Final Fantasy Tactics is a Tactical RPG game developed by Square Co., Ltd. and published by Sony Computer Entertainment America, Inc. in 1998 for the Playstation.

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Overall 9.5    Graphics 8.3    Sound 7.3    Addictive 8    Story 8.3    Depth 8    Difficulty 6.3


An interesting new Final Fantasy game.   rb1295
Final Fantasy Tactics, as the name implies it is part of the Final Fantasy series of games, but unlike the traditional type of Final Fantasy games, rpgs, this one is a strategy based rpg with a new style of playing.

Through out the game, there are many different characters, most of which have their own original look, but some of them don't. How some of them look the same can help differentiate between a few different  things in the game, but it can also get to be confusing. There are also a lot of different animations these animations all seem to fit in with what they were meant to be. Overall, the graphics are good, but not the best for the PlayStation, but they still help players enjoy the game.

The variety of sound effects and differing background music helps set the mood for what the player is doing or where they are in the game. By having good sound effects that match what they are suppose to be, a player can seem to understand what they are doing more. The different background music helps a player to understand what its like where they are; this helps the play enjoy the different places more.

Overall, this game is pretty addicting. By allowing the player to enjoy the story and a unique game play, the game starts to pull a player in. The combination of the sounds and graphics also help make this game addicting, by making the player feel more comfortable with the game where they are in the game.

By offering the player a unique and interesting story, the game becomes all the better. With a large variety of different things happenings throughout the game; this give players more depth in the story and allows them to enjoy it all the more. By having the not too long story, its easier for a player to get into the story and enjoy it.

There are a few different things that a player can do other than just follow the story. Even though there are not many different things that a player can do, there are enough that a player can take a break from the story if needed, or they could just enjoy these things.

At first the controls seem a little odd, but they are easy to learn. The main part of the difficulty in this game are some battles, but if the player is having problems with them, they have a choice to go and do some other things instead for a while, or until they are ready to take on the challenge.

Overall, there are a many different aspects that help make this game what it is. Even with it being different than a normal rpg, it is still an entertaining game to play and has many different things for a player to enjoy. While not being a normal rpg, but being a strategy based rpg, this game also deserves to be part of the Final Fantasy series of games. This game is a good change from the normal rpg, and is still entertaining.
  Graphics 8   Sound 9   Addictive 10   Story 10   Depth 7   Difficulty 5
      Review Rating: 4.3/5     Submitted: 05-21-13     Review Replies: 4


Final Fantasy at its Finest   benis
Overall: 9.9. Final Fantasy Tactics is a polarizing game. While is it regarded by critics as being one of the best PS1 games, it is viewed by some as the black sheet of the Final Fantasy Series. You need to realize that this game isn't like the rest of the FF universe. On it's face, it's not like them at all. However, if you give the game a chance, you'd start seeing so many reminders that this is part of one of the greatest video game series of all time. It has a different style but it's such a GREAT game. I've beaten about 2/3 of the FF games out there but Tactics is the only one that I've beaten more than twice. It's one of those games that just doesn't get old. It just sticks in your mind and and you think about it and say "aww man I haven't played that game in awhile, I need to give it another run". This is a strategy RPG and for those who don't know what that means, it's nothing like other FF games. To enjoy this game, don't go into this thinking it's going to be the same experience as FF7 because it's not going to meet those expectations. The thing that a strategy game is all about is... wait for it... gasp! Strategy. Simply overpowering an enemy won't work most of the time and you need to use different tactics (pun intended) to overcome their strengths and expose their weaknesses. This takes a little bit of getting used to in the beginning but once you figure out what's going on, you'll be so immersed in the game that you'll feel like you're living there. This is such an awesome game! I've recently played through the PSP port of Tactics and that is a fantastic addition. It includes a couple extra job classes and introduces cut scenes with voice acting. If you can get your hands on that, check it out in addition to the PS1 version. I've also played the GBA Tactics game and while I don't want to focus my review on bashing those games, they pale in comparison to the original Tactics. I've read some other reviews saying that they preferred the Advance games over the PS1 version and I'm not sure I understand it. I feel like the GBA games have no intriguing story or characters and you're just doing random mission after random mission. I've tried to like them and if I hadn't play FFT first, I might love them. But they just don't come close to matching what this game game has to offer. Graphics: 8. The characters look good. The environments look good. But honestly, after playing Super Mario RPG in recent years, I think they could have been much better. If an SNES game in the isometric/grid view then a PS1 game should look GREAT. I don't want to criticize it too much because the graphics are really nice. Compared to the blocky characters of FF7, Tactics is fantastic! I love all the different environments that look vibrant and unique. The various jobs are distinguishable and fantastic. I would have liked to have some FMV cut scenes like in FF7 or voice acting like in PSP War of the Lions but it definitely doesn't take away from story at all. Sound: 8. Just like the graphics, the sound is very good while not spectacular. To be fair, there aren't many games out there I'd give a rating higher than an 8. For these earlier games, the sound just isn't all that important to me. However, I do appreciate how the music in this game sets the mood based upon what's happening in the story. The sound effects during battle are satisfying and rock solid. It's very enjoyable to cast spells and attack the enemy. Addictiveness: 10. Like I mentioned previously, I've played through this game several times. It's replayability is so high, it's crazy. Now, it does take some time getting used to the style. The learning curve can be a bit steep but if you stick with it and not get frustrated, it starts to get a little easier and more enjoyable. But once you're through the first Act, you're hooked. If you haven't made it to Act II then you can't accurately critique this game in my opinion. From that point on, you can't put the game down. Whether you're advancing the story or completing a side quest or even trying to master/unlock another job class, you're always wanting to do more with this game. Part of the addicting factor due to the job class system which I'll cover under the Depth section. Story: 10. I don't even know where to start with this one. Literally, I can't because I don't fully understand the story evne though I've played through this game multiple times. It's not because it's poorly told or unnecessarily convoluted, it's just a complex tale full of interlocking characters and personalities. It has your typical FF plot twists where you are fighting one bad guy only to later realize it's another bad guy that's your true enemy. While this is a FF tried and true formula, Tactics executes it better than any other FF game. Seriously, it's fantastic. I think the mark of a good story is if you care about the characters. We all cared when Aries was killed off in FF7 didn't we? That made the story really good because we were connected with her. The same thing happens in Tactics. You care about Ramza and Delita and their strained friendship. You want to know what's Delita's true motive and what he's going to do next. That's how you know it's a good story and you're not just blowing through the dialogue to move on to the next battle. Because you don't have an open world to explore, the story and game does feel pretty linear. But at least you don't have the "where the hell do I go now?" feeling. Plus, backtracking isn't really much of a chore like in other RPGs. Depth: 10. Here's where Tactics shines. As with any FF game, the amount of depth due to side quests, secret/ultimate weapons, secret characters is unmatched. Tactics has all of those things of course, but it's the Job System that takes this baby to an 11. The amount of customization possibilities are HUGE. Where FFV took the simple job system and improved upon it, Tactics perfected it. For those who are new, the job system works like this. There are several starter jobs which have different inherent abilities. For example, the chemist is good at using items while the archer focuses on long range attacks and equips a bow. The knight is a strong physical attacker while the white mage is a healer. Each job has their strength and weakness that reflect their stats, equipment and special abilities. As you learn abilities and level up, you an switch classes and retain some abilities of previous classes. You can have a knight that can cast black magic for example. As you progress, you'll unlock more classes that are have some pretty powerful abilities such as the Ninja's Dual Wield. What this amounts to is that you can play the game so many different ways by using these classes for your various characters. The only problem with this is that you get special characters as you progress who are pretty overpowered (looking at you Orlandu). So to beat the game you don't need to change classes and strategize as much. You can just roll through the enemy without too much effort. Net- this makes a lot of the leveling up unnecessary. I know what you're thinking, "oh so you have to grind to get all these special features". Well, yes and no. If you'd like to master every class then yeah, it's going to require grinding (although there are tips and tricks to help with this). But if you strategize on what you want to do in the big picture, it's not that much work. Also, the battles are enjoyable so it's not like it's that much work. Difficulty: 6. This is a tough one. The beginning can be difficult when you're still learning the ropes and your characters are weak. I remember the first battle against a Black Mage was really tough since he could hit multiple characters at once with his magic. There are a few difficult battles mixed here and there throughout the game but if you know what you're doing, it's not that difficult. The end of the game is not challenging and I wish it was harder. You almost don't want to use Orlandu because he's so powerful and it makes it too easy but he's just so awesome that it's hard not to play with him. Perhaps one day I'll play the game again and the only special character I'll use is Ramza. I'm sure that'll beef up the difficulty a bit so give that a try if you're so inclined and let me know your thoughts. All I have to say, give this game a shot. Play at least halfway through Act II and give a fair assessment based upon what it delivers and not what the name on the box says. I think you'll be pleased. I freaking love this game!!
  Graphics 8   Sound 8   Addictive 10   Story 10   Depth 10   Difficulty 6
      Review Rating: 3.7/5     Submitted: 02-28-15     Review Replies: 2


Strategy minded game that borrows hints of many Final Fantasy games before it   endings
Since the first Final Fantasy game, the idea of your characters changing jobs - or class, has popped up now and again. Final Fantasy Tactics expands on that, offering a robust line up of jobs that any character can learn, and allows you to play with all the combinations of powers and skills each can provide. This is not to say all the characters are cookie-cutter, no, many are unique modeled characters who also start with a job unique to them. There is a staggering level of customization, oodles of talents, spells, rare items and powers to inflict upon your enemies. But this game comes with a price, investment. It is one seriously heavy time-sink, some battles taking a long time to complete. Which is not all surprising as the people behind SNES war game Ogre Battle, were involved in this too. You play as Ramza, and your friend Delita are in training at a soldier academy when a rebellion breaks out. The story quickly escalates from there, lending to a whole civil war. Its told over several acts, each full of supporting characters that come and go (although mainly its the bad guys that go). For each stage you will pick whom you want to take in your party, and then there is no retreat, no surrender. The battle are all done from an isometric view, if you see an opponent, you can try to attack them, no other battle screen needs to be initiated. This is not a traditional rpg where you walk around towns and search people's houses for treasure, getting into random battles with tonberry. To those who have played this series of games and love it, you might ask -is this anything like a Final Fantasy game? Why, yes, it is. There is no battle screen you're familiar with, but it has lots of things those who follow the series will remember. Play Final Fantasy II? The Dragoon job is here, called Lancer, and has the special Jump command that had Kain at your side until the end. Like magic? Time magic like stop, haste and even summoners with Shiva and spells you know and some new ones. These are just a tiny bit of examples. This has the heart of a Final Fantasy game because it IS a Final Fantasy game.Let's review a bit, shall we?Graphics: 8This ain't no Final Fantasy 7. You won't be amazed by the graphics here. But you will be pleased. The many map types are by and large, interesting, detailed and usually have one or two focal points that really stand out. Giant buildings with the right gear can be scaled, pretty much everything can be explored. Love the maps, although some feel small. The characters are a decent size on screen, and being able to turn the map to see it from all sides, even enemies hiding can be spotted so you can plan and plot. Job classes dress different and stand out, bosses also have their own unique character art and the cast of players is huge, so you can see this is quite an undertaking. Probably the best graphic effects in game is the summoner spells, they are brief but not exactly impressive.The character art is .. well its different. I won't say they are ugly, but they all have no nose. Some would argue its the least important feature for a portrait, but it makes everyone seem super young, even guys with grey beards. I am not docking the game anything point-wise for this, but it was odd enough I felt the need to point it out.Sound: 6Honestly, I think the music is not up to par with most games from Square. Not to say the music is bad and off-putting, like its for some other game entirely. No, its not exactly bad, its just.. there for me. I do like the title track, the horn music from the troop placement screen (Called "Attack Team" in ost), and honestly, thats about it.  Take the victorious fanfare music. Its not bombastic and full of triumph. Its almost bed-timey. It starts with tempo then its harps and a lighter sound than I was expecting. The battle music, its got the low menace of drums and a dangerous tone to it, but it never got catchy or memorable to me. By comparison of what my tastes in their previous works, American released Square games with great music I'd say are FFII, FFIII, FF7, FFX. Your mileage may vary, you may love it.Addictiveness: 8The story plays out over a series of years, and its far-reaching and has lots of twists and betrayals, traveling a large map and all sorts of things. There is a lot of hidden items to find on each map, and some of them can never be found anywhere else! This is a huge deal, although quite annoying, as there are many maps that are a one-time play. If you miss that chance, it does not come back. Playing with a strategy guide to clue you into their location is almost a must if you care about this one-in-a-chance loot.The ability to level up your characters and change jobs is very fun, there are so many to choose from. Things you'd expect in Final Fantasy, the white mage, the mimic (ha!), the kung fu expert. There are some really clever ones, like one that deals damage based on a factor of equations, or one that inspires their comrades with stat boosts in a support role.The fact that some maps take an hour or so to complete (if you're trying to get everything) can be a real drag. A special dungeon which forces you to look for the exit to continue (without killing all the monsters) makes the time slow to a complete crawl inside it. Not fun. Depth: 8So many jobs. Over 30. Its a LOT of fun to unlock them, as they are initally divided into physical jobs (Knight, Thief, Monk) and Magical ones (White and Black mage, Chemist). Leveling up a job class can unlock new ones, and some take a combination of jobs to unlock. Some even are open only based on your gender!The items. There is a ton of items in this game, most of it gear for your party. From rare perfumes to guns that fire magic bullets, there is much to collect here, and much of it good. As stated in Addictiveness, you can lose out on a lot of rare gear if you don't even know its there for the taking. The Theif class' steal ability to rip it right from enemy hands, or searching a square for finding hidden loot (from the Chemist) are uber important to trying to collect the best things.Difficulty: 7This is not a really hard game. But it is very long, and somewhat taxing on your patience. Thank goodness for save states now!  There are a few battles, one on a rooftop burns in my memory, that are almost unfair. But they are rare. WIth the ability to go to certain maps and fight random things to level up, raise jobs and learn new ones, its never impossible. That said, this game also features what i consider one of the cheapest characters in video gaming. Good news, hes on your side, and taking him is optional.I won't spoil it, as they're not listed at first as a friend, but once you get this person, seriously, they are so overpowered its almost just like they could beat the game by themselves. Overall: 8.6This is a great game, with detailed maps to explore, a long reaching story of intrigue and war, and the ultimate in customization for your skill sets. You can literally almost be any job, and have a party full of summoners if you want. Its your call. Its not the most fun Final Fantasy I've played, but its unique and still a lot of fun. You will love the beloved references to the series that pop up if you're a square fan.That said, this is a strategy game, where you must rely on getting just the last hit and stopping a threat, and how best to move your team to make the most of them. Its not a game to just waste a little time on, you have to really invest. But if you have the time, this fantasy has the tactics.
  Graphics 8   Sound 6   Addictive 8   Story 8   Depth 8   Difficulty 7
      Review Rating: 3.5/5     Submitted: 10-12-14     Review Replies: 0


A different Final Fantasy Game   andy1234

  Graphics 9   Sound 6   Addictive 4   Story 5   Depth 7   Difficulty 7
      Review Rating: 2.7/5     Submitted: 06-19-13     Review Replies: 4

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