"Final Fantasy Duel: Dissidia Duel Final Fantasy" CBT Early Play Report. Either crush your rivals—or defeat the boss faster than the opposing team!
Note: the original Japanese article can be found at:
https://www.4gamer.net/games/952/G095250/20251028006/
Writer: Aoi Sugihara | 2025/11/07 08:30 (UTC)
Square Enix’s smartphone app “Dissidia Duel Masters Final Fantasy” (iOS / Android) is currently hosting its closed beta test from today (November 7, 2025) to November 14. Having participated in a media preview event ahead of the CBT, we’re sharing our impressions from that experience.
The latest installment in the Dissidia series, where warriors from past Final Fantasy titles gather, is set in modern Tokyo. Many players were surprised by how familiar characters like Cloud and Lightning now appear in contemporary outfits. Image Gallery No.001 thumbnail / “Dissidia Duel Masters Final Fantasy” CBT Preview Report. Defeat rivals! Beat the opposing team to defeat the boss
Official Website for “Dissidia Duel Masters Final Fantasy”
Defeat the boss before the opposing team!
Intense battle system centered around strategic anticipation with invincibility
The media preview event began with a practice mode to understand the core mechanics, followed by actual matches.
Once combat begins, various information appears on screen—but the underlying mechanics are straightforward. Simply drag your character within the white area of the screen to move; when enemies enter range, they automatically attack, so even using just your thumb is perfectly manageable.
The white circular operation zone can be repositioned via settings. If you’re not used to the default layout, try switching to a “left-leaning” option for two-handed play or a “center-leaned” one for single-handed use. Image Gallery No.002 thumbnail / “Dissidia Duel Masters Final Fantasy” CBT Preview Report. Defeat rivals! Beat the opposing team to defeat the boss Image Gallery No.003 thumbnail / “Dissidia Duel Masters Final Fantasy” CBT Preview Report. Defeat rivals! Beat the opposing team to defeat the boss
The “Ability” system—special skills—allows up to five abilities to be equipped. Swiping the icon activates them instantly. After use, a cooldown occurs, but no MP or other resource management is required. Generally, it’s more effective to cycle through abilities quickly, so don’t hesitate to unleash them frequently.
Movement and attack actions are smooth and responsive. The controls feel intuitive, and powerful abilities come with flashy animations that enhance the tactile experience. Although this title differs in direction from previous entries in the series, the media preview event—which featured two teams battling each other—was surprisingly energetic.
Image Gallery No.004 thumbnail / “Dissidia Duel Masters Final Fantasy” CBT Preview Report. Defeat rivals! Beat the opposing team to defeat the boss Image Gallery No.005 thumbnail / “Dissidia Duel Masters Final Fantasy” CBT Preview Report. Defeat rivals! Beat the opposing team to defeat the boss
After grasping basic controls, it’s time for actual combat. This game features 3v3 team battles where the objective isn’t defeating enemy players—but instead destroying a boss monster on the map. The mode is PvPvE.
However, the boss remains invincible by default and cannot be damaged immediately upon attack. Additionally, the boss isn’t just an easy target; it delivers powerful attacks based on its own abilities. Charging in blindly results only in being repelled.
Here’s where “Brave” becomes essential. Brave is a numerical value reflecting each player character’s power. When it reaches maximum (9999), players can activate “Brave Burst,” during which they are able to deal damage to the boss.
Activating any ability ends Brave Burst, but if multiple abilities are used in succession, Brave Burst remains active while attacks continue. This allows you to save powerful abilities for massive burst damage. Image Gallery No.006 thumbnail / “Dissidia Duel Masters Final Fantasy” CBT Preview Report. Defeat rivals! Beat the opposing team to defeat the boss Image Gallery No.007 thumbnail / “Dissidia Duel Masters Final Fantasy” CBT Preview Report. Defeat rivals! Beat the opposing team to defeat the boss
Brave is gained by defeating regular monsters around the map, or by eliminating enemy player characters—completely stealing their current Brave value. The core strategy in battle revolves around securing Brave first, then activating Brave Burst and unleashing abilities at the boss—repeating this cycle.
Battle Basics
Number of players: 3 vs. 3
Victory condition: Defeat the boss monster
Defeat conditions:
- Opposing team defeats the boss monster
- Boss survives past time limit
Boss HP: Each team reduces a separate, individually set boss HP (damage dealt by your own team does not benefit the enemy).
Battle Flow:
Brave Collection
● Fixed value distributed to team
● Defeating regular monsters
● Purifying crystals
● Only you gain it
● Eliminating an enemy player
↓ Alternating execution ↑
Attacking the Boss
● When Brave reaches maximum, “Brave Burst” becomes available
● During Brave Burst, damage is effective against boss
● Using abilities that deal damage to enemies ends Brave Burst
Players must balance attacking the boss and hindering the opposing team—but in practice, decisions aren’t overly complicated. Each player’s role becomes clearly defined based on situation.
Crucially, a character’s performance doesn’t change regardless of their current Brave value. Whether an opponent has 1000 or 9999 Brave, it takes the same number of actions and time to defeat them. Even if you succeed in defeating someone, using strong abilities against opponents reduces damage output toward the boss.
On the other hand, destroying a single regular monster yields around 500 Brave, while purifying a crystal grants over 3000 at once. Thus, there are situations where prioritizing monster kills or securing crystals is far more efficient than targeting enemy players. Deciding whether to focus on hindering opponents or stealing their Brave ultimately depends on player judgment.
Because healing options are limited solely to abilities, it’s difficult to win in scenarios like 2v1. Image Gallery No.009 thumbnail / “Dissidia Duel Masters Final Fantasy” CBT Preview Report. Defeat rivals! Beat the opposing team to defeat the boss Image Gallery No.010 thumbnail / “Dissidia Duel Masters Final Fantasy” CBT Preview Report. Defeat rivals! Beat the opposing team to defeat the boss
Special abilities include a cut-in animation upon activation, during which you’re temporarily unable to act—but invincible. By saving special abilities until after activating Brave Burst, players can safely chip away at the boss without being interrupted.
Of course, this mechanic applies even against enemy characters: blocking attacks with long-duration invincibility abilities lets you read your opponent’s moves and engage in deeper tactical battles based on each character’s unique traits.
Attack ranges are displayed on the map floor. Single-target attacks show an arrow on the target player’s screen before activation. If you can dodge these via normal movement, you effectively waste your opponent’s ability use. Image Gallery No.011 thumbnail / “Dissidia Duel Masters Final Fantasy” CBT Preview Report. Defeat rivals! Beat the opposing team to defeat the boss Image Gallery No.012 thumbnail / “Dissidia Duel Masters Final Fantasy” CBT Preview Report. Defeat rivals! Beat the opposing team to defeat the boss
Lower-tier (SR and below) abilities don’t have cut-ins, but they activate instantly without lag. Thus, making full use of common R to SR abilities will likely lead to stronger overall performance. Image Gallery No.013 thumbnail / “Dissidia Duel Masters Final Fantasy” CBT Preview Report. Defeat rivals! Beat the opposing team to defeat the boss Image Gallery No.014 thumbnail / “Dissidia Duel Masters Final Fantasy” CBT Preview Report. Defeat rivals! Beat the opposing team to defeat the boss
As players gain deeper understanding of these mechanics, ability usage becomes clearer. Each character has a role (role) and corresponding base stats and unique “Character Action.” Depending on combinations, strategies can shift dramatically.
That said, roles merely indicate general tendencies—any character can adapt flexibly to different roles. A support character attacking the boss is fine; a front-line fighter killing regular monsters isn’t problematic either.
Warrior of Light – Role: Support Image Gallery No.015 thumbnail / “Dissidia Duel Masters Final Fantasy” CBT Preview Report. Defeat rivals! Beat the opposing team to defeat the boss
Character Action: Shield of Light
Grants a barrier to allies
Basic Performance: The powerful UR “Supremacy Soul” creates an area-of-effect damage zone around allies, protecting both the player and teammates if enemy front-line units approach. SR “Shining Wave,” which lifts enemies in a straight line, is also highly effective—allowing versatile combat regardless of battlefield.
Tina – Role: Long Range Image Gallery No.016 thumbnail / “Dissidia Duel Masters Final Fantasy” CBT Preview Report. Defeat rivals! Beat the opposing team to defeat the boss
Character Action: Tornado
Blows enemies away around you
Basic Performance: Long-range characters have wide attack range and can strike from outside. If an enemy closes in, use Character Actions to reposition; at long range, use SR “Meltone” (ignores defense) to chip health. The UR “Trans” increases movement speed, boosting survivability.
Cloud – Role: Front Image Gallery No.017 thumbnail / “Dissidia Duel Masters Final Fantasy” CBT Preview Report. Defeat rivals! Beat the opposing team to defeat the boss
Character Action: Climb Hazard
Charge forward with a thrust attack
Basic Performance: Character Actions let you close distance quickly. Against regular monsters, use the swift “Finishing Touch”; in team battles, apply the stun effect of UR “Fury Slash”; against bosses, deploy high-damage “Ultimate Divine King Cut.” Simple yet effective tactics make this character strong. For defense, pair with general-purpose support abilities.
Cain – Role: Front Image Gallery No.018 thumbnail / “Dissidia Duel Masters Final Fantasy” CBT Preview Report. Defeat rivals! Beat the opposing team to defeat the boss
Character Action: Jump
Leap forward and launch enemies at landing spot
Basic Performance: Despite being a front-line character, this one has long reach with its Character Action and abilities. Though somewhat tricky to master, it offers high mobility. Mastering it allows rapid elimination of regular monsters and quick deployment to critical locations. Using the UR “Pride of Dragoon” (area attack) on multiple enemies while warping to crystals or bosses could instantly shift battlefield momentum.
Gaia – Role: Front Image Gallery No.019 thumbnail / “Dissidia Duel Masters Final Fantasy” CBT Preview Report. Defeat rivals! Beat the opposing team to defeat the boss
Character Action: Lean Force
Increases own speed
Basic Performance: Most abilities are area attacks, making Gaia ideal for diving into chaotic battles and shifting outcomes instantly. UR “Diamond Break” grants a powerful buff after an area attack—enabling pursuit even when enemies still have health.
Prompt – Role: Long Range Image Gallery No.020 thumbnail / “Dissidia Duel Masters Final Fantasy” CBT Preview Report. Defeat rivals! Beat the opposing team to defeat the boss
Character Action: Machine Pistol “Tuba”
Continuous attack with held press
Basic Performance: Offensive range character. SR “Flash Bomb ‘Lumen’” applies stun; UR “Break Blow” lowers defense—both maximize effectiveness when Prompt strikes first, making this ideal for aggressive players.
Rinoa – Role: Long Range Image Gallery No.021 thumbnail / “Dissidia Duel Masters Final Fantasy” CBT Preview Report. Defeat rivals! Beat the opposing team to defeat the boss
Character Action: Witch’s Leap
Teleport forward with held press; distance adjustable by hold time
Basic Performance: Relatively simple range character, but UR “Valley” can enhance buffs up to three tiers. At maximum enhancement, Rinoa boasts overwhelming offensive power—especially effective when coordinating with front-line units for rapid game conclusion. However, she’s also a high-priority target, so timing defensive abilities carefully is crucial.
Lightning – Role: Speed Image Gallery No.022 thumbnail / “Dissidia Duel Masters Final Fantasy” CBT Preview Report. Defeat rivals! Beat the opposing team to defeat the boss
Character Action: Blitz Spin
Dash with held press, then attack surrounding area upon stop
Basic Performance: Thanks to the Character Action, movement speed is high and players can freely traverse stages. You can purify crystals deep in enemy territory to secure Brave, quickly close on range enemies for elimination, or deliver finishing blows to fleeing opponents with low health—making roles highly diverse.
Zitan – Role: Speed Image Gallery No.023 thumbnail / “Dissidia Duel Masters Final Fantasy” CBT Preview Report. Defeat rivals! Beat the opposing team to defeat the boss
Character Action: Steal
Dash with held press and steal enemy’s Brave
Basic Performance: Currently the only character able to steal Brave without eliminating an opponent. Not just Character Actions—SR “Quick Thief Chaos” also steals Brave, so when facing someone nearing maximum Brave, go for theft. Combined with general-purpose abilities that transfer Brave to allies, overall Brave efficiency can be dramatically improved.
Kururu – Role: Support Image Gallery No.024 thumbnail / “Dissidia Duel Masters Final Fantasy” CBT Preview Report. Defeat rivals! Beat the opposing team to defeat the boss
Character Action: Brave Pass
Transfer your own Brave to allies
Basic Performance: A support-focused character specializing in boosting overall team Brave efficiency. Quickly eliminate regular monsters and distribute gained Brave—ideal for players wanting to aid combat without direct confrontation with enemy teams, through area attacks or long-term HP recovery.
Promoting connections among FF fans
Notable community features
Battle results reward players based on their win/loss record. The main rewards are “Ability Crystals,” which randomly contain various character abilities. Winning more matches increases chances of obtaining higher-rarity abilities.
However, Ability Crystals are sealed upon acquisition and can only be opened after a set period. Only six can be held at once (up to the “Season Pass” limit).
The longer the lock time correlates with higher rarity; winning more games fills slots faster. Though paid items will likely accelerate this process—using in-game currency equivalent to “gems” allows instant opening. Those wanting quicker rotation may find it worth using.
The “Sealed Crystal Slots” at the bottom are where sealed Ability Crystals are stored. Abilities include character-specific and general-purpose ones; latter can be freely swapped. Image Gallery No.025 thumbnail / “Dissidia Duel Masters Final Fantasy” CBT Preview Report. Defeat rivals! Beat the opposing team to defeat the boss Image Gallery No.026 thumbnail / “Dissidia Duel Masters Final Fantasy” CBT Preview Report. Defeat rivals! Beat the opposing team to defeat the boss
This system shows that players must obtain characters and abilities separately. While exact drop rates remain unclear, obtaining at least basic high-rarity abilities through battle rewards seems achievable.
Use in-game currency (called “MogPay” here) to aim for desired abilities; character acquisition happens naturally during this process. Character Tickets—available via campaigns or gacha—are also used as non-gacha rewards. Image Gallery No.027 thumbnail / “Dissidia Duel Masters Final Fantasy” CBT Preview Report. Defeat rivals! Beat the opposing team to defeat the boss Image Gallery No.028 thumbnail / “Dissidia Duel Masters Final Fantasy” CBT Preview Report. Defeat rivals! Beat the opposing team to defeat the boss
Characters are unlocked using Character Tickets, obtainable via events, gacha bonuses, and more. While one ticket grants a random character, collecting enough allows selecting specific ones. Start by gathering abilities, then unlock compatible characters.
Additionally, since this is team-based gameplay, attention should be paid to built-in features that promote player communication.
The game includes group chat functionality, allowing messages sent within a certain range. Players can set personalized “Player Tags,” making it easy to find like-minded teammates and form groups based on shared interests.
Integration with various social media platforms enhances connectivity between players. Image Gallery No.029 thumbnail / “Dissidia Duel Masters Final Fantasy” CBT Preview Report. Defeat rivals! Beat the opposing team to defeat the boss Image Gallery No.030 thumbnail / “Dissidia Duel Masters Final Fantasy” CBT Preview Report. Defeat rivals! Beat the opposing team to defeat the boss
Though not covered in depth here, rewards include exclusive new story content unique to this game. There are also challenge battles where completing them grants additional rewards.
These fine details indicate that the game aims to be a casual title with deep affection for the FF community—designed as an accessible space where fans of the Final Fantasy series can gather and enjoy themselves casually, despite its team-based combat format.
Please note: The version experienced in this media preview was still under development, so game mechanics may change significantly before release. While that’s important to keep in mind, overall impression is that the game itself holds high quality. Especially right after launch, new players should find it easy to jump in—so why not experience it with a festive mindset?