Final Fantasy Resonance Review Roundup

Final Fantasy Resonance (Image: Square Enix, via Nintendo Life)

Final Fantasy Resonance launches October 22 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, Switch and PC, and the reviews are in. It's the series' first HD-2D game. Square Enix and Lancarse rebuilt the story of the now-shut-down mobile game Final Fantasy Brave Exvius as a full single-player JRPG. The gacha is gone, and the turn-based combat uses stagger bars plus "Visions," the spirits of classic Final Fantasy heroes that you equip to your party. Critics mostly like it: it holds an 85 Metascore on PS5 from 29 reviews, and almost all of them are positive.

Nearly everyone praises the combat, the Vision system, the soundtrack and what may be the best-looking HD-2D yet. The split is over the story and cast, which many reviewers call predictable and full of tropes. A few, including Eurogamer, VGC and Polygon, think the game leans too hard on nostalgia.

Aggregate Scores

Metacritic: 85 Metascore (PS5, 29 critic reviews; 97% positive) – metacritic.com
Metacritic (Switch 2): 23 critic reviews, including Game Informer, IGN, Nintendo Life and GamesRadar+ – metacritic.com

Final Fantasy Resonance (Image: Square Enix, via GamesRadar+)

What the Critics Are Saying

COGconnected (95/100): "I was shocked by how much I loved Final Fantasy: Resonance"; the reviewer calls it a must-play and their game of the year so far. – COGconnected
Wccftech (9.5/10): "A triumphant return to the series' turn-based roots," with "the best HD-2D visuals to date." – Wccftech
Game Informer (9/10): Rooted in Final Fantasy history, but "it builds up from that history instead of merely pillaging it." – Game Informer
PlayStation LifeStyle (9/10): "Final Fantasy's HD-2D debut is a winning celebration" of the series, though "its mobile origins sometimes show." – PlayStation LifeStyle
Siliconera (9/10): "The most interesting game in the series in a long time," even if the story is "a bit cliché." – Siliconera
PCGamesN (9/10): "Both a breath of fresh air and a throwback." Plus, "it has Squall." – PCGamesN
Screen Rant (4.5/5): "The heart and soul of a classic Final Fantasy game, but the story and some of the cast don't rise to the occasion." – Screen Rant
IGN (8/10): The HD-2D art and "superb soundtrack" set "a new, higher standard," even though weaker dialogue fills large stretches of the story. – IGN
Push Square (8/10): "Surprisingly special." The story is predictable at times, but "its old-school, turn-based gameplay is fantastic." – Push Square
Nintendo Life (8/10): "A strong return to an older style of Final Fantasy" and "an easy recommendation" for JRPG fans, old and new. – Nintendo Life
Destructoid (8/10): "A nostalgic joy that all long-time fans should experience." – Destructoid
GamesRadar+ (4/5): "A breezy nostalgia-laced JRPG" whose HD-2D refresh "feels like a mainline adventure in its own right." – GamesRadar+
GameSpot (7/10): "Shines more than it stumbles." GameSpot liked the cast and soundtrack but found battles repetitive and sometimes slow. – GameSpot
Eurogamer (3/5): "A fantastic example of how to rewrite battle mechanics to suit a full-fat RPG – it's just a shame about all the actual writing." – Eurogamer
VGC (3/5): A fun JRPG, but next to the Pixel Remasters and other HD-2D games, "Resonance just isn't an essential experience." – VGC
Kotaku (unscored): Comfort food for fans of the 8- and 16-bit era, with "one of the least engaging stories and casts" the reviewer has seen in the series. – Kotaku
Polygon (unscored): "A huge missed opportunity" that is "big on nostalgia and little else." – Polygon

The consensus: Final Fantasy Resonance is a classic-style, turn-based Final Fantasy with excellent combat, a great soundtrack and gorgeous HD-2D visuals. Its weak spot is the writing: the story and cast feel like a mobile game's tropes polished up, and a vocal minority of critics think it relies too much on nostalgia. If you've been missing old-school Final Fantasy, this looks like an easy pick. If you need a great story to stay hooked, read a couple of reviews first. It's out October 22 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2, Switch and PC.

Lanbrew

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