Final Fantasy Resonance Reveals HD-2D World and New Gameplay

Square Enix showcases fresh locations, iconic heroes, gameplay systems, and confirms a lengthy adventure ahead of the game's October launch.

Square Enix has revealed a big new look at Final Fantasy Resonance, with a new video and a huge batch of images and gameplay details, offering the best view yet of the next HD-2D role-playing game. The newest trailer takes an in-depth look at the landscape, characters, battle mechanics, classic Final Fantasy cameos, and side quests, while confirming the projected playtime before release.

Final Fantasy Resonance was born of the setting of the mobile game Final Fantasy Brave Exvius, but the upcoming game will be remade as a premium standalone JRPG. The game ditches the gacha elements and microtransactions of the original and opts for a more traditional single-player experience. That change could help quell worries among players who initially viewed the project as merely a mobile port rather than a full console experience.

The game is also famous for being the first Final Fantasy title to use Square Enix’s increasingly popular HD-2D visual style.

Resonance aims for a vintage feel by combining pixel-art characters with modern lighting and ambient effects, while still preserving modern production qualities. Plus, at $50 it’s a bargain compared to the usual $60 or $70 price tag of many recent releases. While many longstanding fans still wish for a big-budget, large-scale turn-based Final Fantasy like Final Fantasy XV or Final Fantasy XVI, Resonance seems to aim at another demographic.

Rather than competing with such cinematic entries, it uses the classic series' formula, catering to those who prefer a more old-school role-playing experience, with strategic combat and visuals inspired by the past. The new details focus heavily on the game's backdrop, introducing numerous crucial locations that will form the backbone of the experience.

First, there's Domagia, where generations of renowned engineers have lived and breathed airship technology. The first engineer to be named Cid stood at the head of the city, his creations tying humanity to the sky. From a singular name, “Cid” became an honorary title handed down to the finest airship engineer of each generation, perpetuating one of the most well-known traditions of the franchise.

Players will also go to Aldoreon, the aquatic capital of the Alularian Federation. The city is blessed with crystal-clear waters and is still safeguarded by the Wardens of the Waters, whose sacred prayers preserve the place, and by a powerful water Esper revered as a guardian deity. Aldoreon was one of the world’s greatest naval powers even before the advent of airships that altered transportation, and thrived in shipbuilding and maritime trade.

The new environmental artwork displays the two towns in amazing detail, from colorful architecture to lush landscapes to intricately planned homes.

Visually, it’s much the same, showcasing the merits of the HD-2D approach with layered environments that blend traditional sprite work and new lighting effects. Square Enix has revealed a few significant characters who will join (or oppose) the player throughout the tale. Some of the most remarkable include Lid, a talented engineer from Domagia who spends her life fixing machines with her brother.

Lid is one among the prime contenders to inherit the esteemed title of Cid and begins a fight with her modified mechanical Chocobo, Mechabo. Side quests around this let players earn extra skills for the robot companion, adding to its fighting options and overall usefulness. Another of the introduced allies is Nichol, a strategist for the Alularian Federation.

Nichol, born among the Wardens of the Waters, has a tactical mind and a deep-seated devotion to the safety of his homeland. He is a serious individual who often gets caught up in the antics of fellow characters Rain and his pals. Also included in the display were two of the mysterious Sworn Six of Paladia. Veritas of the Heavens is an expert in aerial fighting, wielding tremendous wind tactics and unbreakable lance attacks to destroy the crystals of the earth.

His companion is Veritas of the Waters, a merciless warrior who has been trained in the art of destructive water magic and will stop at nothing to accomplish her task. Resonance's primary gameplay element is the use of Vision Crystals, magical artifacts that contain the crystallized essences of great warriors from across Final Fantasy history.

These visions summon classic heroes to battle alongside the main group, granting them their characteristic powers and spells.

As players invest in specific visions, they unlock more skills, extending the strategic possibilities available during conflict. The system also includes a strong Resonance Attack, which is unleashed when all enemies are staggered in a single turn. Successfully pulling off this goal allows for deadly team-up attacks with the equipped vision, rewarding careful planning and party coordination.

They are earned by visiting Sanctums of Light dispersed about the world, providing an incentive to explore as the player’s pool of legendary allies gradually increases. A new addition is the introduction of Elleen, a veteran weaponsmith who can forge strong gear and assist the party in battle. However, players will need to collect Adamantite, a rare substance found within perilous dungeons and rewarded through optional side content, to forge more powerful weapons.

Maybe the biggest announcement is the ever-increasing cast of legendary Final Fantasy characters coming to Resonance via the Vision system. Final Fantasy IV’s famed Red Wings captain Cecil is one of the game's most diverse allies, combining offensive light and dark magic with healing and defensive abilities.

Bartz from Final Fantasy V joins the party with his Chocobo, and he can use elemental sword attacks to quickly stagger enemies. There's also Squall Leonhart from Final Fantasy VIII, who fans of the game will remember, whose normal attacks get stronger the longer the fights last. Zidane from Final Fantasy IX returns with his signature thieving skills, sapping enemy health and speed, and buffing himself in battle.

Last but not least, Tidus from Final Fantasy X joins the party, using Haste to hurry the team up and unleashing quick wind and water attacks that stagger foes quickly. The crossover roster highlights Resonance's love of Final Fantasy heritage while offering players an incentive to explore with different combinations of legendary heroes.

Throughout the story, players will call on the aid of powerful Espers that will join the fray for a brief period, unleashing magnificent ending assaults after three turns.

The newest trailer revealed the comeback of fan favorites, including Ifrit, who ignites foes with Hellfire, Shiva, who freezes whole battlefields with her characteristic Diamond Dust, and Titan, who unleashes tremendous earth-element damage with Gaia's Wrath. Outside the main story, Resonance has a lot of optional things for completionists to finish.

Players can find Tablet Shards scattered over the environment to obtain rewarding prizes, and towns come with a variety of mini-games such as Mog Tag and the series' returning Jump Rope challenge. These activities reward you with extra things and make you want to explore beyond the primary objective. 

Players looking for more of a challenge can test themselves in the Coliseum, where combat gets progressively harder and requires optimized character builds and well-selected party compositions. The higher the league, the more classic monsters from throughout Final Fantasy history the players will face, with ever more valuable rewards for those who can meet the challenge.

The 12 Legendary Arms are some of the best weapons you can have, and obtaining them is another big late-game goal. Behind each legendary weapon are deadly enemies. As players work toward total mastery of the game, they can check the Chamber of Arms to identify any lingering difficulties. Square Enix also confirmed the projected playtime estimates.

The main story is estimated to take around 30 to 40 hours, while gamers seeking all collectibles, side activities, mini-games, and optional challenges are likely to spend 60 to 80 hours finishing everything the game has to offer. 

Final Fantasy Resonance is coming on October 22nd, and will combine traditional turn-based battles, HD-2D graphics, and a tale set in the world of Final Fantasy Brave Exvius, reimagined as a standalone JRPG. Thanks to an ever-growing pool of legendary characters, a huge amount of optional content, and a vintage presentation, the title is looking to be one of the most interesting Final Fantasy releases for those eager to return to the turn-based roots of the franchise.