Fantasian, the much anticipated role-playing game, is now available to download and play exclusively on the Apple Arcade subscription service. The game is developed by Mistwalker, a Japanese studio headed by Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi.
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Fantasian is just one release among Apple’s giant refresh of Apple Arcade, bringing the total number of games available on the subscription service to over 180. You can check out Fantasian and many other games on Apple Arcade for a monthly subscription fee of $4.99 / £4.99 / AU$7.99.
Some more of the games being added to the Apple Arcade Originals lineup include NBA 2K21 Arcade Edition, Star Trek: Legends, The Oregon Trail, Cut the Rope Remastered, and SongPop Party. This roster is bolstered by new additions to the App Store Greats range, featuring the likes of Monument Valley, Mini Metro, and Fruit Ninja Classic, now also free as part of the subscription.
Final Fantasian
Fantasian has turned heads with its unique art style, featuring locations built entirely from sculpted dioramas, lending the game a miniature feel that’s packed with charm. The game features a turn-based combat system that Mistwalker is very familiar with given its back catalog of RPGs like Lost Odyssey and Blue Dragon.
You might think that Apple Arcade exclusivity is an odd choice for such an ambitious RPG, but Sakaguchi explained in an interview with TechRadar that there was some sentimentality tied to the decision, saying: “My introduction or first exposure to the game industry was on an Apple II.”
“I was still a student at the time and it was just so shocking what I saw on Apple II and that's almost what brought me to the game industry. So here we are 35 or 40 years later, to be able to work on the Apple platform I think is a very interesting kind of cycle.”
Apple Arcade is actually a great fit for Fantasian and Mistwalker in general. The company has had previous experience developing a number of mobile games in the past, including the popular Terra Battle and Terra Wars, both of which have unfortunately been discontinued.
Fantasian sounds like it could be a recipe for success, though. The battle system is taking cues from Chrono Trigger’s team attack features, and the soundtrack is being handled by Final Fantasy legend Nobuo Uematsu.
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