Fantasianwas released in 2021 as an Apple Arcade exclusive, which left manyPCand console fans of developer Hironobu Sakaguchi, who was famously credited with the creation ofFinal Fantasy, more than a little disappointed. If players didn’t have access to an Apple device, then they wouldn’t be able to playFantasian. Fortunately, as is the case with many Apple Arcade games, it is being ported to consoles by Square Enix under a new name:Fantasian Neo Dimension.
WhileFantasianis a fairly simple turn-based JRPG with linear environments and basic combat, it does employ a lot of touch-screen mechanics that heighten the overall experience. Naturally,bringing it to consoles makes sense, as it’ll open it up to a much wider audience, and stops one of thebest mobile games right nowfrom being locked to Apple screens forever. However, fans may be wondering whether a lot of the experience is lost in the transition, and ifFantasianis even worth playing on a non-mobile device.
Fantasian Feels The Best On Mobile Devices
Lack Of Touch Screen Controls Worsens The Experience
One of thebiggest changes betweenFantasianandFantasian Neo Dimensionis the switch from touch controls to regular controls. Instead of directing characters with the press of a finger, players will instead use joysticks or a keyboard to get from point A to B. Additionally, whereas players would cast a spell in the originalFantasianby using their fingers to aim it, they will now use a joystick or mouse.
These changes may not seem particularly drastic to some, but they make a huge difference to the overall feel of the game. Previews have stated thatthe lack of touch screen controls makesFantasiana far less interactive experience, and removes much of the tactile feel of the game. It reduces one of thebest JRPGs of all timeon mobile to a more awkward affair.
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Eurogamer’s preview ofFantasian Neo Dimensionstated that the camera transitions between scenes are made more difficult to navigate without touch screen controls. Additionally,there are no touch screen controls on the Nintendo Switch, meaning it isn’t a comparable experience, despite having the capability to include touch screen controls. It’s a shame, as this could have allowed those that enjoyed the more tactile nature of the original mobile experience to enjoy all the new features while retaining their preferred style.
Fantasian Neo Dimension Looks Cleaner But Not Better On Consoles
The Environments Look More Empty
One huge improvement that the console version ofFantasianhas over the mobile version is crisper and cleaner visuals. WhileFantasiandoesn’t have the incredibly detailed environments of the exceptionallywell-reviewedOctopath Traveler 2,bumping a mobile game up to high resolution screens necessitates an increase in overall visual clarity, and Square Enix has clearly made this work in the remaster. The beautiful dioramas that make up the game’s backgrounds appear more detailed in the re-release, giving fans a greater appreciation for all the hard work that went into creating them.
However, despite the increased clarity in visuals, Eurogamer’s preview stated that this only made the environments feel less empty. Whereas the smaller, compact screens of mobile devices keep every environment feeling busy,when the game is blown up on a larger screen, including the Nintendo Switch’s screen, it doesn’t look nearly as impressive. It’s a small change, but certainly one fans should keep in mind when contemplating whether to pick up the console or mobile version of the game.
Fantasian Neo Dimension Adds A Lot Of Much-Needed Features
The Remaster Adds English And Japanese Voice Acting & More
However, the biggest factor to take into consideration when deciding whether to pick upFantasian Neo Dimensionvia Apple Arcade or on console or PC is all the new features introduced in the remaster. Not only have the visuals been enhanced, buta swathe of new features, including Japanese and English voice-overs, new difficulty options, and the addition of the battle music selector, is also being added. These changes will drastically improve the overall experience, improving it in areas that fans have previously had issues with, such as the lack of voice-overs.
It has not been confirmed whether these changes will be added to the Apple Arcade version either at launch or in the future. However, for now, it seems like only theNeo Dimensionversion ofFantasianwill have these features, and that is not coming to Apple Arcade.
These changes do makeFantasian Neo Dimensionthe definitive version, and a far more worthwhile experience overall. While they’re not strictly groundbreaking, and certainly not as impressive as theimprovements made to thePersona 3 Reloadremake, they do transform the experience for the better. Naturally, this all but warrants playing the console andPCversion ofFantasian Neo Dimension, even if it lacks the more tactile feel of the Apple Arcade version and has a more empty feeling world overall.
