The quest structure improved massively but the exploration and combat are still very middling compared to other MMOs (like GW2). I hoped that the instanced content would be more challenging / interesting than ARR's but that didn't happen at least for the "normal" difficulty. I effectively enjoy this game as a visual novel in most cases. The music and aesthetics are as great as always.
The 3.0 plot was pretty good and better than ARR's even if it was another idealistic depiction of war that applied the "revenge cycle" concept to entire nations instead of offering a more materialist perspective, and featuring some shoddy writing at times.
I didn't appreciate the cowardly way the Uldah plotline was handled at all. Also, I don't do the yellow marker side quests, so I felt the game spent more time "telling" than "showing" the fucked up nature of the feudal theocratic Ishgardian society.
I really liked the middle part of the story, it had a great adventure feel to it and I grew to care about the "party members. The final act was also good and pretty hype.
I also thought that it was still pretty dry on character moments but it was better than ARR on that front as well. The worldbuilding was great though, filling gaps introduced in ARR in very interesting ways and I want to see more (that also applies to the 3.X patches).
I thought that the story improved a lot in the 3.X patches. The resolution of the whole Ishgard plotline in 3.1-3.3 was great and made me forget my grievances with it, probably the peak of the game so far.
Some parts of the 3.4 story were really good and emotional, and even if the patch antagonists and their dilemma fell a bit flat for me, the resolution of their story was satisfying.
The 3.5 patch was a banger transition to the next expansion which caught me offguard and I am very hyped about it (I am fully prepared to be disappointed given Stormblood's rating).
I love how the characters started behaving like human beings with emotions and conflicts after 3.1 and I actually started to care about them a lot more (previously I only cared about Alphinaud). The improved voice acting helped here as well.
8.5/10 for the total experience
The 3.0 plot was pretty good and better than ARR's even if it was another idealistic depiction of war that applied the "revenge cycle" concept to entire nations instead of offering a more materialist perspective, and featuring some shoddy writing at times.
I didn't appreciate the cowardly way the Uldah plotline was handled at all. Also, I don't do the yellow marker side quests, so I felt the game spent more time "telling" than "showing" the fucked up nature of the feudal theocratic Ishgardian society.
I really liked the middle part of the story, it had a great adventure feel to it and I grew to care about the "party members. The final act was also good and pretty hype.
I also thought that it was still pretty dry on character moments but it was better than ARR on that front as well. The worldbuilding was great though, filling gaps introduced in ARR in very interesting ways and I want to see more (that also applies to the 3.X patches).
I thought that the story improved a lot in the 3.X patches. The resolution of the whole Ishgard plotline in 3.1-3.3 was great and made me forget my grievances with it, probably the peak of the game so far.
Some parts of the 3.4 story were really good and emotional, and even if the patch antagonists and their dilemma fell a bit flat for me, the resolution of their story was satisfying.
The 3.5 patch was a banger transition to the next expansion which caught me offguard and I am very hyped about it (I am fully prepared to be disappointed given Stormblood's rating).
I love how the characters started behaving like human beings with emotions and conflicts after 3.1 and I actually started to care about them a lot more (previously I only cared about Alphinaud). The improved voice acting helped here as well.
8.5/10 for the total experience