All in all, I only put in about 30 minutes into Final Fantasy Resonance, which was as long as my preview window allowed for, but I got a pretty good idea of how the full game will shake out when it launches next month. The combat mechanics are clearly displayed, including how to select targets and when a stun is imminent. Seeing the Visions becoming active is always a treat and we were mixing up which Visions got to provide their respective blast from the past next, consistently closing out a battle in a triumphant fashion that’ll feel familiar to anyone who played the games that these returning characters starred in.
That means for anyone who grew up playing games like Chrono Trigger or Romancing SaGa, Final Fantasy Resonance will feel like an especially cozy RPG; the closest that the genre gets to comfort food. I’m curious how younger gamers will react to the presentation but, if recent hit games like Sea of Stars and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 have taught me anything, it’s that turn-based RPGs are still very much alive and well in 2026. Final Fantasy Resonance recognizes that, harkening back the franchise’s roots while incorporating elements as recent as 2023’s Final Fantasy XVI, including a Vision of that game’s protagonist Clive Rosfield, subtly breathing new life into gameplay in a true love letter to all things Final Fantasy.
Between Final Fantasy Resonance coming out in October and Final Fantasy VII Revelation coming out in April 2027, Final Fantasy fans are going to be eating real good over the next several months. When it comes to Resonance, more specifically, the game is a clear celebration of the entire Final Fantasy franchise, from its 1987 origins to the iconic property’s latest adventures all couched within the warmly familiar context of a pixelated, turn-based adventure with plenty of fan-favorite faces joining the fray.
If you’re a big Final Fantasy fan, Final Fantasy Resonance feels like a must-play for how extensively it covers the entire franchise’s history and just feels great to play. It’s always nice to see whenever a long-running series embraces its roots and Resonance certainly does so for Final Fantasy, offering comfortably familiar thrills with all the characters that us fans have grown to love.
Developed and published by Square Enix, Final Fantasy Resonance releases October 22 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
