At first, when the HD-2D style was unveiled via a key game on the Nintendo Switch, many weren’t sure of what to make of it. The visual aesthetic was meant to be a mix of classic old-school pixel art with the modern technology of new-age consoles that could help the game world “pop” in ways that older platforms couldn’t. While hesitant at first, gamers grew to love the visual style very quickly. As such, Square Enix has made numerous titles using the HD-2D visual style. A certain remake has brought up questions of what could be next. Perhaps even Final Fantasy 6!
For those who don’t know, the sixth mainline entry in Square Enix’s iconic RPG saga was at one time considered to be one of the greatest RPG titles ever and is still considered one of the best pixel art RPGs ever. The game’s story, mixed with its iconic villain in Kefka, has helped it achieve legendary status. To that end, Square Enix producer Masaaki Hayasaka noted in an interview with Inverse that while it’s not confirmed yet, a remake of this great title would be his wish, especially since the game was the inspiration for the HD-2D style!
“It’s not that we have concrete plans for this, but personally I would have to say Final Fantasy 6. Octopath Traveler– the first HD-2D title – was developed while referencing Final Fantasy 6, as it had the highest quality pixel art. I would love to see how the game we referenced would look with the HD-2D art style. Because this art style itself was created while referencing such titles, it’s highly compatible with games originally made using pixel art. This compatibility is probably why people feel this style is a match made in heaven with these types of remakes.”
He’s not wrong; recent titles show the growth that Square Enix has made with the HD-2D style, so imagine what the publisher could do with the all-time classic pixel art game. One of the ironies of this is that Square Enix was asked not too long ago about doing a 3D remake of the game, not unlike the overhaul that Cloud Strife had in his iconic adventure, but Square Enix shot that down due to the length of time it would require to make it and do it right.
However, if they were to remake the game with the HD-2D style, things would likely go much smoother. Only time will tell if they take this on.
