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CheatCC Rewind: Final Fantasy Tactics Advance Gets a Bum Rap

CheatCC Rewind: Final Fantasy Tactics Advance Gets a Bum Rap

Lately I’ve been in a turn-based state of mind, so I’ve been re-playing some old favorites: Final Fantasy Tactics Advance and Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift . These portable successors to the beloved classic, Final Fantasy Tactics , largely live in their older sibling’s shadow. They’re often dissed by fans of the orignal Tactics game, but are they really as bad as their reputation makes them seem? I’ve played all three games, and I think the Tactics Advance titles get a bum rap. They may not be the original Tactics , but they’re solid titles for casual tactical RPG fans (hint: if you don’t love spreadsheets, that probably includes you), and I think they’re actually more fun to play.

We know why the original Final Fantasy Tactics is so beloved. To this day, it has one of the most mature plots in the series, a tale of twisted politics, war, class conflict, love, and betrayal. It also took a niche genre that had hardly been seen outside Japan and made it accessible via colorful graphics and familiar Final Fantasy combat classes. Was it really a masterpiece of tactical gameplay, though?  I’d argue that it had issues in terms of difficulty curve and balance, plus it featured several impenetrable systems that were not properly explained to players. Experts and FAQ readers could bust its systems wide open, but ordinary players could find themselves accidentally backed into a corner from which it was very difficult to extract themselves without restarting the game.

When Final Fantasy Tactics Advance came out, Square appeared to be targeting a younger, more casual audience. Instead of young men and women caught in a deadly serious war, it stars a group of elementary schoolers who are sucked into an imaginary Ivalice where all their dreams come true. Many veterans poo-pooh the title for this story departure and for the “judge” system that attaches arbitrary constraining rules on each battle. Still, the story and characters aren’t bad – just different, and the tactical system is more accessible and flexible than the first Tactics. The judge system is a bit onerous at times, but you get the ability to turn it to your advantage early on. It’s much easier to play Tactics Advance without the help of a guide, because its systems are explained well and are relatively user-friendly. There are still some questionable design decisions, though – you get to build the world area by area, but the game gives you no feedback at all about how placing areas in certain places gives you access to different kinds of treasure.

Although Final Fantasy Tactics A2 for the Nintendo DS has the weakest overall plot of the three games, I think it’s actually the most fun to play. True, its normal difficulty setting is too easy for most experienced gamers, but hard mode is available from the start and offers a decent challenge. Its systems are mostly transparant, and it solves some of the interface problems its predecessors had. The judge system is now mostly optional, providing extra goodies (and the ability to resurrect your teammates mid-battle) if you follow the rules. There’s a mind-blowingly huge number of missions to take on (though only a few are mandatory), but the good news is that there’s a little story attached to each one and the characters found throughout TA2 ‘s Ivalice are rather fun to meet. This is the type of game that’s light on story but heavy on lore, and I find it rather charming. Plus, it has a huge number of possible jobs to take on, and I rather like the crafting system that has you making use of the spoils of battle to get new gear and learn new abilities. Sure, you have less control over your character growth at first, but the system encourages creative use of the abilities that you are able to get your hands on.

CheatCC Rewind: Final Fantasy Tactics Advance Gets a Bum Rap

Both Final Fantasy Tactics Advance games are excellent portable titles, allowing you to play in short bursts and still make progress. They sport entertaining tactical battles, a wide array of races and classes with which to build your fighting force, and lighthearted stories that can be quite charming if you allow them to work their magic. They’re both great games as long as you don’t expect them to live up to the legacy of Final Fantasy Tactics ‘ story. If you enjoy tactical, turn-based RPGs that aren’t overly brutal, you should check them out. You can get Final Fantasy Tactics Advance on the Wii U Virtual Console, and physical copies of Tactics A2 will work in any 3DS and can still be found online and in game stores.

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