Final Fantasy 16 stars Clive, a young knight with a troubled past. The game opens up with a war scene that soon erupts into a battle between two Eikons, which aer this game’s version of Summons. In the chaos between Shiva and Titan, Clive almost dies, causing him to flash back to the beginning of his plight.
What did Clive go through as a teen to become the man he is in the present day of Final Fantasy 16? There’s a lot of narrative plot to get into, but that is a good enough summary for now. It's time to get into some gameplay tips that will help players as they uncover the story.
6 Auto-Attacks & Preorder Bonuses
There are two difficulties in the game, which is surprising given the history of this series. What's more, players can equip an accessory that will auto-attack the nearest enemy with the best available skills. All they have to do is press Square and Clive will go to town. It's kind of how Street Fighter 6 added the simplified controls for its combat. So, besides switching modes, don't forget about this auto-attack option via The Ring of Timely Strikes.
Also, if the game was preordered, don't forget to accept the two bonuses in the Options menu. Cait Weapon Charm will increase Gil earned, and Braveheart Sword will increase experience earned. Of the two, Braveheart Sword is the best accessory, and should not be removed under any circumstance.
5 Basic Ability Tips
Clive will begin the game with access to a basic ability wheel, along with special skills attuned to the Phoenix Eikon. Eventually, Clive will gain more Eikon powers, adding to his skill commands in battle. Those familiar with Devil May Cry 5, which the combat designer for Final Fantasy 16 also worked on, should feel familiar with the idea of switching between play styles during combat. Players can go from Phoenix form to Garuda form in an instant.
When it comes to upgrades, it's best to hold onto those ability points. When enough have accumulated, buy the ultimate ability for each Eikon which is always the most expensive. For example, Phoenix's best ability in Final Fantasy 16 is called Flames of Rebirth. Overall, it's better to unlock abilities rather than to upgrade them.
4 Do All Side Quests
There are not that many side quests in the game, and they are spread out too. Once they unlock, be sure to do every single one. They are incredibly, easy as the game points the direction of objectives out explicitly. A quest should take no longer than a few minutes. They aren't as engrossing as other RPG side quests like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, but few games are.
The reason why they are important is that the rewards are worth it for little effort. Players can gain experience points, Gil, and AP. It's one of the best ways to increase Clive's level and expand his skill set quickly.
3 Items & Upgrading Gear
The inventory is rather limited for a game in this series. Classic items return such as Potions and Hi-Potions, but Clive can only carry a limited amount at a time. It's kind of like how the Estus Flasks work in the various Dark Souls games. Eventually, players can increase potency and item capacity for items such as potions in Final Fantasy 16, but that takes a while.
The other aspect to be aware of regarding inventory is upgrading Clive's gear. Buy every new piece of armor and weapon that comes up, and then be sure to upgrade them in the forge. Be aware that after one or two upgrades, players may need to buy an older version of the same weapon to upgrade again to then upgrade the better piece of gear. It's kind of a complicated upgrade system, and players shouldn't have to worry about wasting materials on more than one or two upgrades per piece of gear.
2 Saving & Death
One of the best features of Final Fantasy 16 is how saves work. Players can save the game at any time, except when they are in the heat of battle. Players accustomed to RPGs by this point know that they should save constantly. Glitch-heavy games like Fallout: New Vegas will teach players the troubles of relying on autosaves.
Final Fantasy 16 has autosaves as well, and they are quite generous. If players die, all progress will be kept as far as experience goes. Players can either quit back to the Title Screen, or they can be warped back to the nearest fast travel point, wherein all potions will be restored. Even though the death penalty is minimal, players should still save often and bounce between at least three save files to avoid getting soft-locked into a bad situation.
1 Potion Upgrades & Other Unlocks
As previously mentioned, potion capacity and potency can be upgraded later in the game. It should take about ten to twelve hours to get to this point, depending on how fast players are. There is a certain story moment that sort of catapults the game into its true essence, kind of like when the open-world section of Final Fantasy 13 opens up.
At this point, side quests with plus signs will start to appear, which signifies that they will upgrade Clive's world in some major way. The first one will grant Clive the ability to finally ride chocobos in Final Fantasy 16. Then Monster Hunts will unlock followed by a few item-based upgrades. Players should be aware that these upgrades will come, they just have to be patient and stick to the more linear design of the first third of Final Fantasy 16.
Final Fantasy 16 was released on June 22, 2023 and is available on PS5.