This is a lot of excitement surroundingFinal Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles. From diehard veterans of the PS1 era to those who entered the franchise with Final Fantasy 16, Tactics is something thatshouldbe exciting to basically everyone who has heard the term ‘Moogle’ or knows what a Phoenix Down is.
Final Fantasy Tactics isn’t a mainline, numbered entry. Its mainline character cameos range from the delightfully predictable to the bizarre (Luso? Really?). Its heroes are charmingly stylised sprites, not hyper-realistic models. So why is its return being hailed as a monumental event? I’m one of the people who played it back when I was ten years old, so let me enlighten you.
1A Story That Respects Your Intelligence
The War Of The Lions Is One For The Ages
The story of Final Fantasy Tactics is a dense, intricate political thriller that would feel right at home alongside Game of Thrones. Set against the backdrop of a brutal succession dispute often thought to be modelled on the War of the Roses, the narrative tackles incredibly mature themes of classism, religious corruption, and the inconvenient truths that get buried when history is written by the victors.
It’s a story told with nuance and moral ambiguity, where heroes are forgotten and villains are celebrated, leaving you to ponder the complex nature of justice long after the credits roll.
2The Job System
Need A Paladin? Stick White Magic On Your Knight
Here’s the heart of the compelling gameplay cycle. Almost every character you recruit in FFT is a blank slate. You assign them jobs (think: character classes) and develop them accordingly. Black Mages learn damaging spells, Chemists use items to heal their allies, and Dragoons propel themselves into the air and land on foes to devastating effect.
The magic happens when you start mixing and matching these jobs and their abilities.
Want a heavily-armoured Knight who can also teleport across the map like a Time Mage? Go for it. How about a stalwart Samurai who can wield two swords at once thanks to a Ninja ability? You can build that. The Job System offers a staggering level of customisation that encourages creativity, and the joy of creating a perfectly synergised, unstoppable squad is second to none.
3A Different Kind Of Hero
Ramza Is A Paragon Of Justice Whose Superpower Is Being Good
In a genre filled with chosen ones, Ramza Beoulve stands apart. He is a young nobleman who, faced with the horrific realities of war and the hypocrisy of his own class, chooses to push against the flow and forge his own path.
His journey isn’t one of destiny, but of principle. He fights for the forgotten and the downtrodden, not for glory or fame, but because it’s the right thing to do. He’s a protagonist defined by his quiet resolve and compassion, making his struggles and triumphs feel deeply personal and earned.
4Superb Tactical Strategy
Yet To Be Topped
Tactics is a turn-based strategy RPG that goes beyond a fantasy chess match. Every battle takes place on a grid-based map with varying terrain, and victory depends on shrewd positioning, clever strategy, and exploiting the environment.
Between FFT and Tactics Ogre, the ’90s really was the golden age of tactical strategy.
Moving your Archer to high ground so they can hit the furthest enemies, timing a Black Mage’s spell so it hits a cluster of foes instead of just one, or luring a powerful enemy into a bottleneck are the kinds of tactical decisions you’ll be making. It’s challenging, deeply rewarding, and every victory feels like a hard-won triumph of brain over brawn.
5Permanent Consequences
Hope You Know Life
This is a feature that made the original infamous. If one of your beloved, custom-built units falls in battle, you have three turns to revive them. Fail to do so, and they are gone forever.
If this happens to Ramza, it’s Game Over. Obviously, the story can’t continue without the leading man!
A part of me wonders if this mechanic might be turned into a toggle in the remaster, but gosh, I hope that isn’t the case; its inclusion in the original gave every battle a palpable sense of tension and danger. It made you play carefully, think strategically, and become truly attached to your soldiers, because the stakes were real.
6That Akihiko Yoshida Art Style, Remastered
Simply Timeless
Long before his iconic work on Final Fantasy 12 and 14 or Nier: Automata, artist Akihiko Yoshida defined the world of Ivalice with his unique visual flair. The game combines charming, fairy-tale character sprites withbeautiful, hand-drawn portraitsthat exude personality.
The announcement of The Ivalice Chronicles promises to give this timeless art style the high-def treatment it deserves, lovingly remastering the visuals to make the world more vibrant and detailed than ever before, while preserving the soul of the original.
7A Deep World
A Labyrinthian Web Of Lore To Uncover
The story of War of the Lions is just one chapter in a much larger history. The world of Ivalice is the same setting seen in the beloved Final Fantasy 12, and it is rich with deep, compelling lore.
From the legend of the Zodiac Braves to the mysterious demonic entities known as the Lucavi, the game is filled with historical texts and intricate backstories that create a tangible, lived-in world that feels epic in scope.
8Compelling Supporters
Not A Single Wasted Line Of Dialogue
Ramza may be the hero, but the characters who join his cause are just as memorable. You have Agrias Oaks, a stoic and fiercely loyal knight sworn to protect the princess; Mustadio, a plucky engineer fighting to save his father with the power of ancient technology; and the legendary Cidolfus Orlandeau, a character so famously overpowered that using him is basically an in-game (and almost canonical!) easy mode. And those are just the ones who make the biggest impacts.
In addition to these original characters, you’re able to also, famously, recruit Cloud, Balthier, and Luso in a standard playthrough of FFT!
These aren’t just faceless units; they are well-written characters with their own motivations who make the journey through Ivalice feel like a genuine fellowship. Following their stories through to completion is a joy in itself.
9The Soundtrack Is An All-Time Great
Earworms To The End
The score, composed by Hitoshi Sakimoto, is nothing short of a masterpiece. Eschewing typical upbeat battle themes, the music of Tactics is grand, orchestral, and often militaristic, perfectly capturing the gravitas of a sweeping historical conflict.
Tracks like ‘Trisection’ and ‘Antipyretic’ are iconic, and the promise of hearing these classic compositions remastered with a full orchestra is, for many fans, reason enough to be excited.
10The Blueprint Of A Genre
With Remarkable Longevity
Ultimately, the hype for The Ivalice Chronicles comes from a place of reverence. Final Fantasy Tactics is a foundational text for the strategy RPG genre. Its DNA can be found in countless modern classics, from theFire Emblem series to XCOM.
Its return isn’t just an exercise in nostalgia; it’s the reappearance of a titan. For veterans, it’s a chance to come home. For newcomers, it’s an opportunity to finally experience the masterclass in storytelling and strategic gameplay that has been celebrated for a generation.
