"In from the Cold" Scenario, any way to skip it?

[BrokentoothMarch]

This quest was utterly atrocious. And this from someone who beat it in their first go.

It boggles the mind that so many ardent defenders (Read that literally. This doesn't refer to people who simply enjoy the thing in their own corner) keep needling on about the difficulty as if that were the problem at hand. I put a lot of care in the appearance and development of my character. Every quest that forces me into the skin of another has me so bored out of my mind, especially with how painfully streamed lined (literally to one button) their kits are. I've always been a proponent of storytelling through gameplay, but this was done horrifically badly. People have different tolerances and priorities between gameplay and immersion/story, which is why we're seeing somewhat of a variety in opinion. I'm of the thought that story matters immensely up until the point gameplay has to suffer for it. In this quest, gameplay /painfully/ suffered. For no reason, mind. It wasn't for story, certainly, since there was contrived reasons Zenos wasn't detected. There was some nonsensical Instant Transmission of our hero from one side of the map to the other despite being in a body that was both at death's door and incapable of processing aether (meaning regeneration/healing those wounds were literally impossible. To succumb to the wounds was a certainty. You may think your convictions can surmount anything, but I can guarantee you that even it can't handle a failing body). Then it's off to the races as if nothing has happened, undermining the importance of what was supposed to be a 'tense' moment all the more. Didn't help that apparently thinking "I might need this fuel tank later" was something the devs considered too clever and so they forbid you from taking it until you speak with some useless corpse-adjacent then have to double back for... really no reason than just because.

It was all frustration. No tension. And literally the quest after, nobody cares. If you like this, all the power to you. But it wasn't hard and to pretend it had any impact on the story as a whole is plain objectively incorrect.They really should add a 'skip' to playing other NPCs. I'm sure SE feels very proud of their designs, but these designs weren't cute five years ago and they aren't cute now.

It's getting old.

[Ghald]

I think this quest done what it set out to do. Put fear in me and let me feel what it's like to be an ordinary Garlean soldier who can't use magic but have to contend with you, the warrior of light who can easily mow down any adversaries.


Gameplay wise it's only seems difficult because you as the player are thrust into it without knowing where to go first so you'd naturally try to head south where the broken Magitech is. It's become clear what you need to do if you trial and error it.


My only qualm with this quest is that I wish I didn't have to start again from the very begining of the long serie of cutscenes.


Of course once you know what to do then it'll only take you about 7min to complete if that.

[kejakalope]

There was some nonsensical Instant Transmission of our hero from one side of the map to the other despite being in a body that was both at death's door and incapable of processing aether (meaning regeneration/healing those wounds were literally impossible. To succumb to the wounds was a certainty. You may think your convictions can surmount anything, but I can guarantee you that even it can't handle a failing body).

This is a particularly amusing expansion to take up a skeptic's position against against the power of burning heart emotion in.