My Review of Dawntrail MSQ [Spoilers]

Dawntrail was a solid 8/10

The new expansion had everyone wondering whether or not the main story questline could recover from the Endwalker slump, plagued with contrivances, abruptly discontinued plotlines, and a dismal series of patch quests. Not to mention the fact that we were entering the expansion with the impression that we would not be facing a universal level threat. I kept my expectations in check as I started Dawntrail, and immediately was impressed with the quality of the new city Tuliyollal and the following zones.

The first half of the expansion was focused on the rite to select the new Dawnservant, setting us on a journey to explore the many lands and peoples of Tural and understand their traditions and cultures. This is crucial to understanding the expansion and its themes, and what the story that the writers meant to tell through Wuk’s journey with the rest of the cast that were selected to follow. It was refreshing not to have too much of an urgent mission like trying to prevent the end of the world or fighting on one side of a war. It lets the players thoroughly explore the towns and villages and learn of the rich and established cultures of each society.

The sidequests, when they were simply the NPC tasking you with saving another NPC by slaying some monsters, carried deep and meaningful stories that made you appreciate the people of this new expansion even more, and by doing so understanding the task of truly succeeding in the rite of succession to become Dawnservant. I felt a connection to the various peoples of Tural as I learned more and more about their way of life, and it’s this personal connection that is vital in fostering the attachment and investment in wanting to see only the best for these people, that they can live happily and peacefully.

As you accompany Wuk in her rite, you come to recognize that even though she may appear incompetent and unlike any conventional ruler, you realize that she indeed has the best interests of the people at heart. Though you may not be rooting for her explicitly, the shortcomings of the other Promises make it clear that Wuk has what matters the most, and the rest can be supplemented by the people around her. Her love for peace and understanding of the people she will come to rule to achieve that peace is a noble vision is something that I can appreciate, if not support. They could not have ended the rite any better, with Wuk Lamat and Koana following the example of their father, choose to rule as resolve and reason. The reveal itself, foreshadowed by Koana’s crestfallen demeanor when he came to invite you during his visit at the inn was a brilliant choice to set up the reveal. It was these little details that made each moment of the expansion feel realistic, cared for, and thought over.

“Ignorance begets strife. Understanding begets fellowship.”
Wise words spoken by Vow of Resolve Gulool Ja Ja.

The second half of the game focuses on your journey with Erenville to visit his hometown. Complications arise as the dome appears and we undertake a mission to enter it after Zoraal Ja’s forces attack Tuliyollal. The reintroduction of G’raha and Y’shtola in this portion of the story was well done and even though many may have gripes of the Scions constantly finding themselves gathering, this was the moment I had to accept that they have actually simply disbanded in name and are still operating in secret when they are required to.

The story takes a strange turn when we enter the Dome and learn what is inside. We meet the Alexandrians and continue our attempts at understanding the people there to come to an understanding and thus achieve peace and cooperation. As abstract as this portion of this story was, with its astonishing revelation of souls and memories and how they are manipulated, it laid down the rules of this new resource and the conflicts in cultures between those who live by it, and the horrified outsiders who are simply learning of it. The ultimate culture shock for Wuk Lamat and the rest of the cast who find this aspect of Alexandrian culture to be difficult to accept.

Leaning about Sphene throughout the latter portions of the game in Solution 9 and Living Memory, we are presented with difficult themes and moral questions about preserving the dead and the cost of doing so by sacrificing the living. The final zone did what Ultima Thule could not. Slowly and carefully walking the cast of characters that have passed through the gate through the zone and story, allowing each of the characters to confront their loved ones and being given the chance to say their last words. All of these attempts met their mark. Wuk Lamat, Krile, and Erenville all left nothing unsaid. The writing for these portions were excellently done, nothing felt off, and they were handled with class and the right amount of restraint. The gondola ride with G’raha was the most interesting to me, as he recalled his days in leadership as the Exarch. It made me realize that G’raha in Dawntrail wasn’t the goofy playful object that he became after ending his role as the Exarch, but the dependable responsible veteran that can do more than eat food and fawn over the Warrior of Light. I appreciated how this expansion tastefully references the past expansions. Shutting down each of the zones, leaving the areas desolate and without music, when the camera panned over dead, once lively scene, it felt like the game wanted you to face the consequences of your choices, and realizing they had made the decision to show us this, I had nothing but praise for the writers.

The final zone was satisfying all around, culminating in an emotional final dungeon that did not disappoint compared to Amaurot and The Dead Ends. The emotion the dungeon brought and design of the zone in general was breathtaking and was fresh and new, paired with the OST that I had been waiting to hear all throughout the expansion.

Though the final boss and ending were not much of a spectacle as the past two expansions, the cast got the job done and tied up the loose ends to a well written, tactful, and rich story leaving me feeling satisfied and thinking about how they may continue the story throughout the patches.

I still had issues with the story, the Mamook portion being particularly weaker than the others with Bakool Ja Ja’s sudden and abrupt face-turn being the biggest offender. I understand many people have issues with Wuk Lamat, and she isn’t without criticism from myself. I understand she was necessary for carrying the story, and I received her as more of a device than a character, which I couldn’t bring myself to hate her for. The biggest problem I had with Wuk Lamat was her “Talk-no-jutsu” being used constantly, trying to talk to enemies down and trying to make peace despite the obvious choice being to use force to oppose them. I believe they could have written her with more nuance and depth in this aspect. She almost felt as if she’d overstayed her welcome towards the end of the MSQ, and for me, I’ve just about had my fill of Wuk Lamat by the last cutscene was playing.

I’m glad they finished with Erenville narrating the final lines of the expansion before the credits, if anything, he had been just as much of a main character as Wuk Lamat was. That’s also something there’s been a lot of talk about. That the WoL wasn’t the main character, that the position had been taken by other characters, mainly Wuk Lamat. I disagree, the WoL has always been the main character, you’ve always been the main character. The other Scions discreetly look your way and nod, acknowledge you as the true champion as you mentor Wuk Lamat and guide her through her rite and the rest of the story. Not once did anyone forget who the boss was, who the true main character was, if you only take a second to appreciate how much the rest of the cast, including Wuk Lamat, appreciate you, you won’t ever feel as if you had been sidelined to begin with. I think we should all take a moment to think about how Venat would’ve wanted us to feel and act. Would she have wanted us to curse our lot as companions of the Third Promise? To shun the cultures of this rich new land because we are so occupied by our dissatisfaction? Not at all. I think Dawntrail, for those who live up to the role of being a true shard of Azem, was the rich and once in a lifetime adventure that we were promised and the dev team delivered, and I’m looking forward to the next one.

I respect the writers' direction and intent. I think it would have been realized to a greater extent had they allowed us to resolve a few of the issues plaguing the people of section nine seen in the later half of the story using the tools at the protagonists' disposal. They could have then juxtaposed the human nature of Sphene, Queen of Alexandria - her shock, the bittersweet satisfaction of realizing she has delivered her people to a better world - against the purpose of her creation, the Eternal Queen. This would line up with the message of giving closure that is so important to the final steps of the story. That being said, Sphene was delivered very well as a character with minimal lines. It's regrettable that the WoL does not get the chance to put proof to his words, especially when those tools are at his almost immediate disposal.