How to use Active Time Lore in Final Fantasy 16

Final Fantasy 16 introduced the Active Time Lore system, designed to help players keep track of the complex story the game tells. Here’s everything you need to know about Final Fantasy XVI Active Time Lore, from what it is to how to use it.

After plenty of hype, JRPG fans are finally getting their hands on Final Fantasy 16. The long-awaited follow-up tells the story of Clive Rosfield and the world of Valisthea, which is sure to take players dozens of hours to beat and carry on well after the credits thanks to New Game Plus mode.

While the 16th game in the series has all the hallmarks of a Final Fantasy game, it also introduced new features like Arcade Mode. Among these new features is Active Time Lore, which helps players keep on top of the epic story on the go.

Here’s how to use Active Time Lore in Final Fantasy XVI and a breakdown of how it works.

What is Active Time Lore in Final Fantasy XVI?

Active Time Lore is a feature that provides quick recaps of key characters, locations, and concepts at any time in Final Fantasy 16. When the feature is activated, the game pauses and players can look through bios of all of the characters onscreen, as well as background information on the area they are exploring.

It can also give a quick recap on some of the ideas that characters are discussing at the time, from Dominants and Eikons to smaller topics that flesh out the world. This is particularly useful later on in the game as it’s an easy way to fill in any information you may have missed or forgotten between sessions.

Final Fantasy 16‘s Active Time Lore can be used during gameplay and cutscenes, so it’s extremely useful for players who want to fully immerse themselves in Valisthea.

How to use Active Time Lore in Final Fantasy XVI

Active Time Lore is activated by pressing the touchpad at any time during Final Fantasy 16. Whether just exploring the world or mid-cutscene, hitting the touchpad will instantly pause the game and you’ll be able to choose from a number of different bios based on what’s happening in the story at that moment.

Once players have read through all the information, simply click the touchpad again to unpause the action and pick up where you left off. There is no limit on how many times you can use Active Lore in Final Fantasy 16 or for how long, so make sure you’re fully clued up before continuing.

That was everything you need to know about Active Time Lore in Final Fantasy 16. For more on Final Fantasy XVI, take a look at our other guides:

Will Final Fantasy 16 have multiplayer or co-op? | How to preload Final Fantasy 16 | Will Final Fantasy 16 be open world? | Does Final Fantasy 16 have New Game Plus? | Will Final Fantasy 16 be on Steam Deck? | Will there be Final Fantasy 16 DLC?