Final Fantasy 16: The Dead of Night Walkthrough and Gameplay

Final Fantasy 16: The Dead of Night Walkthrough

“The Dead of Night” is the eighth main quest in Final Fantasy 16. In this quest, Clive and Cid prepare to attack Caer Norvent to free the Bearers and the Dominant of Fire from Benedikta’s control. Here is a step-by-step walkthrough of the quest, including optional objectives:

• Instructed by Cid to wait until morning, walk down the corridor, and speak with Quinten near the pool of water.
• Quinten will give you the Hanged Man seal, which will earn you respect and acknowledgment from the residents of Lostwing. Use this seal to ask civilians for information about the Dominant.
• Speak to two villagers for information. The first villager can be found by taking the staircase up to the right of the Merchant and then looping around to the left. The second villager is located along the stone path, past the church, and down the steps.
• Return to Quinten and talk to Cid to share the information gathered. Cid deduces that the Dominant is likely holding back his power due to his partner’s captivity in Waloeder custody, indicating a potential threat.
• Rest for the night and speak with Quinten again. He offers you a place to sleep in exchange for clearing a royalist roadblock to the south.
• Head up to the main road and defeat two Royal soldiers and their Royal Mastiff dogs.
• Continue along the path and defeat more Royal soldiers as you approach Caer Norvent. Watch out for Vampire Thorns attacking you near the castle.
• Take cover with Cid as guards patrol the bridge, discussing Benedikta’s Eikon, Garuda, and the danger they pose.
• Plan to enter the lower levels of Caer Norvent through an open sluice. Use the World Map to travel to Caer Norvent.
• Benedikta recalls a past memory with Barnabas Tharmr and prepares to confront you, Cid, and Torgal as you enter the sewers beneath the Caer.

About Final Fantasy 16

Final Fantasy XVI developed and published by Square Enix, is an action role-playing game and the sixteenth main installment in the Final Fantasy series. It was released on June 22, 2023, exclusively for the PlayStation 5 as a timed exclusive.

The game features segmented open environments and an action-based combat system that incorporates both melee and magic-based attacks. Players can engage in battles with various enemies, including recurring series elements such as Chocobos and summoned monsters known as Eikons, which can be fought as bosses or utilized by channeling their power in combat.

Set in the fictional world of Valisthea, Final Fantasy XVI takes place in a land divided between six nations that wield power through magical Crystals and Dominants. Dominants are humans who serve as hosts for their nation’s Eikons. As tensions rise between the nations, a devastating phenomenon known as the Blight begins to consume the land. The protagonist, Clive Rosfield, witnesses his kingdom’s destruction and embarks on a quest for revenge, specifically targeting the dark Eikon Ifrit.

The development team for Final Fantasy XVI included notable members such as producer Naoki Yoshida, main director Hiroshi Takai, artists Hiroshi Minagawa and Kazuya Takahashi, creative director and lead writer Kazutoyo Maehiro, composer Masayoshi Soken, and battle designer Ryota Suzuki, a veteran from Capcom. Yoshida aimed to create a dark fantasy storyline that would appeal to a wide audience and revitalize the series.

The production and promotion of the game faced challenges due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and later the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Despite these obstacles, Final Fantasy XVI has received positive feedback from journalists. Critics have praised its compelling story, well-developed characters, captivating music, and engaging combat system. However, some criticism has been directed towards the game’s lack of deeper RPG elements, framerate issues, and the design of side quests.

TRENDING

Final Fantasy 16 Guide

Final Fantasy XVI introduces a dynamic combat system that differs from its predecessors. The game features fast-paced action gameplay, requiring players to master Clive’s versatility to succeed in his quest for revenge. Here are some valuable tips and tricks to maximize your early gameplay experience.

Unlocking Essential Abilities:

When you start the game, Clive has limited abilities at his disposal. To enhance his combat effectiveness, it’s crucial to prioritize unlocking certain abilities. Here are some highly recommended abilities along with their costs and descriptions:

1. Lunge (Cost: 25 AP): This lunging attack serves as an effective gap closer. It automatically tracks the nearest enemy when not locked on, providing valuable protection against off-camera attacks.

2. Swift Recovery (Cost: 10 AP): With this ability, Clive can recover more quickly after taking hits. It’s essential for maintaining momentum during intense battles.

3. Heatwave (Cost: 120 AP): Heatwave is a rare ranged Eikon attack with a useful magic counter ability. Interrupting a ranged projectile attack with Heatwave upgrades the attack, increasing both damage and Stagger potential.

4. Precision Dodge (Mastery) (Cost: 500 AP): This ability significantly improves Clive’s dodge, granting a longer invincibility window. It enhances survivability and makes every fight more manageable.

5. Burning Blade + Burning Blade (Mastery) (Cost: 205 AP): While initially underwhelming, this ability becomes a valuable addition to your offensive arsenal when upgraded. Combining a Lunge attack with a continuous hold of the Square button triggers a quick-charging Burning Blade attack, resulting in efficient damage output.

6. Wicked Wheel (Upgraded) (Cost: 525 AP): Once you unlock Garuda and her associated abilities, incorporating Wicked Wheel into your move set early on is highly recommended. It boasts quick startup, a balanced mix of damage and Stagger, and a short recharge time, making it one of the best Eikon attacks in the game.

 If any of these abilities don’t align with your playstyle, remember that you can refund Ability Points and reallocate them as needed. Instructions for refunding abilities can be found in the Abilities menu.

Mastering Dodge Mechanics:

Throughout most of the game, Clive’s dodge will be crucial for avoiding damage. By performing a dodge, Clive gains a burst of movement and a brief period of invincibility. Additionally, dodging an attack at the last moment triggers a Precision Dodge, which can be followed up by a Precision Counter, providing reliable and consistent damage.

To consistently execute Precision Dodges, it’s worth noting that Clive’s dodge offers forgiving invincibility frames. As a result, dodging directly into incoming attacks is an effective strategy, particularly against enemies with horizontal attacks like sweeping weapon swings or lasers. Dodging into these attacks not only evades them entirely but also sets up opportunities for Precision Counters, allowing Clive to deal swift, boosted damage.

However, this strategy may be less effective against aggressive enemies that unleash rapid attacks.

Crafting and Reinforcing Equipment:

Early in the game, you’ll gain access to the blacksmith at the Hideout, enabling you to Craft and Reinforce weapons and armor. Most equipment in the game has three upgrade levels: base level, +1, and +2. The blacksmith offers two paths to reach the highest level:

1. Reinforcing a base level item to +1 and then further Reinforcing it to +2.
2. Crafting a +1 item outright and then Reinforcing it to +2.

While the second option is more time-efficient, crafting a +1 item is significantly more expensive in terms of required materials. For example, crafting a Wolfskin Sash +1 necessitates

Final Fantasy 16 Gameplay

Final Fantasy XVI is an action role-playing game that puts players in control of the protagonist, Clive Rosfield, as he embarks on a journey across the continents of Valisthea. The game features familiar elements from the Final Fantasy series, including Chocobos and various monster types.

The world of Valisthea is divided into enclosed dungeons, town environments, and expansive open fields, which players can travel to via a fast travel menu. Clive’s hideout, led by the character Cid, serves as a central hub where players can interact with non-playable characters, manage relationships with other characters, access different shops to acquire and upgrade equipment and undertake side quests.

Combat takes place within the same areas that players explore, with enemies initiating battles upon spotting the party. While Clive is the only controllable character, AI-controlled companions, including the loyal dog Torgal, possess their own unique abilities and can be commanded by Clive.

Clive can perform normal attacks, dodge, and unleash elemental abilities derived from the Eikons, the game’s summoned monsters. By stringing together different Eikon abilities, players can execute combo attacks. The “Stagger” mechanic plays a significant role in combat, allowing the party to stun enemies by inflicting specific types of damage, thereby creating opportunities for more powerful strikes.

The game offers different difficulty settings, with a “Story” mode providing accessories to facilitate combat and strengthen characters, as well as a normal mode. Upon completing the game, additional options become available, including New Game+ which carries over character statistics and equipment, a challenging “Final Fantasy” mode with increased difficulty, and an arcade mode that grades players based on their combat performance.

The world of Valisthea is characterized by magical crystals called Mothercrystals, which exist across the continents of Ash and Storm. These crystals serve as a source of aether energy, vital for civilization.

Overuse of the crystals leads to the petrification of magic users. The game is set 1500 years after a great war that caused the collapse of a technologically advanced sky-based civilization, scattering remnants throughout Valisthea.

The Eikons, magical creatures represented by different elements, play a significant role in Valisthea, with human hosts known as Dominants channeling their power. However, the balance is disrupted when a second Eikon of fire, Ifrit, emerges.

The core nations of Valisthea, including the Grand Duchy of Rosaria, the Holy Empire of Sanbreque, and the Dhalmekian Republic, are embroiled in conflicts exacerbated by the Blight, a depletion of aether plaguing the world.

Dominants, who can wield magic without crystals, hold significant political and military influence but also face the risk of petrification. The game’s narrative unfolds against this backdrop of political tensions, power struggles, and the quest to restore balance to Valisthea.

Final Fantasy 16: The Dead of Night Characters

Clive Rosfield: is the main protagonist and the sole playable character in Final Fantasy XVI. As the firstborn son of the Duke of Rosaria, Clive fails to awaken as the Dominant Phoenix and is consequently disinherited. However, he trains as a swordsman and becomes the First Shield to his younger brother, Joshua, who inherits Phoenix’s power.

Clive gains some magical abilities through his connection to Joshua. After witnessing the destruction of Rosaria and the apparent death of Joshua at the hands of the dark Eikon Ifrit, Clive is enslaved as a magical soldier in Sanbreque’s army, driven by a deep desire for revenge.

Jill Warrick is the lead female character in the game. She was once a princess of the now-destroyed Northern Territories and lived as a political hostage in Rosaria alongside Clive and Joshua. After the attack by Sanbreque, Jill awakens as the Dominant of Shiva and becomes enslaved as a soldier of war.

Cidolfus Telamon, also known as Cid, is the leader of a rebel group within Valisthea. Their goal is to free magic users from enslavement and abuse. Cid is an outsider who becomes the Dominant of the lightning Eikon Ramuh upon arriving in Valisthea. Initially allied with the nation of Waelod, he later breaks away due to a difference in vision.

Joshua Rosenfield is Clive’s younger brother, the second son of the Duke of Rosaria, and the Dominant of Phoenix. He is frail and timid compared to Clive but reluctant to embrace his role as a Dominant. After witnessing the attack on his nation and the death of their father, Joshua awakens as Phoenix, but his rampage is cut short when Ifrit appears and seemingly kills him.

Torgal is Clive’s loyal canine companion. He was rescued as a puppy after being separated from his pack in the northern wilderness. Torgal survives Ifrit’s rampage and reunites with Clive after being rescued by Cid.

Other notable characters include:

• Barnabas Tharmr: The king of Waloed and the Dominant of Odin, the Eikon of darkness. He initially fought and defeated the other nations in Ash to establish his dominance.
• Benedikta Harman: The leader of Waloed’s spy unit and the Dominant of the Wind Eikon Garuda. She has a cold and manipulative personality and had a previous relationship with Cid.
• Hugo Kupka: The current Dominant of the earth Eikon Titan and the political leader of the Dhalmekian Republic. He was originally a soldier in the Dhalmekian army before gaining immense power and wealth as a Dominant.
• Dion Lesage: The crown prince of the Empire of Sanbreque and the Dominant of Bahamut, the Eikon of Light. He is the Lord Commander of the Empire’s Dragoon soldiers and a revered figure both among his people and on the battlefield.

These characters play significant roles in the story of Final Fantasy XVI, each with their own motivations, abilities, and relationships that contribute to the overall narrative.

Plot

In Final Fantasy XVI, the story begins amidst growing unrest in the world of Valisthea. Clive, a fifteen-year-old, serves as Joshua’s loyal bodyguard, known as the First Shield of Rosaria. During a pivotal ritual to prove Joshua’s claim, their nation comes under attack by Sanbreque forces.

Tragedy strikes when their father, the Duke, is killed, and Joshua awakens as the destructive Phoenix. Clive witnesses another figure, seemingly transforming into the Eikon Ifrit, killing the Phoenix. As a result, Clive’s mother, Anabella, who disapproves of his lack of blessing, betrays Rosaria and has him enslaved in Sanbreque’s army as a magical soldier.

Thirteen years pass, and Clive is sent on a mission to assassinate Jill, the Dominant enslaved by the Iron Kingdom. However, witnessing the oppression inflicted upon magic users and their supporters, he decides to desert his mission.

Cid, a rebel leader fighting for the freedom of magic users, rescues Clive and joins forces with him to search for the Dominant of Ifrit. Along their journey, they encounter Benedikta, a Dominant wielding the power of Garuda. In a battle against bandits, Benedikta’s transformation into Garuda triggers Clive’s own transformation into Ifrit, resulting in her demise.

Despite Clive’s initial despair over his newfound identity, Cid encourages him to continue his quest to find the mysterious figure he witnessed during his transformation. Cid and Jill witness the oppressive occupation of Rosaria and decide to join forces with Clive to destroy the Mothercrystals, which they believe are draining aether from the land and causing the Blight.

In their infiltration of Sanbreque’s capital, they encounter a powerful monster within the Mothercrystal, which mortally wounds Cid before they defeat it and destroy the crystal. The monster, known as Ultima, attempts to possess Clive, but Joshua, who survived Ifrit’s attack, intervenes and contains Ultima. Manipulated by his love for Benedikta, Hugo falsely blames Cid for her death and destroys their hideout.

Five years later, Clive has taken on the title of Cid, carrying on the original Cid’s mission. He seizes the opportunity presented by the war between Sanbreque and the Dhalmekian Republic to destroy the Iron Kingdom’s Mothercrystal.

However, Ultima continues to manipulate events through Barnabas and Anabella’s son, seeking to return to power. Cid engages in a fierce battle with Hugo, who has been manipulated into overusing his nation’s Mothercrystal. Cid ultimately kills Hugo and destroys the Dhalmekian Mothercrystal, gaining full control over Ifrit.

Following Joshua’s guidance, Dion stages a coup against Anabella but falls under Ultima’s control, resulting in the death of his own father. Cid and Jill manage to destroy the Dominion’s Mothercrystal and rescue Joshua and Dion, and Anabella takes her own life in a moment of madness.

The group’s final target is Barnabas, whom they eventually defeat, destroying Waloed’s Mothercrystal in the process. However, Ultima reveals that this was all part of its plan to mold Cid into a vessel by forcing him to fight other Dominants. Joshua’s research reveals Ultima as an ancient being considered a god, who created the Mothercrystals and Dominants as tools for its return.

Cid, Joshua, and Dion launch a united assault on Ultima’s fortress, Origin. Despite the sacrifices of Dion and Joshua, Clide absorbs Ultima’s power, allowing him to destroy the final Mothercrystal within Origin and remove magic from Valisthea.

Disclaimer: The above information is for general informational purposes only. All information on the Site is provided in good faith, however we make no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability or completeness of any information on the Site.