After nearly 10 years of saving the universe, Final Fantasy XIV gives us something refreshing… a proper holiday!
Dawntrail steps away from world-ending threats and instead gives us something warmer and surprisingly more personal. You’re still going to fight monsters in the open world and take on plenty of fetch quests, but this time you’ll be doing it under palm trees and starlit skies.
The new setting for this expansion: Tural, is truly stunning. Featuring dense jungles, massive cities and a whole host of surprisingly themed late game areas. The overall colour pallet is more vibrant than ever, making a bold visual statement. Dawntrail tells us a quieter, more grounded story. After the cosmic rollercoaster we went on during the previous expansion- Endwalker, this expansion focuses in on a more local conflict. This time we’re helping decide the future of a nation, not saving the world. It can be a shock to the system at first, but the story soon grew on me.
The stakes might not be as high, but this time they’re certainly more personal. The main story line really focuses in on characters, culture, and community. You get more time to explore the scenery and to understand what’s at the heart of this land and its people. The new characters, with strong personalities and complicated motivations are loved and hated in equal measures. Old favourites from past expansions do return, But thankfully There’s a healthy balance between familiar faces and fresh energy.
The core gameplay loop hasn’t changed much since Endwalker, which is a good thing. If you’ve played before, you’ll no doubt feel right at home. The new jobs for this expansion are a real highlight. Viper is a fast-paced melee job that feels like something out of a fighting game. It’s flashy, responsive, and surprisingly easy to pick up and button mash your way to glory. Pictomancer is the wild card here… you’ll find yourself painting spells into existence, bringing creatures to life, and turning every brushstroke into devastating damage. It’s fun, visually unique, and certainly a nice change from the more traditional casters.
Dungeons this time round are tight and well-designed difficulty wise. Boss fights feel punchier, and the FFXIV team has done a great job keeping things fresh without changing too much. One of the trial battles, without spoiling anything too much, might be one of the best in the game so far.
Alongside Dawntrial we also received the long-awaited graphics update. Sure, it’s not a total overhaul but it’s a welcome improvement. Textures look sharper. Lighting is more engaging. Characters have more emotion in their facial expressions. The environments benefit most from the new update. Details you might have ignored before now stand out. On a good display, some of the new zones look stunning. It gives the game a bit of extra polish that was long overdue.
Masayoshi Soken is once again in top form with this expansion’s soundtrack. It’s bold, varied, and full of surprises. One minute you’re relaxing to a chilled-out nighttime version of a towns theme, the next you’re in a boss fight with music that sounds like it belongs in the next Hollywood blockbuster.
As expected of FFXIV the music is doing just as much storytelling as the dialogue. The instruments, the transitions, all help build tension and emotion. It’s not just background noise. It’s part of the experience. If you’re still relying on standard TV speakers alone, you’ll be missing out here.
Dawntrail feels like a fresh chapter. It’s a softer, more intimate story, but honestly none of that takes away from the adventure. It’s a brave choice to pull back from the usual apocalyptic stakes, but here it works. You care more about the characters, the world and more importantly, what happens next.
Whether you’re a long-time Warrior of Light or just thinking about giving FFXIV a go, this is a great place to be. The world looks better, plays better, and sounds better than ever. And if you really want to hear it the way it’s meant to be heard, head into your local Richer Sounds and upgrade your audio setup. Games like this aren’t just meant to be played. They’re meant to be experienced.
Author: Terry, Kingston Store
