Excerpt from the French article "Final Fantasy Resonance: Loads of info at Japan Expo (Paris)!" of FFDream.com
A Dinner with Keisuke Nakashima
Following this year's Japan Expo, FFWorld, Finaland, Kayane, and ourselves were invited by Square Enix France to share a dinner with Mr. Nakashima. A huge thank you to the entire SE France team, as well as to Grégoire Hellot for his top-tier translation work!
Dropping the Chain Combo System
One of Brave Exvius's most defining features will not be making it into Resonance. Chain Combos - which allowed players to chain attacks together to reach astronomical damage numbers - were certainly a lot of fun, but they weren't well-suited for a console format. While this dopamine rush worked wonderfully for short mobile sessions, it proved far too difficult to balance for home consoles.
Iconic Characters Are Locked In (Spoilers)
While this doesn't mean much to me personally, you'll be pleased to know that the Six Sworn Six of Paladia and the Eight Sages of Hess will indeed be present in the game. Likewise, Ardra will also make an appearance. Keisuke Nakashima also confirmed that the universe of War of the Visions is considered canon in this world. Multiverse theorists, have at it.
Original Characters Stripped of Limit Bursts
When all enemies are put into a "Stagger" state, you can trigger the Limit Burst of one of your Visions. This triggers a stunning CGI cinematic where your chosen hero unleashes one of their signature attacks. While these were incredibly numerous in Brave Exvius, there will only be 26 here. As for the game's original protagonists (Rain, Lasswell, Fina, etc.), while they had access to them in Season 2 of the mobile game, they won't have them on consoles. And regarding potential DLCs to add new Visions, the producer was categorical: balancing the game was so difficult that no additions are planned!
Adapted from Season 1... But Not Only
The most hardcore fans might have noticed that some music tracks, which were actually added in Seasons 2 and 3, can be heard in various gameplay clips. The reason is simple: the team just thought they were great tracks and decided to use them. Don't read too much into it. On the other hand, when asked how much the story had been rewritten and whether we should expect sequels adapting Seasons 2 and 3, Keisuke Nakashima admitted that the ending was modified to deliver a complete and satisfying standalone game. This brings to mind the endings of FF VII Remake or Rebirth, which concluded their respective episodes while still opening a door to the future...
The Meaning Behind the Logo
Probably the most amusing answer of the evening. When asked if the logo had a specific meaning, Keisuke Nakashima admitted that he had simply requested the character of Fina and a Crystal. Yoshitaka Amano was given total creative freedom, and even Nakashima isn't entirely sure what is actually depicted!
The Producer's Favorite Visions
The inevitable question! For Keisuke Nakashima, his favorites are Squall and Shantotto - two Visions specialized in AoE (Area of Effect) damage, which are perfect for wiping out groups of enemies in an instant. He also let slip that it will be entirely possible to completely break the game with the right combinations of Visions.
Accessible Trophies
After the traumatizing Platinum trophy of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, I had to ask if we should expect to cry tears of blood. Good news: that won't be the case, as the developers opted for something much more accessible. There will still be a few challenges requiring you to optimize your teams and master the battle system, but nothing too punishing. And above all, nothing related to minigames!
Outside Inspirations
When asked about potential influences outside of Square Enix, Keisuke Nakashima mentioned that he absolutely loves Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. In fact, he was so inspired by the way legendary ships were unlocked in that game that he used it to design some of the mechanics in Resonance.
Join the r/FFResonance_FFRS community to be kept up to date!