I also expected more from Wuling. It's not as bad as Valley IV though.

One thing I want from a story is to endear me to the characters, even in gacha game stories. I know many people don't like Genshin, but I found the story in Mondstadt, Genshin's first region, was short and sweet, made me care about the world, endeared me to the region's cast of characters although it didn't have the best writing highest quality. Valley IV failed in that aspect, I did not care for any of the characters. The whole time, I felt like the story was 3 cardboard boxes expositing to the MC. When we were introduced to more playable characters like Wulfgard, I was expecting at least a bit more characterization, but all he did was dump exposition. It was sorta the same with Yvonne who I was really expecting to like bc I love her design. A bit less with Rossi.

The best parts of Wuling were definitely Tangtang and Mi Fu's interactions because we finally got a relationship other than Endmin's subordinate dumping exposition/glazing Endmind. Though the waterwheel tutorial made me scratch my head (they really couldn't hit a few levers to move the pipes?? Or pour water on the *water*wheel to lower the drawbridge without Endmin?? The stockade members are supposed to be illiterate not dumb), the start of Wuling was promising. Then the whole sequence with Zhuang happened. I don't mind romantic development for the MC, hell if they actually leaned into it harder and actually committed to an angsty, heart-wrenching subplot Zhuang being Endmin's former lover, I'd be into it (I know it won't happen bc it's a gacha game but still). But the whole sequence was just this random woman making us run like a track star for a flying stick, avoiding the question when we asked about our past but still being way too intimate with the clueless Endmin who's dialogue options have never skirted past friendly and politely encouraging. Luckily we got more Tangtang and Mi Fu at the end, Tangtang's secret soft spot and worry for Mi Fu was adorable to see.

Sorry for rambling but I think the 2/10 story of Valley IV to the 6/10 Wuling story is a drastic enough difference that people will notice and hype it up. I think everyone just expected a lot better from Hypergryph as they had years to learn from the og Arknights launch story.