Final Fantasy has gone HD-2D. Square Enix has launched FINAL FANTASY RESONANCE, the first original game in the series to use the HD-2D visual style, on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PC via Steam and Xbox on PC. A free demo is also available, and save data carries over to the full game on every platform.
Final Fantasy Resonance is based on the first story arc of the mobile game Final Fantasy Brave Exvius, but Square Enix says it has been refined and substantially rebuilt as a full console RPG rather than a straight port. It draws on both classic and modern Final Fantasy, with a story centred on Crystals, the return of chocobos, espers and airships, and appearances from series characters including Cloud, Tidus and the Warrior of Light.
The story follows Rain, a highly skilled knight of the Kingdom of Grandshelt who was given command of an airship squadron at a young age. Together with his childhood friend Laswell, he sets out on a journey full of twists, emotional moments and major battles.
Combat builds on the series’ traditional turn-based battles, aiming to make them both more accessible and more strategic. Players can strengthen their party with Visions, echoes of well-known Final Fantasy characters who fight alongside the team with their own skills and abilities, allowing for detailed party customisation. Targeting enemy weaknesses can stagger foes, break down their defences and earn extra turns, while the Visions can also unleash powerful Resonance attacks during cinematic battles.
Beyond the main story, there is plenty of optional content. Players can take on tough optional bosses, fight dangerous monsters for rewards in the Colosseum, battle powerful enemies sealed inside legendary weapons in the Chamber of Arms, and face Ultima Weapon, a recurring Final Fantasy foe.
