Oh good, we’re in trouble already.
Support us on Patreon! ► http://patreon.com/playframe
___________
Heavensward series playlist! ► https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvFQJa1XAXzzXrfl_cbsGvEl4AbTt5SMG
FULL SERIES playlist! ► https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvFQJa1XAXzzXrfl_cbsGvEl4AbTt5SMG
___________
0:00 – Introduction
0:38 – QUEST: “A Reward Long in Coming”
5:50 – QUEST: “Divine Intervention”
21:55 – QUEST: “Disclosure”
32:59 – QUEST: “Flame General Affairs”
___________
Want to join our Free Company? See the unofficial PlayFriends Discord for details! ► https://discord.gg/PlayFriends
___________
Check out the PlayFrame Store! ► https://store.dftba.com/collections/playframe
Dan’s Twitter (@DanFloydPlus) ► https://twitter.com/DanFloydPlus
Carrie’s Twitter (@CarrieFloyd) ► https://twitter.com/CarrieFloyd
PlayFrame Twitter (@PlayFramePlus) ► https://twitter.com/PlayFramePlus
To hear Dan talk MUCH more about game animation, check out New Frame Plus! ► http://www.youtube.com/c/newframeplus
___________
Edited by Daniel Floyd
♫ “Pray Return” by Chris Logsdon
https://lnkfi.re/pray-return
#PlayFrame #FFXIV #FinalFantasyXIV #Heavensward
source
This series restarted persuaded me to start supporting in Patreon, however meager my support is!
It's time for the return of Final Fantasy Friday 👏
Today's question is: what did you guys think of the Final Fantasy VII presentation yesterday?
The amount of g r o w l in Alphinaud's voice as he practically curses the name "Crystal braves" is /amazing/.
How is it that you keep getting involved in problems durmin?!
Wow, I forgot how story dense this little stretch was. Imagine how much more faff and A to B running around there would have been to see you through an equivalent amount of story in ARR.
I think the Admirals new (current) VA is just as good as her ARR actor. The issue is that her old VA was the best one of the original cast and so it feels like less of an upgrade.
I have nothing to complain about the current Merwyb's voice performance. But it lacks some of the roughness of the original.
As a massive Xenoblade fan, hearing Fiora's voice come out of Tataru is… uncanny. It also makes me love Tataru even more, if that was even possible.
27:45 – Um.. the last time Durmin was alone with a monarch… You know what? Nevermind.
I miss Thancred's old voice actor. The new one isn't bad, but he doesn't have the same gravitas or whimsy.
One of our FFXIV lore specialists may have mention this already, but an interesting note about Haurchefant's dub/translations in particular.
There are always wording and phrasing changes between languages, but in the case of Haurchefant it is particularly notable. It is near impossible to ignore how……. /fond/ he is of the WoL, but the English version is significantly toned down. In Japanese?
During one of the ARR patch quests: "Oh, if it isn’t [PLAYER]! What is it? Have you come to show me the development of your chiseled body? …No? ……Are you sure?"
Yeeeeeah. I've heard various reasons why it was changed, the most prominent being 'English speakers felt like his interactions with the PC crossed a line into sexual harassment,' and some sections of fandom prefer that interpretation. Personally, I mostly just think it's interesting, and absolutely adore the loveable weirdo version that we got.
40:41 Agreed. Some scenes, I feel her previous VA might have been better, just like I feel that the new VA might have been better for some of the older stuff, when she's sitting around and chatting.
I really love that Tataru has more voiced lines!
After many a long deliberation, I have reached this one inalienable conclusion: Lord Hauchetant is Best Boy.
Tiny Justice Prevails!
I would need to hear more of the new voice cast, but the Admiral's new voice is definitely a sidegrade thus far. Similar gravitas, with a stronger accent, good choice.
While this is, you know, the WORST way of determining actual guilt: Fighting in the trial was SO AWESOME, I loved this quest when I got to it in my own playthrough 😀
Sidenote, it always makes me laugh when they talk about 'the archbishop', since in the German version they just straight up call him 'Pope Thordan VII', which feels way more accurate xD
The main reason (at this point) that I would prefer the ARR VA is that her voice carried more power and natural authority as it were. The new VA does a fine job, but so far seems a bit too soft in tone and tembre for the Admiral we know. ARR VA's performance feels like it carried more of the "Badass Pirate Queen" quality. This version feels more like highborn British navy officer, which is fine but feels like a character clash for now.
Your spoiler free lore comment is here, to participate in trial by combat! Or at least, trial by comment?
And we get some of the name drop for the expansion. Not only is Heavensward a direction, the Heaven's Ward is the Archbishop's personal guard. Aymeric mentions that he or Haurchefant would stand as Tataru's champion, but the truth of the matter is that Aymeric, as a member of another house & lord commander of the Temple Knights, would cause political complications. Haurchefant as a member of House Fortemps is a viable choice, but Durmin is the best, as a member of the Scions. And, of course, Durmin is the Warrior of Light. No Ishgardian knight will be able to best him.
Although, I still think having a lawyer would be better.
Thordan's "I totally met with the baddies, and I would like to propose an alliance against the baddies" isn't the usual interaction that we'd expect from an RPG. I like that the story approaches it with people putting cards on the table to try to head things off. But that still doesn't preclude the idea that revealing the truth isn't still a ploy.
Merlwyb may have fled the Bloody Banquet at the insistence of her subordinates, but they had good reason. Directly involving the Head of State of Limsa in a dispute on Ul'dah's government might have led to war between the two city states. Worse, if she had been killed or detained by the Monetarists, this could have led to a battle for succession in Limsa at the same time. No, taking care of the Syndicate coup is something best left to non-state actors & Ul'dahn Royalists. Fortunately, the Scions, however few in number, are capable of filling this role.
More new Voice Actors:
Brian Protheroe as Archbishop Thordan VII
Tracy-Ann Oberman, of Eastenders, as Chief Admiral Merlwyb Bloefhiswyn
Allan Corduner
, who also voices Midgardsormr, as Eynzahr Slafyrsyn
As a general guideline, one should never refer to the court as a "mummer's farce". No governmental institution approves of being compared to satirical comedy.
4:53 F. Mr. "Hero of the hour" got his comeuppance via The Cane, but knowing his type he will probably learn nothing. Probably.
6:49 NOOOOOO
28:12 Shady, shady… there's something clearly wrong about the archbishop given him being a double agent between working with the heroes and speaking with the Ascians.
35:10 I don't mind Merlwyb's new voice. It's still not as fitting as Jean Gilpin's take, but Tracy-Ann Oberman pulls her weight well enough. This is notably her only big role in Video Games, as she's primarily a theatre and television actress.
————————————————————————–
I'll also be going over the archbishop's personal guard, the Heavens' Ward. We meet two of those members today: Ser Grinnaux and Ser Paulecrain.
Grinnaux de Dzemael is the nephew of the House's current count. He wasn't so unimpeachable, and he is still currently a brute: a drunkard who brawled at local taverns, and quite harsh to his questioners during campaigns. He became close friends with another Knight, ser Paulecrain.
Paulecrain de Fanouilley had rose from poverty thanks to his lancing skills alone. He was actually taken into House Fortemps, but after assaulting a noble of the House he was dismissed. He crossed paths with Grinnaux, where traded barbs over drinks escalated into a bar brawl. Paulecrain quickly became friends with Grinnaux thanks to said fight, and was soon taken into House Dzemael.
For Paulecrain's unwavering loyalty and Grinnaux's peerless combat expertise, they were both made members of the Heavens' Ward.
"I did my job" … checks YUP, all snacks delivered, congratulations, mission accomplished.
Considering how fond Final Fantasy is of the Corrupt Church trope, and the way they teased the idea of Ascians infiltrating the Holy See, it's nice to see it take a different turn in this game. For now, at least.
I shall note here that the black chocobo was one of the very first flying mounts in the entire game. As ARR was no fly, Heavensward was the first to have them. Further not every mount COULD fly. That's why there's an entire LONG side quest that's about teaching your company chocobo to fly. (or was?).
Hmmmm, the head of a massive organized religion that leads a theocracy obsessed with 'heresy'… in a JRPG….. That dude is totally gonna end up being evil
Like, I don't dislike the new VA for Merlwyb, she definitely sounds more like I would have expected in the beginning. But I Elenwen's VA (I'm bad at VA names) is one of those that sticks so well. I wonder how good post-ARR FF14 would've been if she had stayed on…
Also, in another universe, a Champion of the Great Hunt's ear pricked up at the mention of a jailbreak of an innocent man. He's walked that path, and would gladly lend a blaster, but alas… he's in a galaxy far, far away. Not sorry, had to, too perfect. SWTOR had some good stories.
I'm pretty sure Tataru has the same VA as Fiora from Xenoblade.
finally the Title Drops lmao, kinda surprised your crew doesn't employee the Trial of getting beat up by Durmin more often