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Pre-order bonus 'A King's Tale' for 'Final Fantasy XV' free to download from March 1

By Brad Jones February 22, 2017

a kings tale — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Square Enix has announced that A King’s Tale: Final Fantasy XV will be made available for free via the PlayStation Store and the Xbox Store on March 1. The game was previously released as a pre-order bonus for Final Fantasy XV when the game launched in November 2016.

A King’s Tale is a spin-off that fleshes out the backstory of King Regis, the father of Final Fantasy XV protagonist Noctis. The game eschews the franchise’s traditional role-playing mechanics for side-scrolling beat-’em-up gameplay inspired by classic titles from the 1980s and 1990s.

The game using a framing narrative that sees King Regis telling his son bedtime stories about his adventures with familiar characters like Cid, Weskham, and Clarus. The game is said to last a little less than an hour for most players, which is on the short side, but befitting of its earlier status as a pre-order bonus.

However, from March 1, anyone interested in learning a bit more about King Regis will be able to download A King’s Tale for free. The game will be available whether or not you have purchased Final Fantasy XV , according to a report from Dualshockers.

While the game doesn’t bear any resemblance to Final Fantasy XV in terms of gameplay, it seems that Square Enix is hoping that releasing it for free will tempt players into trying out the main game. It’s a teaser for the main plot — as well as a treat for beat-’em-up fans who feel underserved by the current console generation.

Square Enix certainly went all out on Final Fantasy XV , even discounting the fact that the game spent ten years in development. As well as A King’s Tale, the game was accompanied by a web series entitled Brotherhood, a feature-length movie called Kingsglaive, and the as-yet-unreleased virtual reality experience that’s in production for PlayStation VR .

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Brad is an English-born writer currently splitting his time between Edinburgh and Pennsylvania. You can find him on Twitter…

Gaming

Final Fantasy XVI’s most impressive innovations are the ones you can hear

Clive walks through a field in Final Fantasy XVI.

Final Fantasy XVI is a leap forward for the long-running RPG series in some very obvious ways, The most immediately apparent way it accomplishes that is through its fantastic real-time combat, which makes the adventure into Final Fantasy’s best pure action game to date. Then there are its cinematic Eikon fights, which offer spectacle on a level we’ve long dreamed of seeing in a video game. However, some of its most impressive innovations are ones you can’t actually see. Rather, you’ll need to listen closely.

Ahead of Final Fantasy XVI’s launch, I spoke to series composer Masayoshi Soken about his work on the project. While we talked a bit about his excellent score, Soken was most eager to share details on the new sound tech that was built for the action RPG. You may not notice it while playing, but Final Fantasy XVI raises the bar for video game audio in ways that might soon carry over into other Square Enix titles.
Audio innovation
In a music panel prior to Final Fantasy XVI’s release, Soken shared a bit about the new sound tech powering the game. The first major innovation he highlighted was the action RPG’s new approach to interactive music, a system meant to make the soundtrack more reactive and dynamic in battles. Rather than looping music during fights, Soken uses audio magic to seamlessly transition between different sections of the score no matter how long it takes a player to move through the fight. Everything down to Clive’s end pose will naturally sync up with the music in every fight.

Gaming

All Wall of Memories curiosities in Final Fantasy 16

Final Fantasy 16's cover showcasing its protagonist infront of two demon summons.

Clive is a more sentimental guy than you might expect from looking at him. Even though he puts on a tough face, it's clear he still cares deeply for those around him in Final Fantasy 16. This is most obvious once you unlock the Wall of Memories where he will store all the trinkets and items he finds to display. These curiosities are the main collectibles you will be picking up throughout Final Fantasy 16, but only the first is handed to you. The remaining ones will be off the main path and take a little more work. If you want to fully stock Clive's Wall of Memories with every collectible, here's where you can find them in Final Fantasy 16.
All curiosities

There are a total of 22 curiosities to find to fill up your Wall of Memories in Final Fantasy 16, but you could really say 21 since the first is given to you as part of the story. Here's where to get them all so you can unlock the For the Hoard trophy.
The Oath
Automatically obtained once you reach the "Cid the Outlaw" main quest.
Ambrosia's Tack
Rewarded to you after completing "The White-Winged Wonder" sidequest.
Martelle Apples
Rewarded to you after completing "The Fruits of Her Labors" sidequest.
Cid's Goblet
Rewarded to you after completing the "Payback" sidequest.
Guardians Scarf
Rewarded to you after completing "The Flames of War" sidequest.
Continental Censer
Rewarded to you after completing the "An Eye for an Eye" sidequest.
Hanged Man Signboard
Rewarded to you after completing the "For Great Justice II" sidequest.
Martha's Rest Signboard
Rewarded to you after completing the "Rekindling the Flame II" sidequest.
Crimson Caravans Signboard
Rewarded to you after completing the "Trading Places II" sidequest.
Charred Sparring Sword
Rewarded to you after completing the "More than Words" sidequest.
Scholar's Bonnet
Rewarded to you after completing the"An Inconvenient Truth" sidequest.
Stolas Quill
Rewarded to you after completing the "A Tail to Tell" sidequest.
Model Airship
Rewarded to you after completing the "Aiming High" sidequest.
Winter Mead
Rewarded to you after completing the "Silver Linings" sidequest.
Rusted Battlehelm
Rewarded to you after completing the "Where There's a Will" sidequest.
Snow Daisy Garland
Rewarded to you after completing the "Priceless" sidequest.
The Triunity Accord
Rewarded to you after completing the "Three's Company" sidequest.
Briar's Kiss Signboard
Rewarded to you after completing the "Lines in the Sand II" sidequest.
Clayhearth Signboard
Rewarded to you after completing the "Duty Undying II" sidequest.
Veil Signboard
Rewarded to you after completing the "Under New Management II" sidequest.
Medicine Chest
Rewarded to you after completing the "Back to Their Origin" sidequest.
The Circle of Malius
Rewarded to you after completing all of the trails in every chronolith.

Gaming

All Chronolith locations and rewards in Final Fantasy 16

A chronolith trial pillar glowing in the sunlight.

Every Final Fantasy game changes up the battle system in one way or another. Final Fantasy 16 isn't the first to have real-time, action-focused combat, but is by far the most polished and refined one. The story is by no means secondary, but for the first time players are able to really express themselves through the various combos and abilities you can pull off. Square Enix recognized this and included special combat trails called Chronolith Trials. These are somewhat similar to the special missions you can find in games like Devil May Cry 5 where you are faced with a unique challenge for a reward. As tough as these challenges are to beat, finding them is also a bit of a chore. Hop on your Chocobo and follow our lead to find all the Chronolith locations in Final Fantasy 16.
What are Chronolith Trials?

Chronolith Trials are unique combat trails that put you into an arena that spawns waves of enemies. There will always be three rooms that each spawn three waves of enemies, plus a boss at the end. You're on a timer, and can only use a designated Eikon with predetermined abilities. By pulling off Battle Techniques, including Precision Dodge and Ability Finishes, you can extend your time. If you're quick enough to beat all the enemies without running out of time, you'll earn a special accessory as a reward. There are seven in total, and completing them all will also unlock the final Wall of Memory item you need to complete that collection.
All Chronolith Trial locations
Phoenix
In Greensheaves in Rosaria, fast travel to Martha's Rest and exit to the north. Follow the path east and you will find it just before the path leading to Rhiannon's Ride.