The Final Fantasy series is back in full swing for the upcoming month, as Square Enix had another surprise waiting in the wings besides Final Fantasy VII Revelation, revealing it during today's Nintendo Direct. This surprise is Final Fantasy Resonance, the first HD-2D entry in the series, bringing back the turn-based combat fans have been demanding for years on October 22 on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2.
The new entry in the series is poised to be an evolution of the pixel art entries in the series of the 90s, such as Final Fantasy VI, as Square Enix describes the game as a representation of what the series could have been if pixel art had kept evolving. With classic turn-based combat refined with modern mechanics and the guest appearances of characters from all entries in the series, as Terra, Cloud and Squall made a brief appearance in the trailer, the game is set to be the one to get for nostalgics who are not keen on the series' current approach of favoring action combat system, if not full-on character action combat like Final Fantasy XVI, whose producer believes turn-based cannot work with high fidelity graphics.
Following the announcement, Square Enix provided a few additional details on the game. Based on the first season of the mobile game Final Fantasy Brave Exvius, it will rebuild and reimagine its content.
Accompanying Rain as he ventures into the Earth Shrine to investigate the disappearance of the magical barrier that protected it, players will fight enemies in turn-based combat featuring a turn-order bar for maximum strategic possibilities, staggering them to get an extra turn, and customize their characters' abilities using Visions, a crystalized essence of others met during the journey.
The Visions system, reminiscent of the series' job system, will be only one of the defining features inspired by classic mechanics of Final Fantasy Resonance, as summons known as Espers will also be available, as will an airship to explore an expansive world map.
Final Fantasy Resonance feels like a vindication for fans of JRPG who never wanted turn-based combat to be left behind. Games such as this are actually a great way to reconcile the opposing opinions of enthusiasts, as everyone will have something to look forward to, regardless of their preferences.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
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