Final Fantasy Resonance Developers Discuss Turn-Based RPG Resurgence
Developers behind Final Fantasy Resonance, Keisuke Nakashima and Hiroto Furuya, have shared their perspectives on the recent resurgence of turn-based RPGs. Furuya attributes this trend partly to creators who grew up playing these games now developing their own. He also notes a broader movement across various media where creators are revisiting and reimagining past projects, alongside the accessibility provided by handheld gaming.
Final Fantasy Resonance, an upcoming title, marks the series' return to turn-based combat. The game incorporates an HD-2D art style and adapts the story of Brave Exvius. Its combat system features a stagger mechanic, Job-like Visions, and extensive party customization.
Producer Keisuke Nakashima and Director Hiroto Furuya provided insights into the game and the wider phenomenon of turn-based RPGs experiencing a resurgence. While the genre never entirely disappeared, maintaining a presence through titles like Atlus's Persona series, Square Enix's Octopath Traveler, Dragon Quest remakes, and Baldur's Gate 3, it has garnered increased mainstream attention, exemplified by the critically acclaimed Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
Nakashima believes there is still significant potential for growth and evolution within pixel art turn-based games. He emphasized that by integrating new technologies, these experiences can remain relevant and not feel dated in the modern gaming landscape, suggesting a promising future for the genre.
Furuya highlighted the role of handheld gaming in making these titles more accessible to players in their free time. More profoundly, he suggested that a generation of creators who grew up playing turn-based games are now actively developing them. This involves revisiting and reworking experiences from their youth, a trend he observes not only in games but also in anime, manga, and other mediums where past projects are being remade and reimagined.
In a similar vein, P-Studio director Kazuhisa Wada, in a separate discussion with Game Informer, posited that what is perceived as a 'resurgence' might be a 'rediscovery of things that had fallen outside our field of view.'
Final Fantasy Resonance is scheduled to launch on October 22 this year, available on PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and Nintendo Switch 1 and 2.
According to IGN, these insights shed light on the creative and market factors contributing to the genre's renewed prominence.
