One other demo supplied to us at PAX West was for Fantasian: Neo Dimension, which was introduced in the course of the June 2024 Nintendo Direct. Lengthy considered trapped on Apple gadgets, Fantasian probably represents Remaining Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi’s closing RPG, and so it was with a lot fanfare {that a} model of the sport was lastly coming to consoles and PC. I had a possibility to play a short demo of the sport in Change handheld mode throughout an appointment with Sq. Enix, and whereas sure facets have been undoubtedly interesting, others made me extra skeptical of this born-mobile title.
Ranging from a save file a pair hours into the journey, I used to be launched to the battle system nearly instantly, which pit two of my characters in opposition to a pair wolf-like foes. There’s a simplicity to the presentation that reminds you of Fantasian’s cellular roots, however on the identical time it’s neat the way you scroll by way of your skills after which your gadgets just by urgent proper on the stick or D-pad. Doing so brings up a vertical checklist on the fitting aspect of the display screen for straightforward entry to spells, methods, and your inventory of things. The result’s a view of fight that’s much less cluttered for certain, and I hope that a few of the extra superior assaults and formidable bosses will reap the benefits of the elevated quantity of display screen house.
As quickly as I regained management of my character and began roaming across the hilly panorama, my audible sigh merely couldn’t be suppressed: the controls are downright wonky and simply really feel awkward. Urgent the stick in a selected path gained’t at all times take you in stated path, and whereas I may brute pressure my manner by way of the bridges I needed to cross over, the motion was pretty unsatisfying general. It’s unlucky, too, as a result of the diorama-based environments are fairly distinctive to have a look at, even when there’s a twinge of uncanny valley in seeing your sprite transfer round them. One other bitter observe was a random encounter I had with a speaking pot creature who requested me to provide it specific gadgets after which wail on it, with the promise of a particular reward if I completed the job rapidly sufficient. A lot to my chagrin, I wasn’t in a position to deal sufficient injury earlier than the creature remodeled and began smacking my total social gathering with a large hand, making brief work of my squad. Thankfully, I had the choice to only restart the battle, but it surely was annoying for what might need been an early-game encounter.
I didn’t fairly make it to the golem boss ready on the finish of the realm, however I used to be in a position to check out the “Dimengeon” system, which basically shops random encounters inside a separate dimension till it reaches capability and also you get to combat the entire creatures without delay. One of many highlights of Fantasian’s fight is that lots of your skills have both a radius of harm that may hit a number of foes or observe a straight-line path that may hit any enemies on that line. This mechanic is made nice use of within the Dimengeon, the place enemies litter the display screen and should be dispatched earlier than they’ll gang up on you. Your assaults and spells may even hit small bonus orbs that improve your stats or grant further turns. Simply the visible spectacle of seeing the battlefield crammed with all types of enemies after which the enjoyment of hitting three, 4, or 5 of them with one transfer makes for an thrilling and fascinating occasion, and I’m glad I received to see it in motion.
I went into the Fantasian: Neo Dimension demo with pretty excessive expectations, and I’d say these are extra tempered at current. It could be a blessing that the sport has but to be given a strong launch date exterior of Winter 2024 as this might sign the builders taking extra time to enhance the controls, for instance. That stated, as a lifelong Remaining Fantasy participant, I’ll undoubtedly be preserving my eyes on what could also be Sakaguchi’s final story–to not be confused with Wii standout The Final Story.
