Final Fantasy XVI is going to be a huge blockbuster experience. Big AAA games that are seeking to reach a large audience need to accommodate a wide variety of prospective players. How does Final Fantasy XVI fare in the Difficulty Options department?
Difficulty Settings
Upon starting a new game, the player is given the choice of a ‘Story Focused Mode’ and an ‘Action Focused Mode’. Both Modes appear to have the same balancing, as when testing the separate modes, I couldn’t notice a difference in enemy HP values, and they didn’t seem to Stagger more easily. This is entirely the opposite of Final Fantasy VII Remake’s ‘Easy’ Difficulty.
What is the difference between these two modes, then? Well, the ‘Story Focused Mode’ gives the player access to Timely Accessories.
‘Timely’ Accessories
Timely Accessories are accessories that the player can equip Clive with to make interfacing with certain aspects of the gameplay easier. Here is a comprehensible list of these accessories and what they do.
| Accessory | Description |
| Ring of Timely Strikes | When equipped, complex ability combinations can be executed by simply pressing ‘Square’. |
| Ring of Timely Evasion | When equipped, Clive will automatically evade attacks, as long as the attack can be evaded. |
| Ring of Timely Focus | When equipped, time slows before an evadable enemy attack strikes Clive. No effect when equipped with the ring of timely evasion. |
| Ring of Timely Healing | When equipped, Clive will automatically use a potion when his HP falls below a certain point. Potions will be used before high potions. |
| Ring of Timely Assistance | When equipped, pet commands are executed automatically and Torgal’s actions will adapt to Clive’s. The Ring of Timely Assistance’s effects are included in the Ring of Timely Strikes. |
I did take the opportunity to test these out. They do NOT make you invincible in any way. If you are mid-attack, even the Ring of Timely Focus will not be able to get Clive out of the way of harm. The Ring of Timely Strikes also makes the game auto-combo similar to some fighting games. The Timely Healing and Assistance Rings do help the player focus on the combat and not have to worry about item management or commanding Torgal. These have appeal even to players who don’t use the combat aiding accessories.
These accessories remove player creativity and control. I recommend using them to help you acclimate to the game and then attempt to play without them! Just like training wheels!
New Game+ Difficulty
The Developers of Final Fantasy XVI have teased that a new difficulty is unlocked after beating the main campaign of the game. This mode is called ‘Final Fantasy’ Mode. Things like Enemy placement and AI are different this time, and weapons can be upgraded even further. Your gear and abilities are carried over as well. Final Chronolith Trials are also high-difficulty trials that the game will offer that will prevent you from healing and force specific skill sets upon you. Arcade Mode makes replaying stages easy for players. This also includes Ultramaniac Mode, which allows players to play higher-difficulty versions of the in-game stages.
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