Summary
Square Enix has been treating manyFinal Fantasyfans quite well in the past few years, as recent mainline entries in the series, likeFinal Fantasy 16andFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth, have largely been met with high critical acclaim. The long-running MMOFinal Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn, meanwhile, has continued to maintain an active player base to this day, thanks to consistent content updates and major expansions likeEndwalkerandDawntrail. On top of that, the Japanese publisher has also released and/or remade a handful of well-receivedFinal Fantasyspin-offs, including titles likeTheatrhythm: Final Bar Line,Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion, andStranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin.
As beloved as most of the series' recent games have been, some long-timeFinal Fantasyfans haven’t been all too satisfied with what Square’s been offering lately, in large part due to the franchise’s shift to a more real-time combat approach.FF16, for instance, ruffled quite a few feathers among theFinal Fantasycommunity when Square Enix revealed that the game would ditch mainstay features like parties and turn-based combat in favor of a streamlined,Devil May Cry-style battle system. It’s unlikely that Square will revert the direction it’s taken the franchise in, but gamers who are still hungry for the classicFinal Fantasyexperience found in titles likeFF4andFF6should keep an eye on the many alternatives available out there, such asOne Fenix Down.
Fans of Retro Final Fantasy Games Should Check Out One Fenix Down
One Fenix Downis an upcomingretro-styled JRPG that takes heavy inspiration from the SNES-eraFinal Fantasygames, in terms of both graphics and gameplay. Not only does this title place a major emphasis on classic, turn-based combat and stunning pixel art visuals, it also touts a large cast of playable characters with varying goals and ambitions, some of which might be morally questionable in nature. Furthermore, the game boasts a vast, explorable world that the developers claim is brimming with secrets to uncover.
One Fenix Downwas formally unveiled in February 2024 and is set to serve as the debut title for independent developer Regalcraft Games. Though it was announced only recently, thisFinal Fantasyspiritual successorbegan production nearly a decade ago. After many years, the game is finally planned to release in the second half of 2025 for Windows PCs via Steam, with a Nintendo Switch port currently in consideration.
Gamers Can Try One Fenix Down Out on July 25
Fortunately, gamers who are interested inthis ’90s-inspired RPGdon’t have to wait until next year to play it, as Regalcraft Games recently announced that a demo forOne FenixDownwill be available on Steam on July 25. While half of the content in this demo won’t actually be featured in the final release, the remainder of it will provide a snippet of the prologue and the first 15 minutes of the actual game.
One Fenix Down’s Kickstarter Campaign is Launching August 1
Players who enjoy their time with theOne Fenix Downdemo might also want to check out the game’s Kickstarter campaign, which will launch on August 1. If Regalcraft Games is able to reach its stretch goals, the developer states that it’ll be able to finance two composers who’ll work onOne Fenix Down’s OST, alongside a special guest that’ll collaborate on the game’s main theme. Additionally, backers of the project will earn rewards for supporting the development of thisisometric JRPG, but Regalcraft Games has yet to reveal what these will be.
From all the information that’s been revealed about it so far,One Fenix Downseems like it’ll bejust the game classicFFfans have been looking for, especially those dissuaded by Square Enix’s recent pivot with the franchise. While players may not get to experience a new, mainlineFinal Fantasygame in the vein of seminal, SNES-era releases likeFF6anytime soon, Regalcraft Games' debut project looks like the next best thing.
Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy is a sci-fi fantasy franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi and developed/owned by Square Enix. The series centers on role playing style games set in a science fiction and fantasy style worlds. The first game originally released in 1987 and since then, the franchise has spun off into other mediums like novels, CG films, and anime. The series has also branched into other video game genres including racing, fighting, rhythm, MMOs, and more.
