Square Enix has continued its long-running tradition of revisiting beloved role-playing games with a new remake of Final Fantasy Tactics. The latest version, titled Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles, offers a fresh take on the acclaimed tactical spin-off while returning it to major consoles. The original game has been reworked before, most notably through the War of the Lions edition for the PlayStation Portable, which later made its way to iOS and Android. This new release, however, is a full remake that diverges from earlier updates and even removes some characters and additions introduced in the PSP adaptation.
The game first appeared only months after Final Fantasy VII, which pushed the series into polygonal graphics and cinematic presentation. In contrast, Tactics used sprites and compact isometric maps, giving it a more traditional visual style. Despite this, the game was widely praised at launch for its strategic depth and storytelling, even if it never matched the mainstream success of Cloud and his companions.
The difficulty of Tactics has always set it apart. Battles often rely on random number generation, parties are frequently outnumbered, and key spells such as resurrection or defensive magic can fail at crucial moments. One early revival spell failure on the Switch 2 reportedly caused an involuntary outburst from the reviewer, illustrating how punishing the game can be. Yet the sense of defeat carries a certain appeal, offering what they described as a distinct “gaming umami”.
Modern upgrades and classic features
The Ivalice Chronicles can be experienced in two distinct ways. The modern mode introduces high-resolution sprites, updated backgrounds and refined visual effects, while keeping the original isometric view that players can tilt and rotate to follow the action. The remake also incorporates an HD-2D-style depth-of-field blur, adding a contemporary layer to the presentation.
A classic mode is also available for those who prefer the original game’s pixelated aesthetic. However, players cannot switch between the two visual styles mid-campaign, unlike in other role-playing games such as Dragon Quest XI S. More notably, the classic version lacks the remake’s enhanced voice acting. The improved performances bring greater life to the diorama-style cutscenes, intensify the political storyline and add character reactions during battles when key fighters use specific job-related abilities.
The job system itself remains faithful to the original design. Players begin with base roles such as knight, white knight and freelancer before unlocking advanced options like dragoon and summoner. Later in the game, more unusual yet powerful roles appear, including the arithmetician, known for utilising mathematical formulas to cast spells, and the ninja, prized for speed and multi-strike attacks.
A demanding but rewarding journey
The difficulty curve remains steep. The reviewer admitted struggling through several spikes in challenge, particularly during the infamous encounter with the corrupted knight Wiegraf. The first stage of this battle forces the protagonist to fight him alone, and repeated defeats — roughly 20 attempts — require building a specialised character capable of powerful strikes, self-healing, and survival long enough to progress to the next phase.
While levelling up and grinding for job points are possible, the more efficient approach is to learn the rhythm of each battle. Characters gain job points by performing actions such as attacking, healing or stealing. These points unlock abilities and passive skills that can be mixed between roles, allowing players to tailor their team to counter specific threats. Archers can be neutralised using an ability called Archer’s Bane, while slow enemies clustered together can be overwhelmed by a summoner who restores MP with each movement.
Despite the strategic depth, repeating battles to earn enough job points can feel tiresome. The addition of a battle-speed toggle helps reduce the monotony of grinding without undermining the game’s tactical nature.
The reviewer noted a sense of nostalgia for a title they had never completed in its earlier forms, suggesting that the game’s depth becomes clearer over time. Although the remake offers strong voice acting and helpful quality-of-life improvements, some players may miss the extra jobs and characters from previous versions. Nevertheless, Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles stands as a strong tactical RPG across multiple platforms, including Nintendo Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S and PC.
