Final Fantasy Resonance Launches October 22: Price, Editions, Famitsu Score and Everything to Know

The first HD-2D Final Fantasy arrives this Thursday on Switch, Switch 2, PS5, Xbox and PC. Here's the price, every edition, the 36/40 Famitsu score and the free demo.

Final Fantasy Resonance, the first game in the series built in the HD-2D style that made Octopath Traveler and the Dragon Quest III remake so striking, launches this Thursday, October 22, 2026. It's coming to Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC (Steam and Xbox on PC) on the same day, and the first major review is already in.

If you've been on the fence, here's everything you need to know before launch: what the game actually is, how much it costs, what's in each edition, how combat works, and whether the free demo is worth your time.

What Final Fantasy Resonance actually is

Resonance isn't a remake of a numbered Final Fantasy. It's a full console rebuild of the first story arc of Final Fantasy Brave Exvius, Square Enix's long-running mobile RPG. Square Enix has been clear that this isn't a straight port: the story and systems have been reworked into a traditional, premium turn-based RPG with voiced characters, cutscenes and a proper overworld you cross on foot, by chocobo and by airship.

The setup will feel instantly familiar to series fans. You play as Rain, a knight of the Kingdom of Grandshelt, alongside his friend Lasswell. When the Earth Crystal is shattered, the pair set out to protect the world's remaining crystals, and they're soon joined by Fina, a mysterious young woman tied to the crystals themselves. Espers, moogles and airships all make an appearance.

Square Enix co-developed the game with Lancarse, which previously worked on The DioField Chronicle.

Price and editions

Final Fantasy Resonance is a mid-priced release rather than a full $70 game:

Pre-ordering any edition adds the Magitek Airship & Squire Starter Pack, which includes a Magitek Airship Passkey, a Knight's Greatsword and a chestplate that boosts battle EXP. There's also an early purchase bonus, the Squire Kickstart Pack, for anyone who buys before November 6, 2026 – so you don't have to buy day one to get it.

Most of these extras are starter gear and consumables, which tend to matter for the opening hours and little after that. If you're only after the game itself, the standard edition is all you need.

How combat works

Battles are turn-based, with a few modern ideas layered on top:

• Timeline: a turn order display shows when allies and enemies will act, so you can plan around big hits.
• Stagger: hitting enemy weaknesses staggers foes, breaks their defense and earns your party extra actions.
• Resonance: stagger every enemy at once and you can unleash the game's signature Resonance attacks.
• Visions: crystallized echoes of heroes from across the series. Each party member equips one, which changes their stats, role and available skills, giving the game a job-system feel.

The Visions are the big fan-service hook. Square Enix has confirmed or shown Cloud, Tidus, the Warrior of Light, Terra, Lightning, Clive and Shantotto, with character trailers released in the run-up to launch. Sephiroth also appears as an optional challenge with a special reward for beating him. Endgame-minded players get optional dungeons, a Colosseum, the Chamber of Arms, Gilgamesh and an Ultima Weapon fight.

The first review: 36/40 from Famitsu

Japan's Famitsu was the first major outlet to score the game, and it gave Resonance 9/9/9/9 – a total of 36 out of 40. According to the reviewers' notes, the game is a convincing take on what Final Fantasy is meant to be, with the Visions customization system and the stagger-into-Resonance combat loop singled out for praise.

Famitsu puts the main story at roughly 20 to 30 hours, stretching to around 70 hours if you chase the extra content. That's a sensible length for a $50 RPG – substantial without overstaying its welcome.

Western reviews hadn't been published at the time of writing, so expect more scores closer to or after launch.

Try it first: the free demo

A free demo has been available on every platform since early September. It covers the opening through the end of Chapter 1, which Square Enix estimates at three to five hours, and your save data carries over to the full game. If you play it now, you can pick up right where you left off on Thursday.

PC requirements

On PC, the game requires Windows 11 (64-bit) and 15 GB of storage. The minimum spec targets 1080p at 30 fps on the Low preset with an Intel Core i3-8100 or AMD Ryzen 3 2300X, 8 GB of RAM and a GeForce GTX 1650, Radeon RX 6400 or Arc A580. The recommended spec – 1080p at 60 fps on the Highest preset – mainly steps up to a Ryzen 5 2500X or Radeon RX 5500 XT. The Steam version uses Denuvo anti-tamper DRM. Full English and Japanese voice acting are included.

Why it matters

HD-2D has become one of Square Enix's most reliable formats, and putting the Final Fantasy name on it was always going to draw attention. Resonance is also a test of whether a mobile story can carry a full console release – and launching on every major platform at $50, with a generous demo and a strong Famitsu score, gives it a good chance. It also lands just before a crowded stretch that includes Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 the next day and GTA 6 in November, so Square Enix is clearly betting on JRPG fans looking for something different.

If you liked Octopath Traveler, the Dragon Quest HD-2D remakes or the classic SNES-era Final Fantasy games, this is the one to watch this week. Play the demo, and decide before Thursday.

This article was written by AI (Claude) and checked against the sources above. Games are updated regularly, so details may change.