After 24 Years, 'Final Fantasy Resonance' Is Finally Bringing Back a Fan-Favorite Feature

During the June Nintendo Direct, Square Enix had a larger-than-expected presence with the reveal of Final Fantasy Resonance and gameplay for Kingdom Hearts 4. Final Fantasy Resonance might be a new (or adapted, depending on how you look at it) game in the series, but it is finally bringing back one of the most requested features for the long-running and beloved series.

Revealed in its announcement trailer, Final Fantasy Resonance will be the first Final Fantasy game since Final Fantasy 10, almost 25 years ago, to feature turn-based combat. The series pivoted away from traditional turn-based combat in favor of more action-style systems from Final Fantasy 12 on, to varying degrees of success.

This new game is an HD-2D title, featuring the same style as Square Enix's other titles like Octopath Traveler and the upcoming The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales. It is also an adaptation of the recently shut-down mobile game, Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius, though this new game has been rebuilt as a mainline entry, and will not feature microtransactions or gatcha mechanics.

On the game's official website, Final Fantasy Resonance is being described as a "return to the familiar," highlighting various recurring aspects of the Final Fantasy series, such as crystals, airships, espers, and, of course, turn-based combat.

For the combat, the website reads, "Strategic turn-based battles. Exploit enemy weaknesses to stagger them—breaking their defenses to seize extra turns and gain the upper hand with powerful Resonance attacks in cinematic battles shaped by smart choices."

Other Final Fantasy characters can join the battle as well through a system called Visions to allow for "deep party customization."

Final Fantasy has had a sort of identity crisis in the modern era, reinventing itself with almost every new entry, but it seems Square Enix is on track to bring the classic style of game that fans originally fell in love with back.

Final Fantasy Resonance will release on October 22, 2026, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.

source https://www.mensjournal.com/entertainment/after-24-years-final-fantasy-resonance-is-finally-bringing-back-a-fan-favorite-feature