Final Fantasy Tactics is one of the greatest games ever made. With its mix of top-notch storytelling, deep strategic combat and robust customization mechanics, the influential 1997 PlayStation classic has held up beautifully. And now, developer Square Enix has released an updated version of the game, The Ivalice Chronicles, that so lovingly preserves that original masterful experience while adding a slew of smart improvements.
For the uninitiated, Final Fantasy Tactics is a spin-off of the main Final Fantasy series that was helmed by Yasumi Matsuno, who had previously worked on Ogre Battle and would go on to direct the likes of Vagrant Story and Final Fantasy XII. Like some of his other games, Tactics is set in the politically-charged high fantasy world of Ivalice, giving it a unique flavour from the Final Fantasy titles of that era, like the steampunk Final Fantasy VI or cyberpunk Final Fantasy VII.
But even in the years since, Tactics has proven to be especially timely. Tactics follows Ramza, a young noble of House Beoulve who finds himself caught in a war between factions for the throne of the kingdom. Even in a now post-Game of Thrones world, though, Tactics‘ initially familiar-sounding premise paves the way for a rich and thought-provoking exploration of class struggle, morality, organized religion and historical revisionism.
Throughout the narrative, Ramza serves as the perfect anchor for these themes, starting off as a well-meaning but naïve and aimless man who must grapple with the injustices of the world and ultimately discover his heroic purpose. He leads a universally strong cast of characters that includes Delita, his morally grey commoner best friend; Argath, a knight whose disgraced family name leads him on a selfish and contemptuous path; and Wiegraf, a sympathetic antagonist who wages war against the aristocracy.
Wisely, The Ivalice Chronicles leaves this exceptionally well-written story pretty much entirely as is, with Matsuno returning to provide some small script additions, plus, more meaningfully, overseeing gameplay refinements. Indeed, the bulk of the changes come from how that remarkable tale is packaged and presented, and on the whole, they’re most welcome.
First and foremost, there’s the option to either stick with the original visuals or go for the new “Enhanced” version featuring modernized graphics. Honestly, I’d recommend the latter, as it preserves Tactics‘ signature unique three-dimensional isometric diorama-like aesthetic while sharpening textures, character models and special effects with an HD sheen. Joining the updated visuals is full voice acting, and the almost entirely British cast does a splendid job of adding gravitas to the already operatic story. (Final Fantasy XVI fans will be especially pleased to know that Clive himself, the delightful and talented Ben Starr, plays Ramza’s brother Dycedarg)
The Enhanced version also introduces a bevy of quality-of-life improvements, including a modernized UI, a breakdown of unit turn order, the ability to speed up and save during battles, adjustable game difficulty, a (very handy) encyclopedia for the game’s many characters, locales and terminology, and more. Thankfully, these tweaks address some of the issues with both the original Tactics and its War of the Lion PSP remaster. With the former version, players had a lot of gripes about intermittent difficult spikes, and so mid-battle saves and difficulty options certainly provide some respite. And with War of the Lions, there were some frustrating frame rate dips when units cast spells; not only is that fixed here, but being able to fast forward helps improve pacing even more, especially during lengthy attack animations.
Removing some of these pain points allows you to better focus on the outstanding battles. If you’re new to Tactics, it might surprise you to see how the battles are much smaller scale than something you’d see in, say, a modern Fire Emblem. That’s because you’re generally working with a party of five units and one or two CPU-controlled guests in a relatively tight combat arena.
But this approach gives Tactics a much more intimate and deadly feel as it makes every unit feel purposeful and your resulting decisions more weighty. Many attacks, like spells, also have area of effect statuses, further challenging you to be careful about placement. At the same time, The Ivalice Chronicles‘ aforementioned new options helps further avoid making things too punishing, as does the permadeath system, which gives you three turns to revive a fallen unit before they’re gone forever. It’s a perfect balance between the instant loss of a party member in something like Fire Emblem while also still providing real stakes.
Then there’s perhaps my favourite tweak in The Ivalice Chronicles. As someone who considers Final Fantasy VII his all-time favourite game, it naturally involves none other than Cloud Strife. Yes, the fan-favourite hero who was a guest character in the original Tactics is back in The Ivalice Chronicles, and Cody Christian even reprises the role from FFVII Remake and Rebirth. (Briana White also returns from those games as the “Flower Peddler,” a not-so-subtle nod to Aerith.) Better yet, The Ivalice Chronicles has reworked Cloud a bit to allow you to recruit him earlier while making him already equipped with the Materia Blade weapon necessary to unlock his special Limit Break attacks. In the original game, Cloud entered the fray late, making him less effective as a party member, so these changes to the gaming icon are much appreciated.
At the same time, it should be noted that some other content isn’t included in Ivalice Chronicles. In particular, the material added in War of the Lions, like new jobs and Final Fantasy XII‘s Balthier, are missing here as Ivalice Chronicles is based on the original PS1 game. (Square Enix says it lost that original source code.) Balthier’s absence is especially disappointing as he’s both XII‘s best character and the perfect guest, given that his game is also set in Ivalice.
It’s a minor criticism, though, especially when The Ivalice Chronicles is, on the whole, such a commendably faithful recreation of the original game. Really, it’s pretty much everything you could want from a remaster. The 1997 Tactics experience is so timeless, and that remains intact here alongside a handful of clever quality-of-life improvements to sweeten the deal. Whether you’re a newcomer to Final Fantasy Tactics or a seasoned veteran like myself, The Ivalice Chronicles is the definitive version of one of gaming’s all-timers and an absolute must-play.
Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles will launch on PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC on September 30.
Image credit: Square Enix
