Adventuring around the world of Valisthea will be much of a breeze if you come prepared with this handy guide that we prepared for you.

Final Fantasy XVI is already available on the PlayStation 5 and everyone is going crazy with the intense action and boss battles along with an incredible story and memorable characters, with the game provides broad options for players with different playing experiences, so it will be a breeze for anyone who is new to action RPGs or just wanted to get hooked with the story. The team at Creative Business Unit 3 did an incredible job in making the game worth the experience (they were also the same did that handled the critically-acclaimed MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV) that any Final Fantasy fan or action RPG fan should not miss this game.

If you are about to start a new game with Final Fantasy XVI, we’ll help you out when starting your adventure to make your journey more of a breeze.

Grab the sidequests early

You will see some NPCs having green icons on their heads or even on your map, these are sidequests and are optional in completing during your playthrough, but they can provide nifty accessories and items, as well as a good amount of Exp and Gil. Completing the sidequests can help you level up faster along with more Gil to spend on getting new gear. In some cases there will be a plus sign on the sidequest, which means the quest will unlock new options or provides enhancements to your gear, so be sure to complete any sidequests that would pop up every time your progress through the main story. You can check the world map on which areas have sidequests available.

Also once you unlock the Hunt Board, you can take on powerful foes that are scattered around the realm where they can provide a hefty amount of Exp, Gil and Renown points (a reputation points system that gives you rewards as you earn more points through quests and hunts), so if you have the chance to fight these monsters early, the better.

Don’t be shy to use the Timely Accessories

Before starting the game, you will be prompted if you prefer to play Story-focused or Action-focused. Choosing Story-focused will automatically equip all the necessary Timely Accessories to your accessory slots, these allow you to execute skill combos in just a single button, automatically dodge incoming attacks and auto potions, other accessories include the auto command for Torgal and a slow-motion dodge assist. Action-focused lets you start without equipping the accessories, but you can equip them to your liking. The Timely Accessories are meant to provide ease of playing for players who are not into action games and can help them learn the mechanics faster, or in certain cases you can use some of the accessories to help you clear certain bosses or tougher mobs. Remember, even though the game is very forgiving with its initial game difficulty, it doesn’t hurt to use any of the accessories if you are having a tough time completing your quests.

You can use the Active Time Lore at any time

A new feature that lets you see some important notes of characters, locations and points of interest at any time in the game, and you can activate it during a cutscene. The Active Time Lore is a great addition for players who are into game lores and want to learn more about the story, it’s also a great refresher in case you went on a hiatus in playing or got confused with certain characters in the game. Early in the game, you can find Hippocrates the loresman that compiles all the topics and lore of the game in sort of a codex where you can review it any time when you are in the Hideaway, and later in the game, you’ll meet another NPC that will show the current situation of the realm that you can see unfold as you progress further into the game.

Craft or Buy?

A difficult choice, but the good thing here is that you have different options. You can purchase new gear from Charon at any time if you have enough Gil, or you can have the Blackthrone the blacksmith craft you powerful gear if you have the right materials and it won’t cost you any Gil, plus you can refine any gear that you have to enhance its stats. Some stronger weapon will require materials from powerful foes from story quests or from the Hunt Board, so make sure to check on the board and clear any pending hunts for you to craft stronger gear.

Check the corners for treasure chests

As you explore the realm of Valisthea, you may spot some particles floating out from the ground, they give out random items from potions to materials to small amounts of Gil, they tend to respawn for each visit so make sure to pick them up by approaching whenever you see one nearby. You will also find treasure chests scattered in every area, including dungeons, so always be on the lookout for these chests as they tend to hide in corners. So whenever you entered a new region or dungeon, check the edges and corners of the map for these chests as they may contain rare weapons or accessories. And in case you missed some chests from a dungeon, you can always do a replay of that dungeon from the Arete Stone at the Hideaway.

Some quick combat tips to make things easier

Save your best damage-dealing skills on staggered enemies, especially the ones with multi-hit attacks, they rack up the damage multiplier to give you bonus damage, so make sure to start your assault with them first before landing with a heavy-hitting skill just before your enemies recovered from being staggered.

Execute Torgal’s skills at the right moment. The Sic attack lets Torgal deal moderate damage to an enemy and commands him to focus on that target, do this while landing combos to add more damage. Healing allows Torgal to heal you for a small amount by regenerating the grayed-out part of your HP bar.  Ravage will command your best boi to execute an attack to launch any smaller enemies into the air, do this at the right moment to dish out aerial combos to the target.

Thrust + Magic combo is a good knockback play against smaller enemies, downed enemies are open for mortal blow damage that makes you invulnerable for a short time as you deal massive damage to them. You can do this combo when you are surrounded to escape from a tight spot and continue to target one enemy at a time.

Understand the advantages and limitations of your Eikonic Abilities. Some abilities can make things easier for certain enemies such as Garuda’s Deadly Embrace which can stun large enemies and bosses when they are half staggered. Bahamut’s Wings of Light can charge up its meter faster when dodging attacks at the right time. And there are also some disadvantages, such as the Phoenix Shift does not dodge attacks whenever you use it and the Titan Block can’t block attacks from behind. So take note of the strengths and weaknesses of each Eikons so you can experiment more on the most efficient combos.

Retrying a battle will replenish your potions. Do keep that in mind when you get a game over so you don’t need to fast-travel back to Hideaway just to restock your supplies.

Never forget to experiment with your Eikon skills. There are many skills from each Eikons that complement well together, you can equip up to 3 Eikons and it still has many possible combinations for you to discover, you can even arrange the switching order at the menu screen. So whenever you unlock a new Eikon skill, you can always experiment with it at the Hall of Virtue in the Arete Stone.

We hope this handy guide will make your Final Fantasy XVI a lot of fun and give you a headstart in your grand adventure. The game is now available on the PlayStation 5