I’ll preface this by admitting I’m not entirely unbiased in my assessment of how important it is to play games that owe something to their DNA. Game Final Fantasy. As someone with several tattoos from the game series, there is a certain level of commitment involved in this decision which immediately means I have a soaring opinion of the franchise. I will not defend his worst moments – although I think so Final Fantasy 15 is criminally underrated – but I think the series has justifiably staked its claim as one of the most important contributors to the JRPG genre, time and time again.
So it goes without saying that I was always interested in Fantastic. Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of Game Final Fantasyis the founder of Mistwalker, the developer who made Fantastic. Looking at its aesthetic, it is a beautiful blend of innovative ideas – diorama displays fueled by Sakaguchi’s interest in miniatures – and the traditional with pixel-esque art for the characters that evokes some of​​​​ Final Fantasy VI and other classics. Mechanically, it’s a JRPG through-and-through, with none of the stark differences in gameplay that sometimes cause fans of the genre to question a game’s place in the canon. Everyone politely waits their turn to attempt to clear the enemy.
Related
Fantastic Encountered a roadblock before it ever got much of a chance to shine, though – it released exclusively on Apple Arcade. Nothing against this service, but it felt like an odd fit at a time that has now proven to be a bit too niche, reaching only a fraction of the audience it has the potential to capture. now, with Fantasian: Neo DimensionThe game is coming to Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Windows. There will be no more excuses for its reception and staying power, but I don’t think it ever needed them. In my hands-on at Gamescom 2024, I quickly understood that Neo Dimension It’s worth a play, especially on Switch, and will scratch the traditional JRPG itch for anyone willing to pick it up.
Fantasian: Neo Dimension is all about its traditions, even when there is something new
One of the saving graces for traditionalists look into Fantasian: Neo Dimension Will be that its original home in the iOS ecosystem severely restricted its potential to shake off the strongest mechanical trappings of its genre. Neo Dimension is a turn-based fantasy JRPG complete with random battles, strategic turn orders, and a level up/skill system that doesn’t ask too much of its players beyond familiarity with the inherent combos built into character synergies.
All this is great for its appearance now, when there are many action-heavy RPGs challenging each other for the crown of the most involved or breathtaking combat. I won’t pretend like Neo Dimension Could compete with that, but it’s not trying to. Does the golem his party meeting threaten the same way even the most basic monster in something like Dragon’s Dogma 2 do? Not at all. It’s also unnecessary, instead charming with its pixel art details and challenging players to strategize against the attack patterns at their pace.
Especially on Switch, Fantasian: Neo Dimension feels like its perfect home found.
On Switch specifically, Fantasian: Neo Dimension Feels like it found its perfect home. After all, it’s designed to be handheld, but the Switch controls are far less cumbersome than a touch screen focus, and the graphical overhaul, while not 4K like on some of its other platforms, still looks nice. I think some of​​​​the controls are still a bit janky, to be honest, as it’s hard to navigate the overworld map without running into walls, but that could be because I’ve only had a chance to play for less than a hours and might just be something you pick up quickly if you’re not dropped into the game mid-story and mid-map.
The rest is great, though. The Switch has already had a lot of remakes and remasters and Neo Dimension Slots right in with easeFeeling more like a reinvigorated version of ​​a PS1 classic than a port of a more recent Apple Arcade game – and I mean that as a compliment, not a negative.
Fantasian: Neo Dimension’s combat is enough to keep you invested
Fantasian: Neo DimensionThe gameplay mechanics are simple to understand but difficult to master. Tactically, the game is a JRPG with a slight twist of attacks occasionally doing area of ​​effect damage, meaning that monster positioning can change your gameplan. Some attacks split enemies and can hit those in the back line if they are lined up well, but there are also monsters with shields that inherently block these attacks, changing your strategy even more. There’s enough to keep track of, and enough powerful combinations that combat never really drags.
That said, Neo Dimension Is such a traditional JRPG that it has some flaws. Scale trees aren’t the most interesting, with stock mage and cleric-style abilities, right down to their names, like Ice and Spirit. There isn’t as much player control over character building in the way that many RPGs offer these days, which may turn some off, since even “old school” presentation JRPGs often offer a fair bit of customization. Battles feature the Dimengeon system – essentially allowing players to skip battles against enemies previously encountered, at the cost of eventually having to fight them all at once, albeit with bonuses spawning on the field as well. Otherwise, it’s very vanilla for combat.
But excellent-if-familiar combat and a great story and presentation that will stay with you well beyond your playthrough seem like a good enough reason to play. Fantasian: Neo Dimension Excels with its characters, its story, and most importantly, its rich, diverse world of dioramas that makes its visuals impossible to forget or ignore. An amnesiac trying to recover his memories while fighting someone whose title is The Malevolent doesn’t sound like much in passing, but I promise the story is all the beloved Game Final Fantasy Of old with some nice little twists here and there.
finally, Fantasian: Neo Dimension is a game that will not win all over. It’s a little weird and a lot old in spirit, and those things will mean its audience remains niche, even once it escapes Apple Arcade. Still, it’s perhaps Sakaguchi’s most underrated, if not underrated, entry in his long list of video game accomplishments, and for that reason alone you’ll want to at least give Fantasian: Neo Dimension A shot.
Source: Nintendo of America/YouTube