In its fifth major expansion, Dawntrail, Final Fantasy XIV faces its greatest existential crisis yet: where does your story go now that its 10-year A-plot has come to an end? Dawntrail moves forward with a fun summer adventure to the land of Tural, while also acting as a Trojan horse for what the future holds for the long-running MMO story. Dawntrail falls low of the narrative peaks of the previous pair of expansions and is flawed in a few ways, but its themes of legacy, the importance of culture, and the responsible apply of technology resonate throughout.
More like a shonen anime than the epic fantasy tale of previous expansions, Dawntrail has a very different feel to the hundreds of hours I’ve sunk into FFXIV so far. It begins with a tournament of sorts, with four contenders vying for the title of Dawnservant, replacing the departing beloved ruler of the fresh continent of Tural. Instead of being the center of attention, I assist the expansion’s protagonist, the energetic and passionate Wuk Lamat, in her quest to ascend to the throne of her people, competing in a ritual of succession through the completion of trials.
Rather than being driven by conflict, these refreshing trials are lessons in leadership, proving whether each participant is worthy of the Dawnservant throne. I wish the act of completing these quests were more than uncomplicated tasks, but Dawntrail’s masterful worldbuilding far outweighs my boredom with the lack of action in the mornings. Underpinning each trial are fascinating lessons on the diverse cultures and regions of Tural based on Latin American countries. I was impressed by how much I connected with the mercantile, trade-focused Pelupelu, and how much joy I found in reconnecting the colorful bird people named Hanuhanu with the importance and magic of their harvest rituals. Making me care about the people of Tural goes a long way toward strengthening my desire to make amends for them when things inevitably go south later in the expansion.
Despite its uncomplicated premise, Dawntrail tackles some ponderous themes within and outside of the succession ritual. Wuk Lamat is intent on taking the throne in order to preserve the current peace that her father has spent decades building for Tural. However, she is not alone in her quest for the title of Handmaid of the Dawn. Her brother Koana advocates for the betterment of society through alien science. Another brother seeks peace by conquering everything, while the powerful and ruthless Bakool Ja Ja envisions a return to the elderly ways, where the mighty rule and the delicate serve. Through each of her actions, Dawntrail explores how we deal with grief, the legacy we leave behind when our time on this mortal coil comes to an end, and the perversion of the natural order through the apply of advanced technology. The deeper into Dawntrail’s philosophical rabbit hole she ventures, the more I find myself engaging and forgiving some of her tough tonal shifts and occasional character inconsistencies.
While I love the energy of her anime lead, it’s sometimes demanding to support Wuk Lamat as the ideal ruler of her nation. Her passion is contagious, and her curiosity and willingness to listen and learn are admirable, but her actions often conflict with her devout beliefs. In her quest to be a beacon of justice and peace, Wuk Lamat sometimes sacrifices her beliefs and sweeps fairly vast atrocities under the rug that she would otherwise demand accountability for. It’s disappointing that these aren’t the moments where she draws the greatest lessons, but rather the breaking points that stray away from intriguing and convoluted interactions that should have been explored.
Dawntrail’s dungeons and trials are consistently delightful, offering great combat scenarios paired with the best tracks from the expansion’s catchy soundtrack. Each boss fight has unique mechanics to learn and build on, creating convoluted and satisfying combat puzzles to solve if you pay attention. After hundreds of hours of MMO play, it’s nice to have challenging content that tests what I’ve learned and introduces fresh ways to keep me on my toes.
Dawntrail doesn’t quite reach the heights of previous Final Fantasy XIV expansions, but its path is different. Its mission is to start a grand fresh story, and it absolutely succeeds in setting up threads for the future while weaving an effective story of legacy and loss. While I have my reservations about the pacing of the quests and the conflicting actions of the protagonist, I loved my time spent exploring Tural and can’t wait to see what the next chapter of the story brings.
