A Look at the Endgame of Final Fantasy XVI
During our coverage of Final Fantasy XVI, I had the opportunity to play a few hours of the game and get an exclusive look at the endgame and additional content from Creative Director Hiroshi Takai and Battle Director Ryota Suzuki.
There's a lot to play, especially for fans of action-packed combat. FFXVI offers an arcade mode where players can replay completed stages, this time with a point display and a combat ranking. A New Game+ playthrough unlocks two more difficulty levels, both of which are more challenging than the regular story and action mode difficulties.
New Game+ Mode and Ultimaniac Mode
In the New Game+ mode, players can start with all their unlocked abilities and equipment, with the highlight being the Final Fantasy mode. This increases the difficulty level, changes the placement of monsters, and mixes up the enemies in battles.
In a New Game+ playthrough in Final Fantasy mode, players can complete Final Fantasy mode stages in the arcade mode or an even more challenging variant called Ultimaniac mode by interacting with the Arete Stone in their hideouts. The global leaderboards for the arcade mode are only active in these two modes.
Chronolith Trials: The Ultimate Challenge
A New Game+ playthrough also allows for further weapon upgrades than in the first playthrough. Additionally, only in Final Fantasy mode during a New Game+ playthrough can accessories be upgraded. Additionally, players gain access to the Final Chronolith Trials or, if not in Final Fantasy mode, simply the Chronolith Trials.
According to Takai, these trials are the most challenging challenges in FFXVI. They consist of multiple stages, each containing four rounds of enemies. The first three rounds consist of normal waves of monsters that become increasingly difficult with each progression. The fourth round, however, includes a boss. The Chronolith Trials are also time trials, where executing certain moves and combos can earn additional time. However, there is no healing in these trials, except for immediate regeneration after activating a Limit Break technique.
Eikon-based Chronolith Trials
Each Chronolith Trial is based on an Eikon. In these trials, players only have access to the Eikonic abilities of the respective Eikon and must therefore play differently than outside of these trials, where they can freely combine Eikonic abilities. As in the arcade mode, there is a global leaderboard for the Chronolith Trials, but only in Final Fantasy mode.
Conclusion: An Action-Packed Endgame for Fans
Overall, the endgame of Final Fantasy XVI offers a variety of challenging content for players who enjoy action-packed gameplay and difficult battles. With the New Game+ mode, Ultimaniac mode, and captivating Chronolith Trials, the adventure remains exciting and challenging even after completing the main story.
