Easy Allies has a verdict on Final Fantasy Resonance, and it is a warm one: reviewer Michael Damiani says Square Enix's new turn-based RPG delivers what long-time fans have wanted. The verdict arrives in a new format for the channel. Instead of a scripted review video, Damiani talks the game through on the Easy Allies podcast after finishing it, and the segment has been cut out as a standalone review.
Damiani says he spent about 60 hours with the game and a little over 50 to clear the main story (00:59). That matters, because his praise is mostly about the systems that only reveal themselves over a long run.
What the game is
Resonance is not a port. According to Square Enix's announcement on Xbox Wire, the story adapts Final Fantasy Brave Exvius, a free-to-play mobile RPG that ran from 2015 to 2025, and the game was built anew for consoles by Square Enix and LANCARSE. It is also the first time Square Enix has used its HD-2D style, pixel-art sprites in 3D environments, in the main Final Fantasy series. Party members can each equip one "Vision", an echo of a past Final Fantasy hero that grants that character's abilities.
Xarmo covered the wider critical reception when the reviews landed; this is one critic's longer take.
Damiani's verdict
The combat and the look. Damiani says he had a blast and that the game delivers the classic turn-based experience long-time fans have been asking for (01:18). He thinks its HD-2D visuals improve on earlier games in the style, feeling more integrated and natural (03:12).
The build systems. His strongest praise is for progression and customisation. He describes skill points, attributes and job-style flexibility as creative, satisfying and rewarding (06:58), and the Visions system as a big part of that.
The catch. His one consistent complaint is the user interface, which he finds plain and reminiscent of a generic mobile game's menus (16:39). Given that the story began life on mobile, that is a fair note, and it is the only real reservation he raises before wrapping up (17:28).
How the format works
The format is new, and Easy Allies explains it in its own pinned comment on the video. When someone on the team has finished a game before talking about it on the podcast, the channel can present that conversation as its more definitive take, even without time to write a full review. It calls these "Review Discussions" rather than reviews, because the expectations differ, and says a score is optional. It is looser than a written review, and Damiani's enthusiasm comes through more than any carefully worded verdict would, which is both its strength and, for some viewers, its weakness.
Who it's for
On Damiani's account, Resonance suits players who want a long, traditional Final Fantasy with deep party-building and a lot of fan service, and who will forgive a menu screen that looks like it came from a phone. If menus and presentation matter a lot to you, his reservation is worth weighing.
The comments were split on the format more than the game. Many viewers welcomed any kind of Easy Allies review returning and said the podcast cut was a good compromise; a few wanted a scripted review instead, and one felt the segment explained too many mechanics. Players already into the game were enthusiastic, though not universally.
From the creators
Watch the video
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