Square Enix has detailed what we can expect from Final Fantasy Resonance‘s endgame trials, and it’s sounding like everything a classic Final Fantasy should have and everything Final Fantasy 16’s post-game could’ve benefited from.
Ahead of Gamescom Opening Night Live, Square Enix dropped a bunch of new screenshots from the first-ever HD-2D game in the series with fresh looks at the RPG’s main cast, its gorgeous art style, and some of the classic Final Fantasy characters that can pop up to support you in battle – not yet including the series’ most memorable hero, Ariana Grande.
But the most notable bit of info comes from a press kit dedicated to the game’s completionist content. Top of the list are optional monsters and secret dungeons dotted across Final Fantasy Resonance’s world map. Square Enix says these are completely “unrelated to the main story” and are built for players looking to “test their mettle” in extra-tough battles, per a recent press kit.
Slaying some of those tucked-away monsters will reward you with Magicite, the material that’s used to unlock and upgrade those cameo Final Fantasy heroes. Pretty crucial for anyone looking to stock up on nostalgia and buddy up with all of the series’ protagonists, then.
We also got new looks at Gilgamesh, the multi-armed swordsman who promises to repeatedly pester us across the adventure in a similar fashion to his recurring role in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. “A final battle awaits on a distinctly big bridge,” Square Enix teases.
Then there’s the “most formidable of foes” that waits near the end of the game: Ultima Weapon, the superboss that’s frequently kicked many a Final Fantasy fan’s butt over several decades and games. The fight apparently demands “perfect preparation,” and our party will need to be at its best before taking on the massive baddie.
While Square Enix might have shown off a little too much from Final Fantasy Resonance’s supposedly “secret” endgame content – I’m hoping for at least one or two superbosses we haven’t heard about yet – it’s still a major improvement over the last mainline game in the series, Final Fantasy 16, which had me practically starving for a real tough challenge or shocking surprise once the credits rolled. Until its two expansions eventually remedied that, at least.