PAX West Hands-on: FANTASIAN Neo Dimension

During PAX West 2024, I had an opportunity to play FANTASIAN Neo Dimension and experience a small sampling of what players can expect when it launches. Check out my thoughts on the hands-demo!

What is it?

The father of FINAL FANTASY, Hironobu Sakaguchi, and renowned composer Nobuo Uematsu return to deliver an original RPG story. Experience an enhanced version of FANTASIAN, a mobile game initially released in 2021, with brand new features including English and Japanese voice overs and an additional difficulty option. There is also added 4k support for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

What did I try?

For the demo, we started directly in the middle of things in the Ancient Hill area with a boss battle against a giant Golem at the end. I got a chance to play with the combat, tinker with the world exploration, and check out the general area. The random encounters allowed me to test out a few different combat strategies and actions. The spell casting was splashy and distinctive, the user interface was easy to navigate, both in combat and out of. In many ways, it was reminiscent of a more traditional JRPG design approach.

What did I think?

Playing on the PS5 really showcased why this game needs to come to consoles. The originals were a lot of fun to experience on the mobile devices and tablets, but seeing the world this game presents on the big screen is an absolute treat. The hand-crafted dioramas are as beautiful as ever and I definitely developed a stronger appreciation for the craft with the higher visual fidelity. If you enjoyed it originally or if you held off until now, it is worth checking out.

Release Info