandoned the moment they stop adding rewards to it.

The area that we can customize is too segmented into small chunks which are then dominated by workshops we didn't want there. So the beauty is spoiled, the customization is limited, the only activity is grinding a new type of currency that means nothing to the rest of the game and the main way to earn that currency is waiting weeks of real time for mammets to do stuff.

Main scenario failed to live up to the last decade of expectations. Garlemald, Zodiark and Hydaelyn were mishandled, disposed of hastily. It felt like more priority was given to surprising swerves than internal logic. It was followed by a patch series of FF IV cameos because they aren't finished shoehorning in FF I - VI bosses and themes yet.

Pandæmonium is fine I guess. This setting for raids just doesn't appeal to me, which is exacerbated by the patch formula spreading a single raid story across 2 years in 3 segments. The alliance raids are quite pretty at least and have one fight that isn't in a circle or square arena (rhalgr's palm).

Eureka Orthos has some interesting bosses but the main floors are too similar in both looks and content to Palace of the Dead. Variant dungeons are a nice try, still too linear and scripted though. A real lasting dungeon design would have good RNG loot like that found in treasure map portals, but in a setting we can explore.

[Reap00]

And before I get told "then just unsub and play other games", I already have. Currently enjoying Dragonflight on WoW.[/QUOTE]

All credibility lost if you support that absolutely repulsive company.

[Zairava]

Snip.

Except I did, the OP and literally in the title "(the good, meh, and bad)" is right there. Maybe read it before, y'know, announcing to everyone that you obviously didn't read it.

Though you did remind me, I forgot to add in hildibrand in the good section, I'll add that in while I'm editing in some grammar.

And before I get told "then just unsub and play other games", I already have. Currently enjoying Dragonflight on WoW.

All credibility lost if you support that absolutely repulsive company.

Thanks for providing nothing of value.

Ever hear of separating art from artist? WoW is the only thing Blizzard has that even remotely has my interest anyway. The product of something can be good while the artist is awful. See also: That MyPillow guy, I can't be arsed to look his name up right now since I'm just getting off work.

And y'know what? Going through the Dragon Isles that the very likely underpaid and overworked staff has been thrilling for me thus far. Leveling, questing, and Dragonriding has been a blast. I don't care that much a deep story in MMO's, the fact that XIV has a good one compared to the rest is one of its strong suits.

So I will continue to appreciate the hard work those people put in to making this expansion miles better for me than *gags* Shadowlands thus far. They deserve to see their work appreciated in a company where they otherwise may feel nothing but dread.

If I'm not playing that it's either Elden Ring or one of those souls games, or bloodborne, Resident Evil (seriously, if you haven't played them I HIGHLY recommend the RE2 and 4 remakes.), Devil May Cry, or other Final Fantasy games. Occasionally I hop on my Nintendo Switch because I get the drive to do some Mariokart.

If that's all you had to say, despite providing a well constructed and thought out critique of the expansion so far for you to begin a discussion with, then you probably just shouldn't have said anything at all, because honestly it was barely worth entertaining you to begin with. I'm discussing game(s) and [their] design here, not issues within the company.

Snip

I could be wrong here, but didn't we find out Zodiark was holding it at bay AFTER we already defeated him? I can't say I have any better methods of executing the story and I'm not about to write a "what if" or an entire rewrite of an entire expansion's story, though.

I was speaking more generally with the whole death bait bit, because the first couple times it felt fine (late-post ARR into Heavensward, Y'shtola in Stormblood), but it started to feel kinda obnoxious after Thancred somehow survived in Amh Araeng and Y'shtola in the Rak'tika Greatwood. I just feel like it has far overstayed it's welcome, but as always people are free to feel however they do towards these events. Though, again, I didn't feel the "despair" we were supposed to feel during Ultima Thule, because I knew they would come back, they weren't just going to off all of the scions at once. It just wasn't there for me.

Honestly, the point that I put as outright bad for EW (and ShB partially) is Job design, which of course involves the infamous 2min meta burst for all the points stated in the OP, and honestly? I can't see the team managing to deliver an exciting job design as long as this cursed thing lives. So and so that my big expectation (unrealistic for some) for 7.0 is just one job but the resources that a second job would take being used to overhaul the 2min meta.

I actually forgot to mention this, it also heavily restricts how you can build the job as well. We could do more with varied cooldown timers.

[Aldath]

I'll drop my impressions so far as a sprout, it might not hold the same weight as a Veteran but here I go anyways.

I know most of your concerns are coming from someone who has already "burnt out" from all the game seems to have to offer, but I can see where you're coming from, and one of the things that worry me the most is the balancing in the overall difficulty of this game.

I come from one of the most mind numbingly casual MMOs there is: Guild Wars 2. Endgame in GW2 is mostly cash-shop/social based, with a few instanced content in between; most of the activities that reward something are pretty much scheduled open world Alliance Raids where mechanics mean even less than in Crystal Tower because of the sheer number of players allowed per open world area.

Why is this important? Because somehow, GW2, being as ultra casual as it is, still has instanced content that requires more brain activity. I was very excited to begin playing FFXIV because of the trials and raids, it was one of the things that drew me in, the fact that I could raid less hard versions of Savage content and do Extreme trials. I'm currently on HW and my God, dungeons honestly feel harder than Trials and Raids and I was even more dissapointed to know Extreme content out of current expansion is all but forgotten and doesn't even features in daily roulette. By the time I make it to Endwalker, the Extremes will be pretty dead as well.

As I said, I wasn't really looking for Savage stuff at the moment because I'm still learning the game and the jump in complexity from Extreme to Savage seems like hopping from the Earth to the Moon, but there just seems that there's no "in between". Yes, you still need to know the mechanics of some trials and dungeons to avoid whipes, and no, I'm not saying you NEED to whipe for stuff to be interesting, but I feel the knowledge I gather for the encounters means nothing when there's only two sprouts in the group and everything dies in 5 minutes anyways.

And then I also learnt that some of the bosses, like Neo Exdeath and God Kefka, are Savage Exclusives. Which wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't because either you look for a Discord to try and get people to do them, or sigh in party finder because it seems the only way people is willing to join is unsynced runs.

I remember how hyped I was for the Titan fight because of the amazing soundtrack, and then this thing just changes phases in the blink of an eye and drops dead when Under the Weight is halfway through, and mind you, I did the first encounter with NPCs, playing as a Scholar...

Not to mention, besides the roulette rewards, there seems to be no incentive for casuals to try and do normal Raids and Trials. I'm not asking for normal content to become a whipe fest not to make it closer to hardcore stuff, but there's currently no bridge.

I'm gonna continue having fun with the game for the time being, but I can see how it might disencourage me to keep going.