Square Enix
Starting a new story spark from scratch in a telecasting game that ’s been running for over a decennary is a marvellous edict — and it ’s one thatFinal Fantasy XIV’sDawntrailexpansion prepare out to reach .
Setting canvass westward and looking to the continent of Tural , the Warrior of Light and their fellow traveler seek to help Wuk Lamat , a distaff Hrothgar , in a contest for the right to prevail the demesne of Tural . Dawntrail , which is set to found on July 2 ( and June 28 for those who preorder ) prepare the stage for political intrigue , geographic expedition of a civilization unknown to us , and much more .
After playingDawntrail ’s raw capacity for a few hours at a late prevue event , I have a clearer pic of how theFFXIVteam design to lay the fundament for thefuture of the MMORPG . It ’s creating something new while weaving in the characters , creatures , and themes we ’ve come to fuck and love over the last 10 years . And it ’s get a little help from Dragonball to do it .
( The version of theDawntrailexpansion I dally is still a work in progress , and some aspects may be open to alteration before it ’s official release by and by this calendar month . )
Power levels
last Fantasy XIV’sprevious expansion , Endwalker , wrapped up a 10 - twelvemonth saga . Now the squad behind the long - running franchise is tasked with setting out on a new risky venture , one removed from many of the panorama of the Hydaelyn and Zodiark chronicle arc . In an interview alongside my demo of the new expansion , I asked director and producer Naoki Yoshida what challenges the team faced when have to conceptualize the next expanding upon from the ground up . It was at this moment that Yoshida and his translator both looked me in the eyes .
“ Are you conversant with Dragon Ball ? ” Yoshida said .
The team ’s main vexation in creatingDawntrailwas about index level , and making each subsequent antagonist larger than the last one . Yoshida and the squad were disquieted about the strength of enemies feel “ inflated ” and , for that rationality , they are taking a different approach with the enceinte bads inDawntrail .
“ I think with the fresh electric arc , we desire to limn a more kind of mental side , I estimate , knowing different multitude have different note value , ” Yoshida tells Digital Trends . “ But we will also meet people who may never accept their vision or their values . ”
Yoshida cites “ Jojo ’s Bizarre Adventure , Hunter x Hunter , andYuYu Hakusho ” as some manga deterrent example of the mental and emotional battle that ’s more in line with what the team was direct for . Not focus on univers - end terror , but rather conflict of political world power grabs and run afoul self - interest . Yoshida does mention a “ giving enigma , ” which has not been divulge yet , so for those care this might just be a political story , there is still something on the table for you .
While I did not get anything more in the way ofDawntrail ’s tarradiddle during our hands - on prison term with the game , this helped paint a broad picture of the story ’s guidance for the next few age . I did , however , get time with the first dungeon , Ihuykatumu , which charter place on a gravy holder hurtle down a dirty river . The deep , profuse hobo camp of Tural could be seen trace the river as we contend enemies boarding the ship tooth and nail .
Eventually , the gravy boat crash and the political party exits to dive deeply into the hobo camp and chase after one of the enlargement ’s antagonists we do know , Bakool Ja Ja , The Mighty . The final fight of this dungeon ( which I wo n’t bollocks ) show that the struggle team has some new tricks up their sleeves that introduce some moderately sturdy mechanics into the fight that took our party a few attempt to nail down . The dungeon feels cohesive , and it ’s an excellent way to part off this Modern chapter ofFinal Fantasy XIV .
I ran the donjon doubly , with both of the new Jobs being introduce inDawntrail . The raw forcible battle royal - focalise Viper ’s warm and ramify actions make it a fleet and deadly Job that surpass in making split - second decisions . Viper is progress around following branching action paths that climax in multiple 30 - arcsecond buffs depend on which actions you take in the three - release revolution . For example , if you combo from Steelfangs into Swiftscale , you ’ll give yourself a caramel that decreases the hold in your auto blast . That same jazz band can use the Hunter ’s Instinct legal action instead to make a buff that increases the scathe you deal . arouse off these different jazz band can sack you all of the potential caramel brown pretty quickly , and let you light upon down foe efficiently .
All of this comes to a head when you ’ve fill up the Serpent ’s Ire bore , which allows you to “ Reawaken ” and begin a new combo string spring between actions called “ Generation ” and “ Legacy . ” Most of Viper ’s actions light up on the hotbar to point what your next best routing option is , which helps make it less overwhelming . Overall , Viper feels like a Job with a high acquisition ceiling for player looking to optimise their ripe options while having room to improvise found on the situation .
The Pictomancer , Dawntrail ’s new Magical Ranged damage - per - 2d ( DPS ) job , is all about painting images to deal wrong to your opponent . Its cute aesthetic makes it a standout occupation visually from the blues and Marxist of many of the currentFFXIVjob action .
Pictomancer focuses around dealing damage with Aetherhue actions . Slinging colourful spells that upgrade after each successful cast will fill up your Palette Gauge . fill this calibre allow you to cast the white spell Holy , or expend the Subtractive Palette option to change the color ’s chromaticity for more damage . It ’s similar to Black Mage , which resile between two dissimilar schools of conjuration to produce more devastating attacks as the fight continue .
Pictomancer ’s main attraction is the Canvas System , which takes time to cast , but dilute picture into the gage for later use . intemperately - casting Steel Muse load a hammer into the organization , which in bend can be used at any power point in the fight to initiate a three - hit exigent combo for monumental impairment . The balance wheel comes from knowing when it ’s safe to stand still and vomit the Muse actions and when it ’s fourth dimension to work them into the Aehterhue jazz group rotation so there is always damage dealt .
run through the dungeon as Pictomancer left me scratching my question at first , essay to understand when to tissue in the many options Pictomancer has at its electric pig , but when you get into that stream state , Pictomancer not only has all-inclusive damage output potential difference , but feel unique in its animation and effects that leave each clash with a substantial crush .
Both raw job inDawntrailfeel distinct from the ever - growing catalog of line inFFXIV . Yoshida tell me a bit about the attack to all of the jobs affect forward inDawntrailand the following patch series .
“ So , for our plan , we ’re looking at 7.0 and 7.X series to introduce unique shop mechanic to fight encounters content , things like that , ” he says . “ And then once mass have gotten accustomed to that , we would count at the different jobs and then gradually introduce uniqueness and personal identity there . ”
A different city
Outside of the keep and new jobs , I get to expend time in Tuliyollal , a bustling city that order the continent . Its rich tapestries , populated seafaring docks , and hillside buildings straggle out in shimmer gold and bright red hue clearly pass inspirations from Mesoamerican culture and architecture . I was singular as to how the team went about cultural consulting to ensure they were n’t just lay down a theme park , but instead pay off respect to the refinement they were inspired by .
“ Within the Creative Studio 3 team , of course , we did our discussion , ” Yoshida says . “ But also we calculate to our global team where our localizers and translation teams are situate … There might be some elements that the Japan team thought , Oh , this looks nerveless , but it might have represent something else . So for those items , we go to an external ship’s company , making certain that we ’re getting advice from them ”
This apply to the two new zones I perplex hand - on with . The craggy Urqopacha is filled with dilapidated ruins of civilizations that subsist long before . It was here , when I was sift through the junk , that I realize we simply know almost nothing about the lands we ’re exploring . While theShadowbringersDLC had us explore other manifestation , Dawntrail ’s zones are in our own backyard . TheEndwalkerexpansion took us through the long - talked - about zones of Thavnair and Garlemald , places we may have never project , but love their rich chronicle and backstory .
WithDawntrail , these zone subsist long before we ever show up , but we ’re learning the culture , way of lifespan , and everything else alongside the Warrior of Light . So much is unsung about Tural , previously have sex only as the “ New World . ” While the prevue event did not give any insights into what happened here , it sure offend my interest in footing of want to recognize more about a continent that has been west of our own for so long .
The 2nd zone , the deep jungles of Kozama’uka , are brimming with citizens run coffee roaster , alpacas roaming the countryside , and giant waterfalls cresting over the celestial horizon . Each area within the zone lionize a different race ’s cultivation . find little colonization feels dissimilar , but still part of the same whole , throughout the hobo camp .
Near the conclusion of my time withDawntrail , most of the musician at the preview event resolve to take on a world knob , just for sport . As about 15 of us find oneself the locating of Queen Hawk , we piece a political party and began the strenuous scrap . Calling out to one another from across the room as the dev squad desperately adjudicate to put us in a Team Speak channel , we choose to just keep pushing forward . After multiple go attack , we begin theorycrafting on the fly . How do these mechanics work , what are we overleap ? We gave it one good last endeavor , realizing that our positioning was causing the boss to directly kill some of the political party .
It was difficult , disorderly , and exceedingly messy . However , it was a stark reminder of what I love aboutFFXIV : its residential district . We come together to overcome a hard challenge , and that ’s what I look fore to most withDawntrail — experiencing an altogether newfangled chapter of the secret plan together with acquaintance and other warrior of Light .
Final Fantasy XIV : Dawntraillaunches on July 2 , with early access beginning on June 28 .
