Final Fantasy Resonance is designed to bridge two eras of the series: the flexible job system of Final Fantasy V and the strongly defined characters of Final Fantasy VI. The result is a turn-based combat system that aims to combine familiar series ideas with modern RPG design.
As the first turn-based, single-player Final Fantasy release in years, Resonance has the difficult job of feeling both recognisably classic and meaningfully new. The game adapts the mobile RPG Final Fantasy Brave Exvius and is co-developed with Square Enix’s Team Asano, the studio associated with the company’s HD-2D titles.
That influence is visible in the presentation, which combines 16-bit-inspired pixel characters with contemporary lighting, effects and 3D environments. For readers interested in the relationship between classic game design and modern hardware, RETROCADE’s arcade news and features explore similar retro-modern crossovers.
A combat experiment built from Final Fantasy history
Director Hiroto Furuya says the development team drew on its knowledge of Final Fantasy’s past while also considering the broader expectations of players who enjoy current games. That balance is most apparent in the battle system, which the developers describe as an experiment.
Producer Keisuke Nakashima explains that the starting idea was to ask what would happen if Final Fantasy V’s job system were combined with the individual character identities seen in Final Fantasy VI. The team then researched and reworked the concept, incorporating a stagger mechanic and revisiting the different elements of the battle system.
The intended outcome is a party where characters retain distinct strengths and personalities while still offering room for additional customisation. It is a design direction that may appeal to players who enjoy comparing different approaches to classic game design before choosing their next retro experience.
Visions bring series history into battle
Another major legacy feature is the Visions system. These equippable summons allow characters from across the Final Fantasy series to appear in combat, with representation spanning from the original game through to Final Fantasy XVI.
The Vision characters originated in Brave Exvius and have a narrative justification within that world. During development of the single-player adaptation, the team considered removing the wider Final Fantasy characters because combining their settings with the new game’s world presented creative challenges.
They ultimately kept them. The developers felt that using recognisable abilities such as Cloud’s Cross-Slash, alongside large-scale cinematic sequences, delivered the spectacle and fun expected from the crossover concept.
Expanding Brave Exvius rather than cutting it back
The team has retained the main Brave Exvius story while reorganising some events to improve its flow. Locations have been expanded, the battles have been redesigned and new scenes have been added.
The original mobile game was known for a particularly bleak tone and a high number of sombre scenes. Rather than changing the central plot, Resonance adds more neutral and positive moments to create a better balance.
Character material that was previously separated into optional episodes has also been integrated into the main campaign. In the mobile game, these character episodes provided extra background outside the primary story. In Resonance, selected emotional moments have been woven directly into Chapter 1, including material involving the Esper Siren and the Grandshelt knight Emma.
Pixel characters meet 3D cinematic scenes
The most conspicuous new story feature is a set of lavishly animated cutscenes for important moments. They are more elaborate than the game’s standard scenes and are intended to recall the prominent CG sequences used by earlier Final Fantasy titles.
The opening sequence shown in the demo uses a 3D environment as its foundation, with pixel-based characters placed into the scene. The team then matched the characters’ pixel animation to the camera movement, creating a sense of depth and motion.
Lighting, blur and shadow effects are applied after the movement and staging are complete. The combination of 3D production techniques and pixel art creates a visual blend that differs from the look of other HD-2D games.
A different direction for HD-2D
Because Resonance began as a Brave Exvius project, its presentation is not intended to establish a single template for the future of HD-2D. Nakashima says the teams working on these games are focused on creating fresh visual experiences rather than reproducing the same style from one title to the next.
He also joked that Resonance’s newly created event scenes could put a little pressure on other HD-2D projects. The game’s approach demonstrates how pixel characters, modern effects and large-scale staging can be combined without simply recreating a traditional 16-bit presentation.
For players building a dedicated retro setup, the same blend of old and new can be explored through full-size arcade machines, compact bartop cabinets and DIY arcade projects.
Final Fantasy Resonance launches on October 22.
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