Coming off the heels of the decade-long Hydaelyn and Zodiark saga, Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail takes you to completely new territory, quite literally. For once, you--the Warrior of Light--are offered the chance for some peace and quiet alongside your friends, with no calamitous threat looming over your shoulder. There are no dragons to slay, gods to fell, or villains to vanquish on the agenda. Hell, we traveled to the literal edge of the universe, I think it's fair to say we deserve this break.
This latest adventure is the beginning of something new for the MMO and aims to try something a little different with a number of unpredictable outcomes. You'd be setting yourself up for disappointment if you're expecting this expansion to offer the non-stop excitement and narrative revelations or Shadowbringers or Endwalker, but Dawntrail is still a great setup for a lower-stakes adventure, and one that ultimately makes Dawntrail's twist that much more compelling.
Major spoilers ahead for Dawntrail's story
In this adventure, you set off across the ocean and sail west to the continent of Tural. Although you're technically on vacation, you're also on a mission: to help your new companion, Wuk Lamat, become the next Dawnservant of Tural and, in the process, find the fabled city of gold.
While Endwalker hit the ground running and was rare with its respites, Dawntrail is leisurely paced as you compete in the rite of succession. It takes great care in getting you familiar with your new surroundings first and, as Alisaie puts it, "For once, the fate of the world doesn't rest on our shoulders." As a result, you're able to take in all the gorgeous sights with no sense of pressure to race against the clock.
From the picturesque capital, Tuliyollal, to lush rainforests and dense jungles filled with flora and fauna, to mountainous regions under starry skies, there is no place in Dawntrail you won't want to stop and admire. Tural is among the most beautiful places the MMO has to offer, and its design is only enhanced thanks to the long-awaited graphics update, making this expansion's vibrant color palette and smallest details pop.
As you travel these lands, it's clear so much thought and attention went into curating not just its locations, but also the many cultures of the people you meet along the way, like Hanuhanu, the Yok Huy, and the Xbr'aal. The lives of the Turali are as important to your journey as anything else in Dawntrail, and as you spend more and more time learning about their respective cultures and histories, you'll witness firsthand the impact they leave on the overarching story, especially the Yok Huy's traditions of remembering their loved ones.
Final Fantasy XIV has often struggled with its pacing, especially when it comes to finding the time to address every single narrative thread. And while learning about the people of Tural is one of the most interesting parts of Dawntrail's story, in some places it feels like there is a lack of momentum when it comes to progression and the placement of some quests, which can disrupt the momentum. This issue improves somewhat in Dawntrail, which avoids overwhelming you with too much at once, mainly due to the fact that the story is consistent in its singular goal from the start. In the initial half of your journey, you'll rarely pick up your weapon outside of Duties, which makes a ton of room for you to get really absorbed in the characters and world around you.
However, some questlines feel outdated and meandering in their presentation and can make you feel like you're not making any headway. Too often, you are tasked with walking from point A to point B to talk to an NPC, or ordered to collect an item, and repeat this loop. Quests like these are to be expected in an MMO, but even so, it's repetitive and unenjoyable. The stealth and companion follow quests in particular, which are seemingly used as a way to make the lack of action more engaging, are just plain tedious. That being said, the overall journey is appealing and engaging enough that these issues don't derail the plot entirely--they merely slow you down.
One of the most intriguing aspects of this tale is the decision to establish Wuk Lamat as the central protagonist. You take a step back in this story to allow for the female Hrothgar to shine, and it's a decision that benefits the overall narrative brilliantly.
Wuk Lamat is without a doubt the shining star of this expansion. It's her compassion and extroverted playfulness that makes her such an endearing companion and making the journey through Dawntrail that much more worthwhile. She is unapologetically herself, almost comically so, whether it be in her positive outlook on life or her love for her country; she's simply a joy to travel with. She's a fierce warrior, but is afraid of alpacas, will take on any challenge presented to her, but gets seasick. It's these characterizations, along with the terrific work from her English voice actor Sena Bryer, that makes Wuk Lamat one of the more memorable Final Fantasy XIV companions in recent memory. Without her by your side, Dawntrail just wouldn't be the same.
She's a character you want to root for because, despite her positive exterior, she also has her flaws, along with personal challenges she must overcome on your journey together. As you travel from region to region, Wuk Lamat comes to understand that she isn't as familiar with her people as she originally thought, revealing her naivety in the process, which makes her doubt her worthiness for the throne.
Step-by-step, with you by her side as her friend and guide, Wuk Lamat goes through a delightful journey of self-discovery, and it's rewarding to witness her character develop. Plus, the polarizing conflict at the center of her story makes for quite the compelling narrative twist part way through the expansion's story--it's a huge part of what makes the narrative extremely powerful, creating opportunities for unanticipated reveals and shocking consequences.
Final Fantasy XIV has always worn its heart on its sleeve, and it's no different in Dawntrail. As you familiarize yourself with new characters and cultures, the game's themes begin to present themselves more clearly. Dawntrail is about friendship, family, and belonging, which are ideas that are intentionally tied to not only Wuk Lamat's journey to becoming the leader she's always envisioned herself as, but also to returning characters like Krile and Erenville, who are also driven by familial connections in their search for the city of gold.
The most compelling facet of this narrative is the introduction of the mysterious Queen Sphene of Alexandria. Not introduced until the late stages of the story, Sphene is presented as a leader who loves her people and even considers them family, much like Wuk Lamat does. There's a clear distinction between the two, made even more obvious by their thematically opposing nations. While Tural is teeming with life and holds traditions close to their hearts, Alexandrian culture is a dystopia and technologically advanced.
The Yok Huy and their traditions of "remembering" loved ones after they have passed and the Alexandrian way of forcibly removing the memories of those who die so they can artificially live on within "the cloud" as The Endless throws their differences into stark contrast and presents you with underlying questions about the meaning of death and what comes after, letting go and processing grief, as well as what it means to truly live and die.
The duality of the two queens demonstrates an interesting, additional conflict altogether. They both love their homes, but while Wuk Lamat wishes to preserve peace for the good of everyone involved, Sphene will stop at nothing to put her people first. In true Final Fantasy XIV fashion, this conflict manages to find a way to pull on your heartstrings in the most unexpected ways and forces you to confront difficult decisions that not only affect the Alexandrians, but also your close companions. Some things aren't as they seem, and these decisions also come with consequences that could potentially have a lasting effect on this era's story going forward.
When you are deep in the action, Dungeons and Trials both feel more challenging than ever, especially in terms of the boss mechanics. Though certainly manageable, you may have to be ultra-focused so as not to get hit by a particularly nasty AOE, or a complicated, continuous chain attack. I know I was. They feel tougher this time around, but are extremely fun and satisfying when you figure out the bosses' attack rotations alongside your party.
Duty designs are also tailored brilliantly with their respective narrative beats, something Final Fantasy XIV has always excelled at. They're made even more thrilling thanks to the fantastic, sweeping musical tracks courtesy of composer Masayoshi Soken, who has once again proven that his music considerably contributes to bringing a story to life.
With the latest expansion also came two brand-new Jobs, Viper and Pictomancer. Viper is a DPS class that engages enemies through the use of three-step combos, with the third step granting an effect to strengthen a different combo-ending action, and it's a thrill to play. At first, the Job can feel quite overwhelming simply due to the abundance of skills you're given straight away at level 80, so nailing those combos down correctly does take time to understand, making Viper one of the more difficult DPS Jobs. Once you do get into the swing of things, however, it's quite exciting to play. This class is slick and flashy as it relies on fast-paced attacks with your twin blades that can also be connected into a double-ended weapon for bigger AOE attacks, making you feel like you're really putting a dent in the enemy.
Then there's Pictomancer, and the two Jobs couldn't be more different. While Viper is all about throwing out attack after attack and perfecting your combos for the best attack window, this ranged-magical DPS class is the most refreshing caster Job the game has seen in a while. The artistic Job mainly depends on you painting three canvases, two with corresponding spells that deal a ton of damage to the enemy, as well as a third canvas that will offer your party a helpful buff in battle on top of your other vital utility. With its vibrant spells taking up your screen to paint wonderful pictures, it's a really fun, whimsical class to play, with a rotation that is quite simple to get the hang of. It doesn't feel like a chore leveling up, and I'm hopeful for more charming and laid back Jobs just like it in the future.
I had some concerns about how Dawntrail could introduce and wrap up an entire conflict in the second half of its expansion, but the story is able to tie up every major thread along the way, while also delivering an emotionally impactful resolution. Even though the story does have a firm end, it has also established some exciting prospects for the game going forward, especially when it comes to the expanding lore of Final Fantasy XIV and what could come next. It paves the way for new places to explore in future adventures and even does the necessary setup work to contextualize how the player will be involved in what awaits on the horizon.
Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail is a great stepping stone in a brand-new saga for the MMO. While the story might seem straightforward at first, it soon takes an unexpected, yet compelling turn that presents new possibilities for this new era. Though some questlines can feel repetitive and outdated, they don't get in the way of an otherwise brilliant expansion, and the journey is made all the more enjoyable thanks to a wonderful new cast of characters at your side.
