Final Fantasy Tactics: War of The Lions

I may have reviewed every single Final Fantasy Title numerically and chronologically based on their release dates. I may have avoided the worst one without mentioning directly on which one it is, but I am doing it for a good reason. That reason is due to the best one of them, Final Fantasy Tactics: War of The Lions. This is not only a remastered version of the old game but I consider it a remake to the older PS1 version. It not only added animated cutscenes but it also added classes and sidequests as well as being the number one final fantasy in my book.

I rarely like strategy games but when I like one, I spend countless of weeks investing myself in one not to mention having played it more than three times and even after all those playthroughs, I feel like doing one more to appreciate the story with its convoluted and complex characters and varied gameplay. 

Another game set in the world of Ivalice, and you know when a game is set in Ivalice, chances are it is going to be overwhelming and revolutionary because Yasumi Matsuno is a genius. You play as Ramza, born of noble blood and living with his best friends who are commoners. He is faced with a dilemma when his best friends decide to start a revolution against the rulers of Ivalice. You will find yourself torn in a civil war between those you love and must decide. I'll admit when it comes to choices, it is not as complex as Tactics Ogre but I have enjoyed FF Tactics much more.

The battle system was something that I was not used to at all, but it is much more approachable than any full fledged strategy game. The Turn order is like any final Fantasy game and the turn phase is usually casting a spell or attacking an enemy on the map. Where you attack them from affects the accuracy as well the amount of damage taken. Being on a certain terrain or height can affect the accuracy and the attack as well. After the action has been cast, the character can move and/or use items. The roster is filled with original characters as well as grunts each with their own original classes or job requirements. I like how the EXP in this game is limited to 100 per level, but dont let that fool you, grinding is still as hard as any final fantasy.

The great thing about the class roster is you can still use all the abilities you learned from switching through all classes when you go back to your original class. For example, if you learn all abilities as a black and white mage and go back to being a grunt class, you can cast both black and white magic if I recall correctly. 

I wish I was more in the mood to get in the depth of how complex the gameplay is not to mention the countless sidequests that are considered difficult by my standard and require tons of preparation but from what I recall is the phenomenal soundtrack as well as the overwhelming story quality and writing. There is no room for exploration in Final Fantasy Tactics. It is simply dialogue and one battle after another so that can be a turn off for some players where you are put in the middle of the action.

There is a lot to do in Final Fantasy Tactics, though and you are in one hell of a ride if you haven't played it already. It is available on all handheld devices and mobile phones. Definitely a must play.