FF16 Changes One Important Item From Final Fantasy In A Smart Way
Final Fantasy 16 has been impressing fans with its unique gameplay and clever changes to classic items. The game offers players a vast world to explore, filled with abilities and tools that shake up the traditional Final Fantasy formula.
Phoenix Down Has A New Use In Final Fantasy 16 Thanks To Phoenix Shift
The Phoenix Down has always been a classic item in the Final Fantasy series, used to revive fallen allies. However, in Final Fantasy 16, Square Enix has reimagined the item as part of main character Clive’s abilities, called Phoenix Shift. This change makes sense for an action-focused game without traditional party members. Instead of using the feather on allies, which don’t join Clive permanently, he can now use it for temporary invulnerability during Phoenix Shift. This creative choice adds an important layer to the FF16 experience.
Phoenix Eikon Abilities Make More Sense In FF16 Than The Traditional Phoenix Down
Another important aspect of Final Fantasy 16 is the influence of godlike Eikons on the game’s story and gameplay. To tie as much of the experience to these beings as possible, Square Enix has adapted the Phoenix Down’s capabilities to offer temporary invincibility during Phoenix Shift. This change solves a problem that arose
Final Fantasy 16 has been making big impressions for weeks with its demo showcasing how differently its gameplay sets itself apart from previous entries, including some smart changes to important items. With the release of the full game, players are free to explore the wide, wild world of Valisthea. The game offers a plethora of abilities and tools for this, some of which change up Final Fantasy mainstays.
Right from the first glimpse of its gameplay, FF16 was clearly a departure from even more recent titles in the overall series, being more action-focused than tactical. This departure from its turn-based roots necessitates a different use for some series classic items. Square Enix’s Creative Business Unit 3 has re-envisioned some core mechanics in a way that makes more sense to FF16in particular one smart change to an important item.
Phoenix Down Has A New Use In Final Fantasy 16 Thanks To Phoenix Shift
The Phoenix Down, a classic Final Fantasy item, has been cleverly incorporated into main character Clive’s arsenal of abilities in Square’s latest RPG adventure. Any player loosely familiar with this long-running franchise will be familiar with this recurring item. While the utility has changed slightly over the course of 16 mainline entries, a Phoenix Down has always been a restorative tool used to revive allies. But for an action-based game without formal party members like Final Fantasy 16the function of the item was smartly incorporated into Clive’s abilities, called Phoenix Shift.
Phoenix Eikon Abilities Make More Sense In FF16 Than The Traditional Phoenix Down
The influence of godlike Eikons is an important facet of Final Fantasy 16‘s core narrative, so tying as many gameplay experiences as possible to them makes perfect sense. This is true for the function of the Phoenix Down as well, which has been adapted from being a revival tool to being one for temporary invulnerability during Phoenix Shift. Rather than using the classic feather on party members, which don’t join Clive permanently, he can be wreathed in them to dash safely towards or away from enemies in key moments. This creative choice is important for making FF16 an action-based experience.
The conversion of Phoenix’s capabilities from revival to evasive protection also solves another problem that emerged in the series with the previous mainline entry. Many players found Final Fantasy 15 to be far too easy because there were no restrictions to stop players from abusing items. If Phoenix Downs were in the player’s inventory, it was possible to revive protagonist Noctis repeatedly upon death. Reducing the Phoenix’s capabilities to evasive maneuvers attached to one ability set was a smart way to change this classic item in Final Fantasy 16 and ensure the importance of player choice and consequences.
