[ Retro Scan of the Week ] Final Fantasy Tactics is 15
January 28th, 2013 by Benj Edwards
“How to Start the Mother of All Wars”
Fifteen years ago today, Square released Final Fantasy Tactics in North America for the Sony PlayStation. (It’s kinda crazy, because I was going to use this scan today anyway, just by chance.)
I remember being excited when this game came out. I’m sure I read a glowing review of it in EGM and recommended it to my brother, who promptly bought it and played it on and off for the next two years. I still have Final Fantasy Tactics’ music stuck in my head just from hearing him play the game so much.
The game is a strategic masterpiece, and though I have not played it to completion myself, I appreciate its depth, its music, and I absolutely love its sprite-based graphics and spell effects. The sprite-based nature of FFT alone was something to cheer at a time when most new PSX games were plagued with choppy, low-res polygonal 3D graphics.
Discussion Topic of the Week: In your words, what’s so great about Final Fantasy Tactics?
February 12th, 2013 at 7:01 am
Totally agree!!
This game is a ****ing masterpiece and the best tactical game of all ages IMHO.
I started to play it when it came out in japan (import + action replay) and I enjoyed a lot. When I noticed it would came to NA I screamed like a mandragora.
I bought it day one and now, 15 years after I’m still living the war of the lions :D. It could possibly be the game I finished more times, 17 exactly.
I lost hope of a true sequel or prequel when Tactics Advance was announced…I almost puked…and once again with Tactics A2. Damn SE…even the port to PSP was damn awful…
It’s a pity SE has no interest on making a good FFT, but I won’t lose my hope, I want to see it for PS4 with overenhanced graphics (don’t mind remake or a new one).
Long life to FFT PSX! 😀
October 7th, 2013 at 5:13 pm
This game is indeed a shining example of the stategic-rpg genre, and the story of FFT still remains auded by many. The music was one of the strongest things about the game, and the battle themes served to greatly increase the stakes when you were surrounded with enemies springing forth from every direction.
One of the problems of the genre is that while the game systems are amazing, companies often neglect to provide hooks to keep players engaged. Replay value is one additional feature that companies tend to ignore when creating a game. Atmosphere is always important. Everybody who’s played FFT can recall the charming world map theme that played as you explored the world and read about the lives of the people in it. Atmosphere is something that is often lost in the more linear gaming experience that overwhelmingly makes up the marketshare of games produced in a given year.
There are other games produced by Quest that still prove to be wonderful games to play.
A prequel, Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together, avaliable both from the Wii Virtual Console and the PSP is one such game your readers might find entertaining. Indeed you can see many of the themes and concepts that Quest would later apply to their other games under Square Enix.