While the series has always been more story-focused, Final Fantasy 16 changes that into a more well-balanced affair, as its combat gets more action-heavy and requires much more input from players. This has enabled every encounter to become more interesting and exciting, with enemies being much more dangerous than before.
As such, players will have to master all of the different techniques available to them in combat, both for hurting the enemy as well as avoiding any damage that comes their way. Of course, there will be occasions when that becomes harder, and the need for healing items comes into play. Instead of fumbling with menus, using the Item Shortcut system in Final Fantasy 16 is the best way to keep things moving smoothly.
How to Assign Item Shortcuts in Final Fantasy 16
Considering the fast-paced nature of combat in the game and the need to maintain focus to perform optimally, having access to recovery items and much-needed buffs at one's fingertips is a handy tool to have. This is where the Item Shortcuts in Final Fantasy 16 shine, allowing players to assign three items that can be used instantly by tapping on the Up, Right, and Down D-pad buttons.
Since the game doesn't really encourage players to jump into the menus during a fight, preparation before combat is key. To make sure the right items are being equipped as Item Shortcuts in the game, players should go into the menu by pressing the Options button. From here, they'll need to navigate to the Items tab using the L2 and R2 buttons.
Once there, the first category of items, Consumables, will be highlighted. From here, players can choose which of the items they want to place onto their shortcuts. Once they've decided, they'll need to press the Square button while highlighting any item, and the cursor will move onto the Item Shortcuts portion, with players then free to assign said item to any of the three shortcuts.
It is recommended that players fill up all three slots with healing consumables in Final Fantasy 16, starting with the basic Potion all the way up to the powerful Elixir. This will ensure that they can stay in the fight even after sustaining any major damage. As for buffs from tonics, these can be used on a case-by-case basis depending on the type of enemy that players find themselves up against.
Final Fantasy 16 is available now exclusively for the PlayStation 5.
