2D Turn-Based Final Fantasy Is Not Dead! Final Fantasy Resonance Hands-On Preview
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Final Fantasy Resonance represents Square Enix's answer to a persistent fan request: a return to turn-based combat. The series has drifted toward real-time systems in recent mainline entries, with Final Fantasy XII standing as the last widely recognized turn-based installment, though debate exists among the community about which earlier title represents the final "true" example. The hands-on preview suggests Resonance delivers on this demand while exploring what the studio describes as expansive mechanical possibilities.
The game appears positioned to satisfy players who've grown disconnected from the franchise's modern direction. By revisiting the strategic, deliberate pacing of turn-based design, Resonance taps into nostalgia while promising fresh systems that expand beyond traditional formula expectations. This marks a notable shift in strategy for a series that has increasingly embraced action-oriented gameplay.
- Square Enix is directly addressing longtime fan complaints about the absence of turn-based Final Fantasy games, with Resonance serving as a dedicated response to that demand.
- The preview emphasizes both mechanical depth and experimental systems, suggesting the studio isn't simply retreading old design but building something distinct within the turn-based framework.
- Resonance's existence signals that there remains significant market appetite within the Final Fantasy community for slower-paced, tactical combat despite the franchise's recent real-time direction.
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