LogFAQs > #977719695

adjl posted...

Most stories would be pretty significantly altered if an instance where the antagonist won was removed.

They really wouldn't. Xenoblade 3 would change a lot (probably for the better) but most of the time it doesn't really change any motivations or goals. These story arcs are borderline self contained and once you escape, you are doing exactly what you were doing before hand.

About the xenoblade 2 stuff, I'm aware the need for a sacrifice CAN come up unexpectedly, but it doesn't NEED to and the plot would have been totally fine if that just didn't happen. If they just escape the space station thats already blowing up anyway.

You also wouldn't necessarily need as many different scenes as possible. The way optional characters are typically handled is their lines are written and just not said if they aren't there. You only really need variance if something would produce a different result, like in this case, but even then you can probably use all of the characters interchangeably. Even the default wind blade could probably chuck you across the gap for that matter.

Not to mention it's a game, I already won, why aren't you giving me the happy ending I earned? I mean, I guess they technically do in xenoblade 2, but we both agree that part is poor writing. I should be resolving the conflict IN the final boss fight. Assuming I win, I shouldn't be getting a bittersweet outcome.

And that theme of accepting not saving doesn't make any sense at all. You said he accepted he couldn't save her, and then...went to save her. Classic unevenly applied xenoblade themes. If he really wanted to accept his limitations, he would just do nothing I guess even though that too was a really stupid plot point because he dies if he does nothing. He didn't have the option of giving up and going back to his previous life like he was trying to do. Thats where the story fell apart for me in the first place. He was such a surprisingly enjoyable character up to that point.

adjl posted...

She used Aion to do it. In the entirety of Alrest, there were exactly two individuals that could operate Aion, and the party had just finished killing one of them. I'm not even sure who you're trying to suggest could have done it, because this is just straight up false.

I was a little fuzzy on how the ending went down and rewatched it. I for some reason was remembering malos staying behind to do it after the fight. Rewatching it was quite frustrating though. Pneuma just activates a 5 minute self destruct. Could have just left after initiating that. And why would a space station designed to be automated and work by itself for thousands of years not be designed with a way to deal with the world tree falling on the planet? For that matter, why would it just collapse without power in the first place? It should just remain dormant. No, I'm getting ahead of myself, theres no reason to discuss xenoblade 2 anymore.

All in all I don't think this discussion is going to get anywhere. I remain completely unswayed and so do you. A person who merely sees the gameplay as busywork for the static story is just never going to see eye to eye with me.