Final Fantasy 16 Reveals Update 1.21 Patch Notes

Shortly after the conclusion of The Game Awards, Square Enix released Patch 1.21 for Final Fantasy 16. The new update for Final Fantasy 16 fixed some outstanding issues and added a new Inner Voice option to the Grand Cast, which gave players a deeper look into each character’s thoughts as the story progressed.

Earlier in December, Square Enix posted on social media that a new patch was in the works for Final Fantasy 16. While the post was initially light on the details, the developers stated some adjustments to Arcade Mode’s leaderboard, particularly in the way that battle performance scores were calculated. This also led to the introduction of new leaderboards for new scores to be recorded and the subsequent retirement of the old leaderboard. However, the update had a few extra surprises for players.

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Though the previous Final Fantasy 16 update added new outfits and weapon skins, Patch 1.21 gave players access to the Inner Voice of the Grand Cast. By talking to Vivian Ninetales at the Hideaway and asking about the State of the Realm, players can peer into the thoughts of each main cast member and their relationships with other characters during certain story intervals. This is done by clicking the TouchPad button while a character is highlighted. This feature also includes Torgal, who shares simple thoughts about the cast compared to others such as Clive and Jill. Which characters share their Inner Voice depends on the story, as unrelated characters and moments will not have thoughts to share. Plus, a Photo Mode shortcut was added to the game’s main menu, which can be accessed by clicking the TouchPad button as well.

Patch 1.21 for Final Fantasy 16 required 10 GB of storage space, on top of the 90 GB that the base game already has. Beyond the Photo Mode and Inner Voice additions, the update fixes some bugs in the game’s Frame Rate mode and fixed some issues with NPC dialogue and animations during certain quests. In addition, some camera and text issues were addressed. The 1.21 update was also needed for players to access the Echoes of the Fallen DLC, which was released at the same time.

With Final Fantasy 16 claiming the Best Score title at The Game Awards, and the launch of the Echoes of the Fallen expansion, Square Enix fans have plenty to celebrate as the end of 2023 draws near. Only time will tell when Final Fantasy 16‘s next update will be.

Final Fantasy 16 Version 1.21 Patch Notes

This update is available for all users, and makes the following changes:

Additional Features

• Adds a new Inner Voice option to the Grand Cast menu, which can be viewed upon inquiring with Vivian about the State of the Realm. Hover the cursor over a character and press the touchpad to view their inner feelings toward their allies and enemies. See how each character’s feelings change as the story progresses.
• Adds several new orchestrion rolls. These can be obtained from in-game vendors after progressing a certain way through the story.

Changes to Arcade Mode

• Adds a technical bonus feature that increases battle performance scores. Attacking enemies and performing a variety of battle techniques fills the technical bonus gauge, which increases your score multiplier each time it crosses a certain threshold. The gauge depletes over time or upon taking damage.
• Adds new accolades. These can be earned by clearing stages within a certain time limit or with a final battle performance score above a certain threshold.
• Adjusts ranking thresholds over individual legs and stages. The changes described above allow players to earn higher battle performance scores than they could previously. The ranking thresholds are adjusted to account for this.
• Introduces a new leaderboard. All scores earned after the update is installed will be recorded to this new leaderboard.
• Allows you to view leaderboards and rankings from previous versions.
• Adjusts the difficulty level of Ultimaniac stages.
• Adds and adjusts explanations of various features.

Changes to Training Mode

• Adds an Immediate Takedown option. With this option turned on, attacks will reduce an enemy’s will gauge by 50%, allowing you to partially stagger enemies with a single attack, then fully stagger them with a second attack.
• Adds a Megaflare Level option. This option allows you to fix your Megaflare level to any value.
• Adds a Zantetsuken Level option. This option allows you to fix your Zantetsuken level to any value.

System-related Changes

• Adds a Photo Mode shortcut option. This option, accessible from the Game Settings tab of the System menu, allows you to launch Photo Mode by pressing the touchpad with two fingers.
• Adds the ability to enter Photo Mode from the pause screen. This allows photos to be taken during cutscenes, with certain exceptions.
• Adds the option to retry from the Game Over screen when Clive is defeated by a notorious mark. Retrying will return Clive to the point immediately before the battle with the notorious mark began.
• Allows you to examine the details of the rewards available from the Patron’s Whisper in the hideaway.
• Adds the option to filter save data in the Load Game tab of the System menu. Press □ to cycle between the following filtering options: Show All Saves, Show Auto-saves, and Show Manual Saves.
• Adds a Credits option to the title menu. This option, which allows you to view the credits sequence, becomes available after completing the game.
• Adds and adjusts various UI elements.

Bug Fixes

Corrects the following issues:

• Several issues wherein graphical elements did not display correctly during cutscenes.
• Several issues wherein certain NPC animations were incorrect during certain quests.
• Several issues wherein certain NPCs became positioned incorrectly under specific conditions during certain quests.
• Several issues wherein progress became impossible in certain quests under specific conditions.
• Several issues wherein quest objectives and destination markers did not display correctly in certain quests.
• Several issues wherein NPC dialogue was incorrect in certain quests.
• Several issues wherein the reward of ability points was incorrect in certain quests.
• An issue wherein the demontamer’s armguards were impossible to obtain.
• Several issues wherein enemies did not behave correctly under specific conditions during battle.
• Several issues wherein collision detection did not behave correctly under specific conditions during battle.
• Several issues wherein the camera did not behave correctly under specific conditions during battle.
• Several issues wherein the frame rate dropped significantly during battle.
• Several issues wherein abilities or limit breaks did not trigger correctly under specific conditions during battle.
• Several issues wherein accessory effects did not trigger correctly under specific conditions.
• Several issues wherein the menu did not display or update correctly in Chronolith trials.
• An issue wherein the conditions to achieve the Mark of the Jongleur accolades were incorrect in Chronolith trials.
• Several issues wherein the menu did not display or update correctly in Arcade Mode.
• An issue wherein Clive’s clothing did not display correctly under specific conditions in Training Mode.
• Several issues wherein menu navigation did not behave correctly under specific conditions in Training Mode.
• Several issues wherein the AI of companion NPCs did not behave correctly.
• Several issues wherein parkour animations did not trigger correctly under specific conditions.
• Several issues wherein graphical elements and collision surfaces were set incorrectly in explorable areas and replayable stages.
• Several issues wherein location names displayed at incorrect points in explorable areas and replayable stages.
• An issue wherein certain menu screens flickered when the Graphics Settings option was set to Frame Rate.
• Several issues wherein character animations did not trigger correctly under specific conditions.
• Several issues wherein Active Time Lore elements did not update at the correct timing.
• Several issues wherein menu elements did not display or update correctly in Vivian’s State of the Realm.
• Several issues wherein menu elements did not display or update correctly in Harpocrates’s Thousand Tomes.
• Several issues wherein entries in the Thousand Tomes did not update at the correct timing.
• Several issues wherein Torgal’s Animal Instinct did not function correctly under specific conditions.
• An issue wherein graphical elements did not display correctly in Photo Mode under specific conditions.
• Several issues wherein areas failed to unlock on the world map under specific conditions.
• Several issues wherein text and icons did not display correctly on the world map under specific conditions.
• Several issues wherein the camera did not behave correctly under specific conditions.
• Several issues wherein the wireless controller vibration and adaptive triggers did not function correctly under specific conditions.
• An issue wherein progress towards the trophy Here Be Rosfields did not display correctly under specific conditions.
• Several issues wherein incorrect images and videos appeared in tutorial slides.
• Several issues wherein important notifications did not display correctly under specific conditions.
• Several issues wherein audio elements did not trigger under specific conditions.
• Several issues wherein the game would freeze under specific conditions.
• Several minor text issues.

Final Fantasy 16

Final Fantasy 16 is an action RPG developed by Square Enix. Set in the land of Valisthea, six different factions are on the brink of war due to a spreading disease known as the Blight. Much of the plot revolves around summoned monsters called Eikons, who are controlled by unique humans called Dominants. 

Released

June 22, 2023

How Long To Beat

36 Hours

Metascore

87