Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail Review In Progress

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Coming off two critically acclaimed expansions, has some big shoes to fill. The fifth expansion for (sixth, if counting the reboot that was ), sees familiar faces in strange lands while setting up a new narrative arc after resolved the Hydalean and Zodiark storyline. For anyone who's seen the trailer for, it's also noticeable what a 180 this expansion feels like — forgoing the darkness that permeated through the last two expansions for sunshine, beaches, and tacos.

For all its shift in narrative tone, still feels like. There are Aether Currents to find, job quests to complete, dailies and hunts to track down, FATEs to join in, and plenty of cutscenes layered throughout the Main Scenario Quests (MSQ). There are also two new jobs — Pictomancer and Viper — to try out and level up. It's still early in 's lifespan, but from what I've seen so far, it's an enjoyable affair that may prove divisive, particularly for those who adored the narrative heights of .

We chat with FFXIV producer and director Naoki Yoshida at the Dawntrail Media Tour NA leg, discussing some key topics of the upcoming expansion.

The story of (and how well players will respond to it) really depends on how much someone can get invested in newcomer Wuk Lamat and her story. The premise here is that Wuk Lamat wants to ascend the throne, but in order to do, she must complete a series of tasks in what essentially boils down to a treasure hunt against her adoptive siblings. The competition isn't entirely friendly, but thus far, it doesn't have a looming threat the way previous expansions have.

In fact, 's narrative feels similar to 's — as the focus is primarily on one NPC coming into her own by getting to know various factions and becoming one with her people. had a familiar character leading the pact, though, whereas Wuk Lamat was only introduced in post-MSQ content with patch 6.55. It's a risk, lowering the stakes drastically and asking players to get invested in a brand-new character.

Mostly, it seems