Final Fantasy Resonance is the first Final Fantasy to get the HD-2D treatment, the pixel-art-over-3D-environments style introduced with 2018's Octopath Traveler. Ahead of the game's October 22 launch, Square Enix has detailed its world, cast and combat systems.
Resonance is built on the first season of the 2016 mobile game Final Fantasy Brave Exvius, expanded and enhanced rather than ported or straightforwardly remade. It is turn-based, and it leans hard on the SNES era: chocobos, espers and airships all return, alongside nations powered by crystals.
The Zoldaad Empire is a military nation and home to the fire crystal. “According to rumors, Zoldaad plans to use the airships and magitek weaponry they’ve mass-produced in recent years to invade neighboring countries,” Square Enix said in a press release. Facing it is Mysidia, an advanced magical city and home of the Ice Crystal, said to exist only in legend.
Each is home to one of the game's two new main characters. Jake is “the leader of the rebel army opposing the Zoldaad Empire,” who “makes Lady Luck his ally, fighting with chancy abilities such as Coin Toss and Gamble Shot.” Sakura “appears to be a young girl,” but “her true age is unknown” and she “possesses an immense magical prowess that places her a cut above other mages.”
Combat runs on three layers. Party members build Limit Bursts on a gauge that fills when enemies are staggered or the character takes damage. Espers — including Carbuncle, Odin, Leviathan and Bahamut — can be summoned into the fight. The distinctive layer is Visions: crystallised essences of legendary heroes that are equipped to fight alongside protagonist Rain and his companions, and which grow stronger the more they are used.
Vision crystals are obtained by visiting the Sanctums of Light scattered around the world. Stagger every enemy in a single turn and you trigger a Resonance with a Vision, performing an exceptionally devastating attack unique to that character.
Some Visions are original to this world — Jake's gun-toting maid Amelia, Sakura's white mage Ayaka — while others are series veterans. Polygon lists Final Fantasy 3's Onion Knight, Final Fantasy 12's Vaan, Final Fantasy 13's Lightning, Final Fantasy 15's Noctis and Final Fantasy 16's Clive among many more.
For players who want a wall to hit, Square Enix says the game will include numerous optional superbosses and secret dungeons: “Though unrelated to the main story, these dungeons offer the perfect chance for those looking to test their mettle.”
Final Fantasy Resonance releases October 22 for Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Windows PC and Xbox Series X.