Final Fantasy XVI will offer plenty of post-story endgame content to keep players engaged and challenged, as revealed in an exclusive tour given by creative director Hiroshi Takai and combat director Ryota Suzuki.
Arcade Mode and New Game+
In addition to a Story Mode and Action Mode difficulties, FFXVI will feature an Arcade Mode, which lets players run through stages they’ve already completed with an on-screen score calculator and combat grader. A New Game+ playthrough adds two additional versions, both of which are more difficult than the game’s base Story and Action Modes.
New Game+ allows players to reuse all their unlocked abilities and gear from the start, but Final Fantasy Mode, a new difficulty level, changes monster placement, and which enemies might appear in combat. Suzuki explained, “We’ve done with [Final Fantasy] Mode is given players controlling Clive the sense that they’re always in danger, that death is around the corner, and that you’ll need to really, really pay attention to be able to clear the content.”
New Game+ Upgrades and Chronolith Trials
Completing Final Fantasy and Ultimaniac Modes within New Game+ unlocks the most challenging endgame feature in FFXVI: Chronolith Trials. Based on the Eikons, Chronolith Trials consist of multiple stages, each with four rounds of enemies, including a boss. These rounds are also time trials, and every stage contains a list of moves, combos, and objectives to help players gain more time. However, there’s no healing in these trials, save for recovery that starts immediately after activating any Limit Break move.
Each Chronolith Trial is based on an Eikon, and players can mix and match Eikonic abilities on the fly outside these trials but only have access to Phoenix’s Eikonic abilities in Phoenix’s Trial by Fire. Found throughout the game, stones similar in appearance to the Arete Stone unlock Chronolith Trials for players.
A New Game+ run also allows access to the Final Chronolith Trials, weapon upgrades beyond what is possible in the initial playthrough, and the ability to upgrade accessories, only possible in Final Fantasy Mode. If players plan to replay the game for Playstation Trophies they didn’t collect initially, a Stage Replay might be better. Finally, there’s a special training mode, accessible through a statuesque Arete Stone within Clive’s main hub that provides the combat training or a speedy, destructive action fix some players might want.
While hands-on experience with any of this endgame content is still unavailable, Takai and Suzuki’s gameplay demonstration promises a truly challenging and fast-paced experience that Devil May Cry V combat designer Suzuki has helped influence.