Final Fantasy 16 can easily look overwhelming for many players, particularly those who may struggle with the quickness needed in real-time combat that includes combinations and dodging in order to be successful. The developers understand this can be daunting for some, but also know there are other players out there who thrive on the speed and challenge of this type of gameplay. Striking a balance for these two vastly opposing styles of play can be difficult, but FF16 developers got creative in their ways to manage it.
There are several reasons that fans of the series have worried FF16‘s combat would be a mistake, particularly with there being only one protagonist without party members, plus the intensity and speed of the combat. Though there is still no option for party members, there will be other AI-driven characters that can assist in battles without players controlling them. Developers have creatively addressed the question of combat being too challenging by putting it in the hands of the players. Rather than simply adjusting a slider bar, FF16 will have multiple ways for players to tweak the gameplay exactly as they need it to be to get the most enjoyment out of the game.
FF16 Has Several Ways For Players To Adjust Difficulty
Instead of there being pre-programmed difficulty settings for FF16, players will have control over what specific things might be proving too difficult and ways to get around each of those. Therefore, there are unique in-game accessories called Timely Rings for Clive to equip that provide players with the means to make things such as dodging easier. Only two of these rings can be equipped at a time, but they can be swapped out until players find the right combination of features to fit with their play style.
Story Focused Mode & All The Timely Rings In Final Fantasy 16
In Final Fantasy 16‘s settings menu, players have the option of choosing a Story Focused mode. In this mode, enemies have lower health and attack less often, and several of the Timely Rings are automatically applied. However, even with Action Focused mode selected, players will be able to still equip the Timely Rings as they feel it is necessary.
The Ring of Timely Focus | Temporarily slows time when enemies attack to allow the player more time to react. |
The Ring of Timely Assistance | Automatically gives commands to Torgal. |
The Ring of Timely Strikes | Combo attacks can be achieved with just pressing one attack button. |
The Ring of Timely Evasion | Auto-dodge is enabled. |
The Ring of Timely Healing | Automatically uses potions when the character’s health gets low. |
Overall, the way that developers have creatively addressed the question of accessibility is inspiring, and hopefully one that other games will take note of. This is a creative and novel way to approach the topic of accessibility and hands control over to the players in deciding what they struggle most with and what could aid them the greatest. Final Fantasy 16 may have a strong focus on often fast-paced action combat, but it’s still making strides to accommodate players of all skill levels.
