Endwalker was "meh" (for reasons other than technical issues)

[Tavieon]

I haven't and wasn't able to finish the MSQ to the end. But all I care in an MMO is a group play, not a killer storyline. In that sense, I appreciate OP on taking the issue to the public. I had similar feeling when playing MSQs as well. This could end up much more shallower than expected with so much of 'expectable' outcomes. Well, what can I say.. I've been watching too many Anime series and spoiled too much with so called 'epic' storylines.

But then again, since it's an MMO, if there are some moments of awesomeness, then it'll be ok for me and I've already met Loprrits which is literally an endgame in terms of storyline. Also, MMO is all about group play, you can't be completely free of spoiler when you watch raid strategy videos.. which is why I'm not really weighing too much on MMO's storyline.

So, EW having medicore MSQ isn't so much of a dealbreaker for me.. but the queue......

[RubyCirha]

i respect your opinion however i loved every second of endwalker so respectfully i disagree but to each there own

[RyuDragnier]

I would love to see anyone defending the search of 8 researchers in a big ass yellow search area quest, hahaha.

Why does everybody have issues with that easy quest? Do people not check every path?

[CharlotteSilver]

Endwalker is plagued with the same problem as Stormblood; trying to tie up too many storylines in too little time and trying to do too many things at the same time.

Stormblood's problem was that it introduced a bunch of storylines that went no where and weren't interesting the slightest. Everyone always praises the Doma parts cus it starts and wraps up a contained story. 61-64 and then 68-70 is completely pointless, the Ala Mhigans easily being the most pathetic city state we've ever had the opportunity to communicate with.

As for EW, it's all fine, apart from one glaring issue. The level 88 filler is a Stormblood-tier blemish on an otherwise well-paced scenario. Seriously, whoever designed Labirynthos part 2 needs to take a second look at what they consider good. Awfully paced, zero reason to be doing what we're doing, ONE voiced cutscene that means anything, and the worst part, Torn from the Heavens on a god damn 30 second loop for 2 levels because it stays even when you finish the 89 trial. Why? Wouldn't be surprised if they patch it.

[xenahawk]

Though i agree some of the quests felt tedious i couldnt disagree with you more on the story itself. Maybe its all on how you look at it and to be honest i probably emerged too much of myself i to it. Im not a highly emotional person but found myself pretty misty eyed every other cutscene. The garleans mistrust i understood because well we knew why we were there but they only had our word for all they knew, they even said as much, that we caused what was happening. And well again even some of the tedious quests like the body swap one for me added to the story and added to me as the player to say omg i have to hurry back to save my friends. Again i guess its all how you want to approach the story i guess.

[Alleo]

I understood Hermes when he thought life shouldn't be curated but left to a natural process. Even when he let Meteion go I was still on his side thinking, well maybe he wants to let his "daughters" live. But then Meteion went kind of bonkers saying all life is just suffering and it should end. I look towards Hermes thinking, "It's time to turn off the crazy and let her go... back to the aether." Nope he went full on koolaid and joined her.

The only reasonable explanation I could think of to make this story good, is that while the Ancient excelled in nearly everything, they simply haven't developed any form of psychiatric help. Hermes suffered from Major Depression.

And its not like he is much better than the other Ancients. He still creates other beings he just hates having to kill them. I can understand his position, but at the same time you do have creatures that would bring so much harm to other creatures that they kinda have to be killed.

Also he is completely fine to create Meteion and her sisters for his own sake. He sents them out to find answers too. Not knowing what dangers might await them...and at the same time he should have noticed that they were not up to the task...Meteion suffering like that just because he is angry or sad...did it never come to him that other planets would not be such a "paradise"?

I dunno wtf it is with this forum, it's so negative lol.

I genuinely don't believe that most people here talking about the story even pay attention to it or they even skipped it.
I am biased cuz MNK but especially with characters like Lyse and how people unironically think that she didn't grow as a character and people don't even understand or remember stuff that was explained ( like how Flow works ) and then hate on events in the story based on not understanding.
Even tho it's literally spelled out multiple times.

And I honestly cant believe that there are some posters here saying that someone does not understand the story or even skipped it just because they dont like or may have problems with some parts. Stories are subjective. Just look at stuff like the Twilight books or movies.

So in the end he still creates, does side projects that he does not register at the office and is ready to let every living being on the star including his beloved creatures die to the final days just so that Meteion can have her answer...

[Snapdragyn]

This here is what really stuck out as I played through the expansion. Even in comparison to previous expansions, there were way more stupid quest mechanics that served no other purpose than making things take as long as possible to inflate the play time...like that one awful quest in Labyrinthos that wanted you to help 8 people, but you ended up needing to talk to like 20 because most of the quest markers didn't count towards the quest with half the 8 being in really awkward to find locations. Seriously guys, we're going to play your game...we've already proven that...you don't have to go out of your way to have zero respect for our time.

To add: The series of hunting for Meteion when she's running away... & running away again... & running away AGAIN.

Like, I didn't even know she was going to turn evil at that point, & I already wanted to put an arrow in her face. So at least that wish got fulfilled in the end.

But, yeah. Next time maybe just auto-boot us & force us to go through queue again instead? That'd actually be a less frustrating waste of player time. :/

[Escalon]

I like the story for what it is, as in tying up all the loose ends and bringing it all together finally. But so far the story has been the only redeeming factor for me. And I get it, we are all free to disagree or agree, this is just my take and I do not want to anyone to feel like : NO YOU HAVE TO AGREE. I just wanted to vent my feelings about this expansion thus far.

I will ignore the queues, that just happens.

What I cannot ignore are the other things. The dungeons and Trials i've seen so far are just a big scoop of MAH, they are not outright bad, but they are also not even good, like what an amazing letdown with all the bosses till lvl 89 dungeon.

The quest design really was getting on my nerves. Oh, here take those quests that have you run exactly to half points between aetheryte's so you cannot teleport to them.

I hate the Escort mechanic, its given to quests where it does not really make any sense, but its not given to quest where it does.

The zones are lackluster again, the only one I find remotely nice is Elpis the rest is again vast fields with some stuff dotted over the place, like seriously SE, if you compare any zone to the original AAR zones, they just feel "empty" without much of elevation changes and detail.[Compare the South Shroud to lets say Labyrinthos. (if you gonna make "field" zone, make it at least feel vast and amazing like you did with Azim steppe)]

The armor design is the biggest disappointment I had, I get it, making new armors is hard, but outright copying older sets is just lazy, AT LEAST you could add things to them and alter them, but no we just get a straight copy pasta (again)

[Ultaniku]

Minor complaints here and there to an overall wonderful experience for me personally. The only thing I will say was the pacing of the second half of Labyrinthos was very weirdly done. I know they like to do some areas with a part one and two, but that one felt off to me a little. On the flip side the Thavnair second half felt wonderfully paced in connection to the story.

[Snapdragyn]

I've seen this being ranked as the most popular xpac, but I'd definitely put ShB before it.

- ShB pulled me in from the beginning. The end of the 1st dungeon brought a huge accomplishment to the storyline, one which was also a major reveal when you reflected on the promotional materials & images - OH, so THAT'S what that big V of night sky is about! OMG, & we just DID that! Huge impact 1 level into the story progression.

- EW didn't really pick up for me until midway through. The entire 1st half felt like 'we really need to wrap up some unfinished business before we get to the good stuff'. Then that was largely laid aside for a major turn in the plot direction (not unconnected, just big shift). Mystery in Sharlayan? Yeah, laying that aside... those towers we've been dealing with for awhile now? Yeah, hold up, we need to deal w/ Garlemald... oh but wait, let's go to the moon... no, back to Thavnair for some First-style monster transformations... hold up, the past is where we need to go.... I mean, to say it was 'all over the place' is an understatement: we literally go from a pre-Sundered past to the edge of the universe! Our journey & story in the First just felt like a much tighter plot to me.

- The emotional hits for me had these same pacing issues in each, meaning I didn't feel as connected to what was going on in a big sense in the EW story until much later. Also, some of the little things meant to have impact felt too manipulative to me, largely because they were rushed. In ShB we meet NPCs & have a bit of time to come to care about what happens to them; here it was 'ok - meet NPC', then 'emotional connection moment' 2-3 quests later. Um, ok, I mean I care in a general sense? But not as deeply.

- EW ending felt like a big punch with the Endsinger battle & then an afterthought with the Zenos fight. Why do that? It weakened the entire xpac IMO.

- The Zenos fight also annoyed the <redacted> out of me, to the point I almost logged off midway through & left it for later. Not the difficulty, just the dragged out 'will this ever END?!' of it. Again, having this as my near-final taste of the xpac only weakened the overall experience for me.