I used to be genuinely excited when Sq. Enix introduced Remaining Fantasy Resonance ($49.99), an upcoming RPG for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, and Switch 2 boasting beautiful Octopath Traveler-style graphics. That pleasure took a success, although, once I realized it was a revival of Remaining Fantasy Courageous Exvius, the defunct cell title. How may Sq. Enix convert a gacha recreation right into a premium console RPG with out dragging alongside its predatory microtransactions and bloated design? Extra importantly, how may it translate passive screen-tapping into gameplay that satisfies basic RPG purists?
After a hands-on preview, I walked away as soon as once more excited. Resonance is not a sloppy money seize or an asset flip; it is a cleverly designed remake that preserves the unique story whereas radically enhancing the gameplay mechanics. By distilling a decade of live-service fluff into a decent, unlockable roster, Sq. Enix has crafted a considerate console and PC expertise that feels each bit like a mainline, basic Remaining Fantasy recreation.
From Gacha Bloat to FFV-Fashion Glory: The 26-Imaginative and prescient Job System
On paper, the maths behind this adaptation is surprising. Courageous Exvius ran for greater than 9 years and ballooned to greater than 2,500 characters. It did this by churning out quite a few duplicate characters (like 5 totally different Cloud Strife models), introducing tons of of unique models, and, after all, varied crossover occasions with common performers and types, corresponding to Arianna Grande, Deus Ex, and Fullmetal Alchemist. For Resonance, Sq. Enix is trimming the legacy lineup to a tightly curated, extremely balanced roster of precisely 26 hero characters, known as Visions.
Shedding fan favorites like Auron, Tifa, and Vivi will inevitably trigger a stir, but enjoying the sport satisfied me that this radical downsizing is exactly what offers Resonance its high quality really feel and gameplay depth. As an alternative of the characters taking over particular person occasion slots like within the cell model, the 26 Visions operate as a deeply versatile and extremely strategic Job System, very like the mechanics within the beloved Remaining Fantasy V.
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The core demo occasion consisted of the sport’s protagonists: Fina, Lasswell, Lid, and Rain. Nevertheless, I may freely equip them with any Imaginative and prescient I had accessible to change their stats, elemental affinities, and supplementary abilities. For instance, slapping Cloud on Lasswell gave the latter hard-hitting melee and lightning assaults, whereas equipping Lid with Zidane opened invaluable stealing and speed-based talents.
As a result of newly condensed roster, the facility creep that plagued the cell recreation has been just about erased. Because of this, each unit has worth and utility. And because the gacha components aren’t any extra, I may purchase Visions through overworld shrines, boss battles, and curious trivia quizzes reasonably than the swipe of my bank card. This gave Resonance an exploration-driven reward system that took me again to the previous Remaining Fantasy video games.
Rebuilding Fight: Timeline Turns, Staggers, and Brutal Boss Battles
Resonance’s fight loop is one in every of its most radical modifications. The cell recreation’s screen-tapping play system has been changed by a deliberate, timeline-based flip order that captures Final Fantasy X‘s intense, tactical weight.
Firstly, Resonance makes use of a stagger meter. This mechanic has develop into a staple in trendy Remaining Fantasy titles, and it really works the identical manner right here. With it, all assaults do a certain quantity of stagger injury, which depletes the gauge beneath the enemy’s well being bar. When the stagger gauge empties, the enemy enters a stun state, loses its upcoming flip, and turns into weak to assaults. Concentrating on elemental weaknesses and utilizing particular heavy assaults quickly deplete the stagger gauge, so there is a strategic benefit in capitalizing on vulnerabilities to dominate the sphere. The character that staggered the enemy receives a bonus flip, too, providing you with an additional benefit on the sphere.
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(Credit score: Sq. Enix)
Distinctive to Resonance is the Sweeping Stagger system. Depleting the stagger bars of all enemies on the battlefield throughout the identical flip triggers this state, which creates a bonus assault section that lets your occasion unleash distinctive and highly effective finishers. This felt like a direct nod to the Valkyrie Profile collection’s Soul Crush mechanic. To set off the finisher, you faucet the corresponding directional button to chain collectively assaults from every occasion member. In the course of the demo, Sweeping Stagger added a dynamic, action-like factor to an in any other case fully turn-based system. I discovered it tremendously rewarding to make use of it and each potential benefit to close down the opposing enemy occasion to allow them to’t take turns.
My demo session peaked with a brutal dungeon run by the Wind Temple, the place I squared off in opposition to a boss, Veritas of the Heavens. Veritas did not pull punches; he routinely summoned minions and pummeled my occasion with potent wind-based assaults. Actually, a Sq. Enix rep began that my occasion had been overleveled as a result of Veritas was so brutal; Japanese gamers who acquired their mitts on it earlier than me could not end the battle. Nonetheless, with environment friendly use of the Sweeping Stagger system when minions have been on the sphere, I in the end prevailed.
(Credit score: Sq. Enix)
Remaining Verdict: A Defunct Cellular Title Remodeled Right into a New Basic
By forcing you to interact with tight, meticulously balanced tactical mechanics as an alternative of brainless screen-swiping, Sq. Enix has performed one thing actually outstanding. The corporate has efficiently rescued a defunct cell title and reworked it right into a console and PC RPG that appears nice on all fronts. When Remaining Fantasy Resonance launches on Oct. 22, 2026, it will not simply be a must-play for traditional RPG followers—it is going to be a brand new blueprint for online game preservation.
About Our Professional
Gabriel Zamora
Senior Author, Software program
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In 2014, I started my profession at PCMag as a freelancer. That blossomed right into a full-time place in 2021, and I now overview electronic mail advertising and marketing apps, cell working techniques, webhosting companies, streaming music platforms, and video video games as a senior author. I am a graduate of Hunter School, a hard-core gamer, and an Apple fanatic.