u/Otherwise_Island_856

I pretty much main Azir top now (D3 - D2 range) and came to the conclusion that Azir top just seems objectively better for the Bird in most situations. Azir never really wants to interact with the map pre-6 (honestly pre nashors), and depends a lot on XP to get ratios and cds on his W Q/E. The boots trade off doesn't really matter at all, your matchups are heavily favored for you in almost all matchups except for champs like Yorick / Jax / Renekton / Camille, and you more or less can guarantee a smooth gold curve to 2 items.

What are the comparative advantages that I'm missing given that mid is still his most played position? Most matchups are a total nightmare (artillery mages, control mages, AD assassins) and you lose roam priority to most champs in the lane. The only thing I can think of off the top of my head is the shorter lane distance.

The gunplay, ambience and lore is all there. Can't help but feel like this game is a x10 quality GOTY contender if it went absolutely hog wild and hired a bunch of cRPG writers and churned out a bunch of questlines for each of the hubs, complete with the very prototypical "gray not black/white side with this power broker or this power broker".

Some of the quests already lend to that feeling just a little bit (like the "rebuilding" of Zalissya) and take it away from it's more paranormal shooter type feel. Hell, the one where you tell jokes for the lonely Stalker in Cordon felt almost straight out of a TTRPG (though it should've had some failing options probably).

I am very aware this is probably an unpopular opinion. I can just feel it being so close to my dream game in every other category other than it's side / environmental / town-hub content.