Somehow, I’ve never played Final Fantasy Tactics. It’s surprising, as I’m a huge Tactics fan and even a massive Final Fantasy fan, but I didn’t play the game on release, and it has consistently evaded me in the decades since.
But its influence has been palpable. FF Tactics has popped up in countless articles, recommendation lists, and as an influence for so many titles I adore. Finally, I understand why. Now, for a newcomer, does this title live up to the monumental expectation?
Putting the square in Square Enix
Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles is a modern repackage of the 1997 PS1 title, Final Fantasy Tactics. Importantly, while it takes some of the script from the 2007 PSP port, known as The War of the Lions, it does not feature all of the additional content from that port. But the conveniences and flourishes added for this version make that omission worthwhile.
As a Final Fantasy spin-off, Tactics spreads the action over a grid-based battlefield. Attacks must consider the angle, the height, and the position of both characters, and moves like magical attacks must even consider the areas surrounding the intended target. Get your Black Mage to cast Firaga, and the attack not only hits the square occupied by your opponent, but also the four tiles immediately connected to the recipient. This sort of nuance is what makes combat excel, but also introduces a multitude of new difficulties that take effort to master. Thankfully, there are many new features here to make your life easier.
This release is split into two distinct versions. A ‘Classic’ version of Final Fantasy Tactics, with the same gameplay, pixel-visuals, and aspect ratio of the PS1 original. Then, there’s The Ivalice Chronicles, the official name for this modern remaster. The latter version is the one with the ‘updated’ visuals, voice acting, gameplay changes, and UI enhancements. Most people will likely want to jump into the newer version as many small changes streamline gameplay, while other additions elevate the game’s wonderful story.
Tactics tells a truly moving tale
In FFT, you play as Ramza, a young noble caught in the midst of a war between nations. The larger narrative is fairly interesting, but it’s the intricacies that work the most for me. Well-written dialogue reveals the greater themes of classism, the corruption of power, and exploitation. Alongside all of the Chocobos and monsters is a very real story.
I also love how seriously this narrative is taken and the several gut-wrenching emotional beats. One thing I always enjoy about tactical games is how every movement and every attack is consequential. Here, the combat feels like a microcosm of the greater political landscape. Movement requires planning, and attacks require counters. It makes those inevitable emotional knife-twists all the more painful, and boy, does FFT have a few of those.
There are two things that elevate the emotional story. The first is the borderline perfect score, which is lifted wholesale from the original and is just sublime. The second of which is the phenomenal voice acting. With a world stuffed with difficult fantasy words and some lofty concepts, it’s heartening to hear the script delivered with consistent clarity and respect. The work of the entire voice cast kept me engaged, particularly the standout work of Joe Pitts as Ramza.
Whether lecturing evildoers, negotiating with sellswords, or screaming out in agony, Pitts throws it all out there, imbuing Ramza with both a fierce energy and an emotional vulnerability. It’s an impressive performance that anchors the story around it. Gregg Lowe as Delita is similarly impressive, as are other actors such as Hannah Melbourn as Agrias, House of the Dragon’s Emily Carey as Alma, and, of course, FFXVI’s very own Ben Starr, here playing Dycedarg. The voice acting is a big change, but it has been executed well. It feels like this remake/remaster has been treated with reverence at every opportunity.
Importantly, FFT: The Ivalice Chronicles is directed by Kazutoyo Maehiro, possibly best known for their work as Creative Director on FF XVI, and Main Scenario Writer for Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, and Heavensward. Considering they worked on the original PS1 release of Final Fantasy Tactics, this project feels like a labor of love, while the years of subsequent experience seem to inform the smart combat changes.
Old game, new feel
On combat, after playing so many tactics games (Triangle Strategy, Into The Breach, Fire Emblem), it’s astonishing how fully formed Final Fantasy Tactics is. Placement is utterly essential, as is avoiding getting swamped, and learning to corner foes. If Ramza or other key characters get knocked down, you have three rounds until they die, and you hit Game Over. It's tough, but using your jobs and abilities to augment these moves feels immensely satisfying, and the difficulty ramps up nicely alongside your skills.
One of the standout characteristics of Final Fantasy Tactics is the in-depth job system. While you start as a Squire with standard attacks, eventually you can change to a Knight, an Archer, or a magic user like the Black Mage. Every job offers unique attacks that change how you interact with the landscape, and it feels great to earn JP, unlock attacks, and explore the multiple job options and combinations. Not every job is as interesting as others, but the amount of choices means you're rarely left wanting. You’ll be grinding quite a lot just to try Jobs out, but thankfully, battles are a lot quicker.
Final Fantasy Tactics: The Invalice Chronicles adds essential improvements, such as auto-battle and fast-forward, though annoyingly fast-forward requires you to keep a button pressed in, while I would really prefer to select a fast-forward option and sit back. You can also now see the turn order on screen at all times to better plan your attacks.
There’s also the fantastic ‘tactical view’ which gives you an aerial glance, making it much easier to parse unit locations among obstacles and sheer surfaces. You are still restricted to one of four (NESW) views in regular combat, and you can't select units or attacks while in the aerial mode, so while this top-down view is great, the options could still be improved.
Finally, I just don't love the new visuals. The ‘pixel-smoothing’ effect on display in The Invalice Chronicles makes things somewhat easier to read, but when playing the Classic mode, I just adore the accurate pixels. Considering I prefer the gameplay changes and voice acting in the newer mode, it’s annoying that players can't choose between the two art styles. I understand they are almost two different games, but it’s a tough pill to swallow.
Similarly, I find a lot of the presentation in The Invalice Chronicles quite flat. Backgrounds are often just plain colours, and there’s little done with lighting or particles to accentuate the presentation. Games like Triangle Strategy show what is possible while still working with pixels, and here, while I liked the art, I found myself wishing for a little more.
Final Fantasy Tactics: The Invalice Chronicles feels fresh and modern even today, a testament to the strength of the original and the few smart changes added in this revisit. Timely themes of classism and empires feel just as emotionally resonant as ever, but uplifted by the strength of a truly impressive voice cast. The only thing holding it back is the ‘new’ art style and flat visuals, which, while serviceable, feel occasionally dull and uninspired. Still, The Ivalice Chronicles proves why this classic is so revered, and the additions mean it has never been better.
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