[Spoiler Warning] The Departed: YES, this is EXACTLY it! :)

[Ashantara.8731]

Dear devs of PoF,

 

I want to praise you for all your hard work, making the expansion a gem in every regard, story design, architectural design, environmental design, sound design, objects, animation, but most importantly, _the writing_, as well as QoL-wise (for instance the way items work, their mechanics, and how you never keep anything in vain in your inventory, how everything is useful and you never have to worry about "doing something wrong" with them).

 

Okay, but on to the point of this post:

 

I am just playing the "The Departed" mission, and so far the story in general (before that mission) has been a blast -- but this particular mission just blows my mind. **This** is exactly what I have been waiting for in a GW MMO ever since the annoucement thereof during GW1. It stimulated all my senses, and most importantly, it stimulated the brain. This is what classic RPG adventuring looks like. I have goose bumps. The way you enter the underworld, no map, no skills, exploring at its best. Then the story recap, your "purpose", and everything else. The whole idea of "finding yourself".

 

Gosh, I hope this team will do **all** future content. No more travesties like LWS3 with its terrible writing and childish dialogue and humor. No more mediocre content that leaves you thinking, "It _could_ have been..., but it wasn't."

 

<3

[Glacial.9516]

I loved The Departing mission. I wasn't very fond of some of the previous story steps (particularly the previous encounter with Balthazar, it felt rushed. Reminded me of Eir. Should have been built up a bit more) but I reaaally loved what they did with the Departing and hope it continues! It's definitely in my top 3 for story instances.

[hourglass.2486]

I just did that story last night and man was that a great story line. I would also like the praise the music department the music score for the entire expansion is amazing. The writers and art team also did an amazing job as well as the sound design when comes to mounts and every dialog in the game feels like actual MMO with depth story lines. I hope that Anet continues with this kind of style in on out. Keep you the good work Anet!

[Thenme.6491]

I really enjoyed it up to the point where I had to do it twice for not bringing a greatsword with me. cause mesmers don't do enough damage and that thing restore half hp if u don't do CC. the only way to do CC fast enough is with greatsword. and I really enjoyed it except for that part.

[Ashantara.8731]

> @hourglass.2486 said:

> I just did that story last night and **man was that a great story line**. I would also like the praise the music department the music score for the entire expansion is amazing. The writers and art team also did an amazing job as well as the sound design when comes to mounts and every dialog in the game **feels like actual MMO with depth story lines. I hope that Anet continues with this kind of style in on out.** Keep you the good work Anet!

 

:+1:

 

> @Thenme.6491 said:

> I really enjoyed it up to the point where I had to do it twice for not bringing a greatsword with me. cause mesmers don't do enough damage and that thing restore half hp if u don't do CC. the only way to do CC fast enough is with greatsword. and I really enjoyed it except for that part.

 

I found that boon reversal helped a lot. See "Eater of Souls" thread for more detail.

[Mea.5491]

The whole PoF story was awesome but extremely short. :( I spent more time disconnecting and relogging than actually playing the story.

[Manasa Devi.7958]

It took me far too long to find anything. I was 30 minutes in and bored out of my skull by the time I finally talked to the judge, and then I needed another 30 minutes to find a weapon.

[etsubmariner.4690]

Also a great "It" easter egg in that instance.

[sacredninja.5236]

the story is great, but this instance is fucking epic

[Ashantara.8731]

> @sacredninja.5236 said:

> the story is great, but this instance is kitten epic

 

Why "but"? It's great that it's epic! :) Or were you trying to say that the fight was too tough for you?

 

I found it super easy with my Scourge, let's see how it works out with my Warrior, then Guardian or Ranger etc. I can imagine it's more difficult with certain professions.

[Draxjon.1790]

Yeah the story in the expansion was Great! Hopefully Season 4 will be as good :D!

[Maethor.2810]

This whole instance was absolutely lovely, even with the moments of frustration in it.

 

Finding yourself again, reminding us that our characters aren't impossible to kill (not that they stayed dead) but that we have enough strength within us to fight our way back. The throwbacks to GW1 by going to the Underworld and getting a glimpse of that, the Eater fight that was difficult but doable and made me panic whenever he suddenly tore off after me to go for the life drain, all of it. I sadly didn't get the time to explore the instance as much as I would have liked, but I will be doing the story again to do so.

 

I was surprised, invested in what was going on, and overall happy with this instance. If they keep doing stuff like this, I will be more than happy.