If Pixel Art Had Kept Evolving After “FF6”… The Vision and Behind-the-Scenes Stories of the “Classic FF” Visuals and Battles in “FF Resonance” [Interview]

"Final Fantasy Resonance" (hereinafter "FF Resonance"), which was just announced the other day, is not only the first HD-2D title in the "Final Fantasy" series but also a reimagining of the "Final Fantasy Brave Exvius" (hereinafter "FFBE") story for consoles.

Based on the concept of “What if ‘FF’ had continued to evolve while retaining its pixel art style…?”, this title surprised game fans in two ways: as the first HD-2D *FF* title and as a new chapter that carries on the appeal of *FFBE*.

What were the goals behind the development of this highly anticipated title, and what kind of game are the developers aiming to create? We spoke extensively with the four key members of the development team—Producer Keisuke Nakajima, Director Kaito Furuya, Battle Director Takeshi Shirakami, and Art Director Masahiro Saito—covering everything from the development background to behind-the-scenes stories.

For details on the game’s systems and feel, please check out our hands-on preview report, based on a playtest we conducted prior to the interview.

I’ve been waiting for this *FF*. A hands-on preview of *Final Fantasy Resonance*—the series’ first title to adopt “HD-2D”—reveals captivating “visual evolution” and “ability synergy” [Play Report]

We got an early look at *Final Fantasy Resonance*, which reimagines the story of *FFBE*. We’ll share the appeal of its visually enhanced HD-2D graphics, highly strategic battles, and highly flexible character development system.

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"FF Resonance" Began as a Response to the "Frustration" of "FFBE"

—With so many titles in the *FF* series, why was *FFBE* specifically chosen this time?

Keisuke Nakajima (hereinafter referred to without honorifics): When I first joined the company, I served as an assistant producer on the international version of *FFBE*, and I felt that this title was packed with so many of the *FF* series’ charms and elements. That’s precisely why I felt from the very beginning that “it would be a waste to limit it to just a social game.”

Also, while planning for this project began five or six years ago, I kept hearing people say, “I know about *FFBE*, but I don’t play it because it’s a social game.” Personally, that really bothered me.

That’s why I felt strongly that “precisely because this title is packed with so many appealing elements, we should rebuild it for consoles and bring it to a wider audience.”

Also, now that 3D has become the mainstream, I feel it’s all the more important for people to experience the “pixel-art FF” on consoles.

Kaito Furuya (hereinafter referred to without honorifics): The project began with Nakajima’s vision.

However, *FFBE* itself is essentially a “celebratory” title. Since it was created with the intention of distilling the best aspects of *FF*, I think it was the perfect subject matter, especially considering this project and its timing.

──So it was a choice made after various factors aligned. Do you also hope that players who play this title will realize, “Oh, this is what ‘FF’ is like,” and that it will serve as a gateway for them to play past and recent titles in the series?

Nakajima: I’d be truly delighted if that happened, and I can confidently say that the final product is of a quality where that outcome wouldn’t be at all surprising.

──Could you tell us the reasoning behind choosing and implementing this graphical style for the game’s development?

Nakajima: First, I considered “what is most important” for a title related to *FF*. Looking back at the history of the *FF* series, it has consistently pursued two things: “challenging new forms of expression” and “a cinematic gaming experience.” I believed these two elements were indispensable if this title were to bear the *FF* name.

In this title, the new forms of expression we’ve focused on include camera work rarely seen in pixel art and flashy special effect sequences.

──There were some scenes where the camera zoomed in quite close, weren’t there? That was a style of presentation we hadn’t seen much in previous HD-2D titles.

Nakajima: Because the characters have a taller body proportion than in previous HD-2D titles, it’s easier to expand the range of their movements and express changes in facial expressions. This style of presentation is the result of our pursuit of cinematic game expression and dynamic interactions between pixel-art characters.

Also, since this is *FF*, we wanted to convey the imposing presence of the giant summons and the intensity of the battles through cinematic expressions. While building on the foundation of previous HD-2D titles, we made various refinements—led by the art director—to arrive at this final form.

──That truly lives up to the description of “an ‘FF’ that has evolved while staying true to pixel art.” It also seems you’re venturing into a new direction for HD-2D titles.

Nakajima: That’s right. I think the dynamic camera work in skill animations and event scenes, as well as the 3D-like visuals, are aspects that set this apart significantly from other HD-2D titles.

This is a game in which we’ve packed in our own take on the “what-if” scenario: “If *FF* had continued to evolve while staying true to pixel art after *FF6*, wouldn’t it have turned out like this?”

──The camera work and dynamism are wonderful examples of pixel art, but the character animations were also impressive. Were those diverse animations, so to speak, drawn frame by frame?

Nakajima: Yes. That’s exactly right—it’s pixel art animation. However, as we discovered while actually creating it, simply increasing the frame count doesn’t necessarily result in dynamic visuals.

By utilizing camera work for dramatic effect and skillfully incorporating 3D effects while keeping the frame count low, we were able to achieve a cinematic pixel art style that’s distinctly “FF.”

Behind the scenes, it was a process of trial and error—like telling “white lies” or combining different styles—that finally made it possible.

—So compared to making the mainstream 3D games of today, it required a completely different kind of effort—or rather, presented its own set of challenges.

Nakajima: That’s right. By taking on the challenge of pixel art this time, I really came to appreciate several difficulties unique to 2D that are different from 3D.

Masahiro Saito (hereinafter referred to without honorifics): First and foremost, the number of people who can draw pixel art has decreased significantly. Because of that, securing the right talent was the first major challenge.

Nakajima: I definitely feel that the number of people capable of creating pixel art at the quality level we require has decreased significantly.

Saito: There are very few of them, not just within our company but outside as well. It’s hard to find them, and learning that skill from scratch is no easy feat.

──So, at the practical level, the tradition of pixel art is starting to fade away.

Furuya: That’s right. Also, since we’re having pixel art characters run around in a 3D space this time, we’re making very detailed adjustments to that sense of grounding—the feeling that they’re firmly planted on the ground.

— (Looking at the combat screen) The vision behind them seems to be floating, but the party members feel like they’re standing firmly on the ground.

Nakajima: If you simply place pixel art in a 3D space, it tends to look quite out of place. So, by utilizing various techniques—such as lighting, post-processing, and adding gradients to the pixels themselves—we’ve achieved a look that works as HD-2D.

──So if you just place the pixel art there, it doesn’t blend in with the background, does it?

Furuya: Because the character proportions are so tall, it’s really hard to make it look natural.

──Having actually played the game, I can really see the results of that effort. Especially as someone who’s played the *FF* series for a long time, the depictions of the White Mage and Black Mage really struck a chord with me. The movement of the hoods is so smooth—it made me think, “So this is what ‘Reiwa-era pixel art’ looks like!”

Furuya: The White Mage and Black Mage are iconic symbols of *FF*. They’re characters that everyone has a special attachment to, so we were determined to present them properly right from the very first visuals.