What was they thinking when they did variant dungeons and criterion

[Midareyukki]

True. Criterion rewards, class balance every new raid tier (healing, phys ranged), gearing, housing, etc. They are at least acknowledged by the playerbase on several platforms. You wouldn't be wrong to call this expansion at least a bit "controversial".

I feel like that's the word I should have used. But :| eh, it didn't come to mind, so sue me.

Endwalker's obviously praised. As is every expansion thus far. I'm even wrong, there was actually MORE hate toward Stormblood than there was toward Endwalker. Because if I remember right, the general mood even on Reddit was "SB was okay, but really bland and torn between two places, and Zenos isn't interesting". Endwalker is blessedly better received on that aspect, people just don't tend to like how rushed the plot was and how some elements were underplayed (Garlemald and the Final Days specifically). Some people don't like Venat and Zodiark, whereas on that front I'm just "eh" about it.

Otherwise I'm enjoying this expansion. I just am not blind to drops in quality and they are there. Nor do I excuse them with "Yeah but they saved ARR so it's fine". To me it's not, it was fine at first with them delaying the expansion and the yikes release. But after so long I drew the line, and that's when I started saying "Okay, what the hell". I didn't suddely develop acute selective amnesia and forget all the good stuff the devs have done like I keep being accused of. I HAVEN'T forgotten that according to Yoshida, some people in the team worked behind his back to get Viera and Hrothgar some headgear in SHB and I was and AM thankful to those people (assuming the story is true and not a PR stunt). But that doesn't stop me from saying "ok what the hell" when they take the decision to chop off ears. I'd have the same reaction if they decided to delete Lalafell hands just because some gear pieces were starting to get glitched on them.

Just because you criticise the devs in their flaws, it doesn't mean you hate them nor that you cannot recognize their virtues Okay? Okay.