In its fifth major expansion, Dawntrail, Final Fantasy XIV confronts its greatest existential crisis yet: where does your story go now that the decade-long A-plot is over? Dawntrail continues with a pleasant summer adventure to the land of Tural, which doubles as a Trojan horse for whatever the future of the long-running MMO saga holds. Dawntrail doesn’t quite match the narrative highs of the previous two expansions, and is flawed in more ways than one, but its themes of legacy, the importance of culture, and responsible use of technology resonate throughout.
Dawntrail feels more like a shonen anime than the fantasy epics of previous expansions, and has a very different feel than the hundreds of hours I’ve sunk into FFXIV so far. It opens with a tournament of sorts, with four candidates competing for the title of Dawnservant, replacing the beloved ruler of the new continent of Tural who is retiring. Rather than being the center of attention, I help the expansion’s main character, the energetic and passionate Wuk Lamat, in her quest to become the ruler of her people by participating in a ritual of succession through trials.
Rather than being driven by conflict, these refreshing trials are lessons in leadership that prove each participant’s worthiness to ascend to the throne of the Dawnservant. I wish completing these quests were more than a simple task, but Dawntrail’s masterful worldbuilding more than makes up for my early-morning boredom at the lack of action. At the heart of each trial are fascinating lessons about Tural’s diverse cultures and regions, modeled after Latin American countries. I’m struck by how deeply I’ve connected with the trade-oriented Pelupelu and how I’ve found joy in reconnecting the colorful bird-people called Hanuhanu with the importance and magic of their harvest rituals. Making me care about the people of Tural only serves to reinforce my desire to make things right for them when things inevitably go wrong later in the expansion.
Despite its simple premise, Dawntrail tackles some heavy topics within the ritual of succession and beyond. Wuk Lamat seeks to ascend to the throne in order to maintain the current peace her father has built for Tural over many decades. She is not alone in her quest for the title of Dawnservant, however. Her brother Koana advocates improving society with foreign science. Another brother seeks peace through conquest, while the powerful and ruthless Bakool Ja Ja envisions a return to the old ways, where the strongest rule and the weak serve. Through each of their actions, Dawntrail explores how we deal with grief, the legacy we leave behind when our time on this mortal earth ends, and the perversion of the natural order through the use of advanced technology. The deeper Dawntrail goes down the philosophical rabbit hole, the more invested I became and more forgiving of some of the harsh tonal shifts and occasional character inconsistencies.
While I love her anime-lead energy, it’s sometimes hard to root for Wuk Lamat as an ideal ruler of her country. Her passion is infectious, and her curiosity and willingness to listen and learn are admirable, but her actions often clash with her pious beliefs. While she strives to be a beacon for justice and peace, Wuk Lamat sometimes sacrifices her beliefs and sweeps under the rug some rather major atrocities that she would otherwise take accountability for. Disappointingly, these aren’t the moments where she learns her greatest lessons, but rather breaking points, where she deviates from intriguing and complex interactions that should have been explored.
Dawntrail’s dungeons and trials are always a delight, offering great combat scenarios paired with some of the best tunes on the expansion’s catchy soundtrack. Each boss fight has unique mechanics that are intuitive to learn and build upon one another, creating intricate and satisfying combat puzzles to solve if you pay close attention. After hundreds of hours playing an MMO, it’s nice to have challenging content that tests what I’ve learned and introduces new ways to keep me on my toes.
Dawntrail doesn’t quite reach the heights of previous Final Fantasy XIV expansions, but it takes a different path. The mission is to begin a new grand narrative, and it definitely succeeds in laying down threads for the future while weaving an effective tale of legacy and loss. While I have some gripes about the pacing of the quests and the conflicting actions of the main character, I enjoyed my time in Tural and can’t wait to see what the next chapter of the story brings.