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

[Sotaris]

I disagree OP, and the story isn't a cinematic story like Last of Us, that aren't even in the same ballpark.
For a FF story it's pretty good (especially Shb one).

As a gamer that started with the Apple IIE, Id say you are dead wrong.

Ive played thousands of games, from all walks of developers from Monolith to Sierra / Vivendi, all genres from the very first point and click , CGI / EGA / VGA / ( Laura Bow ring a bell? ), I can count on the fingers of ONE HAND the number of devs and writers that have come anywhere NEAR FF 14's level of excellence.

Bioshock 1 and Infinite are close contenders.

+1 being an old gamer too. And BS1 and Infinite is GREAT games both gameplay and story/lore.

[Saefinn]

To each their own. I was emotionally invested, sure ARR is the weakest part and that can be a hurdle for some, however, HW was great & loved it, SB was okay (it felt unfinished to me, but had its great moments) and ShB was fantastic. ShB was a rollercoaster plotwise and it's doing really well leading up to Endwalker.

The quality of the writing and storyline of Shadowbringers I feel surpasses any other Final Fantasy I've played and I realise that's a pretty bold statement but it's how it was for me. It lacks some of the cinematic quality of many single player games, which can add to immersion, but that experience has improved over the years (it's not cheap to do) but I feel a good balance was found that doesn't hinder my experience because good cinematography isn't story nor is it good writing. I'd probably argue that good cinematography fills in the gaps of weaker writing.

As for the sense of urgency, this really only works to its full extent in linear video games because the developer controls that whole experience Even then, I've had plot hook me so I focus on story completion and lead me on through hooks, but I'd say this is kinda normal for the RPG genre. Plus I don't think it really works for FF fans to have linear games, look at how much people complained that FFXIII was too linear. I think FFX is probably the most linear they've got away with but even with that they managed it so it feels like a journey where you can stop and explore rather than be dragged into the next part of the plot. And talking of a journey, whilst I had SB complaints, I'll give kudos that when you return to the West it feels like you've just come back from a journey.


But there are plotlines away from the MSQ that don't do it for me and parts of the MSQ's I think could be written better or fleshed out better. But I disagree on the Mary Sue moments, yes, I do think the "they're dead not really" thing gets over played but I don't think that constitutes as a Mary Sue moment.

And whilst there are things I think could be done better, it doesn't detract from my overall experience.

[Rhus]

Lots of bait threads from people who just joined this week/month. Be alert

[Shibi]

I'm not saying the story is bad, but it's definitely not one of the best stories in a video game

I doubt many people would disagree with the salient point of your post.

I agree, it's not a bad story, but it's not the absolute top rank, number one story. The nice people - oh so many lovely people - make up for that miniscule shortcoming, and with the two - story and people to share it with - it's one of the top 10 games in my library.

(Thank-you for using paragraphs and correct spelling! Most of this genre of posts are written using half-chewed crayons).

[_Koneko_]

nice bait thread i give it a 3 out of 10

[HollowedDoll]

FFXIV is capable of making you feel sad, angry, and horrified, because the writing isn't shit.

[LaughingBanana]

The Last of Us 2 is capable of making you feel sad, angry, and horrified because the game is designed in a very immersive manner. FF14 makes you read the dialogues which isn't as immersive as modern story games.

And are you saying that FFXIV is incapable of inflicting those emotions to its players? Because I would greatly disagree with you if that is the implication that you're trying to make. I would say that FFXIV has, in many occasions, managed to induce such emotions from me in a far, far stronger manner than many games I have played in my entire gaming career. The fact that it has managed to do so despite "not designed in a very immersive manner" is, for me, making it a greater achievement than games like The Last of Us 2.

[MrPresident]

Shadowbringers story was the best FF story in over a decade.

[demonofelru]

Shadowbringers story was the best FF story in over a decade.

This person speaks the truth. The last Final Fantasy game before FFXIV came out with what I would call great story was FFIX (or Lost Odyssey, because it closer to Final Fantasy than what Square has been pumping out). Square has been putting out mostly trash for the last decade+. XIV is the saving grace of the series. I'm have high hopes for XVI since Creative Business Unit III is making it.

[Adeacia]

I play story heavy games all the time. I prefer rpgs because of the stories. I have played countless, Chrono Trigger, the Personas, including nearly every single mainline FF game to name a few. Only FF I haven't finished are 2, 3 and 11. I only started this game because I wanted to see its story.

In my experience with a focus on story heavy games, FF14 has one of the best. I've always viewed it as a single player game wrapped in an mmo. Each expansion is another game in the 14 series.

People always go on about wanting everyone to die, which would only make the story worse. Why get attached to any characters when you know they won't live for long? Death for the sake of it is bad writing. I much prefer good stories, like the one in this game.