Echo of Dawn update

Another chill update. I didn't cover the previous one because I didn't have much to say about it. It was nice and wholesome, but a little anticlimactic since we got that Christmas-themed update at the end of spring. Echo of Dawn is a bit different. It is a relatively simple side story, but it helps us get more familiar with the Monsoon squad that we met a few updates back.

The story focuses on Zhaohui, who's the leader of Monsoon, and I have to admit I didn't even register the fact that she's the leader when the squad was first introduced. I just assumed the leader was Daiyan. Zhaohui gives me strong Vector vibes, but with more confidence. In the story, she is trying to figure out the future of Monsoon because, unlike other dolls, she has never worked with the commander before, and she doesn't feel like Elmo is the right place for her. She accepts a solo commission to collect her thoughts away from the commander and the rest of the squad, but ironically they all end up in the same place anyway and decide to work together.

I feel bad for Zhaohui because many players are basing their pull choices on tier lists instead of their personal preferences and therefore are skipping her. I am the opposite — I pull only characters that I actually like, and there are a few reasons why I like Zhaohui. Firstly, her design is pretty nice. I love the jade green color, and her scars are a unique touch. If I'm not mistaken, the only other doll with scars in GFL2 is Leva in the CN version. The reason scars on dolls are so interesting is that they're robots. Any imperfection on their frames can be easily fixed. Even the commander points that out. That means the scars come with an exciting backstory, and you should know me at this point — I love a good story.

The second reason why I like Zhaohui is her usefulness in a battle. Sure, she might not be the strongest damage dealer in the game, but her movement range is insane. You can cross the whole map in one turn. It's not going to matter against bosses, but it's huge for all other content in the game. She also completely ignores barriers on the map. You can jump anywhere with her. Klukai comes close with her ultimate, but Zhaohui's movement is still superior.

Finally, and most importantly, I like her because she's one of the few dolls who are not obsessed with the commander. GFL2 is not the only game that does this, but I really don't like when the main character is treated like some kind of deity and universally loved by all. I prefer to see a doll like Zhaohui giving the commander a cold shoulder. At the end of the story, she started warming up to the commander and decided to join Elmo, but I expect to have a more reasonable relationship between the two going forward.

All in all, a nice character introduction story. We even got to see Faye. I saw a person recently complaining that we are getting a side story after a side story without moving the main plot anywhere, and I do want the continuation of the main story as well, but apart from the practical reasons, I think it's important to have these side stories to properly establish and develop relationships between the characters. Plus, they are very enjoyable. The Yoohee one was a bit out of place, but the rest fit perfectly in the events we've experienced so far.