REVIEW – Back in the golden age of the PlayStation, when Japanese RPGs were constantly breaking boundaries and redefining the genre, Square Enix wasn’t just bold — it was revolutionary. The original Final Fantasy Tactics became a legend thanks to its rich, intrigue-filled narrative, incredibly complex combat system, and genre-defining mechanics — an influence still felt today in titles like Metaphor: Refantazio and Triangle Strategy. Now, almost three decades later, The Ivalice Chronicles breathes new life into this iconic classic, proving that nostalgia and innovation can go hand in hand. I still remember first playing it about twenty years ago, when I was an editor at GameStar, on my trusty GBA Advance.

The PS1 era was a golden age for RPG enthusiasts. Games like Chrono Cross, Xenogears, and Final Fantasy VII competed fiercely for players’ attention, each pushing the genre in bold new directions. At the heart of this creative explosion, Square Enix was producing genre-defining masterpieces, taking risks that few other studios would dare. It was in this atmosphere of innovation and ambition that the original Final Fantasy Tactics was born — a game that didn’t just shape the future of tactical RPGs, but became the benchmark against which all others would be measured.

This uncompromising, true-blooded tactical RPG became a global phenomenon for its captivating high-fantasy story, its then-revolutionary job system, and its deep, turn-based combat. Its DNA still pulses through modern titles like Metaphor: Refantazio and Triangle Strategy. That’s what makes Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles so fascinating: it’s both a foundational pillar of the tactics genre and a fresh, compelling experience in its own right. How much you’ll enjoy it, however, depends on many factors — so it’s hard to give a blanket recommendation.

Old-School Spirit, Modern Polish

Even in this fully remastered, meticulously polished form, Final Fantasy Tactics will never be as broadly appealing as something like Clair Obscur or even the original Final Fantasy VII. But Square Enix deserves credit: they’ve managed to preserve the soul of the original while layering on a host of welcome improvements. The Ivalice Chronicles is much closer to a classic remaster than a full-scale remake — and that’s both a blessing and a curse. It’s a treasure for game historians and retro purists, but it also means the game still feels very much like a PS1 title — for better and for worse. Fortunately, Final Fantasy Tactics remains one of the most finely crafted tactical RPGs ever made.

How well a remaster lands with audiences often comes down to whether players feel it was “necessary” in the first place. If you played the original and think there’s no reason to revisit it, you might want to rethink that — because The Ivalice Chronicles improves upon its predecessor in almost every conceivable way.

This new edition is actually a two-in-one package: alongside the remaster, you also get the original version (based on the 2007 War of the Lions release), and switching between them makes the upgrades instantly obvious. The core gameplay remains intact, but the remaster introduces a long list of quality-of-life improvements, including:

– A completely redesigned, cleaner, more informative user interface

The difference these changes make can’t be overstated. The original Final Fantasy Tactics now feels painfully dated: you couldn’t skip lengthy dialogue scenes, you couldn’t fast-forward through slower combat phases, and dying meant replaying an entire battle from scratch. The Ivalice Chronicles solves all of this — a single button press now speeds up the flow of combat, letting enemy turns fly by in seconds. Mid-battle autosaves might feel like cheating at first, but because you can only save up to three turns, they don’t break the challenge. Sure, this might tempt you into a bit of “save-scumming” before a risky attack, but it’s worth it — no more replaying grueling fights because of a single mistake.

The user interface overhaul is another huge win. The Tactical View feature is a godsend, making movement and strategy far more intuitive. Action menus no longer swallow half the screen, decisions can be made more quickly, and a new initiative tracker showing the order of turns adds an extra layer of depth without disrupting the original design.

Visually, Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles is a significant step up. The classic 2D sprites and 3D battle maps are still here, but they’ve been sharpened and refined with modern resolutions and more detail. The end result is a crisper, more vibrant version of the same timeless aesthetic. Full voice acting — impressively well done — adds even more drama and weight to the already epic story. Longtime fans will fall in love with The Ivalice Chronicles all over again — though newcomers might want to approach it with a little caution.

Brilliance With a Few Battle Scars

As faithful as The Ivalice Chronicles is to its source material, it’s worth noting that not every rough edge has been sanded down. Square Enix clearly wanted to preserve the essence of the original experience, which means there are elements that won’t sit well with everyone. For example, the game still leans heavily on grinding — a staple of 1990s JRPGs — and modern players accustomed to more streamlined pacing might find this tedious. The learning curve is also steep, and the mechanics aren’t always clearly explained. Hardcore fans wouldn’t have it any other way, but everyone else should keep this in mind before diving in.

Where the game truly shines is in its story — a Shakespearean drama that explores themes like class division, birthright, and misogyny with a level of nuance and maturity rarely seen in big-budget games today. That said, it can drag at times, so if endless dialogue isn’t your thing, that fast-forward button will become your new best friend.

Combat and progression are equally strong. Planning and executing a winning strategy is immensely satisfying, and experimenting with different jobs, skill combinations, and equipment setups never stops being fun. Yes, the gameplay can feel a bit quaint compared to modern heavyweights like Baldur’s Gate 3 or Fire Emblem: Three Houses, but for many players, that’s exactly what makes it so refreshing.

The Art Of a Proper Remaster

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles is a textbook example of how to bring a classic back to life the right way. It carefully enhances the 1998 original, making it more beautiful, immersive, and user-friendly without tampering with its core identity. Whether these foundational elements can hold their own against today’s tactical RPGs will undoubtedly spark debate in the months ahead — but veterans of the original will find everything they loved, while newcomers will discover plenty to enjoy if they approach it with patience and an open mind.

-Gergely Herpai „BadSector”-

Developer: Square Enix
Publisher: Square Enix
Genre: Tactical JRPG
Release Date: September 4, 2025