The Patch 7.3 update for Final Fantasy 14 was released earlier this week, and my hopes were not very high when the content of the update was revealed. However, that skepticism turned to optimism as the release day got closer, and we learned that Patch 7.3. will be the start of a new design philosophy for director Naoki Yoshida, better known as Yoshi-P, and the rest of the team.
As with every FFXIV content update release, I played the new story quests first. I continued to be hopeful, especially with the new puzzles in the quests, which reminded me of classic Resident Evil puzzles. But in the end, I don’t think Patch 7.3 fixed one of FFXIV‘s biggest problems, despite me enjoying the experience overall.
This article contains major spoilers for the Dawntrail expansion and the Patch 7.3 storyline.
Wuk Lamat Remains Front & Center
A Controversial Character
The introduction of Wuk Lamat into the Dawntrail expansion as the lead character was met with a lot of controversy, with many fans wishing the focus had been on their own Warrior of Light again, instead of a new character. As a character, overall, I feel like she’s fine, but not nearly as memorable or likable as other expansion-focused characters like Alphinaud and Estinien in Heavensward or the Crystal Exarch and Minfilia in Shadowbringers.
Throughout Dawntrail, Wuk Lamat appears to be quite ignorant of the differing cultures of Tural, the land she wishes to become Dawnservant of, despite living there almost her whole life. Her most meaningful character growth comes when her own brother kills her father, and she swears to kill him to bring peace, something she has been one-note about the entire expansion: she wants to keep peace in the already mostly peaceful land.
In Patch 7.3, Wuk Lamat is once again the star of the show, and it’s through the power of friendship with Queen Sphene that she stops Calyx’s plans. I don’t hate Wuk Lamat by any stretch, but being oddly tethered to her throughout the entire expansion, which is brought to a close in Patch 7.3, narrows the storytelling quite a bit and forces her to have odd power level shifts throughout the plot.
FFXIV Seemingly Can’t Move On From The Ascians
Patch 7.3 Ends In A Cliffhanger
Retreading even more story beats, Patch 7.3 ends on a somber note, with Calyx defeated and promising revenge, only to be approached from behind by an unknown Ascian, the inconsistent recurring primal-summoning cult that has been present in FFXIV since A Realm Reborn (though Heavensward and Stormblood did not focus on them). Shadowbringers brought the Asicans back to the foreground, and gave us one of the best FF villains: Emet-Selch.
Since then, it appears FFXIV has been chasing that success, and while we did know there were a few loose ends to tie up with the Ascians after Endwalker, it looks like the Ascians are back in play. The Ascians were metaphorical mustache-twirling villains until Shadowbringers, and I’m not convinced we need to see them yet again. It almost feels like FFXIV is chasing the success of Shadowbringers again.
Still, it’s too early to know for sure what role Wuk Lamat or the Ascians will have in future content updates or the next expansion. Final Fantasy 14 has abandoned characters and plotlines in the past, so it remains to be seen if the popular MMO can course-correct after its most controversial expansion.
Final Fantasy 14
- Released
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August 27, 2013
- ESRB
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T for Teen – Language, Mild Blood, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Developer(s)
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Square Enix
- Publisher(s)
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Square Enix
- Engine
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Originally the Crystal Tools engine, but currently it’s a custom engine using parts of the Luminous Engine.
- Multiplayer
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Online Co-Op, Online Multiplayer
- Steam Deck Compatibility
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Playable
- PC Release Date
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August 27, 2013
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
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March 21, 2024
