Square Enix revealed on Tuesday’s Nintendo Direct that a new Final Fantasy title is on its way, and this time it will be closer to its roots with HD-2D graphics and turn-based gameplay.
Final Fantasy Resonance is set to arrive on October 22 for the Nintendo Switch 1 & 2, as well as PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows PC.
The game’s plot is an adaptation of the first season of Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius, a free-to-play mobile game that released worldwide in 2016 before being discontinued in 2025. The story is all very old-school, taking place in the world of Lapis, where a young knight named Rain becomes embroiled in a political plot, leading him to defend the almighty Magical Crystals from destruction by the sinister Dark Lord.
Final Fantasy Resonance may incorporate elements from this mobile title, but it is far from a port or remake. Alongside brand new story content, the game includes a unique turn-based combat system, an explorable overworld complete with chocobo riding and airship flying, and of course the incredible HD-2D graphics made famous from other Square Enix titles like Octopath Traveler, Triangle Strategy, and Live a Live.
Composer Noriyasu Agematsu will also be returning, bringing 33 all new orchestrated songs to the already existing Brave Exvius soundtrack.
Another big change comes in the use of visions, which were the core to the combat of Brave Exvius. In the mobile game, players would obtain “Visions” through a gatcha system; each vision represented a special character, and could be equipped to your party members in a similar manner as Jobs in more traditional Final Fantasy games.
In Final Fantasy Resonance, there is a major emphasis of these visions being representations of popular characters from across the franchise, such as Cloud from Final Fantasy VII and The Warrior of Light from the very first Final Fantasy. Each vision not only has their own set of abilities, but their own levels that they’ll gain independent of the main party. In this way, they may be more akin to demons collected in the Persona franchise.
Players will obtain these visions not through a gacha system, but by visiting special shrines dotted across the overworld. Here, players will witness a scene from the Final Fantasy game that the vision is from, and will then be tasked with answering questions related to the game in order to unlock them. It’s a cool way to honor the long history of the franchise, which is set to turn 40 years-old just next year.
Resonance‘s turn-based combat is also a unique blend of old and new, blending turn-based combat with a focus on staggering enemies. For instance, the game doesn’t include the signature ATB system made famous from Final Fantasy IV, and instead goes for a more traditional turn order. However, players are able to swap visions in-and-out during a character’s turn, allowing for gamers to adapt to any situation. Enemies also have a stagger meter that builds as they take damage, which will cripple them for a huge loss once the meter is full. This is a system that is very reminiscent of the combat in Final Fantasy XIII and even the VII Remake.
What are your thoughts about the upcoming Final Fantasy Resonance? Will you be picking it up when it launches in October? What more would you like to see from this entry that explores both the old and the new of this classic RPG franchise? Let us know in the comments below, and follow us for all your video game news!
Source: Nintendo Direct
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