Final Fantasy Resonance arrives as the first HD-2D entry in Square Enix's storied RPG franchise, aiming to capture the essence of the series through a loving, if somewhat uninspired, remake of the mobile title Final Fantasy Brave Exvius. While it successfully strips away the predatory gacha mechanics of its predecessor, Resonance often finds itself in the shadow of the very games it seeks to emulate. Co-developed by Square Enix and Lancarse, the game is packed with references and callbacks, a strategy that worked for retaining players in Brave Exvius but falls flat as a foundation for a standalone console experience.
A Tale as Old as Time
At its core, Resonance follows the familiar Final Fantasy narrative structure: a world threatened by a great evil, a band of heroes rising to meet the challenge, and themes of friendship and love. The protagonist, Rain, and his companions embark on a journey where plot points often echo those from earlier entries in the series, from airship-bound knights reminiscent of Final Fantasy 4 to characters with affinities for mystical beings akin to Final Fantasy 6. This reliance on established tropes, while comforting and predictable, prevents Resonance from forging its own distinct identity. The narrative’s aversion to risk is a direct holdover from Brave Exvius’s gacha model, where bold story developments could impact player retention and profitability. Consequently, the story offers few significant lows but also few memorable highs, save for occasional moments of emotional catharsis, such as a storyline involving a priestess balancing duty with personal desires.
Lost in Translation
The game’s mechanics also reflect its mobile origins and its homage to the past. Combat is turn-based, focusing on turn order and exploiting elemental weaknesses to stagger enemies, a system reminiscent of Final Fantasy 13. While functional, it lacks the urgency and innovation found in more modern successors, such as Octopath Traveler 2's boost-break system. The loss of Brave Exvius's touch-based simultaneous attack chaining is keenly felt, making Resonance feel less like an improvement and more like a compromise.
Each character can unleash a flashy Limit Break when a meter fills, serving as a showcase for Square Enix's impressive HD-2D engine, which is perfectly suited for the Final Fantasy aesthetic, though Octopath Traveler 2 remains the engine's high point. Fina, a unique summoner in the party, can call upon Espers, adding a layer of depth to battles that often feel repetitive. The Visions system, featuring equipable tag-team partners, allows for additional skills and spells. While some Visions are original to Brave Exvius, players are likely to gravitate towards iconic characters from past Final Fantasy games, primarily to witness their elaborate 3D animated attacks. Each Vision requires viewing a montage summarizing the character's original game, a constant reminder of the series' legacy that, unfortunately, overshadows Resonance's own narrative and mechanical contributions.
By Any Other Name
Square Enix deserves credit for preserving Brave Exvius in a playable form for a new generation, a commendable effort in an era where game preservation is often neglected. However, the abundance of shuttered live service titles from Square Enix raises questions about their development strategy.
Despite the removal of gacha mechanics, Resonance feels unnaturally frictionless. The