Yeah I've had many WoW guildies go into ARR with the mentality of "fine I'll try it, now IMPRESS ME GAME". That isn't the mindset you need to stick with them game. You have to want something new and be prepared to absorb the journey.
Quite the case. Also, I've been viewing Preach's videos for quite some time and I've never heard him speak about wow in such a praising way. Usually it is systems discussions or broken stuff or "this is fun but i hope they wont ruin it." , like when he tried Torghast on PTR.
I'm one of those who quit in ARR because of how slow and tedious it was, then covid came and i went back to playing it. What really hooked me into the game was the shiva fight, god that was a really cool fight.
I really thought that Heavensward would be the pinnacle of storytelling for the game, and that nothing would ever top it. Then I reached Shadowbringers.
@@Revima if you want a bit of a braingasm, understand that there are actual lines of dialogue foretold in 4.0 MSQ that directly references events and dialogue in 5.3 (keeping away from spoilers, but pay attention in the Steppes). Ishikawa was foreshadowing events that far ahead (even more-so if you consider she also wrote the Crystal Tower series), and that is amazing.
It was baffling too. I still can't believe somehow heavensward story pales in comparison to how good shadowbringers was. HOW?! How did they top heavensward?
@@JackgarPrime Straight up, I would not have bought the full game if ARR was where I had to stop. I was invested pretty soon after Heavensward starts and was a for-lifer by the end of Alexander
We should extend the meme to include "After that you pay a sub and play trough the not nearly as much award winning but still good Stormblood and finally you get to Shadowbringers, the one that everybody tells you is better than HW, you won't believe them cause how can anything top that, but when you finish it you will stare in disbelief at the masterpiece you just experienced".
@@yoshiiscool2002 No time limit, you can play ARR and HW in full there are some limitations though like max level is 60 or not being able to use the market board etc.
@@stobiepiel2585 IIRC it's on the ground near the landing area where you first fly into Azys Lla, with the rotating rings in the background. There's a quest available outside Fortemps Manor called 'The Paths We Walk' that should lead to the exact spot as well, can't remember if the quest is required to see the flowers or not though. Hope that helps!
There's actually a questline that starts in the Fortemps Manor from the manservent that takes you there and to other places. Most people miss it, it's worth looking into.
@@janedoe885 Thanks! I'd done that, but I don't remember that part. I'll go look! Oh - damn. I guess it goes after you complete the quest, which I suppose I did years ago. off to see if it's in my journal! (it is not)
I'm like near the end of 5.0 and I'm just like....oh....oh he's going to love this. It's insane too cuz they had this story in their bank for like what 2-3 years?
@@enyaliosares4301 You definitely feel it. I also really like their transitions with going into the next expansion the X.5 patch just unloading mayhem on you in preparation for the next expansion really feels well done to me.
@@Gofr5 In a recent interview with Famitsu, Yoshida mentioned that they have the groundworks for the next saga of the story worth 10 years more content to come.... Idk what they are planning, but the seeds will apparently be sown for it in Endwalker...
"I really don't want to put any spoilers in the video, because I know a number of people are not up to where I am.." climax of iceheart's story playing in the background lol
I liked that after the Warriors of Darkness present themselves and you as a player are thinking that it's kinda cringe, Kryle comes out and says basically that.
@@TheSilverwing999 I'm not sure whether you ask to be spoiled or you felt like complaining. I'll take it's the latter. Don't worry, your ADHD will settle for a while there.
Part of the way through stormblood myself and so far Yotsuyu has been everything that Blizzard wanted Sylvanis to be but Blizzard could never pull it off.
@@keithfilibeck2390 They show you her motives and why she's the way she is. They even made me empathize with her a lot. However, they also show you what she is doing and how awful she is.
@@iraqiwalker1436 This was the Sylvanas of Cataclysm. Yes, Sylvanas did horrible things, so horrible that Garrosh even threatened to kill her if she didn't cease. But no matter how horrible the things she did, it was always shown that she did them for the Forsaken, not for herself. She truly was the morally grey character that Blizzard wished it could have made in BfA.
And you can end up feeling sorry for her, wanting to sit with her as she dies, give her comfort, and yet know she wasn't going to be redeemed. I like that they leave it uneasy, that your character can't always fix things or change things. (the Nier stuff just destroyed me for that, and I loved it so much)
@@iceman3317 Yeah, not bad but pretty heavy-handed and predictable and I have to say I was mad that they un-assassinated Nanamo and took her death back
Love how you put Grim's "I saw you skip the cutscene you little twerp!" in there. I've always agreed, it isn't for everyone, but I'm really glad to hear you've been enjoying it all so far despite the scepticism.
The issue isn’t really skipping, it’s skipping then complaining about being bored, lost, having nothing to do, etc. if you’re just here for the raids and feel like you got your money’s worth that’s fine.
@@jacobb5484 Yeah I don't really care how people play and enjoy the game. I do take issue with people bashing the story when you haven't experienced it.
I like that he cares about Ysayle and Minfilia too. :) Ysayle is generally well-liked but her and Minfilia tend to get overlooked a bit with everything else going on with other characters.
I love how you pointed out the commonality between Aymeric and Hraesvelgr because that's honestly the crux of Heavensward right there: the conflict between humans and dragons is bridged by two people who have been abused by Thordan's lies and who decide to heal instead of let those wounds fester any longer. Man and dragon are not so different after all. Healing is possible for both sides. The beauty of Heavensward I think is due to how the game switches the story at the patch quests. For the base expansion, Heavensward was Estinien's story - how he will stop the war and get revenge by killing Nidhogg. But then the story changes and becomes Aymeric's story - how he will rebuild Ishgard and lead this nation into the future. And then the two stories are brought together again in 3.3 in a masterful, emotional way.
What I loved about HW is just how very grey it was morality wise, like no one is entirely correct or wrong on the base scale (of course other than that one guy who was a dick and playing both sides)
The best part is that what the choice they connected on? There are several candidates. Realizing that they have been through immeasurable hate, and they have to let go of it. Aemyric realizing "My father must die," and Hraesvalgr realizing "My brother must die."
While Stormblood starts slowly, it is a fantastic expansion in its own right. The dungeons and trials are especially magnificent compared to Heavensward, but the narrative lacks the same mysticism and romance of Heavensward. When you're through it, however, you have Shadowbringers waiting for you and _that_ expansion is the best of the three, for sure.
I think that Stormblood's biggest strength is its worldbuilding. The Azim Steppe section is one of my favorite areas in the entire game. While its story doesn't have quite the same polish as Heavensward, that expansion still has plenty of merit, so I'm glad to see your thoughts on it expressed so well! A soft spot in my heart exists for Ishgard and Heavensward always, but Shadowbringers is truly the expansion that actually lives up to its hype. It is a story fantastically told and while having its hiccups manages to present a truly moving story. It's got heart, and I'm forever grateful I picked up this game to play it.
One thing I've thought about a lot in the HW vs. SB conversation is how much culture can affect people's experience of it, even subconsciously. HW taps into themes of not trusting the church, lies about your people's origin, and trying to find ways to atone for the mistakes of ancestors. SB taps into being colonized, being part of a diaspora, trying to hold onto your culture/ways when that very act can be seen as rebellion/reason to be punished, colonized people turning against each other out of fear/desire to survive. As someone who belongd to a historically colonized and oppressed group, there were so many moments in SB that resonated and stuck with me. Those same moments have been labeled "confusing" or "weak" by people with a different experience (see: Lyse's character journey). One thing I really appreciate about FFXIV is it exploring such different stories and themes. I just wish more players were less militant about "SB is bad" just because it didn't resonant with their own experiences as much.
@@tangentkatz I never gave your point much thought but, wow, I can completely see that in the themes. I have a whole new perspective to approach that expansion with now. Thanks!
@Nalae Ulqiora personally I find stormblood makes you think there will be complex politics happening and then it just doesn't follow through. I don't like Zenos as an antagonist as he doesn't sell himself as a threat to me. And his instances really took me out of it. I think part of the problem lies with the character's goals which are kinda all or nothing which doesn't really mark him as a threat until he actually makes a move. Expansion content do have a great tragic story though and I think that's the best they have done to tell part of a story during gameplay.
Preach, you make a good point about leaving threads from ARR until the end of HW.... but more impressive as you will see is how they leave threads from ARR until the end of Shadowbringers!
I remember when I first encountered them at the time, and I just thought, 'whatever, filler patch!' And by the end of the Role series in Shb, I would have basically died for them all. Especially Lamitt.
Yeah I think it suffers from that but its also a different type of story that is more political, it plays out like a journey which is visualised on the map every time you move to a new location, if people approach it with that mindset I think its quite fun following that path and dealing with issues in each zone, pay off is definetly great as well :)
This dude really thinking Heavensward is the best thing ever when Shadowbringers exists. And you know what, I hope Endwalker emotionally obliterates me.
The best way I can describe it: ARR was good. Stormblood was good. Heavensward and Shadowbringers both felt the same as a book that I just couldn't put down until I either passed out at 5AM or finished it one.
What a perfect description. I'm still in StB and haven't gotten to ShB yet, but HW was like those books that I would read as a kid with a flashlight under the covers in case my mom came into my room to make sure I was asleep. Couldn't put that shit down until I finished lol
Watching you play and commentate on the shadowbringers narrative experience is literally one of my most anticipated pieces of content on youtube. Yes you've heard it a million times, but one RPG story gamer to another, it really does get even better.
I've been watching Preach's streams with a very wary eye, because he always seems so cynical. He makes it very clear that he doesn't like the anime moments, it's just not his thing. And yet, I wanted him to enjoy FF14, because it's just such an enriching experience. I had been waiting for him to finish 3.3, because it is a signature moment in the game, and it would bear the truth of if it's for you. After this big 3.3 battle and cutscene, when he immedietly said it was one of the best story's ever, it was like the tension bubble I had been holding for months finally burst. Glad you're here, Mike!
II has been *very* satisfying to see FF cut through many people's deep cynicism. I think it's why I keep following these guys. It's good for my own heart.
After watching this... holy shit... Mike might actually really like Stormblood if he's cool with the slow burn. I'm one of the few crazies that actually preferred it's story to HW (which also fantastic)
@@jeffreysmith1314 Even the people who dump on SB don't call it bad. Just not as good as HW. As someone who felt the same way, I can tell you my main issues with SB were somewhat because of pacing. In addition, Lyse's development felt a bit undercooked, if that makes any sense. Other than that, it was a really good expansion. The fact that ShB was the successor, and HW was the predecessor puts it in an awkward spot where while it is a damn fine game on its own, it feels a bit weaker than those. Which is not a bad thing, really. Being in 3rd place after Usain Bolt and a Lamborghini is an excellent result.
One of my favorite conversations about the story was when I asked my FC leader about something in the story, and he said “We’ll get an answer in three years, don’t worry”
I took me 6 years to realize what Preach has learned in over the months he played. I was a story skipper until I saw shadowbringer trailer. It was then that I gave the game another try and play it properly. I am so glad I did because the game has changed me. It taught me to take my time. The game is not about where you end up, it's the journey itself that's worth it. I am here now kicking myself for skipping story for so long.
I remember rolling my eyes when the Warriors of Darkness were introduced, but I feel completely differently about them now. I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts on Stormblood, but I am especially excited to hear your thoughts on Shadowbringers.
I felt the same, was kinda curious where/why they came outta nowhere, and then got gut-punched by the "we did everything right" speech. The VA did a great job on it omg. Then I spent the next however many years wondering wtf happened to them. >.>;
Look at him, he's almost a walking advertisement now, just two more expansions lol. Glad you thoroughly enjoyed the HW story Preach, please keep doing so at your leisure!
It's a meme that Heavensward is absolutely amazing. I figured they meant it was really good, similar to other big name RPGs... And that its reputation was inflated and over-hyped. I just finished Heavensward today. The story was incredible. When I look back at how other games tell story, it's unforgivable now that I've seen how well it CAN be done. They built a big but somehow simple story that had so much punch and power. I have an emotional response for almsot every single character in it. I care when things happen to them. People start getting developed who were overlooked in ARR. Don't skip it. It's worth putting the time aside and playing the story.
Love how people are seeing how awesome FF14 really is. ARR and Heavensward was out around the same time of WoD and Legion, so remember this is 6-8 year old content. FF14 has always been awesome, just took a while for people to experience it.
Preach i think you realize why some of the community wants people to play through MSQ i think other games have given people the wrong mindset about story usually thinking its not important waste of time.. If people take there time through FFXIV MSQ i believe it will pay off i honestly love seeing gamers genuinely enjoying FFXIV to see them feeling connected to certain characters..
I tried playing ff14 2 times and just could not get through the not voice acted cutscenes. I just gave up. Wasn't for me. Then I saw Preach stream the game and 'voice act' the cut scenes. Hey, now I know the story, now I can play the game. And now my summoner is level 52 and going strong. So, thanks for that. :D
To think this was our YEARS AGO when we were suffering through and bitching about WoW. I don’t regret many of my EARLIER (keyphrase xD) years with WoW, but I imagine this was really incredible to the folks experiencing it as it was being released.
Eh experiencing on release is fine and all but the game has huge content draughts. As a new player you won't know until you experience it in endwalker. I think a lot of people will be surprised. As a veteran player I sometimes leave the game for a few months and come back to do the story patches in one go. Waiting for each gets boring fast.
@@TheSilverwing999 Fair point. However, even the content droughts have seasonal events and repeating collabs to keep things interesting. The nicest thing about FFXIV as a game is actually that you can leave for a few months and comeback without feeling like you missed out, or lost progress.
@@iraqiwalker1436 Yoshi-P has actually said that's how he hopes people play FF: play up until you don't want to do anything else, then go play something else. It's the healthiest attitude for an MMO dev to have. Blizzard, naturally, bucks that trend and fights tooth and nail to create endless systems that it forces players to run through every week so that they don't fall behind, just to keep people subbed.
I started playing around mid ARR, and in my opinion, anyone who started in SB and later had a much better time of it haha. The content is all the same, but the way the game actually plays is drastically different now than it was back then. They’ve made so many system improvements and quality of life additions since then. I typically compare Stormblood to BC and Heavensward to Wrath. Stormblood was a huge leap in gameplay and overall playability of the game, whereas Heavensward had the stronger setting and story.
I hope that you can go into Stormblood with as open a mind as possible. The community likes to talk it down, but there are many fantastic elements to it and I think it suffers from the fact that people insist on ranking things.
I went into stormblood blind not knowing or hearing anything about it. I do think that Heavensward just set the bar so high, that by the time I got to Stormblood it felt underwhelming. Even the trailer felt very underwhelming, I remember finishing Heavensward and then watching the stormblood trailer. I didn’t feel as hyped as I did when I watched the trailer for Heavensward the first time. That in itself set the tone for me of how that expansion would be. I went in blind with not biased or anything. Stormblood really does shine in Doma and the patches for sure tho, it was just getting out of ala mhigo (which I consider, the not that great part)
Right, I've only just finished going through all expacs... But bloody hell the story is so, so good. Can't wait until you get to the end of Shadowbringers so I can see your reaction to that!
A perfect example of the devs taking their time and how long into the future they plan for the story: At the recent kupocon, one of the VAs (not saying who to avoid possible spoilers for some players) was asked about something they talked about at one of the previous kupocons, which is, back before Heavensword, this VA was told about a huge story moment for their character, to help the VA understand their character and how they should act that character over time for future expansions. Well, that VA said that they still haven’t recorded the lines for that arc, and that's including for Endwalker….. In other words, the devs have had something planned for a character and the overall story since before Heavensward, which began development in 2013-2014, and we still aren’t at that point and won't see that until after Endwalker. And that’s just one character and one plot point, who knows what the story team has planned besides that. So when Yoshi-P recently talked about how they have been planning for the next 10 years, he meant that very literally. These devs are on another level!
If you think heavens ward was that good, wait for shadowbringers. Shadowbringers raises the bar so God damn high because of how good it is, I can't imagine how they gona surpass with endwalker.
@@xXAkirhaXx Worried? Makes me excited because I know its going to be better than Endwalker. This is the most hyped I've been since I was kid and that is impressive in its own right lol.
something you could say to your friends who are only into endgame is that you dont have to shoot to max level to take part in the endgame. explain how much fun you had with ramuh ex. and then tell em to let it breathe like you said.
I'm new to FFXIV and also just recently finished Heavensward. I really struggled to get through A Realm Reborn but I found Heavensward WAY more enjoyable, but despite the better story, faster pacing and less tedious "fetch quests" I've decided that I don't love the game enough to pay for a sub. That said I'm really happy that so many gamers love FFXIV though, and I subscribe to a fair few FFXIV content creators on UA-cam as I enjoy the good vibes.
Stormblood has some pacing issues in the base expansion but is still a good story, it just takes a while for it to get its act together. But after you hit the patch content it's just a rollercoaster ride until the end of Shadowbringers. Enjoy Preach, it makes me happy seeing a behemoth in the WoW community discovering this game just like I did years ago.
Really glad you're enjoying it. There is one thing I recommend you do before hitting SB, it's a "generic" (gold) quest chain starting in Fortemps manor called "The Paths We Walk". 5 quests each starting where the other ends, super easy to miss but I'd say very important to a few loose ends from HW. Even has it's own space in the NG+ log.
If we're talking about video games that moved us: for all it's technical blunders, I found Cyberpunk's stories very strong emotionally. At the end of my ~100% 120 hours playthrough, that's a world I was genuinely sad to leave, a journey I felt very sad to end, and characters I felt very sad to say goodbye to.
Once I was through with Heavensward I decide that FFXIV was the best RPG I have ever played..and believe me, I have played A LOT of them. Stormblood and Shadowbringers of course just solidifies that belief for me. Shadowbringers was SO good. So good, in fact, I struggle to think of even *how* can a story be better than it? Guess we’ll found out in Endwalker
I can see crystal clear that every single person who has finished Shadowbringers just sitting with a massive shit eating grin on their face during this entire video. If you consider Heavensward a 10/10 storytelling you need to invent a new scale for Shadowbringers.
Sir Aymeric triggers that part of my manly heart that knows a good leader and a good man when it sees one. It makes me understand how men before the time of corporations and crooked politicians could have loyalty for a leader, trusting their choices to be just and good. Also, you think the Warriors of Darkness story was sad before, lol.
It is a very long shot from the 'Best Game Storytelling ever' I don't know if you people play many games and while HW is good, it is very generic. I really don't understand why people have fallen head over heels with it.
I like that Preach is going for a more complete approach to the game instead of just rushing through the MSQ. Something I’ve noticed from many recent streamers who seem to Zerg the MSQ really fast is that they don’t remember a lot of the nuance things presented and thus miss out on many connection points to the overall story and the world. Just like with any great story, sometimes you’ve gotta let it digest and maybe talk about it with others before you flood your brain with new information. The side content also helps to further the overall story of the world and is often referenced in other content if you’ve completed it.
Once you played Heavensward you start to understand why FF14 has a new game + feature. It is for all the poor fools out there that skipped the story. And for all of us that want to go back and play it again.
I will say being a dragoon main during heavansward was an amazing treat. The few extra dialogs you get just makes you feel better but man. Heavansward is amazing.
For those of you who don't know. "The shadow man" story in Divinity Original Sin II refers to him playing Lohse as the main character in that game and following that character's story line.
@@MrMoquitto May be a bit late, but the thing is that it is not really just one quest that encapsulates it. Each character in Divinity: Original Sin 2 who can join your party has their own story that runs across all of the game's acts. Some of these stories are also connected deeply with the game's main story making what constitutes the "quest" even more of a diffuse concept.
Okay so i skipped the text boxes, but watched the cutscenes or the voiced dialogues when i first played heavensward way back when, watching you voice everything actually made me realise that there is so much more attention to detail than i first thought.
"its not that kind of a game" isnt really that fair, this game puts alot of effort to giving diff ppl diff stuff to like and do, if someone wanna just go do the endgame not only they can but they also should and they will likely have alot fo fun because that content slaps imo (except dungeons).
i recommend ff9, story is soulcrushing and touches themes like the meaning of life, even doe is the most goofy looking ff it seems to be the deepest when it comes to story, ending is wholesome and sad at the same time.
Blade&Soul had such a System in place once upon a time. Players were split into two factions and also had to decide for the Light or Dark path. The whole system got retconned and deleted because the developer effort to keep it up was just too much.
The one thing I appreciate the most about FFXIV is the story. I’ve never been an mmo player even tho those games always intrigued me and I’ve tried out several, but I have no friends who are interested in playing with me. The fact that I can play FFXIV solo and enjoy this story is the reason I stuck with the game all the way to Shadowbringers.
It's good that Mike is going through the whole experience of FFXIV. The game really highlights the importance of the journey, and teaches a great lesson in story telling.
Just finished Stormblood! So amazing! And I hear that's the worst out of all the expansions!! (Comparitively) Can't wait to get to Shadowbringers baby!
FF14 is definitely more of an experience than a fun mechanical experience. I'd say that FF14 is a better RPG with MMO elements while World of Warcraft was a better MMO with RPG elements. World of Warcraft desperately needs to let things breath and have all core story content in the game........ I hope they realize that they do need a story roadmap, not just a half a year to 2 year map.
Alexander savage is... something else. They did make it less of a pain with patches, but the first tier, when it came out, was dubbed the "static destroyer", it was heavily gear gated. Pepsi man was insane. It was the last time they gear gated content too. But regardless, prepare for a bit of suffering, it doesn't really compare to coils much in difficulty. Hopefully it will be fun for you tho.
Wow. And you haven't even seen Shadowbringers yet. Stormblood "suffers" in the sense that it is sandwiched between Heavensward and Shadowbringers, which are both superior from a narrative perspective. But taken on its own, Stormblood is really good also. But yeah, buckle up when you hit Shadowbringers, Preach. Keep the tissues handy. Can't wait to see your reactions when you get there.
Even if you're not into shooters, I'm not really either. Check out Bioshock: Infinite. In my opinion the most criminally underrated and probably one of the top 5 best stories ever told in a game. I legitimately did make me tear up. As did a lot of FFXIV but damn... That game needs more recognition.
Preach is a big Bioshock fan, I believe he plays those games yearly on his stream whenever there's a slow period of games. I imagine there might be a full playthrough on his highlights channel.
Honestly, Heavensward is pretty good, but it's also really clunky. They try to balance the Dragonsong War with all the BS in Uldah. I've found that right as it's getting good, you have to stop what you're doing to go deal with Raubahn's shit. You're right on the edge of bringing this massive thousand year long war to an end. It'll only take like.. 6 hours of your characters in-game life.. But nope.. Raubahn needs us because him and his entire army can't figure their own shit out. And before someone sais "He's not the general, he doesn't have his army!", I'm willing to be that there would be hundreds of soldiers in the Immortal Flames; especially the ones still under Pippin's rank; that would be willing to fight for Raubahn.. The pacing is pretty bad. You spend some time questing and get super hyped for the next stage of the story, and then you're dragged away. And by the time you return to your original story, you've lost the excitement for it. They do this in Stormblood as well. It's very frustrating. I'm glad Shadowlands mostly does away with this problem.
Yet to complete 4.0 but damn HW was so damn good loking forward to SHB though Go for it Preach it's an amazing game I cried several times already no shame in it
![[ Dark Souls Remastered ] we rolling right back in](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/T4pSjvzC0CU/mqdefault.jpg)
Can we all have a moment of silence for the editors being spoiled on the story purely because it's their job, F.
Indeed Chris is a champ. I can do a full spoiler talk when he’s done because there are segments I really want to discuss with people.
@@Preachgaming Yes please.
@@Preachgaming Can't wait! Glad you are having a good time!
@@masterpain7742 This copium always brighten my day ♥ Keep it coming
@@MrCarlWax I wonder what copium smells like. I'm thinking stale beef for some reason
So it has been said, so it shall be: Either quit in ARR, or become a walking advertisement for the game after Heavensward
Yeah I've had many WoW guildies go into ARR with the mentality of "fine I'll try it, now IMPRESS ME GAME". That isn't the mindset you need to stick with them game. You have to want something new and be prepared to absorb the journey.
I feel this so hard =)) , like I'm down to buy my friends the pack (arr->shadowbringers) if they would play it just so they can experience it :))
This is the way
Quite the case. Also, I've been viewing Preach's videos for quite some time and I've never heard him speak about wow in such a praising way. Usually it is systems discussions or broken stuff or "this is fun but i hope they wont ruin it." , like when he tried Torghast on PTR.
I'm one of those who quit in ARR because of how slow and tedious it was, then covid came and i went back to playing it. What really hooked me into the game was the shiva fight, god that was a really cool fight.
I really thought that Heavensward would be the pinnacle of storytelling for the game, and that nothing would ever top it.
Then I reached Shadowbringers.
Having just started 5.3 today: I agree with you. and I hear 5.3 is insane so i am prepared to lose my mind tonight.
@@Revima no spoilers but it’s one of the greatest moments in any game I’ve ever played
@@Revima if you want a bit of a braingasm, understand that there are actual lines of dialogue foretold in 4.0 MSQ that directly references events and dialogue in 5.3 (keeping away from spoilers, but pay attention in the Steppes).
Ishikawa was foreshadowing events that far ahead (even more-so if you consider she also wrote the Crystal Tower series), and that is amazing.
@@Revima May God have mercy on your soul ...
It was baffling too.
I still can't believe somehow heavensward story pales in comparison to how good shadowbringers was.
HOW?! How did they top heavensward?
Well this meme continues to hold true: you either quit during ARR or you become a walking advertisement for FFXIV by the end of Heavensward
They knew exactly what they were doing by making the free trial include heavensward specifically
@@JackgarPrime Straight up, I would not have bought the full game if ARR was where I had to stop. I was invested pretty soon after Heavensward starts and was a for-lifer by the end of Alexander
ARR?
@@samtemdo8 A Realm Reborn, the base game
We don't lie when we make the memes about the award winning HW and it's FREE!
wish someone would spam that in the Trade chat in WoW
Wait FREE!? But does it have a time limit!?
We should extend the meme to include "After that you pay a sub and play trough the not nearly as much award winning but still good Stormblood and finally you get to Shadowbringers, the one that everybody tells you is better than HW, you won't believe them cause how can anything top that, but when you finish it you will stare in disbelief at the masterpiece you just experienced".
@@yoshiiscool2002 No time limit, you can play ARR and HW in full there are some limitations though like max level is 60 or not being able to use the market board etc.
You mean the award winning MMORPG that gives you forty-five(45) free days of game time just by playing their game?
The best story in gaming is the story of Mike's unbaldening. Seriously, it's looking good.
FFXIV has the ability to give people their hair back. Even Asmon is looking better.
@@khinzaw77 say that to Xeno :P
@@slanndermcdannder386 xeno skips story, I'm pretty sure that if he played it he would gain it all back
Calm down, Limit Max
I actually fear that his lightning is kinda causing parts on his left side to fall out again. It looks a bit uneven. ;)
If you go to Azys Lla after Estinien walks out with flowers for Ysayle, you can find a spot where his bouquet is resting.
I didn’t know that! Where is it?
@@stobiepiel2585 IIRC it's on the ground near the landing area where you first fly into Azys Lla, with the rotating rings in the background. There's a quest available outside Fortemps Manor called 'The Paths We Walk' that should lead to the exact spot as well, can't remember if the quest is required to see the flowers or not though. Hope that helps!
:(
There's actually a questline that starts in the Fortemps Manor from the manservent that takes you there and to other places. Most people miss it, it's worth looking into.
@@janedoe885 Thanks! I'd done that, but I don't remember that part. I'll go look! Oh - damn. I guess it goes after you complete the quest, which I suppose I did years ago. off to see if it's in my journal! (it is not)
To hear Preach talk about the WoD. He's in for a treat.
I'm like near the end of 5.0 and I'm just like....oh....oh he's going to love this. It's insane too cuz they had this story in their bank for like what 2-3 years?
@@Soress9 SE plans stories upwards of 4-6 years ahead. You can see that with ilberd and the 2.0-4.0 storylines
@@enyaliosares4301 You definitely feel it. I also really like their transitions with going into the next expansion the X.5 patch just unloading mayhem on you in preparation for the next expansion really feels well done to me.
They always plan 2 expansions ahead. So with 6.0 just around corner, it means they are well into 7.0 and already started on 8.0.
@@Gofr5 In a recent interview with Famitsu, Yoshida mentioned that they have the groundworks for the next saga of the story worth 10 years more content to come.... Idk what they are planning, but the seeds will apparently be sown for it in Endwalker...
"I really don't want to put any spoilers in the video, because I know a number of people are not up to where I am.."
climax of iceheart's story playing in the background lol
I liked that after the Warriors of Darkness present themselves and you as a player are thinking that it's kinda cringe, Kryle comes out and says basically that.
kryle has no chill.
ShB spoilers
I also like that even Ardbert later admits that calling their group The Warriors of Darkness was a pretty silly idea.
@@Kramdaddy Given what they thought was to be true at the time, it would only be a fitting name
@@Kramdaddy And yet, throughout that very same expansion that same silly name is turned into a beacon of hope for the world. That is kinda beautiful.
Preach ain't ready for 5.0 and 5.3
Lol no one is ever rdy for that
I ugly cry at 5.3. Scenes in that patch are psychologically calculated to push a button lol
I just did 5.3. It's stupendous. Absolutely brilliant!
What is so great about 5.3? Currently doing it and patches 5.1 to 5.3 has been some of the most boring content in the entire game for me
@@TheSilverwing999 I'm not sure whether you ask to be spoiled or you felt like complaining. I'll take it's the latter. Don't worry, your ADHD will settle for a while there.
Part of the way through stormblood myself and so far Yotsuyu has been everything that Blizzard wanted Sylvanis to be but Blizzard could never pull it off.
because they never justify or glorify Yotsuyu.
@@keithfilibeck2390 They show you her motives and why she's the way she is. They even made me empathize with her a lot. However, they also show you what she is doing and how awful she is.
@@iraqiwalker1436 This was the Sylvanas of Cataclysm. Yes, Sylvanas did horrible things, so horrible that Garrosh even threatened to kill her if she didn't cease. But no matter how horrible the things she did, it was always shown that she did them for the Forsaken, not for herself. She truly was the morally grey character that Blizzard wished it could have made in BfA.
And you can end up feeling sorry for her, wanting to sit with her as she dies, give her comfort, and yet know she wasn't going to be redeemed. I like that they leave it uneasy, that your character can't always fix things or change things. (the Nier stuff just destroyed me for that, and I loved it so much)
A certain trial related to all of this may have moved me to tears in the middle of my rotation NGL
Heavensward was one of the best story telling experiences I’ve ever played.
And then I hit Shadowbringers and proceeded drown my house in tears
I was not ready for the video that followed Legend of the Not So Hidden Temple
I still don't get the hype around Heavensward... it really was a generic anime/game storyline.
You must not play many games.
@@SyndicShadow yeah same. I mean it was good, but it is no where near the 'pinnacle of storytelling'
@@iceman3317 Yeah, not bad but pretty heavy-handed and predictable and I have to say I was mad that they un-assassinated Nanamo and took her death back
Love how you put Grim's "I saw you skip the cutscene you little twerp!" in there. I've always agreed, it isn't for everyone, but I'm really glad to hear you've been enjoying it all so far despite the scepticism.
The issue isn’t really skipping, it’s skipping then complaining about being bored, lost, having nothing to do, etc. if you’re just here for the raids and feel like you got your money’s worth that’s fine.
@@jacobb5484 Yeah I don't really care how people play and enjoy the game. I do take issue with people bashing the story when you haven't experienced it.
@@jacobb5484 I still find it silly. you bought the game FULL price but only consume like 30% of it. seems a waste of money to me.
Shadowbringers is absolutely going to destroy him.
I look forward to his run through ShB and then the encore of Sorrow of Werlyt.
Absolutely. Especially after how hard Blizzard tried to call Battle for Azeroth shades of gray.
@@aircraftcarrierwo-class I only just did Werlyt a week or two ago. It's just brutal....
Im in 5.2 and have yet to get destroyed… I’m guessing I’m not there yet?
Can comfirm. Shadowbringers blew my mind. Even in comparisson to other expansions, this is my favorite one.
The fact that Preach is gushing this much over Heavensward makes me even more excited to see his review of Shadowbringers.
Preach loves Thancred. He knows its his favorite character, he's just in denial. 😊
After Tataru that is.
I like that he cares about Ysayle and Minfilia too. :) Ysayle is generally well-liked but her and Minfilia tend to get overlooked a bit with everything else going on with other characters.
He's a tsundere.
I love how you pointed out the commonality between Aymeric and Hraesvelgr because that's honestly the crux of Heavensward right there: the conflict between humans and dragons is bridged by two people who have been abused by Thordan's lies and who decide to heal instead of let those wounds fester any longer. Man and dragon are not so different after all. Healing is possible for both sides.
The beauty of Heavensward I think is due to how the game switches the story at the patch quests. For the base expansion, Heavensward was Estinien's story - how he will stop the war and get revenge by killing Nidhogg. But then the story changes and becomes Aymeric's story - how he will rebuild Ishgard and lead this nation into the future. And then the two stories are brought together again in 3.3 in a masterful, emotional way.
What I loved about HW is just how very grey it was morality wise, like no one is entirely correct or wrong on the base scale (of course other than that one guy who was a dick and playing both sides)
The best part is that what the choice they connected on? There are several candidates.
Realizing that they have been through immeasurable hate, and they have to let go of it.
Aemyric realizing "My father must die," and Hraesvalgr realizing "My brother must die."
While Stormblood starts slowly, it is a fantastic expansion in its own right. The dungeons and trials are especially magnificent compared to Heavensward, but the narrative lacks the same mysticism and romance of Heavensward. When you're through it, however, you have Shadowbringers waiting for you and _that_ expansion is the best of the three, for sure.
I think that Stormblood's biggest strength is its worldbuilding. The Azim Steppe section is one of my favorite areas in the entire game. While its story doesn't have quite the same polish as Heavensward, that expansion still has plenty of merit, so I'm glad to see your thoughts on it expressed so well!
A soft spot in my heart exists for Ishgard and Heavensward always, but Shadowbringers is truly the expansion that actually lives up to its hype. It is a story fantastically told and while having its hiccups manages to present a truly moving story. It's got heart, and I'm forever grateful I picked up this game to play it.
One thing I've thought about a lot in the HW vs. SB conversation is how much culture can affect people's experience of it, even subconsciously. HW taps into themes of not trusting the church, lies about your people's origin, and trying to find ways to atone for the mistakes of ancestors. SB taps into being colonized, being part of a diaspora, trying to hold onto your culture/ways when that very act can be seen as rebellion/reason to be punished, colonized people turning against each other out of fear/desire to survive.
As someone who belongd to a historically colonized and oppressed group, there were so many moments in SB that resonated and stuck with me. Those same moments have been labeled "confusing" or "weak" by people with a different experience (see: Lyse's character journey).
One thing I really appreciate about FFXIV is it exploring such different stories and themes. I just wish more players were less militant about "SB is bad" just because it didn't resonant with their own experiences as much.
I will never forget skydiving in the middle of a boss fight. Or dying to Lakshmi’s bosoms.
@@tangentkatz I never gave your point much thought but, wow, I can completely see that in the themes. I have a whole new perspective to approach that expansion with now. Thanks!
@Nalae Ulqiora personally I find stormblood makes you think there will be complex politics happening and then it just doesn't follow through. I don't like Zenos as an antagonist as he doesn't sell himself as a threat to me. And his instances really took me out of it. I think part of the problem lies with the character's goals which are kinda all or nothing which doesn't really mark him as a threat until he actually makes a move.
Expansion content do have a great tragic story though and I think that's the best they have done to tell part of a story during gameplay.
To all those who've played and experienced it for themselves, no, you don't sound like a shill.
Preach, you make a good point about leaving threads from ARR until the end of HW.... but more impressive as you will see is how they leave threads from ARR until the end of Shadowbringers!
@BoothbyTCD He laughed at Warriors of Darkness. Understandable. But those breadcrumbs gonna blow his mind. Lol, I can't wait.
I remember when I first encountered them at the time, and I just thought, 'whatever, filler patch!' And by the end of the Role series in Shb, I would have basically died for them all. Especially Lamitt.
Stormblood is alright, but it's a hard act to follow Heavensward.
Stormblood has a slow start, but it gets good pretty quickly imo.
yeah. I am at about half of SB and it's so boring compared to HW
Yeah I think it suffers from that but its also a different type of story that is more political, it plays out like a journey which is visualised on the map every time you move to a new location, if people approach it with that mindset I think its quite fun following that path and dealing with issues in each zone, pay off is definetly great as well :)
Stormblood's story might be a step down, but I think its raid content was the best the game has done.
it was also just kind of hard LIVING in Stormblood for years, i have no idea what it must feel like playing through it knowing you can just FINISH it
This dude really thinking Heavensward is the best thing ever when Shadowbringers exists. And you know what, I hope Endwalker emotionally obliterates me.
The best way I can describe it: ARR was good. Stormblood was good.
Heavensward and Shadowbringers both felt the same as a book that I just couldn't put down until I either passed out at 5AM or finished it one.
What a perfect description. I'm still in StB and haven't gotten to ShB yet, but HW was like those books that I would read as a kid with a flashlight under the covers in case my mom came into my room to make sure I was asleep. Couldn't put that shit down until I finished lol
@@FloorTankMain Prepare tissues. 😢
Watching you play and commentate on the shadowbringers narrative experience is literally one of my most anticipated pieces of content on youtube. Yes you've heard it a million times, but one RPG story gamer to another, it really does get even better.
I still cannot believe how much the story affected me, and I can't wait to see him play through it.
as a person who actually enjoyed ARR and thought HW was top 3 stories of all time, looking back yeah, it is baffling how better it got. ShB is special
Anti-spoiler minfilia is unironically terrifying and stares into my soul.
Bro I can't believe there isn't more people mentioning that it's horrifying LOL
It's the eyes man...
THE EYES...
I've been watching Preach's streams with a very wary eye, because he always seems so cynical. He makes it very clear that he doesn't like the anime moments, it's just not his thing. And yet, I wanted him to enjoy FF14, because it's just such an enriching experience. I had been waiting for him to finish 3.3, because it is a signature moment in the game, and it would bear the truth of if it's for you. After this big 3.3 battle and cutscene, when he immedietly said it was one of the best story's ever, it was like the tension bubble I had been holding for months finally burst. Glad you're here, Mike!
To be honest though, I'm a weeb and even I don't like the anime moment at the end of Praetorium.
II has been *very* satisfying to see FF cut through many people's deep cynicism. I think it's why I keep following these guys. It's good for my own heart.
just another youtube content farmer. he sued all the content in wow now move to next game
After watching this... holy shit... Mike might actually really like Stormblood if he's cool with the slow burn.
I'm one of the few crazies that actually preferred it's story to HW (which also fantastic)
Other than the first half of ARR everything has been great for story telling. Job quests as well. Except for Paladin.
They don't have a bad expansion, not a single one. They're all amazing. I was baffled why people dump on SB, granted it is between HW and ShB.
@@anangrydruid6990 What, you don't like lighting braziers?
100% agree. Stormblood overall better than heavensward
@@jeffreysmith1314 Even the people who dump on SB don't call it bad. Just not as good as HW. As someone who felt the same way, I can tell you my main issues with SB were somewhat because of pacing. In addition, Lyse's development felt a bit undercooked, if that makes any sense. Other than that, it was a really good expansion.
The fact that ShB was the successor, and HW was the predecessor puts it in an awkward spot where while it is a damn fine game on its own, it feels a bit weaker than those. Which is not a bad thing, really. Being in 3rd place after Usain Bolt and a Lamborghini is an excellent result.
Would love to see a spoiler-full video from preach on what he thought about the story and what his favorite parts were
“The end of [The Warriors of Darkness] story crushed me completely”
🤫
He will be DECIMATED in shadowbringers
@@kutlumzrak2689 "Such devastation! This was fully our intention!" - FFXIV writers.
@@TheTriforceDragon Ishikawa never fucking misses
One of my favorite conversations about the story was when I asked my FC leader about something in the story, and he said “We’ll get an answer in three years, don’t worry”
I took me 6 years to realize what Preach has learned in over the months he played. I was a story skipper until I saw shadowbringer trailer. It was then that I gave the game another try and play it properly. I am so glad I did because the game has changed me. It taught me to take my time. The game is not about where you end up, it's the journey itself that's worth it. I am here now kicking myself for skipping story for so long.
I think the shadow bringers trailer is one of the best game trailers of all time easily.
I remember rolling my eyes when the Warriors of Darkness were introduced, but I feel completely differently about them now. I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts on Stormblood, but I am especially excited to hear your thoughts on Shadowbringers.
I felt the same, was kinda curious where/why they came outta nowhere, and then got gut-punched by the "we did everything right" speech. The VA did a great job on it omg. Then I spent the next however many years wondering wtf happened to them. >.>;
Look at him, he's almost a walking advertisement now, just two more expansions lol.
Glad you thoroughly enjoyed the HW story Preach, please keep doing so at your leisure!
It's a meme that Heavensward is absolutely amazing. I figured they meant it was really good, similar to other big name RPGs... And that its reputation was inflated and over-hyped.
I just finished Heavensward today. The story was incredible. When I look back at how other games tell story, it's unforgivable now that I've seen how well it CAN be done. They built a big but somehow simple story that had so much punch and power. I have an emotional response for almsot every single character in it. I care when things happen to them. People start getting developed who were overlooked in ARR.
Don't skip it. It's worth putting the time aside and playing the story.
Love how people are seeing how awesome FF14 really is. ARR and Heavensward was out around the same time of WoD and Legion, so remember this is 6-8 year old content. FF14 has always been awesome, just took a while for people to experience it.
Preach i think you realize why some of the community wants people to play through MSQ i think other games have given people the wrong mindset about story usually thinking its not important waste of time.. If people take there time through FFXIV MSQ i believe it will pay off i honestly love seeing gamers genuinely enjoying FFXIV to see them feeling connected to certain characters..
I can't play Dragonsong in the car if I'm driving, it makes it so I can't see the road...
I tried playing ff14 2 times and just could not get through the not voice acted cutscenes. I just gave up. Wasn't for me.
Then I saw Preach stream the game and 'voice act' the cut scenes. Hey, now I know the story, now I can play the game. And now my summoner is level 52 and going strong. So, thanks for that. :D
You could voice act them yourself. Give it a go!
To think this was our YEARS AGO when we were suffering through and bitching about WoW. I don’t regret many of my EARLIER (keyphrase xD) years with WoW, but I imagine this was really incredible to the folks experiencing it as it was being released.
I think HW was during WoD
Eh experiencing on release is fine and all but the game has huge content draughts. As a new player you won't know until you experience it in endwalker. I think a lot of people will be surprised. As a veteran player I sometimes leave the game for a few months and come back to do the story patches in one go. Waiting for each gets boring fast.
@@TheSilverwing999 Fair point. However, even the content droughts have seasonal events and repeating collabs to keep things interesting. The nicest thing about FFXIV as a game is actually that you can leave for a few months and comeback without feeling like you missed out, or lost progress.
@@iraqiwalker1436 Yoshi-P has actually said that's how he hopes people play FF: play up until you don't want to do anything else, then go play something else. It's the healthiest attitude for an MMO dev to have. Blizzard, naturally, bucks that trend and fights tooth and nail to create endless systems that it forces players to run through every week so that they don't fall behind, just to keep people subbed.
I started playing around mid ARR, and in my opinion, anyone who started in SB and later had a much better time of it haha. The content is all the same, but the way the game actually plays is drastically different now than it was back then. They’ve made so many system improvements and quality of life additions since then. I typically compare Stormblood to BC and Heavensward to Wrath. Stormblood was a huge leap in gameplay and overall playability of the game, whereas Heavensward had the stronger setting and story.
I hope that you can go into Stormblood with as open a mind as possible. The community likes to talk it down, but there are many fantastic elements to it and I think it suffers from the fact that people insist on ranking things.
I went into stormblood blind not knowing or hearing anything about it. I do think that Heavensward just set the bar so high, that by the time I got to Stormblood it felt underwhelming. Even the trailer felt very underwhelming, I remember finishing Heavensward and then watching the stormblood trailer. I didn’t feel as hyped as I did when I watched the trailer for Heavensward the first time. That in itself set the tone for me of how that expansion would be. I went in blind with not biased or anything. Stormblood really does shine in Doma and the patches for sure tho, it was just getting out of ala mhigo (which I consider, the not that great part)
I completely agree.
I loved how he had a mini breakdown when he noticed Ardberd story mirrored what was happening with him and the Wow development team
NO ONE SAY ANYTHING ELSE but holy fuck based on what I just watched Shadowbringers is going to crush him in all the best ways.
Oh boy can't wait for him to get through 5.0 and 5.3
Damn. I must be broken or something. I played FF14 and the story didn't touch me all that much. Played up to SB
Right, I've only just finished going through all expacs... But bloody hell the story is so, so good. Can't wait until you get to the end of Shadowbringers so I can see your reaction to that!
Man shadowbringers is gonna destroy this man isn’t it
A perfect example of the devs taking their time and how long into the future they plan for the story:
At the recent kupocon, one of the VAs (not saying who to avoid possible spoilers for some players) was asked about something they talked about at one of the previous kupocons, which is, back before Heavensword, this VA was told about a huge story moment for their character, to help the VA understand their character and how they should act that character over time for future expansions.
Well, that VA said that they still haven’t recorded the lines for that arc, and that's including for Endwalker….. In other words, the devs have had something planned for a character and the overall story since before Heavensward, which began development in 2013-2014, and we still aren’t at that point and won't see that until after Endwalker.
And that’s just one character and one plot point, who knows what the story team has planned besides that.
So when Yoshi-P recently talked about how they have been planning for the next 10 years, he meant that very literally. These devs are on another level!
If you think heavens ward was that good, wait for shadowbringers.
Shadowbringers raises the bar so God damn high because of how good it is, I can't imagine how they gona surpass with endwalker.
Actually makes me worried for EW lol
@@xXAkirhaXx Worried? Makes me excited because I know its going to be better than Endwalker. This is the most hyped I've been since I was kid and that is impressive in its own right lol.
Endwalker could either be great or a huge steaming pile of disappointment. They've set a high bar
something you could say to your friends who are only into endgame is that you dont have to shoot to max level to take part in the endgame. explain how much fun you had with ramuh ex. and then tell em to let it breathe like you said.
I'm new to FFXIV and also just recently finished Heavensward. I really struggled to get through A Realm Reborn but I found Heavensward WAY more enjoyable, but despite the better story, faster pacing and less tedious "fetch quests" I've decided that I don't love the game enough to pay for a sub. That said I'm really happy that so many gamers love FFXIV though, and I subscribe to a fair few FFXIV content creators on UA-cam as I enjoy the good vibes.
I was honestly expecting Planescape: Torment to be the #1 storytelling game, but Divinity is good too!
Stormblood has some pacing issues in the base expansion but is still a good story, it just takes a while for it to get its act together. But after you hit the patch content it's just a rollercoaster ride until the end of Shadowbringers. Enjoy Preach, it makes me happy seeing a behemoth in the WoW community discovering this game just like I did years ago.
yea, that is one of my major points of criticism for Stormblood. It just takes so freaking long for the story to kick into gear.
Oh dude, I definitely teared up in The Witcher 3 at that one scene...
Vessamir?
@@jeffreysmith1314 No, with Ciri.
Really glad you're enjoying it. There is one thing I recommend you do before hitting SB, it's a "generic" (gold) quest chain starting in Fortemps manor called "The Paths We Walk". 5 quests each starting where the other ends, super easy to miss but I'd say very important to a few loose ends from HW. Even has it's own space in the NG+ log.
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Seto is going to destroy him.
About Choices... The Old Republic kinda has that already I the box. But that really becomes and feels like a single player rpg
If we're talking about video games that moved us: for all it's technical blunders, I found Cyberpunk's stories very strong emotionally. At the end of my ~100% 120 hours playthrough, that's a world I was genuinely sad to leave, a journey I felt very sad to end, and characters I felt very sad to say goodbye to.
"I'm not an heartless soulless cold machine"... that's exactly what an heartless soulless cold machine would say ! **Pikachu face**
"I feel like a shill but..." Yup. Sums it up perfectly. I feel like a shill but...it really is that good.
Once I was through with Heavensward I decide that FFXIV was the best RPG I have ever played..and believe me, I have played A LOT of them. Stormblood and Shadowbringers of course just solidifies that belief for me. Shadowbringers was SO good. So good, in fact, I struggle to think of even *how* can a story be better than it? Guess we’ll found out in Endwalker
I can see crystal clear that every single person who has finished Shadowbringers just sitting with a massive shit eating grin on their face during this entire video.
If you consider Heavensward a 10/10 storytelling you need to invent a new scale for Shadowbringers.
Sir Aymeric triggers that part of my manly heart that knows a good leader and a good man when it sees one. It makes me understand how men before the time of corporations and crooked politicians could have loyalty for a leader, trusting their choices to be just and good.
Also, you think the Warriors of Darkness story was sad before, lol.
That one scene with an ax as a war main...
It is a very long shot from the 'Best Game Storytelling ever' I don't know if you people play many games and while HW is good, it is very generic. I really don't understand why people have fallen head over heels with it.
Can't wait to hear your thoughts on 5.3! I am so glad you're enjoying the game :) !
I Wonder If preach knows any past FF game to get the references of other games from the franchise along the way
I like that Preach is going for a more complete approach to the game instead of just rushing through the MSQ. Something I’ve noticed from many recent streamers who seem to Zerg the MSQ really fast is that they don’t remember a lot of the nuance things presented and thus miss out on many connection points to the overall story and the world. Just like with any great story, sometimes you’ve gotta let it digest and maybe talk about it with others before you flood your brain with new information. The side content also helps to further the overall story of the world and is often referenced in other content if you’ve completed it.
I'm happy to hear that you are appreciating the story Preach. I hope Shadow Bringers blows your expectations away!
Once you played Heavensward you start to understand why FF14 has a new game + feature.
It is for all the poor fools out there that skipped the story. And for all of us that want to go back and play it again.
I will say being a dragoon main during heavansward was an amazing treat. The few extra dialogs you get just makes you feel better but man. Heavansward is amazing.
For those of you who don't know. "The shadow man" story in Divinity Original Sin II refers to him playing Lohse as the main character in that game and following that character's story line.
Is there a link for the questline you can provide?
@@Vanessa_exe Sadly I do not but if you are really curious try out the keywords: "Lohse Candles" But be warned that this is MAJOR spoilers.
@@Vanessa_exe on the PreachGaming highlights channel he has the entirety of the playthrough, but I'm not sure at what point this quest is
@@MrMoquitto May be a bit late, but the thing is that it is not really just one quest that encapsulates it. Each character in Divinity: Original Sin 2 who can join your party has their own story that runs across all of the game's acts. Some of these stories are also connected deeply with the game's main story making what constitutes the "quest" even more of a diffuse concept.
Okay so i skipped the text boxes, but watched the cutscenes or the voiced dialogues when i first played heavensward way back when, watching you voice everything actually made me realise that there is so much more attention to detail than i first thought.
Waiting for him to call shadowbringers a masterpiece
"its not that kind of a game" isnt really that fair, this game puts alot of effort to giving diff ppl diff stuff to like and do, if someone wanna just go do the endgame not only they can but they also should and they will likely have alot fo fun because that content slaps imo (except dungeons).
Its a great game
Glad to see Preach join us in the "Walking advertisement" phase :D
i recommend ff9, story is soulcrushing and touches themes like the meaning of life, even doe is the most goofy looking ff it seems to be the deepest when it comes to story, ending is wholesome and sad at the same time.
Game, no; MMO, yes. However, Shadowbringers blurs that line.
Dev's ideal takeaway: The long game pays off the most, but requires the most investment.
Blade&Soul had such a System in place once upon a time. Players were split into two factions and also had to decide for the Light or Dark path. The whole system got retconned and deleted because the developer effort to keep it up was just too much.
I call the whole group "warriors of variable luminosity". It will make more and more sense as you keep going on the story ark
Yeah...Shadowbringers will also bring you to tears. It's been a long time since a story has been so impactful to me.
The one thing I appreciate the most about FFXIV is the story. I’ve never been an mmo player even tho those games always intrigued me and I’ve tried out several, but I have no friends who are interested in playing with me. The fact that I can play FFXIV solo and enjoy this story is the reason I stuck with the game all the way to Shadowbringers.
When Preach hits Shadowbringers...
It's good that Mike is going through the whole experience of FFXIV. The game really highlights the importance of the journey, and teaches a great lesson in story telling.
End of Warriors of Darkness story in 3.4 crashed him completely. :)
Is Heavensward the best story? No. Because Shadowbringers exist.
"Only once in my life has video games moved me to tears"
2 expansion later...he is at 6
The lifecycle of an FFXIV player: You either get filtered by ARR or you become a shill for the game.
Just finished Stormblood! So amazing! And I hear that's the worst out of all the expansions!! (Comparitively) Can't wait to get to Shadowbringers baby!
Enjoy.
@13:40 WoW has conditioned an entire generation to stop appreciating games and just get to the "end". :(
As yoshi P said: FF14 is a Final Fantasy game first, an MMO 2nd.
FF14 is definitely more of an experience than a fun mechanical experience. I'd say that FF14 is a better RPG with MMO elements while World of Warcraft was a better MMO with RPG elements. World of Warcraft desperately needs to let things breath and have all core story content in the game........ I hope they realize that they do need a story roadmap, not just a half a year to 2 year map.
Alexander savage is... something else.
They did make it less of a pain with patches, but the first tier, when it came out, was dubbed the "static destroyer", it was heavily gear gated. Pepsi man was insane. It was the last time they gear gated content too. But regardless, prepare for a bit of suffering, it doesn't really compare to coils much in difficulty. Hopefully it will be fun for you tho.
if you skipped the story congratulations you played yourself
You put that Minfilia abomination back where you found it! Jesus Christ!
Wow. And you haven't even seen Shadowbringers yet. Stormblood "suffers" in the sense that it is sandwiched between Heavensward and Shadowbringers, which are both superior from a narrative perspective. But taken on its own, Stormblood is really good also. But yeah, buckle up when you hit Shadowbringers, Preach. Keep the tissues handy. Can't wait to see your reactions when you get there.
Even if you're not into shooters, I'm not really either. Check out Bioshock: Infinite. In my opinion the most criminally underrated and probably one of the top 5 best stories ever told in a game. I legitimately did make me tear up. As did a lot of FFXIV but damn... That game needs more recognition.
Preach is a big Bioshock fan, I believe he plays those games yearly on his stream whenever there's a slow period of games. I imagine there might be a full playthrough on his highlights channel.
@@nigelm5539 Nice! Good to know :)
Honestly, Heavensward is pretty good, but it's also really clunky. They try to balance the Dragonsong War with all the BS in Uldah.
I've found that right as it's getting good, you have to stop what you're doing to go deal with Raubahn's shit. You're right on the edge of bringing this massive thousand year long war to an end. It'll only take like.. 6 hours of your characters in-game life.. But nope.. Raubahn needs us because him and his entire army can't figure their own shit out.
And before someone sais "He's not the general, he doesn't have his army!", I'm willing to be that there would be hundreds of soldiers in the Immortal Flames; especially the ones still under Pippin's rank; that would be willing to fight for Raubahn..
The pacing is pretty bad. You spend some time questing and get super hyped for the next stage of the story, and then you're dragged away. And by the time you return to your original story, you've lost the excitement for it.
They do this in Stormblood as well. It's very frustrating. I'm glad Shadowlands mostly does away with this problem.
Yet to complete 4.0 but damn HW was so damn good loking forward to SHB though Go for it Preach it's an amazing game
I cried several times already no shame in it
Bruh your hair is comin in nice