I wrote gameplay feedback in the "Enderal - Questions, Critique & Wishes" but here's the story feedback which I will write about:
1. Overall feelings from beginning to end
2. Thoughts on the revelations and plot twists at the end
Things related to real world and unanswered questions I'll join other threads.
Those who had similar feelings with me or contrast are welcomed to discuss it.
SPOILERS FOR SURE:
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- 1. Overall feelings
I like how the game started with a dark atmosphere, death, dreams, and mystery, it makes me feel like a wimp at first, but later on I started feeling more of a badass when character develops and being part of an important thing in the order. The involvement of Nehrimese mages who has a different ideology as opposed to what the Order stands for, makes things more interesting that they work together against a common enemy with me (formerly a wimp) as a key part, makes me feel my quest is more important than before.
As soon as there those who do not believe the beacon plan, and there are betrayals within the order makes me pay much more attention to conversations, and find any chance I may catch insiders but sadly, non of it could be done. Then I started to learn a lot about Tealor Arantheal's flaws as a leader, suspecting I may have to fight him at the end because of his stubbornness and ego.
I like how deep the main quests involve exploring inner struggles of our close companions, their childhood struggles and how they are related to the black stones and things that might have been bugging them all their lives. Exploring Ryneus is quite phenomenal, with that power he could create a world by his own imagination and how sad I felt for him when it all has to end. The Starcity trip was epic! Got to fly and learn something that gives hope but ended with loss because of Kurmai went hysterical.
About the daddy dreams it seems like a childhood struggle for the protagonist, (as my interpretation) he must have been blamed a failure, might have been indirectly called the people to help, but instead those people burned their houses including daddy, mom, and sister, but the guilt is put on the protagonist, which could have been the strongest drive to become fleshless and be manipulated by the High Ones all along.
2. Revelations and plot twists at the end.
It is an epic ending. But there are things that kind of bummed me down, a lot of thoughts and information to swallow/rething, please do not take this as a bashing but it may be a result from a great story must come to and end, overall I'm still satisfied because of something deep to be interpreted, so it's kind of a mixed feeling of epic/shocked/depressed...
2.1 Efforts were counterproductive or in vain, really?
It's the feeling that all the hard work I've done with the order against the High Ones, where actually increasing the power of the High Ones, increasing Tealor's ego, without anyone bringing this up, really? Even the Aged Man has warned. And what bugs me is that nobody puts an effort to catch (spelling?) Lishari Peghast's murder, nothing we could do about Yuslan Sha'Rim or egotistic Tealor Arantheal before going down the tunnels urghhh.
2.2 Too long conversation with the Black Guardian. Around 50 minutes! I felt that he is genuine of telling the truth about High Ones manipulation, fleshless conditions, and the cycle, but then he lied about the "mercy kill" switch, this nearly hopeless prophet who failed on defeating going against the High Ones could shut down the multi-millennia old epic/revealer/observer instead. And wow, that's the final boss battle in the game..........?
2.3 Both choices to end the game has kind of the same dark mood. Whether it's we as a couple escaping to Starcity with most humanity destroyed vs. A heroic sacrifice that makes the explosion less severe, my lover, the survivor goes to a different continent to "help" with another beacon. Still, both choices requires the survivor very hard work to convince other people to how not to fall by the High Ones, or being consumed by their own ego, whether it's to the people of next generation or those who are building another beacon. Also, seeing those people who work close to us with the least ego such as Arch Magister Lexill, Guard commander Leora, and High Mater all have to die...
3. I'll say it short as it's about inner struggles and childhood that drives a person's ego, but also a grown man as a leader, could fail miserably because of his/her own ego too! An organization can be corrupted from the inside and its purpose could change 180 degrees. Not much about "religion = good" or "religion = bad I'd say", it's more of when someone does not want to feel "failed" or "wrong" or "rejected" or "weak" or "selfish", they could put a lot of effort to cover it up with a huge expense on other's lives.
The thing I saw about religion is that when human having a desire to be worshiped as a "god" always results massive loss, even the Aged Man, the Light Borns, etc..