Square Enix is launching its first HD-2D entry in its flagship role-playing franchise this week with Final Fantasy Resonance, a turn-based title that reimagines a discontinued mobile game into a traditional console experience. Early reviews and hands-on previews indicate that the game channels the 16-bit golden era of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) while introducing a customizable "Visions" combat mechanic that draws upon 16 mainline entries in the series.

Rather than following the action-heavy direction of contemporary blockbusters like Final Fantasy XVI or the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy, Resonance returns to the foundational mechanics of early installments. According to The Verge, the game pairs detailed 2D pixel art with 3D graphical environments, offering a classic overworld map, random enemy encounters, and menu-driven combat.

From Mobile Roots to HD-2D Console RPG

While the title marks a fresh direction for the mainline series' aesthetic, its narrative and structural roots come from Square Enix's mobile catalog. As noted by Game Informer, Final Fantasy Resonance is an adaptation of the first season of Final Fantasy Brave Exvius, a mobile title that ran for four chapters between 2016 and 2025 before being discontinued. The publisher previously used a similar strategy with last year's Octopath Traveler 0, repurposing assets from defunct mobile titles into standalone role-playing games.

The narrative takes place in the world of Lapis and centers on Rain, an upbeat swordsman with innate fire attacks, and his stoic companion and roommate, Lasswell. After a magical crystal is destroyed, the duo sets out on a quest to protect the remaining crystals. Reviewers note that the plot leans heavily into traditional Japanese RPG tropes—including multiple characters suffering from amnesia—while buoying the central cast with voice-acted comedic side discussions and character traits reminiscent of past franchise protagonists like Cloud Strife, Tidus, Zidane Tribal, and Kain Highwind.

Visually, the project sets itself apart from Square Enix's previous HD-2D efforts, such as the Octopath Traveler franchise and the Dragon Quest remakes. Game Informer points out that Resonance utilizes highly detailed character sprites and pixel-based cinematic sequences that respond directly to past critiques of the graphical style.

How the 'Visions' Mechanic Reshapes Combat

The centerpiece of Resonance's gameplay is the "Visions" system, which blends the transferable skill customization of Final Fantasy V's job system with the permanent stat-boosting progression of Final Fantasy VI's Espers. Across the world of Lapis, players discover crystal shrines that present video clips and multiple-choice questions tied to franchise history, according to PlayStation.Blog. Completing these shrines grants the party a combat-ready projection of a legacy character.

There are 26 companion Visions available to collect across the game, spanning the franchise's history alongside original faces from Brave Exvius. Confirmed Visions and their combat functions include:

  • Cecil Harvey (Final Fantasy IV): Grants the equipped party member access to both light and dark magic.
  • Noctis Lucis Caelum (Final Fantasy XV): Provides an initial 20% attack boost and the ability to cast Thunder or Blizzard. Earning mastery points in battle unlocks a 40% increase to the character's limit burst gauge each time an enemy is defeated.
  • Zidane Tribal (Final Fantasy IX): Teaches the Steal skill at higher mastery levels, which can be upgraded with the Mug ability to deal physical damage during theft attempts.
  • Other Confirmed Legacy Characters: The original Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy), Terra Branford (Final Fantasy VI), Sephiroth (Final Fantasy VII), Lightning (Final Fantasy XIII), and Brave Exvius original Black Mage Tronn.

While these projections generally do not speak outside of combat chatter, they retain animations and musical themes from their original games. As party members fight alongside an equipped Vision, they earn mastery points that unlock transferable skills and permanent baseline stat increases to attributes like health and speed. When specific combat conditions are met, players can also summon the Vision to execute a high-damage super attack accompanied by a CGI sequence.

What It Means for Franchise Fans

For longtime followers of the franchise, Final Fantasy Resonance serves as a bridge between two distinct eras of Square Enix game design. While upcoming entries like the third chapter of the Final Fantasy VII Remake project, Revelation, push real-time action mechanics forward, Resonance caters directly to players seeking traditional turn-based strategy.

In a 10-hour review impression for The Verge, critic Jay Peters noted that the gameplay intentionally preserves retro rhythms, from navigating classic town setups with inns and weapon shops to watching enemy sprites flash just before they strike. While the pacing and random battles can occasionally feel rudimentary compared to modern action RPGs, the combination of familiar turn-based grinding and deep job-style customization offers a dedicated retro alternative within the broader Final Fantasy catalog.

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