Unfolds as more of a sequel to A Realm Reborn than a direct follow-up to Heavensward, with all of the pros and cons that that statement implies. There's genuinely a better sense of place in the conflicts of Doma and Ala Mhigo, and the dungeons and trials operate at an even higher level of quality than the highlights of Heavensward. Really impressive stuff! However, there's a lot about the finer details in aesthetic and character interactions in Heavensward that just plain appealed to me better than Stormblood. The expansion is perfectly solid though! I honestly have trouble seeing what makes this expansion in particular contentious, because so many of its bigger issues particularly in its pacing and some of its politics are just issues with Final Fantasy XIV in its entirety.