Final Fantasy Resonance review – HD-2D visuals at their finest

**Final Fantasy Resonance – old school battles** Square Enix has returned to turn-based combat and 2D visuals with its latest Final Fantasy release, delivering an appealingly retro spin-off that brings together multiple heroes from the franchise’s past. Ironically, Final Fantasy has produced an almost unmatched number of sequels and spin-offs since the first game launched in 1987. You’d have to be a true devotee to keep track of every numbered entry, CGI film, and offshoot that has followed.

Yet unlike many long-running series, Final Fantasy rarely revisits the same main characters or settings, even though familiar names and species continue to populate its world. There are the rideable, birdlike chocobos; Moogles, whose dialogue is often sprinkled with “kupo!”; a character named Cid who usually flies or works on airships; and, more often than not, some story built around magic crystals. Beyond that, new Final Fantasy games typically unfold in their own separate worlds, with little crossover from earlier instalments.

Final Fantasy Resonance, by contrast, openly embraces cameos and callbacks. This is a retelling of the free-to-play mobile game Final Fantasy Brave Exvius, so it uses that game’s heroes, setting, and parts of its story, while changing the core mechanics that defined it. As a result, it now includes free-roaming open-world exploration, and the gacha elements have been removed.

It still keeps its faux 16-bit pixel-art presentation, though, and does so to excellent effect. The story follows a group of spiky-haired heroes attempting to save eight mystical crystals whose continued existence keeps the world from descending into chaos. A villain is determined to destroy them, and to stop that you follow the tried-and-true routine of exploration, side quests, levelling up, and random monster battles.

It may rework the mobile game that inspired it, but it is still a steadfastly traditional Japanese role-player. That tradition extends to characters who speak with complete, unembarrassed sincerity at all times. In a world otherwise filled with self-aware cynicism, that innocence is refreshing and oddly touching, with brave knight Lasswell often moved to tears.

There is even a sense of humour, though it is very gentle, and its themes of idealism and staying true to yourself are as warmly familiar as Disney’s usual messages about facing your fears and being who you are. Combat is turn-based, with the expected status effects and elemental weaknesses joined by enemy stagger bars, which you chip away at to leave foes briefly vulnerable to extra damage. Each party member can also equip a Vision, a hero drawn from across the wider Final Fantasy canon.

These are unlocked in crystalline Sanctums of Light and come with a three-question quiz about the hero’s actions; the closer your answers are to what that character actually did in their own game, the stronger their affinity with your party. A Vision’s class determines the skills it contributes, and it levels up alongside your team, gradually unlocking new perks and abilities for battle. You can also summon godlike Espers, another long-running Final Fantasy feature also known as aeons or eidolons.

Once summoned, they act on their own, serving as a useful damage sponge against tougher enemies while unleashing their own visually elaborate attacks. The Visions’ special moves are similarly huge and cinematic, providing an excuse to render some of the franchise’s heroes in 4K, which contrasts nicely with the blocky HD-2D style used for the rest of the game. It adds extra visual flair to combat, though the option to skip those intentionally over-the-top animations is also very welcome.

Most fights are fairly straightforward and efficient, aside from the occasional difficulty spike. Those spikes mainly appear in boss fights, and when recruiting new Espers, each of which must be defeated to prove your party’s worth. At those moments, you need to think more carefully about elemental attacks, healing, and timing, using the turn order bar at the top of the screen to track who moves next and whether enemies are preparing a special attack.

You can defend against those moves, but it is even better to interrupt them by wearing down their stagger bar. Older fans will love it, but it may not win over many newcomers. The music and voice acting are both excellent, and although side quests are text-only, main story conversations are fully voiced, with a higher-resolution anime-style portrait of each character shown alongside their dialogue.

It all works well, and while we never became deeply swept up in the emotional performances, the cast each have clear personalities and their own motives within the larger mission. There is a reason Japanese role-playing games remain so popular: their gameplay is still engaging, and their sprawling maps and stories can easily absorb an entire weekend. They may rely on familiar conventions, but that is part of the appeal, with the comfort of the format working alongside the fresh plot and characters.

In Resonance’s case, that also means a heavy dose of fan-service callbacks to Final Fantasy heroes of the past. Its combat does not have the immediacy of more recent Final Fantasies’ semi-real-time Active Time Battle system, and if you are looking for innovation, you should probably look elsewhere. But if you are in the mood for a polished, unapologetically old-school role-playing game, this is exactly the kind of experience you want.

**Final Fantasy Resonance review summary** **In short:** A pleasingly traditional Japanese role-player, with the best use of HD-2D yet, even if its turn-based combat and references to earlier Final Fantasy games are clearly aimed at existing fans. **Pros:** Charming and sincere throughout, with strong voice acting. The HD-2D graphics look superb, and progression feels rewarding as you level up both characters and the former heroes who support them.

**Cons:** The combat works well, but intentionally does nothing new. The lack of skill trees feels like an oversimplification, and you will need a lot of free time to reach the end of the story. **Score:** 7/10 **Formats:** Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC **Price:** £49.99 **Publisher:** Square Enix **Developer:** Square Enix and Lancarse **Release Date:** 22nd October 2026 **Age Rating:** 12