If you listen to the show, you know that Travis and I have been eagerly anticipating the newest expansion for the long-running MMORPG, Final Fantasy XIV. After saving the world at the end of Endwalker, Square Enix has put us into vacation mode with Dawntrail, but don’t worry—our rest and relaxation won’t last long.
With Dawntrail, we’re introduced to new jobs, races, and of course, a new story. The two new DPS jobs, Pictomancer and Viper, offer fresh ways to tackle your foes in the new world of Tural. Additionally, there’s a new playable race, the female Hrothgar. These new jobs and the playable race are exclusive to Dawntrail purchasers, but the new graphical update is available to everyone.
With the launch of 7.0, Final Fantasy XIV has received a significant graphical facelift. These updates are immediately noticeable in the new areas, zones, and player models. The introduction of new playable zones in Dawntrail perfectly showcases these graphical enhancements, with each new area looking incredible.
Exploring the new world of Tural is a blast, with many great activities and side quests to enjoy. However, the story isn’t all fun and games. As soon as you arrive in Tural, you’re thrust into a political conflict, helping Wuk Lamat become the Dawnservant of Tural. The first half of the expansion focuses on exploring and getting to know the people and rich cultures of this new world while aiding Wuk Lamat in her quest for leadership. The story in this part feels low-stakes and occasionally slow. It’s not bad, but don’t expect a lot of action and combat during this phase.
Without giving away spoilers, let’s just say the second half of the game was my favorite. The stakes are raised, and the action intensifies. While I believe the story doesn’t quite measure up to the previous expansions, Shadowbringers and Endwalker, it compensates with some of the most creative and exciting dungeons and trials I’ve experienced in Final Fantasy XIV.
Now that I’ve finished the main story, I look forward to leveling my new jobs and exploring the adventures awaiting us in the post-7.0 patches.
