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

[EgilTheStressedMage]

What gets me is that I honestly cannot fathom the decision making when it comes to the likes of Elidibus. It's like Yoshi-P is terrified of people rooting or liking anyone other than the Scions and City State leaders or some fluffy very minor character of little consequence. So right as a character who has been built up over time steps into the spotlight they're immediately killed off and then largely forgotten about by the ongoing narrative. Unless it's to make disparaging remarks at their expense.

Like that utterly laughable snipe from Y'shtola regarding Elidibus in 6.1 for doing the very same thing that...Hydaelyn was doing, to one of Y'shtola's closest friends no less! Oh, but of course - it's absolutely fine for someone very close to you to be manipulated and killed unnecessarily so long as 'mOmMy' is the one doing it. These same characters will lose their minds if even the most sympathetic of antagonists so much as looks at one of their friends the wrong way, though!

He simply does not and probably cannot understand what made Emet-Selch work and clearly refuses to try. At this point XIV is in it's Sticker Star phase (fourth expansion and fourth Paper Mario maybe) where the director thinks they know what players want by destroying absolutely everything that made the previous expansions work in favor of what the director personally wants, quality be damned. Spoiler alert: the game was a goddamn failure and is almost universally agreed upon. In between using a weak consumable based system for the entirety of the game and Kersti's existence, I couldn't even finish a second playthrough. Origami King and Color Splash were steps in the right direction but it's going to be take a long time for there to be a true quality Paper Mario again. Wouldn't surprise me if XIV is heading the same way.

Or maybe he just doesn't care anymore since he has his money.

[Theodric]

He simply does not and probably cannot understand what made Emet-Selch work and clearly refuses to try. At this point XIV is in it's Sticker Star phase (fourth expansion and fourth Paper Mario maybe) where the director thinks they know what players want by destroying absolutely everything that made the previous expansions work in favor of what the director personally wants, quality be damned. Spoiler alert: the game was a goddamn failure and is almost universally agreed upon. In between using a weak consumable based system for the entirety of the game and Kersti's existence, I couldn't even finish a second playthrough. Origami King and Color Splash were steps in the right direction but it's going to be take a long time for there to be a true quality Paper Mario again. Wouldn't surprise me if XIV is heading the same way.

Or maybe he just doesn't care anymore since he has his money.

I think he's too obsessed with the older Final Fantasy titles. It's not exactly a secret that although they weren't free of nuance, they're mostly straight up black and white stories of good versus evil. Things get more complex in the more 'recent' main entries since the antagonists are generally more fleshed out, charismatic and sympathetic.

I also think there's a strange unwillingness to compromise. Those of us who enjoyed the Return to Ivalice and Save the Queen content are forced to lose out because the storyline was artificially ended despite being planned to last longer. Then some here have the audacity to wonder why we're so annoyed when resources are diverted into yet more fluffy pursuits that lack meaningful stakes and consequences.

FFXIV's storytelling is becoming very effete for lack of a better word. I suppose it's telling that one of the few elements that still intrigues me is the Void and that looks to be the next thing to be hastily wrapped up and resolved.

I've been having fun in TESO at least. I'll be giving 6.2 chance - mostly for the sake of my house - but if it ends up disappointing me then I'll cut my losses. I'll only be sticking around if the development team prove that they're willing to throw a bone at those of us who like more than just their clear favourites.