With the Shadowbringers and Endwalker expansions Final Fantasy XIV’s big focus was making the game playable in single-player, streamlining everything so players can get through almost all content by themselves. These were smart changes for an MMO where the story is such a focus, but it also, unfortunately, meant that some things suffered because of it. FFXIV players have long complained about dungeons, noting that they lack unique mechanics so everything feels too generic or similar. One of Dawntrail’s biggest strengths is how it directly addresses that with dynamic dungeons that are among the best the game has seen in the last decade.
There are two main points that Dawntrail hones in on for its dungeons, narrative context and unique mechanics. For that first part, the expansion makes sure that every dungeon feels relevant within the larger narrative, and is a piece of storytelling to push events forward. Worqor Zormor is a trial for the party to overcome during the Rite of Ascension, Vanguard strengthens a late-game twist by introducing you to a wild new world, and the level 100 dungeon (which we won’t name to avoid spoilers) plays directly into Dawntrail’s larger themes of memory and loss. The context of these dungeons is vital — they don’t just feel tacked on as if they were filling a minimum quota.
Even more important, however, is how phenomenally unique each one feels in terms of design and mechanics. The vast majority of players going through Dawntrail will have played hundreds of hours of FFXIV by this point, and Square Enix is finally building on that fact to build out unique mechanics. There are no tutorials in these dungeons, and no hand-holding to ease players in. Dawntrail hits the ground running and only ramps things up with every subsequent dungeon.
With Shadowbringers and Endwalker it was easy to go through dungeons on “autopilot,” as many bosses used the same kind of mechanics — stack markers, tank busters, and generic area of effect attacks. But that’s markedly different with Dawntrail. Each and every boss introduces some kind of unique mechanic that requires quick thinking and reactions from the party.
Crucially, however, these battles never feel unfair. They build on the core mechanics and foundations that have been used for hundreds of hours but with little twists and surprises. For example, the Ryoqor Tarteh of Warqor Zormor spawns a bunch of snow bunnies that have large area attacks, forcing players to recognize which bunnies will freeze first to avoid the attack. Meanwhile, the Protector in the Vanguard dungeon has you zig-zagging through safe zones as it fills the entire arena with deadly attacks.
Alongside all of this, damage caused by both bosses and regular enemies has been ramped up, making it more vital than ever that each party member plays their role well, especially Healers.
The dungeons are an absolute blast to play through the first time, but just as much fun on subsequent playthroughs. Because of a wider array of boss attacks, and more demanding mechanics, it means that you need to stay present and invested each time you play a dungeon. That little bit of extra replayability makes all the difference when you need to grind out a dungeon a half-dozen times for experience or loot.
It’s clear that the development team has put a ton of thought into getting back to basics with Dawntrail, making FFXIV an MMO that’s simply fun to play again. This expansion’s dungeons feel like such a breath of fresh air after the last few years, and hopefully, it’s indicative of Square Enix’s renewed commitment to crafting another decade of FFXIV.
