[Terukazu Yoshida's TGS Illustrated Diary] What if “FF” Kept Evolving in Pixel Art? First HD-2D “Final Fantasy Resonance”

At the Tokyo Game Show, in addition to the usual merchandise booths, there was also a wide selection of capsule toy booths.

One item that particularly caught my eye was the “Chrono Trigger Mini Acrylic Block Collection” released by Square Enix. Since I collect this acrylic block series, there was no way I was going to miss it this time.

◆ What if “FF” had continued to evolve while keeping its pixel art style? “Final Fantasy Resonance”

Today, I’d like to introduce “Final Fantasy Resonance” from Square Enix! This title is a reimagining of “Final Fantasy Brave Exvius”—originally released for smartphones—as a console RPG.

The concept is, “What if the ‘FF’ series had continued to evolve while staying in pixel art?” It features the series’ first HD-2D graphics, blending pixel art reminiscent of the Super Famicom-era ‘FF’ with modern visual expressions.

When it comes to Square titles from the Super Famicom era, there was a sense of trust among my friends and me that “you can’t go wrong with a Square RPG.” In fact, I used to play new titles outside the popular series—like *Rudra’s Secret Treasure* and *Treasure Hunter G*—with great enthusiasm.

*Resonance*, which brings back memories of those Super Famicom-era Square titles, is a game I jumped right into! For this hands-on session, multiple save files were provided, so I started my adventure in the dungeon where Verias of the Heavenly Wind awaits.

I made my way through the dungeon, making full use of mechanisms like elevators while admiring the beautiful backgrounds unique to HD-2D. During exploration, random encounters trigger battles with monsters.

Behind Rain and the other protagonists is… Cloud!? Tina!?

That’s right—iconic protagonists from throughout the *FF* series appear as “Visions,” and by equipping Vision Crystals, you can borrow their power in battle.

The battle system is turn-based, with enemies and allies mixing it up on the battlefield. If you land an attack that exploits an enemy’s weakness, you’ll deal more damage than usual and also chip away at their Break Gauge.

You can also unleash more powerful moves than usual by drawing on the strength of the series’ past protagonists.

When this happens, the graphics switch from pixel art to 3D, and the protagonists from throughout the series unleash spectacular moves accompanied by impressive 3D effects. My editor and I had a blast deciding which characters’ moves to check out during our limited hands-on time.

The pixel-art characters, who give the battle a somewhat toy-like feel, are suddenly joined by the series’ past protagonists in realistic, lifelike 3D! I found that contrast a bit childish and couldn’t help but laugh.

Oh, this… It kind of reminds me of myself when I’m arranging acrylic blocks.

*Final Fantasy Resonance* is scheduled for release on October 22, 2026, for PC (Microsoft Store), Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S! The PC (Steam) version will be available starting October 23.

I’ve introduced *Final Fantasy Resonance*, a game that harmonizes nostalgia with innovation.

What surprised me was that this is the first title in the *FF* series to adopt HD-2D. The combination of *FF* and HD-2D works really well, and as someone who played *FF* on the Super Famicom, the finished product evoked a sense of nostalgia. I’m really looking forward to its release!

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