Summary
While action games are not for everyone, it is hard to deny thatFinal Fantasy 16has some great combat. Players can pull off a number of flashy combos with protagonist Clive Rosfield, especially if they learn how to properly work magic and Torgal attacks into their arsenal. However, the game does struggle to let players make use of all of Clive’s abilities. Part of this is becauseFinal Fantasy 16is quite easy, which means players are never pushed to their limit and have little reason to learn better combos. However, another issue is that players can only have three sets of Eikon abilities at one time.
TheupcomingFinal Fantasy 16DLCis an excellent opportunity to address this criticism. Not only can it feature tougher enemies and boss fights that push players to better engage with the excellent systems that have been crafted for the title, but players can have some of the shackles on Clive’s abilities lifted. If players were able to use more Eikon abilities without going into the menu and adjusting their setups, they could experience more combat variety and make use of the Eikons that they did not spend much time with in their initial playthrough.
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Final Fantasy 16’s DLC Can Lift The Barrier on Eikon Attacks
Currently, players are limited to three sets of Eikon attacks. Each set included a main Eikonic Feat like Wings of Flight and two other attacks like Titan’s Raging Fists, making for nine total abilities. While this may sound like a lot, with eight Eikons in the game it means that players are ignoring a wide variety of the abilities on offer. If players do not master abilities and use multiple pages, an Eikon’s full arsenal cannot be equipped, further limiting players on how much they can do withClive’s impressive powers.
Fortunately, there are a few ways that Square Enix could improve ability selection inFinal Fantasy 16. The first option is perhaps the simplest, and it could see three abilities added by integrating an R2 and circle section to each ability set. Considering that R2 and triangle and R2 and square are used to access other Eikonic attacks, this would be a perfect way to work in three extra slots without needing to change anything about how the existing system is structured. However, three more abilities simply do not feel like enough, especially if anotherEikonlike Leviathan ends up granting Clive its abilities in the DLC.
Considering how the game is balanced, and howSquare Enixhas designed the mastery system to have players keep investing in their favorite abilities, it is highly unlikely that a wheel with access to every Eikon attack will come. While it is certainly fun to think about chaining together every single Eikon attack, this would make the game easier than it already is, as players could melt health bars instantly - even if tougher foes are added in the post-launch content. Further, with so many abilities existing in the game, a full wheel could slow down combat too much, with players spending too much time inside a menu.
However, there is another option. With itsFinal Fantasy 16DLC, Square Enix could give players two extra sets of ability slots. This could be the perfect middle ground, as if fights are harder and longer, players having a few more abilities to cycle between would not hurt. Gamers could be motivated to work in a few more Eikons this way, testing out new combat styles or improving their existing approach. 6 more abilities would be a big help, and if Square Enix were to incorporate the R2 and circle suggestion on top of the bonus sets,Final Fantasyfanswould have 11 more abilities slots to play around with.
Perhaps Square Enix could treat these extra Eikon ability sets as quest rewards. If gamers clear all theFinal Fantasy 16hunts in the DLC, assuming there are some, they could receive one ability set. The second set could be tied to side quest completion, or another optional activity likeChronoliths, giving completionists an exciting reward. Once unlocked, players could have five total Eikon ability sets to use in their New Game Plus playthroughs, giving them a chance to wield other Eikons and enabling even more impressive combo opportunities.
Final Fantasy 16is available now on PS5. A PC version is currently in development.
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