Just finished Orbonne Monastery (old content spoilers)...

[TeraRamis]

I skipped Stormblood. Like, I wasn't subbed during that time frame, and I've never leveled an alt. through the content (I got about four hours in, decided I wasn't hooked like I had been in Heavensward, and boosted past it). So Orbonne Monastery was 'new' to me, as was the whole Ramza-Alma chain.

And, having just now completed it, I have to say: what utter crap that arc is. When the story wasn't shamelessly name-dropping Ivalice locations, sending you on pointless mid-action fetch quests, or dispatching you to raids that bore only the vaguest resemblance of source locations from FFT, it was employing the most basal narrative tropes imaginable (Ramza and Alma were named by some rando playwright after the real Ramza and Alma, grew up to look like them, and then are eventually partially possessed by the originals?... COME ON, MAN).



I think the most infuriating part - for me, at least - was fighting ridiculous, caricatured versions of Cid, Agrias, and Mustadio, all of whom, while auspiciously 'testing' the WoL, were aiming to kill, and were screeching like they were respectively all on drugs while doing it.

The beauty of FFT is its almost universal subtlety - characters act normal; are largely driven by banal, recognizable motives (greed, lust, honor, etc.) in an otherwise very lived-in, very rule-driven high fantasy setting. Apparently, that all went over the head of whoever wrote this garbage plot - it wasn't enough to have cutscenes littered with bad gags, or Ramza 2.0 acting like a complete prick. Nah, Agrias has to now be some ur-Paladin (I don't even recall her being a paladin. She just had some sword attacks), Mustadio a possessed sniper-rifle-wielding killbot, and Cid - having taken his battle moniker to apparent heart - an actual God of thunder. Top it all off with not even including Ovelia (I actually feel kind of blessed about her absence in retrospect), and SE managed to somehow complete the hat trick: turning me against my favorite Final Fantasy. Not satisfied with a **** sandwich, you managed to cook an entire **** banquet.

Congratulations: you suck at writing.

[kelevra13]

You do know that the rando playwright is a descendant of Orran and Alma, right?

[Vyrerus]

What did you expect them to do with having to design a story based around short-lived mass battle content? You're looking at it from the wrong angles, I think.

Plus, you clearly didn't pay close attention to the story that went along with it, perhaps due to your apparent low patience mindset. That, "rando playwright," is the descendant of Orran Durai and Alma.

Also did you not notice Agrias, Mustadio, and TG Cid help you in the final battle, along with the soul of the real Ramza?

[TeraRamis]

That, "rando playwright," is the descendant of Orran Durai and Alma.

I know who he was. Know what being a 'to the power of XYZ' descendant of a bit part character makes you? A nobody.

[Vyrerus]

I know who he was. Know what being a 'to the power of XYZ' descendant of a bit part character makes you? A nobody.

Ahh yes, descendant of Alma, the girl possessed by Ultima, and the guy responsible for the Durai Reports, one of those, "universal subtleties" you seem so fond of sure were bit characters. Yep. Mhmm.

[TeraRamis]

the guy responsible for the Durai Reports, one of those, "universal subtleties" you seem so fond of sure were bit characters. Yep. Mhmm.

Yeah, also known a non-participant in 99% of FFT's story? This is like comparing the importance of a beat sports writer to the lineup of the '96 Bulls.

[RagingStallion]

I skipped Stormblood. Like, I wasn't subbed during that time frame, and I've never leveled an alt. through the content (I got about four hours in, decided I wasn't hooked like I had been in Heavensward, and boosted past it). So Orbonne Monastery was 'new' to me, as was the whole Ramza-Alma chain.

And, having just now completed it, I have to say: what utter crap that arc is. When the story wasn't shamelessly name-dropping Ivalice locations, sending you on pointless mid-action fetch quests, or dispatching you to raids that bore only the vaguest resemblance of source locations from FFT, it was employing the most basal narrative tropes imaginable (Ramza and Alma were named by some rando playwright after the real Ramza and Alma, grew up to look like them, and then are eventually partially possessed by the originals?... COME ON, MAN).



I think the most infuriating part - for me, at least - was fighting ridiculous, caricatured versions of Cid, Agrias, and Mustadio, all of whom, while auspiciously 'testing' the WoL, were aiming to kill, and were screeching like they were respectively all on drugs while doing it.

The beauty of FFT is its almost universal subtlety - characters act normal; are largely driven by banal, recognizable motives (greed, lust, honor, etc.) in an otherwise very lived-in, very rule-driven high fantasy setting. Apparently, that all went over the head of whoever wrote this garbage plot - it wasn't enough to have cutscenes littered with bad gags, or Ramza 2.0 acting like a complete prick. Nah, Agrias has to now be some ur-Paladin (I don't even recall her being a paladin. She just had some sword attacks), Mustadio a possessed sniper-rifle-wielding killbot, and Cid - having taken his battle moniker to apparent heart - an actual God of thunder. Top it all off with not even including Ovelia (I actually feel kind of blessed about her absence in retrospect), and SE managed to somehow complete the hat trick: turning me against my favorite Final Fantasy. Not satisfied with a **** sandwich, you managed to cook an entire **** banquet.

Congratulations: you suck at writing.

Now you know what happens when SJWism runs amok

[Mhaeric]

The anger being displayed over this is diproportionally high compared to the import of this subject.

[MirronTulaxia]

I mean, it was written by the guy who wrote FFT, so I would imagine he knows something about FFT. :P

And honestly I found it bad but FFT/XII aren't really good either, honestly felt pretty much the same.

[Vyrerus]

Yeah, also known a non-participant in 99% of FFT's story? This is like comparing the importance of a beat sports writer to the lineup of the '96 Bulls.

Orran Durai is the ancestor of the narrator telling the story... you know, releasing the truth of history? It's more akin to when the Citizens' Commission to investigate the FBI brought COINTELPRO into the light.

His descendant in XIV has that same sort of plot thread.