JP Official Forums are also criticizing the Dawntrail MSQ.

[CasterSvarog]

The fact that at least 85% of the msq isnt voiced (we're what? 5 expansions in now??) and mostly mute instances of text is also really dumb.

I think I’ve had like, 10 different moments where I say out loud ‘where’s the voice acting?’ When a cutscene starts. I’ve only just finished the Lvl 97 dungeon and a few cutscenes, and it’s genuinely freaking exhausting at this point

[Mapleine]

I'm not terribly surprised, at least for where I am in the MSQ.

There's lots of nice elements to the expansion but there's a dearth of interesting characters and dialogue. Wuk Lamat really does rip me out of each scene with her extremely offputting, childish behavior. I've literally skipped cutscenes just to avoid listening to her go into Jarjar Binks mode.

I've had complaints in the past, honestly with each expansion, but they were very subdued compared to what I feel like we're seeing here. Is the studio overwhelmed? Square is not a generous publisher and the team may be suffering due to the internal issues. It tgenuinely doesn't feel like the MSQ as is should've made it through playtesting and I'd have happily ate a delay if it meant better.

People referencing Stormblood as an equivelent ... that seems wrong. Yes, it and ARR are the whipping children but I've been here since launch and I don't recall Stormblood backlash anywhere near this. People didn't like Ala Mhigo pacing or Lyse's characterization changes but the rest was highly praised and important to the core plot.

[Elkanah]

I think I’ve had like, 10 different moments where I say out loud ‘where’s the voice acting?’ When a cutscene starts. I’ve only just finished the Lvl 97 dungeon and a few cutscenes, and it’s genuinely freaking exhausting at this point

The very FIRST cutscene for the expansion isnt voiced. Like-- we've ALWAYS had the very first cutscene voiced. The fact that it wasn't is not a very good thing :/

[CasterSvarog]

The very FIRST cutscene for the expansion isnt voiced. Like-- we've ALWAYS had the very first cutscene voiced. The fact that it wasn't is not a very good thing :/

In hindsight, that should have been a warning for what’s to come

[IvoryHawk]

All these threads are gonna make Yoshida cry again, then you'll have to forgive the team and go back to not criticizing anything.

[Shibi]

Yawn trail.

[LucienFaust]

A few things that bother me on top of everything bad about Wuk is how our character gets beaten in a way that needs help. I'm sorry but at this point we should be able to beat anything with our hands tied behind our backs. Seeing us just let that lizard brother walk away after he killed his father was dumb ass fuck I'd rather at least let us woop his ass and have him teleport away to escape and not just simply let him walk away.

Another scene with that wolf boss we fight with the npc's in solution 9 we get electrocuted and we seriously can't escape on our own? we shouldn't need help to escape from some weak ass electricity. I'd also argue we should have had some form of foreshadowing at the end to signify our next big bad that either rivals or even surpasses the Ascians. I always liked those cliche moments we used to have at the end of an expansion that gave us a tease of the what could the Ascians be plotting. Let's hope sakaguchi talks some sense into them because I'm betting he isn't going to be fund of Wuk Lamat lol.

[HighlanderClone]

Game started with power rangers trying to conquer the world and and evil black robe organization whose leader laughs in a way that would make Exdeath blush in embarrassment.

I love complaining about FFXIV but come on now.

And in the backdrop of that is a nuanced city-state political storyline with a portrayal of the excesses of mercantilism, the struggle of refugees, what naivety would wrought (2.55), the untold suffering due to the adherence to an absolutist culture... I can keep going on.

And people are calling this Stormblood 2.0... but Stormblood actually showed us a weary populace who no longer have the appetite for resistance, imperial administrators abusing their position to satisfy their sadistic wants, and the tragedy brought forth when an empire subjugates the population and unleash them to fight each other.

I'm sorry that you've seem to forget all this. Or perhaps you do not have the so-called "media literacy" to appreciate these nuances when you were playing through it.

[DreadCrow]

And in the backdrop of that is a nuanced city-state political storyline with a portrayal of the excesses of mercantilism, the struggle of refugees, what naivety would wrought (2.55), the untold suffering due to the adherence to an absolutist culture... I can keep going on.

And people are calling this Stormblood 2.0... but Stormblood actually showed us a weary populace who no longer have the appetite for resistance, imperial administrators abusing their position to satisfy their sadistic wants, and the tragedy brought forth when an empire subjugates the population and unleash them to fight each other.

I'm sorry that you've seem to forget all this. Or perhaps you do not have the so-called "media literacy" to appreciate these nuances when you were playing through it.

...you realize people are calling it Stormblood 2.0 because it's a divisive MSQ, right? "Media literacy" doesn't have anything to do with it. And it's feeling a lot like Stormblood 2.0 in the sense that if people like it, they really like it, and are willing to overlook its flaws. And if they dislike it, they are willing to make the flaws out worse than the actually are.

[HighlanderClone]

...you realize people are calling it Stormblood 2.0 because it's a divisive MSQ, right? "Media literacy" doesn't have anything to do with it. And it's feeling a lot like Stormblood 2.0 in the sense that if people like it, they really like it, and are willing to overlook its flaws. And if they dislike it, they are willing to make the flaws out worse than the actually are.

My point is that even the first two levels of Stormblood with Raubhan EX, the first Zenos fight and your encounter with Fordola had better pacing, was more nuanced and has more depth than DT.