EXPLORE THE APODYTERY

Clive and Jill return to where it all started with our next chapter of (FF16) Final Fantasy XVI, Buried Memories. It is here where we also encounter the hooded figure once again and make for the catacombs.

SEE ALSO

PREVIOUS: Holding On

NEXT: The Meaning of Life

THE CATACOMBS

Make your way through the Phoenix Castle ruins, at this point Clive will refuse to run and be limited to a slow walk. Reason being is that we will encounter our next scene. A scene involving the hooded figure once again.

Proceed and follow the hooded figure into the catacombs, known as The Hall of the Ancestors or, as the chapter descriptions mentions, the Apodytery.

Continue on into the following room and a scene will play and we will be forced to fight a bunch of Fallen Bugs. Whilst riding the lift down to the lower levels. As we are fighting in a limited spaced area we can easily make use of our AOE attacks, such as both Scarlet Cyclone and Aerial Blast. This will make quick work of them

However, we are not done yet. More enemies await us on the ground floor. Including Fallen Hunters and Defence Nodes. Which sort of resemble the Sphere-Rooks from Final Fantasy XII or the Weapons Node in Final Fantasy XIV.

After the combat phase proceed and interact with the blue door. Here we can find a Magicked Ash to the right and down the path. More enemies and a treasure chest containing a 50 Gil and x5 sharp fangs await us.

Head through the following door to be met with a new enemy foe.

FALLEN GUARDIAN

The Fallen Guardian has a lot of defence and unlike some of the other targets that we have dealt with previously, it does not have any real weakness to speak of. Having said that, it may be a new enemy threat but it is not a boss as such.

The Guardian enjoys conjuring up these blue blades that only appear as part of its attack. It does not wield a sword per-say. These swords can appear as both single or double blades that it will swing around in hopes of dealing damage to both Jill and Clive.

Another attack it has is to throw projectile attacks in the form of large orbs. These orbs also often come in two projectiles thrown one after the other, in quick succession.

As its health begins to deplete the Fallen Guardian will then summon a shield around itself. This shield will then quickly turn into several lightning-type orbs being planted onto the floor. Avoid those to lessen or nullify the damage.

This pretty much covers the entirety of its attacks. Once defeated we will be rewarded with 20xp and 35 Ability Points.

Proceed towards the next blue door, collecting the treasure chest (The Favor of Wind – Gouge) along the way. On the other side of the door we can collect both a Potion and a High-Potion

Heading through the next following door and we will get an explosion!

BOMBS

Well.. maybe. These foes are back! They are a familiar sight to those who are accustomed to the Final Fantasy series. Having first appeared since Final Fantasy II.

For the most part these Bomb creatures are generally weak. They are also classed as regular enemies. Jill will be great for this specific fight, with her ice attacks. However, in truth, you should not have any real difficulty with them.

What you do want to watch out for though is, the longer you take to destroy them the bigger they will try to enlarge themselves. They start off small but grow into huge fire balls over time. Once they reach the point where they cannot grow any bigger they will simply explode. Hence their names, Bombs. They detonate and their countdown timer is tied to its overall size.

As normal make your way through the door and collect the Potion on the other side. Then proceed up the lift and to the floor above. Here we can find another chest containing 1,200 Gil

Head through the door and we will confront yet another Fallen Guardian, this time it is joined by several Defence Nodes. We are used to these type of enemies by now. Nothing new here.

Proceed through the next door. Again familiar territory and enemies. This is basically a tutorial on how the trails within Final Fantasy XVI will work. We came across one of these before, in the previous Holding On chapter. Back then we were unable to open that said door. This is why. The game wanted its own way of introducing them to us. Which basically came straight after that chapter, in Buried Memories.

Anyway collect the chest containing The Will of Wind (Rook’s Gambit) and proceed on.

IRON GIANT

We will now confront an actual boss, the Iron Giant. Another familiar foe within the Final Fantasy series. This large ‘hulking mammoth’ enjoys stamping around and using his large sword to swat his, shall we say, flies.

As said the Iron Giant enjoys stomping around and its true. It will attempt to stamp on anyone and anything below its giant feet. You can tell when this kind of move is about to take place as it will draw in orange coloured energy. At this point you will want to move away from it.

Expect the Giant to swings its large sword around in multiple and quick succession. Slicing and weaving it into anything that may be unfortunate to get in its way. This weapon is also capable of firing off projectiles too. Usually the one. This projectile will often find its way flying across the ground.

After dealing with the first phase of the fight, the Iron Giant will then attempt to perform an Atomic Ray. Its most deadliest of maneuvers. You do not want to get hit by it. So to try and avoid that you will want to unleash all of your devastating abilities. You will have a time limit in which to do so and hopefully stagger it. Once staggered and if done before it activates the move, then you can skip it altogether. Well done.

For defeating the Iron Giant we will be rewarded with 50xp, 100 Ability Points, 1,800 Gil. As well as x2 Fallen Iron, x60 Wyrite, and x2 Meteorite

LICH

Continue on into the next area where we will find a treasure chest containing The Favor of Wind (Wicked Wheel) and a shiny High-Potion. It does not matter which door you take, right or left, they will lead to the same location.

We will then need to fight a Lich, which is an ordinary foe. Granted a new one but still not a boss. It is also a foe that enjoys using its scythe weapon. Its scythe will be used to fire projectile attacks along with an ability known as Thresh.

THRESH ENOUGH FOR YOU?

Its Thresh move involves quick successive scythe swipe attacks five or six times consecutively. Keep away from it during this phase of the fight. To avoid the risk of taking damage.

The Lich also enjoys teleporting to different areas of the playing field. So you will need to try and keep up with it. Don’t let it catch you off guard.

We will then have two paths we can choose to go through. A path to the north east and another to the north west. Both contain shiny items and both of which are Potions. By picking the north eastern path we will encounter a bunch of Wraith. Normal enemies.

We will need to venture through both, so pick whichever direction you want right now. There is no extra treasure here. However, in order to exit you will need to interact with the pillar. This will light up the floor below. Allowing us to return, once again, to the room where we encountered the Lich.

Take the north western path and head through the door and we will find a group of spectres. Same old boring enemies. Interact with the pillar in here to, once again, light up the floor and exit the area.

With both rooms now having been activated there will now be an elevator lift back in the room where we encountered the Lich. Ride it up to the top floor.

Cross over the newly raised bridge and interact with the door to find a High Potion. This will be a dead end room. However there will be a picture on the wall for us to inspect. This will trigger a scene.

INFERNAL EIKON

We will now be fighting the fire Eikon, Ifrit. During this fight you can expect projectile attacks and plenty of heat! Seriously, Ifrit loves to throw a bunch of hot multiple fire balls in Clive‘s direction. These also come in quantity and is one of the first moves that you can expect to see.

Another move is Scorched Earth where Ifrit will smash the ground with its fist. Causing a tremor of fire spreading out in a direct line. Should be easy enough to avoid.

We can also expect the Vulcan Burst attack which sees the fire beast getting down on all fours. Conjuring fire underneath it, which will explode after a short time. Try to stay out and away from the range of attack.

Despite being a fire Eikon, Ifrit is not immune to fire damage believe it or not. So feel free to switch between Garuda’s wind damage and Ifrit’s fire. Continuing to take advantage of both.

Crimson Rush is another fiery move that we want to watch out for too. This is where Ifrit will try to rush across the playing field. Hitting anything in its path. It is also a similar move to what this Eikon does in Final Fantasy XIV.

As the Eikon’s health slowly begins to deplete it will then perform another new move. A move where it will stomp its foot into the ground. Easily avoidable really as its a move that is performed rather slowly. One that you can see coming.

INFERNAL SHADOW

During the Buried Memories chapter we will also be pitted against the Infernal Shadow. Straight after the fight against Ifrit. This is basically Clive having to fight his grief-stricken self. Which will include another bunch of new attacks. All of which are still fire based. Including several fire projectiles.

Another new move is Fira. Though, not exactly new to long-time fans of the series. The Fira ability is as old as the series itself. In this entry into the series we can expect it to look like a simple and single fire based projectile attack. Basically an extra fire ball.

As Clive is basically fighting himself you can also expect plenty of sword play. Which is also one of the very few attacks that is not fire based.

DIFFERENT APPEARANCE, SAME ATTACKS

Molten Thrust is very much similar to Ifrit’s Crimson Rush ability. The only different being is that the Infernal Shadow will dash across the playing field instead.

After the first phase the shadow will ‘turn up the heat’ even more. In fact he will even have a brand new hairstyle and colour. Along with several new additional abilities too.

One such ability is Incinerate where the infernal attacker will punch the ground and conjure fire along the ground. Again very similar to the Eikon’s Vulcan Burst.

Hellfire is just like Fira, a well known manoeuver within the series. It is usually regarded as Ifrit’s ultimate move. It’s finishing ability, so to speak. Well our infernal friend knows this ability and you may just encounter it.

During this move we can see our foe locked into place whilst fire rips through the ground. Making it difficult to avoid taking damage. To make it even more difficult an unforeseen wind will begin dragging you further towards the danger too. Keep away from the opponent as you can expect to take quite a bit of damage otherwise.

One more move that our target has is known as Hammer and Anvil which sees the shadow Clive perform a Dragoon-like ability. As he raises into the air and lands to the ground with a burst of fire energy.

For successfully completing both fights we will be rewarded with 450xp, 180 Ability Points, 3,200 Gil. Alongside x1 Fire Shard and x80 Magicked Ash.

This will then complete the Buried Memories chapter of Final Fantasy XVI. We will also be rewarded with Ifrit Awoken. Which grants us with brand new fire Eikon abilities. Such as Ignition. We will also be given a Limit Break gauge.