What's the point with that quite lackluster story in Endwalker?

[PawPaw]

Unsurprising in that regard, though I'm forever bewildered as to why people remain so attached to Haurchefant.

I agree this was quite surprising. Maybe it has something to do with shots/voice clips of him him being constantly shoved in our face accompanied by oh-so-sad music several times during EW? Otherwise, while I like Haurchefant for what he was back in HW I can't think of a reason to be that attached to him at this point. Much less for it to be so widespread that he'd reach Number 3 on a popularity poll in 2022.

My music tastes are apparently vastly different from other players. I dislike most of the top song choices, especially Answers.

Answers and Flow can both die in a fire but I'm OK with the rest. 'Neath Dark Waters is probably my favorite song in the game.

[Teraq]

He's Asahi, he's Amon, he's a generic Elezen until the dungeon.

Speaking of models, there's something about Amon that just sits uneasy with me honestly: he's just a FFIII monster touched up. I feel the same toward Xande; I just can't connect to them as actual people that lived in the world of FFXIV because they look so bizarre and improbable for the setting. Fandaniel's Echo flashbacks show him interacting both with Xande and with perfectly normal Midlander Hyurs. The thing is, to me he will just always be this FFIII fanservice cameo in Syrcus Tower with a ridiculous boss model rather than a true person that lived in the Allagan Empire.

If anything, he's shown to have what looks like dark grey/purple pointy ears. I would have really appreciated it if the game had shown us what he actually looked like under his tacky costume. I am picturing a Duskwight that looks exactly like Hermes, as poetic irony for him insisting he is nothing like the man Fandaniel used to be.

Answers and Flow can both die in a fire but I'm OK with the rest.

Fully onboard with Flow dying in a fire to be honest.

I wish I could have the other two phases of Close In The Distance still playing in Ultima Thule. I appreciated the full song as part of the MSQ and walking up there, but it just feels awkward playing all the time while I'm just mining chondrite. The first phase that just droned on and on was one real mood.

(Also, every time I hear the "promises made so long ago" line, I cringe.)

[Theodric]

Admittedly I never cared much for Haurchefant. I dislike him for the same reason I don't like G'raha - the story insists that my character feels strongly about both characters even though it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to do so.

The writers would do well to remember that a lot of people don't care for the constant hero worship that is forced upon them at practically every turn to the point of it coming across as a parody and obsession.

I also didn't like the decision to suddenly tie the Crystal Tower storyline to pretty much every major aspect of the story and have G'raha of all characters responsible for the defeat of not one but two of the Unsundered.

It was particularly jarring when one considers that neither Emet or Elidibus were allowed a single on screen kill of note during their time in the spotlight. I think such a decision did them both a major disservice - and knowing that Ishikawa was against the idea of Moenbryda dying makes it even worse because I think Nabriales stood out as pretty cool as a consequence of...actually posing a meaningful threat.

[PawPaw]

and knowing that Ishikawa was against the idea of Moenbryda dying makes it even worse because I think Nabriales stood out as pretty cool as a consequence of...actually posing a meaningful threat.

Umm. Are you serious? Is she willing to see anyone "good" die in this game? As if the plot armor for the "heroes" wasn't already at laughable levels.

More reason for me to really hope that we get some writer changes going forward; I don't need to play in a cotton-candy land where the only bad things that happen are to those they dictate to be the "villains" or to throwaway NPCs.

I wish I could have the other two phases of Close In The Distance still playing in Ultima Thule. I appreciated the full song as part of the MSQ and walking up there, but it just feels awkward playing all the time while I'm just mining chondrite. The first phase that just droned on and on was one real mood.

(Also, every time I hear the "promises made so long ago" line, I cringe.)

I also really liked the two versions of Close in the Distance that were simply distorted instrumentals. It is pretty odd to always have lyrical music playing whenever you go to a zone, are there any other like this? Only thing I can think of that's similar is that 'La-hee" place.

[Theodric]

Umm. Are you serious? Is she willing to see anyone "good" die in this game? As if the plot armor for the "heroes" wasn't already at laughable levels.

More reason for me to really hope that we get some writer changes going forward; I don't need to play in a cotton-candy land where the only bad things that happen are to those they dictate to be the "villains" or to throwaway NPCs.

It's a stance that even Yoshi-P appears to be echoing of late which is annoying. They're seeking to appease a vocal portion of social media followers who would have everything reduced to 'good guys' and 'bad guys' which in turn leads to things becoming very stale and predictable.

Even Matsuno was held back by Yoshi-p and told that he couldn't kill off anyone of note during the Bozja storyline. I don't like death for the sake of death but I've never asked for that - I just think that if someone intends to tell a story about war and loss then there should be some of the latter for the protagonists instead of conveniently just emotionally manipulating people into finding the antagonists sympathetic as they - and only they - stand to lose absolutely everything.

[PawPaw]

I don't like death for the sake of death but I've never asked for that - I just think that if someone intends to tell a story about war and loss then there should be some of the latter for the protagonists instead of conveniently just emotionally manipulating people into finding the antagonists sympathetic as they - and only they - stand to lose absolutely everything.

Agreed, I don't want to see Scions and side characters getting bumped off just because I'm bloodthirsty but there is only so much I can suspend disbelief when we are constantly being thrown into these super high risk situations and no one is coming away with as much as a scrape. There are no consequences for anything that this group does and that makes me more detached from them and the believability of them as characters as a whole. Why would I ever be anxious and nervous for the protagonists at any point when no matter what they do, they always come out on top?

Oh, Y'shtola's died again? Oh well. Give her five and I'm sure she'll be right back. Yawn.

[Teraq]

Agreed, I don't want to see Scions and side characters getting bumped off just because I'm bloodthirsty but there is only so much I can suspend disbelief when we are constantly being thrown into these super high risk situations and no one is coming away with as much as a scrape. There are no consequences for anything that this group does and that makes me more detached from them and the believability of them as characters as a whole. Why would I ever be anxious and nervous for the protagonists at any point when no matter what they do, they always come out on top?

Oh, Y'shtola's died again? Oh well. Give her five and I'm sure she'll be right back. Yawn.

It's amusing how the entire last leg of EW feels like the least high-stake to me because we are literally in Feely Emotion Space that runs on The Power of God and Anime. Scions sacrificing themselves? We know they'll be back right away. Twitter Hivemind chucking planets at us? Yeah whatever I'll just Power of Friendship through that. Twice.

You just know there would be no other outcome when it's gone full anime.

Meanwhile back on Etheirys everyone in Sharlayan is okay just watching the sky that definitely stays blue.

(Ancients and Dynamis though? No, The Power of God and Anime doesn't work like that!)

[aveyond-dreams]

I too would like my video games to have stories with meaningful development and consequences. Otherwise, what separates Endwalker from just twitter fanfiction?

[Ixon]

I too would like my video games to have stories with meaningful development and consequences. Otherwise, what separates Endwalker from just twitter fanfiction?

Whatdya mean? We lost Fandaniel, Zenos, Venat/Hydaelyn, Zodiark, Ahewann, Quintus, the two sisters that got mauled, that one kid that got turned into a meatball and squished. /s

[Theodric]

What's annoying is that I can totally see the writers bringing back Emet and Hythlodaeus somehow but it'd feel so contrived and forced that it'd ruin them for many of their fans. Especially if they had a complete shift in behaviour, attitude and perspective to the point of effectively being entirely different characters. Much like with Gaius.

I consider 'character development' to be something more than just conveniently jumping ship and agreeing with the player character on every front.

It's made worse by seeing how differently the single player games handle rival and antagonist figures. Seifer. Kuja. Rufus. The Turks. Golbez. To name but a few.

We don't see them imprisoned or killed. They just do their own thing and survive the events of their respective games. Meanwhile FFXIV seemingly takes pleasure in setting up the antagonists to have sympathetic reasons for doing what they're doing only to punish them to bizarre degrees for...daring to not just roll over and die in the face of awful circumstances.

As if they're meant to give up and not do what they feel is best when not lucky enough to have the stupid 'I WIN' button at their beck and call that is the Warrior of Light.