Squaresoft has always been known for its exceptionally beautiful RPGs. It
continues this tradition into the strategy realm with Final Fantasy Tactics
(FFT). Featuring plenty of character classes, over 400 learnable skills, and an
immersive story line, this game can easily keep a hard core gamer occupied for
50+ hours!
You start off as Ramza, a soldier for hire who finds himself
thick in the battle to save a the Princess. However, saving the princess will be
the last thing on your mind in this game! The story is grandiose, with a huge
cast (that specializes in backstabbing!) and a very deep plot (with more turns
then a trip through New York). You have to take your time if you want to
understand it all. Then there is the intricately detailed class/advancement
system which will keep you busy as you try to build the ultimate character! Add
into it many of your favorite Final Fantasy spells, items, and characters, and
you have one awesome game! But wait! There's more!!
Gameplay
(9/10) - This game is just fun to play! There's a tutorial that is
assessable at any time to help get you started. It will take a little while to
figure out, but once you do, you will find yourself quickly trying to come up
with ways to create the best party ever. Since there are so many ways to go, you
can make a truly original character. The game is menu driven, but very friendly
user. If you do not understand what an option/action/spell does when you are
choosing it, just press select, and an on screen explanation appears. This is
pretty consistent throughout the game, making it easy to use and
learn.
Your characters start off as either Squires (Beginning fighters)
or Alchemists (Beginning mages). Once you have accumulated enough Job Points
(JP) in one of these disciplines, more disciplines will become available. For
example, with enough JP, the squire will soon have the option of becoming a
knight or an archer. Different disciplines carry different
advantages/disadvantages such as what weapons/armor they can equip, and what
skills they can use.
But the fun doesn't end there. You can use skills
learned from previous disciplines to assist you in your current discipline. For
example, the Knight can learn the skill "Equip Sword." This skill allows one to
equip a sword no matter what their discipline. If later, the character is
changed to a lancer, whom can normally only use a spear, he/she can equip the
"Equip Sword" ability, which will allow him/her to use a sword!
This is
just one example...there are literally thousands of combinations. To create the
best character, you will have to find combinations that work good together. For
example, "Equip Sword" would do little good for a Wizard who normally has little
physical strength. A better skill for him would be something like "Defend UP"
which raises his already low defense. My only gripe with this class system is
sometimes you have to train in some really worthless classes for a while before
you can get to cooler ones. Luckily, this is partially made up by the fact that
you can equip other classes skills!
You can recruit and train up to 16
characters including various monsters. Only 5 can be used in any given battle.
Given the nearly unlimited options you have in building a character and the fact
you can have up to 16, no battle should be the same twice. The story line is
huge, and can sometimes be confusing. However, you can always review the list of
cast in the story, and a brief summary of their history from another menu, as
well as look over all of the previous scenes you have been through. Square has
gone out of its way to make this normally complicated story as simple to review
and understand as possible.
Almost all of the boards are 16x16, which
would normally be considered a little small. However, this proves to be one of
FFTs strong points. Small boards mean that battle are kept short and to the
point, instead of dragging them out for hours at a time like Ogre Battle. And
with all of the strategy involved, it is not even a concern!
Combat is
very original in FFT. Where most strategy games are turn based, with actions
taking effect immediately during one's turn, FFT is much different. Character’s
turns are based on their individual speed ratings. When an action takes place is
not always during his turn. For example, a mage may begin casting a spell on his
turn, however, the spell may not execute for quite a few other characters turns.
This adds immensely to the strategy of what you are going to do next. With many
mages casting spells and fighters performing other time consuming moves, this
would normally become quite confusion. But Square wisely put in a few options to
help you out. Most notably is the ability to pull up a list of what actions are
going to be pulled of in what order. So if Evil Mage is casting a Fire Spell on
your Lancer, on your next turn, you will want to see if the spell will execute
before your Lancer gets a turn. If it is, you may want to start casting a cure
spell on him that will execute shortly after the Fire Spell. If your lancer will
be able to move first, you can move him next to an enemy, so that the enemy will
be caught in the blast too. May as well take them down with you!!
I
cannot comment enough on how development of your characters and the unique
strategies of FFTs unique combat system adds immense gameplay value to this
title.
Graphics (8/10) - The FMV sequences at the beginning and
end of this game are great!! The maps of battle are 3-D while the characters and
spell effects are sprites. While not totally eye-popping, they are very
beautiful and get the job done nicely. What is interesting to note is that the
more gorgeous, special effect type spells are generally more useless then the
faster, not much frill ones. Go figure! The art is very Final Fantasy / Japanese
anime-ish, which works to make a very nice combination. The hand drawn summoned
monsters are very nice. However, the battlefields look like chopped out pieces
of land with no sky effect whatsoever. And it may take you a while to get over
the fact that no one seems to have much of a nose in this
game....
Sound (8/10) - A lot of the music is very nice, and very
final fantasyish (Is that an adjective?) However, it becomes quite repetitious
over long hours of gameplay, and you might find yourself just turning it off.
However, the sound effects are cool. When you cut someone with a sword, it
sounds like it! And their little yelling voices when they die are awesome! Spell
effect sounds are all their, and what you would expect.
Control
(8/10) - It's kind of hard to mess up control in a strategy game, and Square
does not disappoint. However, I would have like to see more camera viewpoints in
battle. A few times in the game it was hard to see my character when he was
surrounded by walls or cliffs on 3 or 4 sides. I would have also like to see a
way to configure the buttons the way I wanted to. Other then that, everything
was just fine!
Replay Value (10/10) - Secret characters, 20
classes, 400+ abilities, complex storyline, and hidden boards, items and
weapons? You better believe it! Squaresoft games are the kind of games that you
never play just once. This unique game is the kind that is nearly impossible to
trade in once beat (Could I have made a better character...well what if....?) I
have personally logged over 60 hours into the game, and am still playing to find
more secret characters and boards.
Overall (9/10) - Beautiful
graphic, wonderful sound, all of the cool Final Fantasy classes, spells, and a
kick-butt battle/class system makes this game near-perfect!! If you like, or
even think you like Final Fantasy and / or Strategy games (like Vandal Hearts,
Ogre Tactics, etc...) then this game is a *must have* in your library. If you
are new to the genre, FFT may be intimidating at first. It is hard to just rent
this for a weekend and get a good feel for it. I still suggest buying it. Only
if you absolutely hate RPG and strategy games would I recommend not getting it.
(Of course, if you did...this one may change your mind!)
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