Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail Reviews
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.
If you wanted more of the same ol’ same ol’ online Final Fantasy, this is what you’ll get. But I wanted something more. If Dawntrail is to be a new chapter, a potential start of a new saga, it needed a better opening, not this boring thing. Time will tell what will become of this.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Dawntrail has the benefit of years of gameplay and graphical improvements, and puts them to great use in designing some of the best dungeons and trials we've seen to date. However, its confused story prevents it from reaching its full potential, and will likely bump Dawntrail down to the bottom-to-middle of most player's tier lists. These issues aren't enough to ruin the experience though, so it's still a good time for Final Fantasy XIV players.
Dawntrail goes exactly where Final Fantasy XIV needed to go, experimenting with the player character's role in this world as its borders expand.
FFXIV Dawntrail starts with a trip to the New World, and it sets up the next narrative journey for the Warrior of Light.
The launch of new saga isn't easy start for Yoshi-P or players. But continueing the previous events is calling for change of pace, new characters or environments ' and Danwtrail delivers them all. With two different halves, great dungeons and atmospheric soundtrack, this one is still fantasy joy to play.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
The plot is one of the most important components of each add-on for FF XIV and the content that the vast majority of users go through. The expansion made combat more fun, and dungeons and raids more dynamic, but the disgusting pace of the narrative and the way it spends a lot of time on unnecessary things greatly blur the impression. Especially considering the fact that this is the start of a new storyline.
Review in Russian | Read full review
With Dawntrail, we take the first steps of the next decade in the story, but we have to honestly admit that it is a bit of a weak start. We will see what kind of story web they will weave over this.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Overall, Dawntrail is a great expansion that features a story with ups and downs, but that sets the stage well for what could become the new saga of Final Fantasy XIV.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Dawntrail may have the slowest start of any expansion since A Realm Reborn, but it ultimately won the race with it's smooth queue free launch, noticeable graphical updates and an intriguing new plot which is the fresh start Final Fantasy XIV needed to be at the top of the MMORPG genre once again
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Dawntrail is a fresh start for Final Fantasy XIV. After wrapping up its 10-year arc, Square Enix's MMORPG kicks off into the unknown. The narrative is flawed, its pacing is awkward, but Yoshi-P and co. still manage to deliver a story that is at least competent and can go in many directions. The QoL, graphics upgrade and combat improvements are the highlights of this expansion.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Final Fantasy XIV's fifth expansion represents both a sequel and a new beginning for the franchise, but it fails to shine in the narrative component that had distinguished it so far in the MMORPG scene. However, there are many new features and the gameplay has benefited from the new additions, pending the additional content that will be released in the coming months.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Despite a midpoint lull, Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail is a stunning expansion with an evocative soundtrack, challenging dungeons, and emotional story. An exciting kick-off that leaves you hungry for the future of FFXIV.
Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail had a lot to live up to following the excellent legacy left behind by Shadowbringers and Endwalker. It doesn’t always hit the mark with incredibly slow opening hours and odd choices that permeate the entire expansion but there’s a lot to like about it as well. The battle content, soundtrack, and some impactful moments all come together to help push up an otherwise struggling expansion and this makes it a mostly excellent addition.
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.
Dawntrail does the job it needed to do by giving players the new adventure they need to get going once again. It takes a little while to get there, but when the payoff comes it shows how the narrative team behind Final Fantasy XIV is at hitting the emotional highs.
I genuinely believe that Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail is a phenomenal start to a new story, and that I am very excited to see where the dev team takes us next in the post-expansion patch content. From adding in more EX trials for mounts, new dungeons, raids and more, Final Fantasy XIV fans are feasting with yet more great content from Yoshida-san and the rest of his team.
Dawntrail may not be as much of a reinvention of the wheel as it was made out to be. However, it also proves that this formula is still capable of featuring incredible stories and taking us to places that can surprise and challenge our understanding of the world, both in and out of the game. It represents a huge step forward in the worldbuilding of Final Fantasy XIV and its gameplay, giving the player appropriate challenges for the hundreds of hours they likely poured into it to get to this point. If this is any indication of what’s to come, then FFXIV’s next decade is looking as bright as dawn.
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.
Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail is a great expansion that has a lot to offer. The graphics update is really good and the Final Fantasy music is still a masterpiece. The main story questline is okay, but unfortunately not as outstanding as players had hoped. Nevertheless, the new world of Dawntrail is worth a look for every MMO fan, as there are new dungeons, new jobs, new decorative items and much more.
Review in German | Read full review