I don’t have a lot of feedback to share right now. The MSQ is finally progressing in a way that has me re-invested (for now) so that’s good BUT after finishing the final Arcadion Raid tier, I will make a heartfelt plea to the writers. **SPOILERS FOR ARCADION**
1. Please stop stealing the spotlight from the main character. You should have already learned this lesson with Dawntrail’s ending being overshadowed and the most impactful moment being gifted to Wuk Lamat instead of the player. Do not forget that the PLAYER is the main protagonist of your story. It was immensely disappointing to have the other heavy weight tier opponents show up and take our moment against the “president” at the last. Let me sully my hands dude! I WANT TO. This scene had the same effect on me as that scene where Wuk Lamat showed up and saved us from Sphene. It already angered folks once, so please stop doing it!!! The players are the protagonists, not the NPCs.
2. Second, for the love of god, I want to see folks DIE (and REMAIN DEAD). Its okay to kill an npc and have them stay dead every now and again. Not every conclusion has to end with everything perfectly resolved in a neat little bow. I would have been more impressed and invested if Brute Bomber, Eutrope and the other immortalized had died or stayed dead instead of some half-baked plot twist where “Gotcha they are still alive, able to be rescued and everyone lives happily ever after”.
LIFE IS MESSY! It is far more believable and impactful when folks don’t get off scott-free all the time. Even if they didn’t die, having them be severely injured with no way to fully recover but be able to atleast live out their remaining moments and say goodbye would have worked also. It would have been far more impactful and meaningful to see the president be a bad guy rather than a misunderstood hero. For the love of god, stop making everything resolve with rainbows and sunshine and happily ever-afters. Your players aren’t age 5. They can handle the emotional impact of death every now and again.
I really want to see Square Enix take more risks and lean into their darker undertones! Gamers play games that deal with complex and difficult themes everyday.
I dont want you to play it safe anymore. I want you to WOW ME! SHOCK ME! Make me FEEL for your characters and your game. Prove to me that you understand that your players can handle these darker themes, and that you dont think we're just 5 or 10 years olds who might buckle at the mere thought of getting a cut. GET DARKER! I loved Arcadian right up until the end because it was trending towards those dark and complex themes, but at the last you ripped it back away and turned it into the equivalent of a Care Bears episode where everyone wins.
Ive ranted enough, I think. It hurts me to even have to give this kind of feedback, because I once loved your game and Im tired of seeing it flounder when I know it can be better. I've seen what this team is capable of, so stop with this watered down, happily-ever after stuff.
TLDR: Take more Risks! Let the darker themes back out of the closet! Fire your writers if they can no longer hack it, but please, get back to the emotional story telling.
Side note: Apologies to user honest_psycho. I didnt notice their thread on this exact same topic before I made my own. I was more interested in getting my thoughts out to the developers before I lost them and forgot.
Continue reading...
1. Please stop stealing the spotlight from the main character. You should have already learned this lesson with Dawntrail’s ending being overshadowed and the most impactful moment being gifted to Wuk Lamat instead of the player. Do not forget that the PLAYER is the main protagonist of your story. It was immensely disappointing to have the other heavy weight tier opponents show up and take our moment against the “president” at the last. Let me sully my hands dude! I WANT TO. This scene had the same effect on me as that scene where Wuk Lamat showed up and saved us from Sphene. It already angered folks once, so please stop doing it!!! The players are the protagonists, not the NPCs.
2. Second, for the love of god, I want to see folks DIE (and REMAIN DEAD). Its okay to kill an npc and have them stay dead every now and again. Not every conclusion has to end with everything perfectly resolved in a neat little bow. I would have been more impressed and invested if Brute Bomber, Eutrope and the other immortalized had died or stayed dead instead of some half-baked plot twist where “Gotcha they are still alive, able to be rescued and everyone lives happily ever after”.
LIFE IS MESSY! It is far more believable and impactful when folks don’t get off scott-free all the time. Even if they didn’t die, having them be severely injured with no way to fully recover but be able to atleast live out their remaining moments and say goodbye would have worked also. It would have been far more impactful and meaningful to see the president be a bad guy rather than a misunderstood hero. For the love of god, stop making everything resolve with rainbows and sunshine and happily ever-afters. Your players aren’t age 5. They can handle the emotional impact of death every now and again.
I really want to see Square Enix take more risks and lean into their darker undertones! Gamers play games that deal with complex and difficult themes everyday.
I dont want you to play it safe anymore. I want you to WOW ME! SHOCK ME! Make me FEEL for your characters and your game. Prove to me that you understand that your players can handle these darker themes, and that you dont think we're just 5 or 10 years olds who might buckle at the mere thought of getting a cut. GET DARKER! I loved Arcadian right up until the end because it was trending towards those dark and complex themes, but at the last you ripped it back away and turned it into the equivalent of a Care Bears episode where everyone wins.
Ive ranted enough, I think. It hurts me to even have to give this kind of feedback, because I once loved your game and Im tired of seeing it flounder when I know it can be better. I've seen what this team is capable of, so stop with this watered down, happily-ever after stuff.
TLDR: Take more Risks! Let the darker themes back out of the closet! Fire your writers if they can no longer hack it, but please, get back to the emotional story telling.
Side note: Apologies to user honest_psycho. I didnt notice their thread on this exact same topic before I made my own. I was more interested in getting my thoughts out to the developers before I lost them and forgot.
Continue reading...