So, after completing 5.3, my expansion rankings are: StB > ShB = HW > ARR.
I just finished Shadowbringers and am hoping Endwalker can deliver what I wanted from ShB. I was hoping 5.3 would elevate ShB from a 7.5/10 to a 9/10 for me, but it didn’t quite get there. If you were underwhelmed by ShB but loved EW, could you share what made you love it—specifically how it made you feel—without spoiling anything?
I love the story and conflict in ShB on paper, but I felt the writers could have done more to convey the infinite sense of loss that Emet and Elidibus must have experienced. The idea that Elidibus, despite not fully remembering what he had lost, still yearned for it and felt that pain is incredibly powerful. I think the concept of abstracted loss being no less painful could have been explored further. I was hoping for more scenes with Elidibus monologuing or talking to us about this. From what I understand of the lore, the Ascians are the original people. While we are trying to save our world, they’re trying to bring theirs back. That’s further complicated by the fact that we wouldn’t exist if their world hadn’t been destroyed (I think?). That dilemma is so damn potent, and I wish the story explored it more deeply, rather than reducing it to “You can’t kill people to save others.”
Some other quibbles I had:
I’m just hoping I’m not alone in feeling this way about Shadowbringers, and that there’s still a good chance I’ll LOVE Endwalker and put it up there with Stormblood.
Continue reading...
I just finished Shadowbringers and am hoping Endwalker can deliver what I wanted from ShB. I was hoping 5.3 would elevate ShB from a 7.5/10 to a 9/10 for me, but it didn’t quite get there. If you were underwhelmed by ShB but loved EW, could you share what made you love it—specifically how it made you feel—without spoiling anything?
I love the story and conflict in ShB on paper, but I felt the writers could have done more to convey the infinite sense of loss that Emet and Elidibus must have experienced. The idea that Elidibus, despite not fully remembering what he had lost, still yearned for it and felt that pain is incredibly powerful. I think the concept of abstracted loss being no less painful could have been explored further. I was hoping for more scenes with Elidibus monologuing or talking to us about this. From what I understand of the lore, the Ascians are the original people. While we are trying to save our world, they’re trying to bring theirs back. That’s further complicated by the fact that we wouldn’t exist if their world hadn’t been destroyed (I think?). That dilemma is so damn potent, and I wish the story explored it more deeply, rather than reducing it to “You can’t kill people to save others.”
Some other quibbles I had:
- I saw people online raving about the relationships between G’raha and Lyna, and Y’shtola and Runar. But, after completing 5.3, I don’t see what there was to rave about. Lyna liked G’raha because he rasied her and led the Crystarium, but most of their interactions happened off-screen. Similarly, Runar admired Y’shtola. Other than G’raha and Y’shtola being cool, badass, and wise, the game didn’t really show what Lyna and Runar saw in them. It felt like the game was telling us these were deep relationships without really showing us.
- As for Thancred and Ryne, I found their relationship a bit boring and sterile. Thancred was the stern guardian who learned to loosen up, and Ryne was the timid kid who learned to believe in herself. It was fine, but I much preferred the RDM and DRK versions of the surrogate father-daughter relationship. Maybe it’s because I don’t care much for Ryne. To me, she felt flat and like a cliched, goody-two-shoes anime girl. That kind of character can work well (e.g., Nagisa from Clannad), but it didn’t work as well for me here. Eden helped improve her character a bit, but not enough, in my opinion.
- Looking back, I realize I don’t care much for the Scions beyond Alphinaud (love that dude) and Alisaie. Aside from Emet, there weren’t any Shadowbringers characters I felt were as fully realized as Lyse, Fordola, and Tsuyu.
I’m just hoping I’m not alone in feeling this way about Shadowbringers, and that there’s still a good chance I’ll LOVE Endwalker and put it up there with Stormblood.
Continue reading...