So I just finished and I am a little confused... (WHOLE THREAD IS SPOILER)

[Renmiri]

The motivations of the antagonists are pretty poorly explained. Specifically, the game never really delves into why Venat would betray the other Occurians or why there was any need to relinquish Occurian control to begin with. I mean, they where obviously pretty manipulative but we’re given no evidence within the game that their rule was particularly detrimental, nor that humes could do a better job. If we were given a genuine reason as to why it was necessary, I might have been able to consider the whole “Wrestling Ivalice back into the hands of man” jazz more than convenient idealistic nonsense.

Precisely!! All the game says is that they intervened - once - 1,400 years ago to give power to Raithwal, who - gasp - brought peace and prosperity to Ivalice.

We should have such meddling Gods here on Earth!!!

The whole plot is quite open ended and morally ambiguous, perhaps excessively so for a video game.

It seems we agree. Actually the main game writer said so in an interview: It was his aim that good guys had flaws and bad guys showed kindness and specifically that he did not take sides on the conflict, leaving it for the player.

An interesting idea that fell flat on it's face: In the end the game needed a villain and all the ambiguity and "kindness" evaporated from Vayne, making him mad and evil as any villain on a cheesy James Bond rerun. You find hard to believe Larsa was so fond of THAT jerk of a brother. Or that Vayne fooled his dad, Ondorre and others for so long.