Final Fantasy XIV doesn't actually have that good of a story

[Atelier-Bagur]

I have lost so many friends, so many people, so many potential friends, because I'm one of those who just don't like the story and saying that will always give you a black check on your name, and people will consider you a troll, a hater, someone who doesn't like jrpgs, and as someone who absolutely loves jrpgs since they were a child I always suffer hearing that. Because having a different opinion is not allowed and this left me alone, distrustful of everyone because knowing that all I needed to cause major ripples within my friends and I, was to simply say "I don't like the story".

I wish more people would respect my opinion for disliking the story as I respect theirs for liking it. But that doesn't exist in today's era: you're either a troll/hater for disliking something others like, or a complete fanatic who has to acknowledge everything, even the flaws.

Just had to let this out and since I'm quitting the game soon it won't matter if people will search me out ingame: I will be gone soon.

Im sorry but the way you worded out that final sentence is concerning to say the least.

[Kazhar]

Im so happy somebody else besides me finally said it about the entirety of FFXIV's story. It has always been so jarring to me how high of a standard they hold the whole msq when its just above average at best compared to many jrpgs. Its indeed very cool and immersive to have your own avatar be integrated into the main story and have somewhat setup relationships with various characters that you can get yourself attached but thats prolly its biggest strength for why the story worked so well with many people. But to me it never was because of they handled the pacing and narrative, it was just all a feel good story in an MMO.

Single player rpgs still hold the stronger stories just due to how the game and narrative flows better in those experiences compared to an MMO. And I will forever stand behind this being the case.

I wonder if all the hyperbole around the game's story has anything to do with the massive survivorship biais inherent to the MSQ.
If you're able to stomach more than a hundred hours of a poorly animated, poorly told story, with atrocious pacing, which often forgets it's a video game and the whole package accompanied by an unmatched amount of filler, maybe there was a spark somewhere which made it the perfect niche for you in the first place.

Entire chunks of the MSQ are outright bad, like the Nanamo plot, the obvious retcons, Yda's last second sister introduction, most of Stormblood 4.0 (unfortunately, because some of the ideas and characters were so good!), forced rival characters like Grynewaht/Zenos/Ran'jit, and most of Endwalker. Seriously, Labyrinthos 89 has some serious issues I can't believe a profesional writer came up with something so boring and unfun at the same time.

...But I'll admit that for a moment, I had that spark. I was aware of all the things that were wrong with the writing yet I was still very invested, I cared about the characters, there was something there. It's mostly gone now, and with XVI being a similar disappointment I'm starting to think my favorite series since I was a kid has finally become something not for me anymore.

[Voltyblast]

Im sorry but the way you worded out that final sentence is concerning to say the least.

Right, I'm quitting the game, nothing less, nothing more. Not my intention to sound dramatic, but it was a painful experience playing this game because of my different, completely blasphemous opinions that rendered me a stranger worse than the boogieman. Like I said, countless of friends were gone or left me because of that, because I cared of the game but not the same way, but just because I didn't like the same thing they did, because I thought the story "was okay", or because I didn't fall in love with some member of the cast, I was some kind of freakish monster who doesn't like stories or something. I tried for ten years, ten long years to reach out to others, and maybe open up again, to make new friends, only to get back to the start because apparently, as always, disliking something others like is a sin worse than anything else in this game, and in today's era. And on top of that is was causing me to be stressed and to simply behave very negatively so I had no choice but to cut what's causing me stress: this game.

I just don't like the story, is that such a concept that others cannot grasp? Apparently not, like how someone in a discord channel told me once that "It is impossible to dislike Shadowbringer's story". Bad news for that person: I don't like Shadowbringer's Story, and even after replaying the MSQ twice I still don't like it. And nothing will change my mind - but I will respect people for their enjoyment of it, as I always did and always do. Sadly the feelings are reciprocated as it turns out...I still don't think it's a bad story though, which I think I should clarify it but it doesn't change the fact that I do not like this game's story.

Anyway, I got tired and I thought this was the perfect time to move on and play games and stories that I actually like. Like Yakuza or Trails of Zero/Azure or something.

[MonsutaMan]

The OP pretty much sums XIV up in a nutshell.

XIV is all unjustified hype.....I mean, even XIV's peak was questionable because it was the result of players from the greatest MMO of all-time as opposed to XIV itself lol. Like, everything about XIV is manufactured hype, that many players are now recognizing.

Can't speak much on the story, because I have yet to even complete HW LMAO. However, I am inclined to take the OP word because nothing memorable has happened yet. As opposed to XI's plot twist early when the crystal Warriors humbled "Thanos" & was working with someone you knew for awhile.....

XIV is a good 2nd MMO to compliment your main MMO/Game. Far from a bad game, but does not hit the feels like VII, XI, Skyrim, Elden Ring, San Andreas, etc.....

XIV-XVI are the worst FF trio eras imo.

IX, X & XI were the best, imo of course. That was peak SE. They gave fans some old gen, new gen & a twist with an MMO when MMO were not even popular......& all three not it out of the park.

[TheNight]

XIV is all unjustified hype.....I mean, even XIV's peak was questionable because it was the result of players from the greatest MMO of all-time as opposed to XIV itself lol. Like, everything about XIV is manufactured hype, that many players are now recognizing.

Quite right. Yet many people will claim that those player numbers is a result of FF14 being excellent rather than WoW being horrible and COVID pushing people to stay home.

[Griss]

ok. you do you boo

[Darkobra]

I was definitely sad, angry and horrified at Last of Us 2... to the point I refunded it. Such a pale shadow of the first one.

[kcj]

As much as I like story based content; I've come to the conclusion that the MSQ for FF14 is entirely too much slog.

I've done up to "Heavensward (Quest)" and I'm simply done with it. Too much filler content (fifty-ish quests both before and after the "main" arc of the expansion.) and I don't feel that you loose anything by either skipping cut scenes or simply skipping it altogether. My though is that the game doesn't actually start until after you finish slogging though the MSQ, so why not skip it?

[Eastwall]

I just hope the story isn't mandatory for unlocking content, So l can do story when l feel like it.

[TheNight]

As much as I like story based content; I've come to the conclusion that the MSQ for FF14 is entirely too much slog.

I've done up to "Heavensward (Quest)" and I'm simply done with it. Too much filler content (fifty-ish quests both before and after the "main" arc of the expansion.) and I don't feel that you loose anything by either skipping cut scenes or simply skipping it altogether. My though is that the game doesn't actually start until after you finish slogging though the MSQ, so why not skip it?

And yet, Yoshi P doubled down on insisting that all players need to go through the MSQ in an interview recently.

Why? So they can make $50 off of new players...