Final Fantasy Resonance hands-on: A love letter to classic 2D turn-based RPGs

As someone who grew up playing turn-based RPGs filled with gorgeous sprites, sometimes it feels like the Final Fantasy franchise left me behind. That's not to say more recent releases like FF XVI aren't great titles in their own right, but for me, it felt like everything changed after FF X as the series moved to faster-paced action and MMOs. With the impending arrival of Final Fantasy Resonance, though, it feels like Square Enix has created a love letter to its classic RPGs that goes beyond a simple play for nostalgia.

First off, Resonance is gorgeous. It's the first Final Fantasy game to feature Square Enix's HD-2D artstyle and it's never looked better. Characters are brightly colored and scenes are littered with tons of detail, while the engine supports more modern effects like crisp shadows and dazzling particle effects that make even basic attacks come to life. You also get classic hand-drawn portraits for all the major characters. On a purely visual basis, Resonance nails everything I love about sprite-based RPGs from the '90s and early 2000s while adding thoughtful improvements that make the game look fresh even in 2026.

Then there's the story, which is based on the Brave Exvius mobile game from more than a decade ago (though that description doesn't really do Resonance justice). That's because while it features a lot of the same major story beats, the game's plot, cutscenes and other elements have been reworked and expanded upon, giving it the added depth befitting a traditional standalone release. Not only is there an all-new turn-based battle system, the game also features a full overworld complete with towns, various side quests and the requisite transportation options like Chocobo and airships. It's the classic Final Fantasy setup, but improved with touches from more recent FF-adjacent games like Octopath Traveler.

Speaking of the battle system, delivering on the joy of the franchise's turn-based battle system was always going to be the thing that would make or break Resonance. And from what I played during my one-hour demo, the game passes with flying colors. I instantly felt right at home using elemental attacks to exploit foes' weaknesses or buffing party members with things like haste. As always, some characters lean more towards physical attacks while others specialize in magic. That said, by utilizing the game's Vision system, you can effectively junction classic characters like Cloud, Tidus or Zidane to the title's newcomers, which gives them access to signature moves and abilities like Steal and Mug. You can even unleash massive attacks called Limit Bursts (instead of limit breaks) that once again draw inspiration from trademark skills like Omnislash.

The one twist to the series' classic turn-based format is that Resonance has brought back the stagger system from previous Final Fantasy games, adding an extra layer to your tactical decision making. As always, you can simply opt to defeat enemies by draining their HP. However for tougher opponents like bosses, you're highly incentivized to attack them in ways that also depletes their stagger bar. And if you can stagger every enemy on the field, you can perform special Ascension attacks, which are basically super-powered Limit Bursts that come with beautiful bespoke animations. However, if you prefer to let summons do your work, you can also call upon familiar entities like Siren and others to assist your party in various ways.

Even though I only had a short time with Resonance, I liked nearly everything about it. It looks fantastic, it's supported by a lovely orchestral soundtrack and all the little Final Fantasy touches like hand-drawn portraits, classic items and weapons and traditional turn-based combat are back and better than ever.

That said, I do have two small gripes. The game still features random battles in the overworld, which I admit is a classic Final Fantasy thing. I just wish Resonance gave enemies their own sprites that showed up on the main map or in dungeons. Not being able to see your foes until you actually enter a battle makes the world feel a bit empty.

My other small complaint is that even though I appreciate how Resonance has integrated characters from previous Final Fantasy titles into its mechanics and woven them into the very fiber of the game, I think I would have preferred to get a truly original story instead. I understand that might be a little difficult as it could throw off the throughline of the major numbered Final Fantasy releases, but I feel like there's plenty of room in the franchise for 2D offshoots to tell their own unique stories.

In the grand scheme of things, though, these are two relatively minor nitpicks, because Resonance has quickly become one of my most anticipated games for the rest of 2026. I'm not sure if it will capture the attention of younger gamers that may have only experienced faster-paced 3D Final Fantasy titles, but for anyone who's fond of the golden age of turn-based RPGs, Final Fantasy Resonance is a loving tribute to a bygone era with plenty of welcome modern touches.

Final Fantasy Resonance ($50) is available for pre-order now on Switch, Switch 2, PS5, PC (Steam) and Xbox Series S and X ahead of its official release on October 22.