Final Fantasy Resonance is the first HD-2D in Square Enix's long-running RPG franchise, and it brings most of what you'd expect from this popular art style alongside a bevy of gameplay elements unique to the series. Whether you're already diving into the game or simply want to know what to expect when you do, here are a handful of tips to help you acclimate to the early hours of this old-school adventure.

You Can Change Your Battle Speed Anytime

Like many recent turn-based RPGs, Final Fantasy Resonance lets you alter your battle speed at any time. Since there are no real-time elements to fights, this just offers the benefit of faster encounters, which is especially useful when grinding levels or working your way through long dungeons. Your attacks will unleash much more quickly with this toggled on, but you can also still skip long special attack sequences manually, of course.

To change your battle speed mid-fight, simply press the corresponding button located at the bottom left side of the screen during a battle. There are three settings, so pick the one that feels right to you at the moment, as there are no consequences for changing it at any time.

Damage is Cool, But Staggering is King

Sure, you may be able to dish out enough damage to kill a lot of fodder enemies outright, but Final Fantasy Resonance's combat is built around staggering enemies. And while staggering an enemy makes them more susceptible to damage for a turn, it's really about compounding stagger-based effects that let you devastate your foes.

For instance, when one of your characters staggers an enemy, they're granted a Bonus Phase at the end of the turn. During a Bonus Phase, that character has one extra action, which is often best used dealing a chunk of damage to the staggered baddie. But when all enemies are staggered at once, you'll gain a Sweeping Stagger, which grants every party member a Bonus Phase. When this happens, you all have an extra chance to deal massive damage to staggered enemies, plus you'll be able to use a high-damage Resonance attack at the end of the phase.

All of that damage adds up — or in some cases, provides an extra action you'll desperately need for healing or buffing. So, unless you're dealing with fodder enemies that die in just a few hits anyway, it's usually best to work on staggering all of them with attacks that exploit their weaknesses. If you're facing a group of foes weak to the same element(s), choosing to cast a spell on all of them at once may just be enough to make quick work of their stagger (or health) right out of the gate. Go big or go home, right?

Certain Characters and Visions Pair Well, But You Can Be A Rebel

Visions have roles just like your primary party members. This means that pairing characters with Visions that share their role can no doubt enhance their ability to be the best versions of that class. However, that doesn't mean you're tied to pairing them that way. You can pair them any way you want and swap between them at any time, allowing you to build your characters however you please.

As a matter of fact, if you're willing to put in the time, it can actually be wildly beneficial to spend some time using off-role Visions with your character line-up. By doing so, they can earn equippable mastery bonuses that provide passive boons even when that Vision isn't attached to them any more. Of course, unless you want to spend hours upon hours grinding, it's probably best not to go overboard with this until later in the game when you can level Visions more quickly. But it's always at least worth giving everyone a bit of time with any Visions that provide worthwhile bonuses to their kit.

Explore Areas Thoroughly for Hidden Chests

While you'll commonly find chests in fairly easy-to-spot locations while exploring, you'd be shocked by how many are exceptionally well hidden off the beaten path. Your minimap can help you spot small sections of an area's map that may be housing something nifty, but it's only part of the puzzle. Some locations have background clutter and objects that obscure chests, so you'll want to keep an eye out for the interact prompt letting you know there's something there to grab.

A good example can be seen in the image above. Both sides of this pathway to the castle have hard-to-see grass paths leading to hidden chests. However, the chests are entirely out of sight, meaning you'll need to put in a little work to find the interact prompt. It's worth it, though, for some sweet loot!

Yes, Side Quests Are Almost Always Worth Doing Right Away

You'll encounter a plethora of side quests as you journey through Final Fantasy Resonance's massive world. If you're wondering whether to put them off or engage with them immediately, we'd recommend the latter. In most cases, these optional adventures can yield worthwhile loot, especially gear upgrades that are a step above whatever is available to buy at a local weapon or armor shop at that point in the story.

It's fine to put these off for a bit while you're working through a main story beat. However, if you wait too long, you may find that the rewards for them will often be underwhelming for how far you've advanced in the story. So, take the time to help some folks out and relish in your new goodies!

Keep A Substantial Stock of Tents

Final Fantasy Resonance's journey features plenty of series staples, including Tents, which heal all party members when used at save points. Because you'll often be deep in a dungeon when you reach a save point, it can be frustrating to be low on health and have to backtrack to town to heal up. Having a solid stock of Tents in your inventory can alleviate the issue entirely. In other words, when you're in towns, make sure you're always stopping by the item shop to grab some extra Tents for whatever lies ahead.

Final Fantasy Resonance is available now on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.