7.2 MSQ opinions (spoiler obviously)

[Darnuss]

Honestly is more of the same, one of the main problems with DT (besides characters) is the fact that is a re-hash of the last two expansions in terms of "narrative" that also breaks XIV own worldbuilding, remember in ARR-HW it got hammered into our heads that when shards began to "merge" is a really bad thing? But in DT is all good we have the pseudo-Alexandria shard still "attached" to us bcs we need to "understand" and learn from them according to Wuk Lamat, which it's nonsense.

One thing i'll give to 7.2 is that Sphene feels like a real character and she made the """story""" kinda engaging but that's pretty much it. I really don't care about Calyx and his glorious EVOLUTION, because we seen this before with the Omicrons, the OA, and so on. Honestly the most enjoy i had with this patch (expansion in general) is the Arcadion. It has a good storyline that actually tries to emulate a WWE PPV and they done a really good job.

[PaleYonder]

I've been so negative about 7.0, I ought to post my positive impression now, too:

I liked this one a lot actually, and after having been very critical of 7.0 and 7.1, and indecisive on if I should hope for the team's ability to course-correct one more time or just cut my losses and accept that my game had ended with Endwalker and was gone now, I was seriously surprised. I barely minded that I was too busy to play until the weekend after patch day, and while I'd retained some idle curiosity what they'd do now, I mostly expected to skim through and then unsubscribe after the last chance had failed, or a middle ground of "Well, this is slightly better, maybe one more patch..." - but no, this was in many ways a story for me again. There were so many aspects big and small that showed they had listened to those of us who had the same complaints I had, and most importantly, wrote a story I could actually enjoy.
I don't think we'll ever know what happened in the writer's room, for 7.0 or for 7.2, but for all intents and purposes it feels to me like they let the talented writers out of some mysterious confinement and let them write.

I felt like my character was a part of the story again. Things actually mattered. It was focused on the city's problems. We were not dropping everything to save the rroneek. (Sincerely, thank you.) Real Sphene is lovely and actually credible and endearing as a character. She's also distinctly our friend and confides in us, and the battles are our shared problem with nobody barging in.
And yes, less Wuk Lamat. It was such a relief to get breathing room from her and have her out of the spotlight most of the time. She's not the one problem with DT's writing, but the way she was handled was an issue and part of the whole. I also appreciated the distinction that while Endless Sphene was her social connection, new Sphene is ours, and they're treated as different characters essentially.

The people of Solution Nine have multifaceted and differing stances on the regulators and Evil Sphene's doomsday cult; that was my first big surprise in the patch after the ending of 7.1.
We get a terrorist plot instead of wholesome shenanigans with tribes, I mean Allied Societies that can do no wrong and must never have flaws. Actual stakes, actual events.
During the terrorist plot, our character is shown in a cutscene with their equipped weapon actively doing some fighting! That both looked very cool and was amusing in a way as a blatant response to the reception of 7.0's infamous throne room scene. Proof that they can listen and actually implement things. It's just a second or two, but it made a big difference to me as a signal.

The Scions are waking up from their cryosleep and sound like themselves again. Still a bit groggy and finding their bearings maybe, but we're getting there. I know opinions on their continued presence are divided, but as someone who enjoys them and wants to keep them around, just as themselves, not cardboard cutouts, this was good for me. G'raha had some good lines and got to be thoughtful again and communicate with us, you know, actually asking questions and having us answer, manually with choices in phrasing (we'll ignore that the outcome is the same, it's how it's always been), and shows concern for us as a person. Alisaie gets to show some spirit, and if it's just yelling over the phone. It's a signal that someone remembered who she was. Krile needed a bigger role but got to be the scientist again, and that's a step up from before too.
We got to actually call our people and talk to them one-on-one.
When we were out in the field and things got bad, our people called us. (And not Wuk Lamat to relay information to us.)
When talking to NPCs optionally during quests, they had real lines to say that showed some personality or insight that their specific character would have, instead of 7.0's style of "I can't believe [the thing that just happened, happened]" or "We should [complete the quest objective]" (or "Where is Wuk Lamat?").

These are all small things, but after DT's disaster, they matter to me greatly.

Also? Calyx is immensely anime but I'm enjoying him. He's somewhat fresh compared to DT so far, he's entertaining, and I want to be entertained for once.

After 7.0 being compared to SB, I said I wanted a rescue à la SB's patch stories. When an evil Sphene and a possibly nice Sphene got added in 7.1, I expected a retread of the Tsuyu story in some broad elements. Real Sphene has already shown herself as her own character, who can gladly stay around for longer, but I still see the parallels, not that that's a bad thing. If Calyx is the Asahi in this scenario, I won't mind either because I love Asahi as a character. I don't know where they're taking this, and I suspect they don't know yet either and are testing for reactions first, but for now I feel like I got my game back, earlier than expected. The remaining wrinkles can be ironed out as we go along.

[Hallarem]

All I'm saying is, the sooner we stop pretending that these "endless" have feelings or need to be emphatized with, the better. They aren't real people. I REALLY REAAAAALLY hope they don't pull out a lame "feel sorry for Calyx" plotline before we kill him. Just let him be the single-minded drone he is and let us shut him down.

And no, this is nothing even CLOSE to what the Ascians were doing and what Emett felt like. Actual real souls vs memory amalgamation thingamajigs.

And for Twelve's sake, kick Wuk Lamat out of the scenes already. She doesn't need to be here, doesn't she have a nation to rule? Sure is meddling a lot for someone who said she isn't meddling!

[PaleYonder]

All I'm saying is, the sooner we stop pretending that these "endless" have feelings or need to be emphatized with, the better. They aren't real people. I REALLY REAAAAALLY hope they don't pull out a lame "feel sorry for Calyx" plotline before we kill him. Just let him be the single-minded drone he is and let us shut him down.

And no, this is nothing even CLOSE to what the Ascians were doing and what Emett felt like. Actual real souls vs memory amalgamation thingamajigs.

And for Twelve's sake, kick Wuk Lamat out of the scenes already. She doesn't need to be here, doesn't she have a nation to rule? Sure is meddling a lot for someone who said she isn't meddling!

Very much agreed, and I would very much like an option, "Yes, I am in fact completely okay with shutting down ChatGPT."

[Andevom]

I REALLY REAAAAALLY hope they don't pull out a lame "feel sorry for Calyx" plotline before we kill him.

Too bad that is *exactly* what they're going to do.

[Supersnow845]

Honestly is more of the same, one of the main problems with DT (besides characters) is the fact that is a re-hash of the last two expansions in terms of "narrative" that also breaks XIV own worldbuilding, remember in ARR-HW it got hammered into our heads that when shards began to "merge" is a really bad thing? But in DT is all good we have the pseudo-Alexandria shard still "attached" to us bcs we need to "understand" and learn from them according to Wuk Lamat, which it's nonsense.

One thing i'll give to 7.2 is that Sphene feels like a real character and she made the """story""" kinda engaging but that's pretty much it. I really don't care about Calyx and his glorious EVOLUTION, because we seen this before with the Omicrons, the OA, and so on. Honestly the most enjoy i had with this patch (expansion in general) is the Arcadion. It has a good storyline that actually tries to emulate a WWE PPV and they done a really good job.

Honestly I think that’s about the only thing that base 7.0 did right. The fusion of the fragment of the 9th that is the everkeep was an enormous and dangerous upheaval for both sides and completely messed up many people living in yassoulani at the time. The bulk of the 9th is still sitting there untouched as you can see outside the barrier after shutting off living memory

[Gwenkatsu]

I swear, idk what's the obsession with foods lately in ff14. Like, I get it, you want to show some nice looking food or the engine physics for liquid, but can't that be done in side quest? It's always the same scene anyway when character gets introduced to a food, took a bite, then have sparkly eye reaction because apparently it's so good.
Either that or spicy food joke.

As much as I find "constantly watch someone or yourself eat" a very stupid take on things - it's still miles better then the "turn screen blank and play silly munching sounds" trope they used before (e.g. SB physical ranged job quests).

[Mawlzy]

As much as I find "constantly watch someone or yourself eat" a very stupid take on things - it's still miles better then the "turn screen blank and play silly munching sounds" trope they used before (e.g. SB physical ranged job quests).

Oh that was awful. Hearing someone eat messily is unpleasant under any circumstances, but to deal with it after every quest was just idiotic.

[Gwenkatsu]

Oh that was awful. Hearing someone eat messily is unpleasant under any circumstances, but to deal with it after every quest was just idiotic.

Seems I'm not the only one to remember this quest line

I love engaging with a game's lore, reading quests and watching cutscenes. But after years of playing FF14, I identified three topics which are an immediate nope on my side:

• Anything Hildibrand related
• Anything regarding the company of heroes morons
• Screen turning black and munching noises

[Sharindel]

You summed up all of my views on the bad. Wuk is a damaged character that cannot be salvaged for me at this point. I hit space bar or skip cutscenes when she is in the game which is something I have not done since ARR started. I really hope we move on from that character or they drop her out of the MSQ as soon as possible.

You are correct, Wuk is burned, she must be gone, most of the player base link her directly to the horrible add-on that dawntrail is!
I even suspect that Wuk is a self insert of one of the developers who want to be the one character that is superior to the warrior of light! She steals all the attention of the warrior of light, even to the point where she steal our boss fight. As example for what i expect of the warrior of light you should watch this https://youtu.be/XXsmvmlBiOA that is a story of the last patch of Wuthering Waves. You are the hero, you are the one who get it done. A thing Square Enix never had done. We are only be called the warrior of light, but in most cases we never be the bad ass god killing hero!

And they should really really stop give us even less than a visual novel, in a visual novel we have choices and bad endings. But in this game we are have not even a choice and now they even cut us out of the story. We are only the mentor, the obi-wan of luke or should i say the WoL of WuK? The story must be around US the players protagonist, the WoL, everything must be the story of the WoL not the scions, they are only the addition to the WoL.