A traditional Final Fantasy with pixel art and turn-based combat is surprising to see in 2026. Yet, that's exactly what Final Fantasy Resonance offers. It even has the beautiful HD-2D art style that originated with Octopath Traveler and has been heavily requested by fans to be used in this series.
If you’ve already beaten Square Enix’s newest HD-2D offering and are looking for something similar to scratch the same itch, here's my list of the best games to play like Final Fantasy Resonance.
Replaced
Apologies if this suggestion gives you a bit of whiplash. A violent cyberpunk action-platformer is quite different than a primarily fantasy RPG. However, this is certainly worth a look if it’s the visuals that interests you from Final Fantasy Resonance.
Replaced might not be an HD-2D game, but it does feature beautiful pixel art that's enhanced by modern lighting and effects in 2.5D environments. The goals are similar, but the execution is different. I highly recommend Replaced if you want to see a more cinematic take with an adjacent art style. Helps that the game is fun to play too.
Triangle Strategy
If you enjoy Final Fantasy Resonance's visuals and narrative, but still want an RPG, Triangle Strategy might be the game for you. It's the second series to adopt the HD-2D visual style and was co-developed with some of the same Square Enix team that worked on Octopath Traveler.
The big difference here is that Triangle Strategy is a tactical RPG where you'll be positioning units along a grid. The isometric camera, plus abundant cutscenes and dialogue, really lets the visuals shine. Multiple routes and choices can also lead to unique maps, providing great reasons to revisit the campaign.
Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake
It feels like ever since the HD-2D visual style first appeared, there has been a passionate hope that it would be used for remaking classic RPGs. Square Enix being a part of the style certainly adds to those fan dreams. Naturally, that makes the Dragon Quest HD-2D remakes of the first three games a wonderful option.
You might enjoy all of them, but I'll specifically single out the Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake. This entry is considered a classic of the genre as a whole, with the remake adding some wonderful QOL additions and modern touches. It's also a prequel to the first two titles, which later received their own HD-2D remakes.
Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters
It would be a little strange if we didn't recommend a single Final Fantasy game here. Since the series shifted to 3D models with the seventh entry, you'll need to play the prior ones for the classic pixel aesthetic. Good thing that's easy to do with the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series.
The first six games were all ported to modern systems with a fresh coat of paint and many quality-of-life improvements. Only the first three have a true turn-based battle system like Final Fantasy Resonance does, with the others using an Active Time Battle system. Most of them are in the 20-30 hour range, although if you're not interested in checking them all out, I'd recommend Final Fantasy VI. It introduced the Magitek terminology and is a very beloved entry among fans.
Octopath Traveler 2
With a Final Fantasy game in HD-2D being such a big deal, it will help to check out the series that originated the style. 2018's Octopath Traveler immediately turned heads with its innovative visuals. While pixel art was sometimes seen as an older art style that lived on through indies, the HD-2D style breathed new life and appreciation for what could be done with pixel art.
Since these are all lengthy modern RPGs, I'll single out the second entry as the best one to play. Octopath Traveler 2 improved upon pretty much everything its predecessor laid out. Combat was expanded and made more engaging, whereas the plot and world feel less rigid, offering more variety and proper connections between its eight-character cast.
You might not have time to beat most of these before Final Fantasy Resonance drops on October 22nd, but you can definitely find enjoyment in checking them out if you haven't before. If you're interested in another Square Enix release from an iconic RPG series, check out our Kingdom Hearts Collection [I~III] review.
