I want to say that so far I overall like the content. I still have pet peeves with a lot of points, but I want to go through it more and I feel a drive to play it, which is a good sign, tentatively.
Tactics: this is my favorite facet of crucible by far. I do like having to pick up my beasts in order to face specific weaknesses, damage types, and crowd control options. I just feel that beasts would benefit from more identity and unique options, a lot of them just feel like copy pastas of each other.
Execution: I'm more neutral on this. I feel like the amount of attention just playing the rotation decently is taking away a lot from the content as it prevents me to properly follow everything, and reduces dramatically the design room left for tactical plays and it shows. I'm overall disappointed not to have more tactics to play with once in combat as well. Beast options feel limited.
Roguelite: The content has clear roguelite inspirations, but I am overall disappointed as well because the boards are fixed and this is going to greatly limit shelf life. I'm not there yet but I'm pretty sure after clearing them all, and then having to reclear them, I'm going to get bored of each very fast. I'd like to say I want to try different beast combos, but the problem is that since boards are fixed, the strats are going to be fixed as well most of the time once a board is solved. I'd have really appreciated more random boards on their layout (like deep dungeons), boss types, more rng stats inside, etc, that you'd still be able to check when entering it so that you can still prepare tactically for it. So far, it doesn't truly feel like a roguelite at all because of this, but just a scripted set of pieces.
Rng: Items and loot inside being rng is good, but feels too limited to me. Way too small amount of different items, it's always the same things that crop up, which ultimately ruin the little rng we have. I'd really have enjoyed randomized stats and effect mixtures on items as well. Perhaps with a rarity gradient as well. But right now, there is no "wow that's the first time I see this item, and look at what it does! That's a crazy run!" and that's a little sad.
Difficulty: I think story mode should be easier. I don't find it hard personally, but I can see how some people would struggle over it. I know you can level the beasts inside so that everything gets a lot easier, but leveling them would be extremely slower for someone that doesn't clear the board actually. I do think the mode would have benefited from the same "easy / very easy" options that msq solo duties have on story. It's the same problem BLU has by the way.
Usability: I know this is XIV, and it has always had a huge problem on tooltips, but this is especially problematic in this type of content where stats and tactics are part of the whole ordeal. Not only the job traits and actions themselves are a mess in spite of the job quests trying to explain it to players, but the crucible itself lacks clarity and I think it's damaging the reception the playerbase has of the content.
Gotcha mechanics: They're not properly shown on the board description, which results in frustrating "gotchas" potentially leading to failures where you have to first fail before figuring them out, which is not enjoyable. And like in modern deep dungeons, it all becomes about rote memorization once again.
Continue reading...
Tactics: this is my favorite facet of crucible by far. I do like having to pick up my beasts in order to face specific weaknesses, damage types, and crowd control options. I just feel that beasts would benefit from more identity and unique options, a lot of them just feel like copy pastas of each other.
Execution: I'm more neutral on this. I feel like the amount of attention just playing the rotation decently is taking away a lot from the content as it prevents me to properly follow everything, and reduces dramatically the design room left for tactical plays and it shows. I'm overall disappointed not to have more tactics to play with once in combat as well. Beast options feel limited.
Roguelite: The content has clear roguelite inspirations, but I am overall disappointed as well because the boards are fixed and this is going to greatly limit shelf life. I'm not there yet but I'm pretty sure after clearing them all, and then having to reclear them, I'm going to get bored of each very fast. I'd like to say I want to try different beast combos, but the problem is that since boards are fixed, the strats are going to be fixed as well most of the time once a board is solved. I'd have really appreciated more random boards on their layout (like deep dungeons), boss types, more rng stats inside, etc, that you'd still be able to check when entering it so that you can still prepare tactically for it. So far, it doesn't truly feel like a roguelite at all because of this, but just a scripted set of pieces.
Rng: Items and loot inside being rng is good, but feels too limited to me. Way too small amount of different items, it's always the same things that crop up, which ultimately ruin the little rng we have. I'd really have enjoyed randomized stats and effect mixtures on items as well. Perhaps with a rarity gradient as well. But right now, there is no "wow that's the first time I see this item, and look at what it does! That's a crazy run!" and that's a little sad.
Difficulty: I think story mode should be easier. I don't find it hard personally, but I can see how some people would struggle over it. I know you can level the beasts inside so that everything gets a lot easier, but leveling them would be extremely slower for someone that doesn't clear the board actually. I do think the mode would have benefited from the same "easy / very easy" options that msq solo duties have on story. It's the same problem BLU has by the way.
Usability: I know this is XIV, and it has always had a huge problem on tooltips, but this is especially problematic in this type of content where stats and tactics are part of the whole ordeal. Not only the job traits and actions themselves are a mess in spite of the job quests trying to explain it to players, but the crucible itself lacks clarity and I think it's damaging the reception the playerbase has of the content.
Gotcha mechanics: They're not properly shown on the board description, which results in frustrating "gotchas" potentially leading to failures where you have to first fail before figuring them out, which is not enjoyable. And like in modern deep dungeons, it all becomes about rote memorization once again.
Continue reading...