Four months since the release of the latest expansion, Final Fantasy XIV has received another major patch, titled Crossroads (or just Patch 7.1), that picks up the story from Dawntrail. With it comes a variety of new content in the form of an Alliance Raid based on Final Fantasy XI, a new Allied Society and the repeatable daily quests that come with it, and, of course, a new set of quests that push the central narrative forward.
The updates aren’t done rolling out, with the impending promise of the first-ever 24-man Chaotic Alliance Raid, a new Ultimate raid based on the Eden raid series, and Inconceivably Further Hildebrand Adventures. For now, though, the update seems geared to be a stepping stone for future storytelling rather than a solid update on its own, at least as far as the central narrative is concerned.
Get BWT in your inbox!
Get BWT in your inbox!
Dawntrail was a fresh start for the long-running MMORPG in more ways than one. After the resolution of a ten-year conflict in Endwalker, the new expansion was allowed to reset the stakes while laying the foundation for the next grand story arc. The new continent also provided ample opportunity to present a culture and a cast largely removed from the rest of the world we’ve seen thus far.
Crossroads picks up the larger narrative, filling in some of the gaps left in Dawntrail’s broad storytelling, but the reduced Main Scenario Quest count and a detour to focus on less pressing matters left us feeling unsatisfied. In the long run, these quests are likely necessary; Final Fantasy XIV’s storytelling often fleshes out less explored characters or smaller, seemingly inconsequential conflicts, only to weave them back into the story later on for a huge emotional payoff. For now, though, they feel like a squandered opportunity, and only time will tell if it pays off someday.
Crossroads brings chaos to fruition in Final Fantasy XIV.
The MSQ isn’t the only new storytelling venture in Crossroads, however, and the new Alliance Raid Series, “Echoes of Vana’diel,” lets players explore locales from the previous, and still active, MMORPG in the series, Final Fantasy XI. The first section of these raids, called Jeuno: The First Walk, is chock-full of references to the longer running game, from the bosses players will face, to the music playing throughout the duty, and of course the setting.
Even the explorable area accessible after the raid features several references to the older game, such as players attempting to sell wares and others looking for a party. After the laughably easy “Myths of the Realm” Alliance Raid series from Endwalker, this raid felt much more challenging and satisfying. While it can be frustrating to restart a fight, it’s more fun to watch as 24 players are uppercut into the air and watch as some are launched right off the arena.
More importantly, the story around the sudden appearance of another game’s world is handled expertly, building off of a common character in the two games and other threads left from the Dawntrail story. This also allows for fan-favorite character Bakool Ja Ja to develop further as the central Final Fantasy XIV character in the raid series thus far.
The final substantial story content added in Crossroads comes in the form of the first Dawntrail Allied Society, the Pelupelu. The tiny Pelupelu were part of Dawntrail’s story in Urqopacha, where Wuk Lamat bartered her way through the region and learned about the beak-wearing traders. With the new Dawnservants leading Tural to an era of prosperity, some enterprising Pelupelu feels like this is the best time to start building up Tural’s tourism industry, and they need your help to get things running.
While initially excited about working with the bird-like Vanuvanu, they eventually expand to include not just them but the Moblins and even former bandits in the area. Once again, this questline provides a fresh start, not just for the Pelupelu or the burgeoning tourism industry, but for your former enemies.
Patch 7.1 brings more culture to Tural.
If the bandits stayed bandits, nobody would bat an eye because every story needs villains on both a grand scale and in smaller conflicts. Still, Final Fantasy XIV isn’t one to squander a chance like this, and so these quests also serve to humanize the people who never had the opportunity to rely on an honest living. These stories explore the harsher side of Tural while building up the history of regions like Shaaloani, making it feel like a more realistic setting instead of an idyllic facade where smiles and friendship can solve everyone’s problems.
The storytelling in Crossroads may vary, but Patch 7.1 also brought with it a number of quality-of-life changes. Updating your gearset now prompts you to update your portrait, so the odds of entering a duty with the dreaded DMV photo are much lower. Additionally, the Hall of the Novice has been updated to teach players about mechanics they’ll see throughout the game, like spread or stack markers.
Duties that are mandatory for the story of Final Fantasy XIV have never felt too demanding – my own tanking was severely lacking for 90% of my time in the game, and I still got through it all – but it’s wise to teach new players these and other mechanics, most of all because it affects everyone else you’re matched with.
Ultimately, Patch 7.1 has a few good stories with one notable whiff, but the gameplay itself is as fun as ever. With another handful of months to go until the next big patch, Crossroads certainly feels like it’s just setting up another grand story, but there’s plenty of worthwhile side content to pass the time.
Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail and Patch 7.1 is available now.
