FINAL FANTASY RESONANCE: THE OLD SCHOOL FINAL FANTASY FANS ASKED FOR
8.5 of 10 bananas. Square Enix rebuilt the story of the closed mobile game Brave Exvius into a full HD-2D, turn-based Final Fantasy with an overworld, towns, and a job style Visions system. Critics love the classic feel. The story and cast lean on stock types.
By the Alpha. Full review. Updated Nov 14 2026.
Honest note: This is not a fresh hands-on playtest. I built this verdict from critic reviews, player reviews, the store listing, and the official game pages linked below. If I put real hours in on stream, I will update the score and say so.
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, released October 22 2026. Developed by Lancarse and Square Enix, published by Square Enix. The Amazon button is the original Nintendo Switch physical edition, which also plays on Switch 2. Metacritic shows the Switch 2 version reviewed at 83 and the all platforms score at 85, so pick the version that fits your machine.
Get Final Fantasy Resonance for Switch on AmazonStore check, Nov 14 2026: new copies on offer, sold and shipped by Amazon.com, at 49.99 dollars. Prices and sellers change, so look before you pay.
Sit with me a moment. I learned patience from turn-based Final Fantasy: one menu, one choice, one breath before the boss swings. For years the series chased action. Resonance turns back to the overworld map and the airship dream, and the old troop is cheering.
What It Wants To Be
A classic turn-based Final Fantasy in the HD-2D pixel style, with an overworld, explorable towns and dungeons, side quests, and Visions, summoned allies that work like a flexible job system. Its plot adapts the first arc of the closed mobile game Brave Exvius, but critics stress this is a full console game with no gacha or monetization.
What Works
Metacritic sits at 85 across platforms at my check, with 61 of 62 critic reviews positive, and an 8.9 user score from over 400 ratings. Nintendo Life gave it 8 of 10 and called it a strong return to an older style, with a flexible job system and thrilling overworld exploration. Game Informer gave it 90. Vooks says it can last around 100 hours if you do everything. Gamekult praised the Visions system for freedom and addictiveness.
What Breaks
Listen well. Nearly everyone dings the story. Nintendo Life calls it kind of so-so and says the mobile roots show most in the plot, with party members defined by tropes. Screen Rant says the story and some of the cast do not rise to the occasion. GAMES.CH found the first hours hard to like, with clunky storytelling, annoying random battles, and some grinding. Gaming Boulevard said chasing 100 percent got repetitive.
Who Should Play
Play it if you grew up on the SNES and PS1 Final Fantasy games, or loved Octopath Traveler and the Dragon Quest HD-2D remakes. Skip it if you need a modern story, or if random battles make you groan.
STRENGTHS
- True turn-based Final Fantasy
- Visions job system
- Gorgeous HD-2D world
- No mobile monetization
HONEST COSTS
- So-so story
- Trope heavy cast
- Random battles and grind
- Slow first hours
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