Fantasian Neo Dimension review for Nintendo Switch

System: Switch
Release date: December 5, 2024
Developer: Mistwalker
Publisher: Square Enix

After talk of retiring with the original release of Fantasian on Apple Arcade in 2021, Hironobu Sakaguchi, previously of Square Enix’s golden age of RPGs, has decided that he’s not quite ready to stop doing what he loves. As a joint project between his studio, Mistwalker, and Square Enix, Sakaguchi’s latest effort brings us Fantasian Neo Dimension – an enhanced full release of the RPG. While the game was already seeing acclaim on mobile, this new version takes it to new platforms with improved features, making the experience more accessible than ever. If you’ve been curious about Fantasian but had no avenue to play it due to its Apple Arcade prison sentence, now’s your chance to finally dive into this unique RPG.

From the moment I laid eyes on Fantasian back in 2021, I was captivated. The game’s world is unlike anything I’ve seen before – handcrafted from over 150 dioramas, making it feel like you’re exploring a miniature region brought to life. The attention to detail in every environment is staggering, with small touches such as intricate ruins, lush greenery, and bustling towns giving the impression that the world was built by hand with immense care. If the style of PlayStation 1-era Final Fantasy games comes to mind, you’re not alone. Fantasian evokes the charm of these classics while offering a distinctive visual identity of its own. If you spent countless hours traversing the static backgrounds of Final Fantasy IX, then you will feel incredibly at home.

The dioramas themselves are filled with both charm and personality. When I first began, the shifting camera angles while moving through areas were a bit disorienting, but this small frustration is quickly forgotten once you begin to truly explore. Every nook and cranny is designed to reward curiosity, whether you’re searching for hidden treasures or simply admiring the artistry of each environment. The game’s world feels like a living train board that your grandpa made – one that you’re invited to explore in depth, with each area offering something new and intriguing the more you dig into it. As you move about the camera will shift, allowing you to see where you are from a different angle and perhaps uncovering a bit of treasure or something of interest. It’s evident that Fantasian was crafted with great care, and it’s easy to get lost in the beauty of its environments.

Originally a two part experience locked to Apple Arcade, with Fantasian Neo Dimension, the game is available in its entirety, eliminating the need to swap between parts or reload previous save data. Opening up, we have a bit of a jarring experience. Right from the beginning, the story thrusts you into a futuristic world filled with robots and machine monsters—before suddenly transitioning to a quaint village setting, where the protagonist, Leo, suffers from amnesia. It’s a trope that has been used countless times in games, and while it could have felt tired, the execution here is anything but stale.

Leo is a protagonist with a surprising amount of depth. From the moment you meet him, he’s portrayed as someone caught between two worlds – one of machines and technology, and another of nature and tradition. His journey to regain his memories is made engaging not just by the plot itself but by how the world he interacts with reacts to him. One of the areas where Fantasian truly shines is its ability to make the amnesia trope feel fresh. While this device can often feel like a lazy shortcut in storytelling, here, it serves as a powerful narrative tool. Leo’s memory loss becomes a way to explore the world through the eyes of someone who is learning about it for the first time. This allows the player to discover the backstory of the world in a natural, organic way, without relying on long exposition dumps or unnecessary info-heavy dialogue.

The pacing of the story works well because of this, letting the mystery of Leo’s identity unfold slowly, drawing the player in. The NPCs in Fantasian often view Leo with suspicion or empathy, and his efforts to rebuild his identity are intertwined with the people he meets along the way. The inclusion of new voice acting adds another layer of polish, as the performances are strong and give the dialogue a natural rhythm. More importantly, the NPCs you encounter offer valuable insights into the world, providing context and lore that enrich the story and make the places you visit feel alive. I found myself wanting to talk to everyone in a town simply to learn more about the area, how they live, and what impacts the game’s strange life form, Mechteria, was having on the world and the locals.

While Leo is the central figure of the narrative, he’s far from the only memorable character. So as not to spoil too much, I’ll try to only highlight the first person you meet as well as my absolute favorite battle whomper. Honorable mentions to the non-party Cinderella Tri-Stars, who have a challenging but very rewarding side quest. Kina, a key member of Leo’s party, provides a refreshing and grounded counterpart to his more reserved nature. Kina is a character whose warmth and determination provide a stable anchor in the ever-shifting world. Unlike Leo, Kina’s motivations are less obscure. Her loyalty to her friends and her dedication to their mission are clear from the outset, and as her backstory is gradually revealed, players come to understand the depth of her personal journey. Kina is a character driven by a sense of duty, but also by a desire to protect and help those around her. This makes her an emotional center for the team and a comforting presence for both Leo and the player. Though she starts from a place of worry and doubt in herself and her abilities, Kina’s character journey is absolutely amazing from start to end.

Ez, on the other hand, brings an entirely different dynamic to the group. His eccentric, almost aloof personality contrasts sharply with Kina’s grounded nature, and his approach to battle is where his uniqueness truly shines. Ez is not your typical fighter; instead, he’s a tactician who excels at manipulating the flow of combat. While most of the party members rely on brute force or magic, Ez uses his knowledge of the dimensions to outwit his enemies. His Dimensional Shift abilities are particularly noteworthy, as they allow him to shift between the “real” world and a surreal, dreamlike space where time behaves differently. This shift isn’t just a visual effect—it changes the entire dynamic of battle, with some abilities only functioning in one dimension or the other. Ez’s ability to adapt and strategize makes him an invaluable asset in combat and a refreshing change from typical RPG archetypes.

Ez’s eccentricity extends beyond just combat, as his conversations with Leo and the team often reveal a deeper, more introspective side to his personality. While initially appearing as a lighthearted or even comical character, Ez’s moments of vulnerability show that he too carries the weight of his own past and choices. This complexity adds layers to his character, and as the game progresses, it becomes clear that Ez is not just the “unconventional fighter,” but a character with a rich backstory that influences his behavior and decisions. I am reminded heavily of Ershin from Breath of Fire IV who ended up not only being an amazing character in a fight, but whose weird way of speech and strange mannerisms masked a huge power that was tied into the story’s entire plot. Ez hits me in precisely the same way. Thank you, Ershin.

Exploration remains one of the core pillars of Fantasian Neo Dimension. The overworld and areas comprised of those beautiful dioramas encourage players to explore every corner of the world, uncovering hidden treasures, engaging with NPCs, and completing side quests. The game rewards curiosity, and there’s a satisfying sense of discovery as you traverse the world, whether you’re investigating a quiet town or a sprawling open field. The variety of environments ensures that no two areas feel the same, and there’s always something new to discover, whether it’s a rare item, or an additional layer of lore from passing NPCs.

The visuals also play a huge role in making exploration feel rewarding. The dioramas are not only beautiful but interactive, with subtle animations that breathe life into the world. The static backgrounds give way to a dynamic, living world as you move through it, adding layers of depth to the otherwise simple exploration. The game’s world-building is another area where Fantasian excels. Every town, forest, and ruin feels like it has its own story, which you can uncover through exploration, NPC interactions, and side quests. The world feels expansive, yet intimate, as each area offers unique challenges and rewards, drawing you in and encouraging you to explore every last corner.

Fantasian Neo Dimension retains much of the charm and strategic depth that made the original release such a standout, but it also refines many of the gameplay mechanics, especially in the combat department. The turn-based battle system is straightforward, but the addition of the “Dimensional Shift” mechanic adds a layer of depth that keeps things interesting. Battles shift between two distinct dimensions: one grounded in reality, and the other a surreal, dreamlike space where unique abilities and tactics come into play. This creates a rich layer of strategy, as players need to think critically about which dimension their character should fight in and how to manage the shifting conditions of the battlefield. Certain attacks are more effective in one dimension than the other, meaning players must plan their moves carefully. This is where I learned how to use Ez to his best, and found that the game was a lot better paced than my first romp.

The new Easy Mode, introduced in Neo Dimension, addresses one of the common complaints from the original Fantasian: its difficulty spikes, especially during late-game battles. Boss battles, in particular, could feel punishing in the original release, and in some cases, failure meant having to backtrack or rework party setups to survive. The Easy Mode provides a much-needed balance, making it more accessible for players who may have been discouraged by the steep difficulty curve in the first release. It offers a smoother experience without sacrificing the challenge for those who want it, allowing you to fine-tune the difficulty to your liking. I made a lot of use of this for the more punishing late game bosses, and as someone who works a day job with long hours, I really appreciated this feature.

The “Link System” is a very fun combat mechanic, allowing for character combinations that result in powerful joint attacks. By positioning characters strategically on the battlefield, players can unlock special attacks that deal significant damage to foes. This system encourages experimentation, as you discover new ways to synergize your party’s abilities, sometimes resulting in completely obliterating lines of enemies. With each battle, you’ll be able to use your team to uncover new combinations and powerful moves, keeping the combat engaging from start to finish. The battle system’s inclusion of bending spell trajectory and piercing through one enemy into the next makes these larger scale fights feel like a real hard-fought win sometimes, despite being able to sweep multiple baddies per turn.

It is in Fantasian’s combat that I felt myself truly fall in love – even back when playing on the Apple TV for the first time, it was the way that positioning and lining things up felt as much like bowling as it did fighting. In planning for what to knock out first in order to prevent party damage, I’d learned to expedite the extermination of troves of enemies and this feeling became as addictive as any other turn-based battle system that I’ve been enamored with before. I became addicted to the grind. Which is fine, because even though you beat the game, you still have to beat the post game, and then there’s New Game+ and sometimes New Game++? Generally these prospects leave me feeling excited – and I’m to that point.

The beautiful music and a whimsical world of Neo Dimension is yet another wonderful homage to classic JRPGs, infused with a level of handiwork and care that is rare in today’s gaming landscape. From its gorgeous diorama-style visuals to its engaging combat and memorable story, this is an RPG that’s easy to get lost in. While the story’s familiar tropes may not break new ground, they’re executed with enough charm and freshness to keep you invested. The new voice acting, expanded content, and additional features make this the definitive version of the game, and it’s a must-play for RPG fans, especially those who appreciate the artistry behind every environment.

Fantasian Neo Dimension successfully blends the nostalgia of 1990s-era RPGs with modern design sensibilities, offering an experience that feels both familiar and innovative. Whether you’re a fan of Sakaguchi’s work or a newcomer to the Fantasian world, this game is sure to captivate with its charm, depth, and beauty. The detailed world, memorable characters like Kina and Ez, and the new, refined gameplay elements ensure that Neo Dimension offers both nostalgia and innovation for RPG lovers.

If you’ve been waiting for the chance to experience Fantasian, there’s never been a better time. Neo Dimension is a stunning, immersive RPG that’s both accessible and deeply rewarding. With its striking visuals, innovative combat mechanics, and rich world-building, it’s a game that will keep you coming back for more, long after the credits roll. New Game+, anyone?

Fantasian Neo Dimension copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.