FINAL FANTASY TACTICS – The Ivalice Chronicles is a great example of how to handle a timeless classic, even one whose original source code has been lost. Square Enix did not have the source code for this legendary SRPG, which made the idea of a remaster tricky. Still, they went above and beyond, creating a full recreation of the game while also adding enhancements that make it feel much better to play today.
I am not the type of person who insists on everything staying exactly the same, and if developers decide to make changes to a classic, I can appreciate that. In this case, FINAL FANTASY TACTICS – The Ivalice Chronicles has been faithfully recreated in its original form and then improved with features like full voice acting. For a game with writing and storytelling of this scale, voice acting makes a huge difference. At the same time, Square Enix has kept an untouched version of the original that sits right alongside The Ivalice Chronicles on the main menu. This way, both long-time fans and newcomers have something to enjoy.
Booting up the game for the first time was surreal. Returning to Ivalice, with all its history and legacy, felt special. We have seen this world appear in later games such as Final Fantasy XII, but the original Final Fantasy Tactics has always stood out as a true classic. While the PSP release The War of the Lions added its own improvements, this new version feels much closer to the original PlayStation release. The opening cutscene is stunning, giving a sweeping introduction to the world and its characters. Playing on a Steam Deck OLED, I was impressed to see HDR support included—something so basic, yet still neglected in many modern releases. It is especially refreshing to see it in a remaster of a game this old.
The game was notoriously difficult when it was originally released, so it was expected that the difficulty would be adjusted. The developers have added a difficulty selection at the start. This gives players some flexibility: newcomers can pick the easy mode (Squire), which makes battles much simpler, though it comes at the cost of missing out on the real fun of job customization and tougher challenges. There is also a normal difficulty (Knight), which I chose for my playthrough, while veteran players can push themselves with the Tactician difficulty.
Final Fantasy Tactics tells an epic story set against the backdrop of a war between two rival factions, the Black Lion and the White Lion. The game takes place in the medieval kingdom of Ivalice, a land that has endured years of conflict and is only beginning to see peace. The main character is Ramza Beoulve, one of the most iconic protagonists of his era. Alongside his friend Delita, Ramza joins a mercenary group and soon uncovers the truth behind the ongoing war. Beneath the political drama lies a deeper message that still feels relevant today. Square Enix has also refreshed the game with improved localization and full voice acting, giving even longtime fans a reason to experience the story again.
While Final Fantasy Tactics was already a timeless classic, the ability to speed up battles is a welcome change, especially given how slow they felt in the original release. This is just one of several quality-of-life improvements added to the remaster, alongside auto-save, a new Tactical View that shows the entire battlefield for better positioning, an improved user interface, and more. Tactical View is particularly helpful since the 3D grid style of this SRPG could sometimes cause awkward camera angles in the past.
The visual upgrade is also easy to notice. The developers have cleaned up the character sprites for HD displays, and they no longer look blurry or overly pixelated. Some players may prefer the original look, or even the PSP and iOS versions, but I think this new style strikes a comfortable middle ground. For purists, the original release is still included and can be selected from the main menu. The updated script also feels sharper, and new dialogue lines have been added for characters who were mostly silent before. These changes are subtle, but they become clear if you have recently replayed the original.
I cannot stress enough how much the new voice acting has breathed fresh life into the story and its characters. The production quality is top-notch, and the cast includes several well-known actors. Given the massive amount of dialogue that had to be recorded, it is an impressive achievement that will be remembered for a long time. The soundtrack and audio remain as timeless as ever, adding even more replay value. With the game’s deep job-based system, every playthrough feels unique. This truly stands as the definitive way to experience Final Fantasy Tactics.
FINAL FANTASY TACTICS – The Ivalice Chronicles delivers one of the best tactical combat systems ever made. Alongside titles like Fire Emblem, it was one of the pioneers of the SRPG genre, yet it managed to excel across the board with its gameplay, story, and soundtrack. Honestly, Square Enix could have charged full price for this release, but instead, they chose to launch it at a slightly lower price point. I do not have any real complaints about this remaster—only praise. I struggled with the original at times, but the new difficulty options made completing the game much easier.
Most of my time with the game was spent on a Steam Deck OLED rather than on PC at 4K. It looks fantastic on the handheld, scaling beautifully with HDR support. Performance is solid too, though I did notice some animations running at what seems to be a deliberately lower frame rate, likely as part of the design.
FINAL FANTASY TACTICS – The Ivalice Chronicles Game Information
- Price: $49.99
- Publisher: Square Enix
- Developer: Square Enix
- Platform: PC (Reviewed)
- Disclaimer: A review code was given by the publisher
