Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions - hands-on

Sept 7, 2007

Even if you've already played the original Final Fantasy Tactics for PSone, at first glance you may not recognize Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions as a remake. The gameplay is more or less the same as the original, but the story has received a huge facelift in the form of new, cel-shaded cutscenes. Ivalice seems more real than ever here, and the hand-drawn art complements the story and overall feel of the game perfectly. From the opening scene of Chocobo riders racing across beautiful landscapes, tiptoeing through dark ruins and rainy castles, the mood is perfectly set for fans to re-enjoy this epic.

If you're not familiar with the other FF Tactics games (the original Tactics and Tactics Advance for GBA), the gameplay is entirely made up of isometric grid-based battles. Battles are usually around five on five, with five of your characters squaring off against enemy AI. However, your entire party can hold many more characters total, allowing for a wide range of jobs and abilities. With 20 jobs to choose from, ranging from Archer to Chemist to Ninja to Geomancer, each with its own abilities, advantages and disadvantages, party customization quickly becomes a huge part of your overall strategy.