Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail Reviews
Check out Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail Review Scores from trusted Critics below. With 21 reviews on CriticDB, Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail has a score of:
While it hasn't completely lost its luster, Dawntrail proves that it's about time for Final Fantasy XIV to change.
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2024 has been a shockingly good year for expansions. The Final Shape overcame the odds and ended a 10-year-long storyline for Destiny 2 with much more grace than anyone would have expected. Whilst Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is a shockingly good expansion, with a vast new region to explore, dozens of new bosses, and that sweet, sweet lore to delve into. Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail continues this trend of excellent expansions. Whilst mostly, this one isn’t the home run I was expecting...
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Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail faces the tough task of following up its predecessors while starting a brand new story arc. After taking a little while to get going, the expansion shows the game still has plenty of life left in it yet.
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Although it admittedly doesn’t quite hit the heights of Shadowbringers, Dawntrail’s shift in narrative focus injects a vibrancy into Final Fantasy XIV with this more lighthearted romp, while still keeping track of a greater story. With an increase in challenge of the instances, a couple of excellent new Jobs, an introduction of new characters, and the development of existing ones, Dawntrail clearly shows there’s life after averting the end of the world and I – for one – wouldn't change a damn thing.
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Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail is a mixed bag of amazement and sorrow. On one hand, the expansion has some of the best gameplay we’ve seen from the MMORPG, with the two new jobs being perfectly slotted into the hefty roster. It also has some exciting trials and raids to kick things off, making the prospect of its post-release patches beyond exciting. That’s not to mention the soundtrack is as memorable as we’ve come to expect from Soken, and the graphical update does help propel the visual fidelity in the new areas.
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Blue seas, clear skies, and boundless possibilities await in Dawntrail, the newest expansion pack for the critically acclaimed FINAL FANTASY XIV Online! Explore uncharted territories with familiar faces as you discover new tribes, confront formidable threats, and expand your horizons as hope's light dawns once more.
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As the first new expansion after the final chapter of the Ascians, Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail had a tough act to follow. What stakes could Dawntrail possibly have compared to Endwalker, or even Shadowbringers before it? The trailer for the expansion seems to embrace this, billing itself as a well-deserved vacation of sorts from the end-of-day scenarios the warrior of light is used to settling. And despite some frustrations with its overall narrative, I’m enjoying my vacation in sunny Tural.
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Dawntrail ups the ante with exhilarating combat experiences and builds a stunning new world, but meandering storytelling highlights the MMO's flaws.
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In its fifth major expansion, Dawntrail, Final Fantasy XIV is facing its biggest existential crisis yet: where does your story go now that its 10-year A-plot is over? Dawntrail forges ahead with an enjoyable summer adventure to the land of Tural, doubling as a trojan horse for what lies in store for the future of the long-running MMO’s story. Dawntrail doesn’t match the narrative highs of the previous pair of expansions and is flawed in several ways, but its themes of legacy, the importance of culture, and responsible use of technology ring throughout.
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“Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail delivers an emotional gut punch, even if it takes some time to get there.”
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Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail is the latest expansion in the long-running Final Fantasy XIV MMO. For those who haven’t played it, Final Fantasy XIV probably should have been titled Final Fantasy Online II. It’s been going since 2010, and after a very rocky first few years, it’s had 5 excellent expansions. Each expansion grew the plot, and it all came to a close with 2021’s phenomenal Endwalker finale.
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Better battle content manages to take the sting out what would otherwise be an average at best expansion.
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The Dawntrail MSQ is salient and beautiful in the exact way that has made the Final Fantasy XIV narrative so beloved…I play MMOs to connect to others, invest in my communities, raid, and be a part of something larger than just me and a television screen. Dawntrail captures that, and that’s truly what matters.
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Final Fantasy XIV’s Dawntrail brings a fresh new start to the MMORPG, and while it doesn’t quite live up to the emotional highs of Endwalker, still provides a solid basis that the developers can continue building upon into the future.
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Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail is very messy, but still greatly enjoyable. Wuk Lamat is a lovable character who I hope sticks around, with a satisfying character arc tying in with the expansion’s themes. Viper is a blast to play, and every dungeon or trial holds something new and unique. While the expansion isn’t the best FFXIV has to offer, it has so much heart you can’t help but smile.
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I’ve come along on the Final Fantasy XIV journey as enthusiastically as most of my peers, but I wasn’t planning on jumping into Dawntrail right away. Endwalker didn’t quite do it for me, and I was content to let my subscription lay dormant. Thank goodness it came across my work desk despite my apathy, because Dawntrail has taken over Shadowbringers as my favorite slice of storytelling in Final Fantasy XIV. Wuk Lamat’s journey, from its early sense of adventure and optimism to its second half full of sadness and existential dread, is the complete package. It’s a well-told, concise, and...
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FFXIV Dawntrail starts with a trip to the New World, and it sets up the next narrative journey for the Warrior of Light.
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While it doesn't take major steps forward mechanically, and its story may not hit the same highs as Shadowbringers and Endwalker, Dawntrail offers plenty of memorable and tear-jerking moments while digging deeper into Final Fantasy XIV's lore in exciting ways. The seeds have only just begun to be planted for the future of Final Fantasy XIV, but this expansion makes it easy to feel confident about where the franchise is going and how much it has left to explore.
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Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail evokes mixed feelings. While following the game's story, I was close to falling asleep for a long time - fortunately, this was compensated by the fantastic design of the boss battles. But after waiting so long, I wanted more.
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Coming off two critically acclaimed expansions, Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail has some big shoes to fill. The fifth expansion for FFXIV (sixth, if counting the reboot that was A Realm Reborn), sees familiar faces in strange lands while setting up a new narrative arc after Endwalker resolved the Hydalean and Zodiark storyline. For anyone who's seen the trailer for Dawntrail, it's also noticeable what a 180 this expansion feels like - forgoing the darkness that permeated through the last two expansions for sunshine, beaches, alpacas, and tacos.
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