During my time with FF, I’ve come across a surprisingly high number of people who’ve never tried Final Fantasy Tactics (FFT). I don’t blame you if you’ve not played it before – After all, tactical games aren’t for everyone. I’m here to tell you why it’s worth your time.
For fans, FFT is set in the kingdom of Ivalice, as the name suggests. A war for power is in progress, but this time, it’s from within. This is a simplification, however, and slowly unravels after battles, primarily exploring themes of oppression.
Why play this remastered version of FFT in 2025 (and beyond)? Firstly, new and improved accessibility makes it much easier to digest in the modern gaming landscape. Skippable cutscenes (and battles), fast forward options, and autosaving are a few improvements which make FFT remaster worth it, but these are only a few QoL improvements.
High quality voice acting is, by far, the biggest change and makes this a must buy for me. The original FFT is beautiful to play through, but the remaster makes it that much more enjoyable thanks to the cast of voice actors and their amazing delivery. The narrative remains the same, but now, it’s delivered in spectacular fashion.
It’s not all perfect, however, as some content from War of the Lions is missing. Additional characters and jobs aren’t included in the remaster, which is unfortunate. While the impact is minimal, it does leave a somewhat sour taste in my mouth.
Finally, the ‘Tactician’ difficulty option feels like stat padding rather than genuine tactical improvements. Again, the impact is minimal as the base game is difficult enough for first timers. However, for fans, this feels underwhelming – I don’t want padded stats, I want to test my knowledge of systems and synergies to succeed.
FFT has three parts: Grid based battels, short story sequences to drive the narrative forward, and towns to equip weapons and amour. You see, FFT isn’t a traditional JRPG, it lacks the freedom found in other titles. There’s an overworld with dots connected locations, but no world to freely explore in the traditional sense.
However, combat, experience, equipment, items, and an absolutely amazing job system offer more than enough to have you feeling right at home. Combat is grid based, with height and terrain playing a massive role. Similarly, bravery (impact % based abilities) and faith (magic offense and defense) add additional layers to the tactical aspect without feeling convoluted or overwhelming.
The job system is where FFT shines, and is by far the most engaging aspect of the game, for me at least. At a high level, perform actions with a specific class and you’ll receive job points (JP) to level it up. This can be somewhat exploited by stacking the same class to, in a sense, power level – Doing so eliminates the fun, however.
Go in blind, explore the jobs, and don’t focus on min-maxing. This is the bulk of gameplay, outside the actual combat encounters. Some jobs are optimal while others are suboptimal, but all are capable. Switching jobs and unlocking new abilities is necessary to unlock some of the best abilities in the game, so be sure not to stay stuck to one class throughout your playthrough.
As all jobs are capable, subsequent playthroughs to experiment with different builds and classes are enjoyable. While FFT is a long game, it’s very flexible in how you can approach it. With a plethora of side quests to keep you busy, and even secrets to uncover for those who really want to explore, you’ll never feel short of content.
FF has some of the best musical scores in the industry, with me listening to many hits many years later after I first heard them. Despite the lack of large orchestral themes due to system limitations, the music in FFT is enjoyable. I wish Square went all out and remastered the soundtrack in full – Orchestra and all – But this in no way takes away from the game.
Something I loved was the option to use original or enhanced graphics. Whether driven by nostalgia, or desiring modern technologies, FFT has you covered. The visuals have been upgraded enough to modernise the title without going overboard and removing the charm the original had – A remaster done right.
Whether you’re a fan or a first timer, if you enjoy RPGs and tactical combat, FFT is a brilliant game to play. For fans, it holds true to the original release, offering enough different for it to feel improved without detracting from the original charm. For first timers, it’s a brilliant introduction into the world of FF.
Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles
Square truly understood what RPG lovers love when creating the job system and story. It rewards those who explore, both in levelling and side quests. There’s nothing bad I can say for FFT – My only gripes aren’t real gripes, rather a desire for more (call me greedy) from a game I absolutely adored as a child, and again as an adult.
PROS
- Voice acting
- Plenty of quality-of-life updates
- Holds true to the original while feeling fresh
- Option to choose between original and enhanced graphics
CONS
- Padded difficulty
- Audio hasn’t been remastered in full
- Doesn’t contain War of the Lions content
