Overview
- Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth director Naoki Hamaguchi says mixes of turn-based strategy with real-time action may have been inevitable as newer players expect instant feedback.
- Atlus producer Kazuhisa Wada, who leads the Persona team, argues the genre never disappeared and that recent acclaimed releases simply renewed attention.
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 stands out as a fresh example, pairing classic turns with timing-based inputs like parries and combo taps to win both sales and reviews.
- Developers point to design tweaks that speed fights, including Persona 5’s quick, readable menus, Metaphor: ReFantazio’s one-hit clears for weak foes, and Honkai: Star Rail’s ultimates that can fire during an enemy’s turn.
- Hamaguchi adds that future Final Fantasy games are not locked to the current action-first template, signaling no single combat direction for major RPG series.