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Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions Review for the PlayStation Portable (PSP)

Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions Review for the PlayStation Portable (PSP)

Welcome Back to Ivalice!

As a younger lad, I spent more time with the original Final Fantasy Tactics than I should admit. Literal months were poured into the title, beating it many times over, exploring everything the game had to offer, leaving not a stone unturned. Suffice to say, when I heard a remake of sorts was coming, I was excited and scared all at once. I went into the game ready to go over it with a fine-toothed comb. What I found was a blissful experience made all the better, but not the perfection I was so looking for.

Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions screenshot

The gameplay itself still remains the best turn-based strategy one can find anywhere, without exception. For those unfamiliar, battles take place on grid maps, with squares not unlike a chess board but obviously much more complex. Characters ranging from Archers to Black Mages to Samurai must find the best course to take in order to defeat enemies who often have severe advantages ranging from high-ground to a 3:1 ratio in their favor. In typical RPG fashion your characters grow and level up, gaining access to new jobs and abilities. Much of the addictiveness here comes from the huge number of possible combinations this system provides strategy enthusiasts with. Few games match this level of customization.

That’s not to say there aren’t many improvements present though. Most noticeable to fans will be the retranslated story and cinematic sequences providing a much better idea of what’s going on throughout the story, instead of the convoluted and hard to understand story present for much of the original. The main downside caused here is previous players may be confused when re-learning many attacks, as many names have been changed completely. This is a small price to pay for the greatly improved translation. Entirely new story sequences and battles round out the main additions to gameplay, providing additional insights into the story of Ivalice.

Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions screenshot

The game suffers most in the graphics department. The game’s graphics were already lagging at the time of original release. Now the game has been released on a more powerful system, yet in battles any time one uses an ability that causes any kind of lighting effects, there’s a slowdown present between when it is cast and when the sound begins. This isn’t game-breaking, but will be a disappointment to fans of the original looking for the definitive version of the classic. The beautifully crafted cinematics take many striking moments from the story and help make them even more touching, with a certain majestic beauty and charm in the styling. Developers should take note: this is the way you do a classic justice within a remake.

Do yourself a favor and wear headphones whenever you can; the speakers present on the PSP simply do not do this game’s amazing score justice. Every track truly stands out, and you’re sure to find them stuck in your head long after you’ve put the game down. Even the new voice acting that has been added for some sequences fits well; it doesn’t feel shoehorned in, instead feeling natural. The only fault with the sound lies in the system, not with the game itself.

Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions screenshot

Just like the original, the game will be as difficult as you allow it to be. The player can choose to level up and pound opponents with ease, though I found it much more enjoyable to see just how low a level I could still manage to tactically defeat foes. Occasionally the game still finds a way to throw you a curveball though, and players would be wise to keep a second save file just a few battles back, as occasionally you may find yourself faced with a foe you simply cannot defeat with your present party and without a way to return and level up or purchase different equipment.

Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions screenshot

It can also be difficult to fight with the camera, as the 16 angles present just can’t always give the view you need on certain maps. With endgame content that will keep even the best players hard at work, Final Fantasy Tactics packs in hundreds of hours of content to keep you busy.

The most welcome addition for me though is the multiplayer content; it’s just a shame it feels to half-baked. Without the ability to play over the internet, instead being trapped in local games, I fear I’ll never be able to test my mettle against the best of the best. Even more of a shame is that most of the game’s best items are tied into playing through these modes: one being a battle against your friend and another where you will work together to defeat your foes. A nice feature is that any items you use or characters lost will not be gone to you forever. Less pleasant is that enemies are scaled to the highest characters level, meaning that if you and your friend are more than a few levels different, they’ll find themselves overwhelmed quickly. It’s still nice that the modes are there to extend the game’s legs though.

Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions is a true PSP system seller if ever there was one. The sheer amount of content coupled with the in depth battle system and epic story provide a game that will keep you busy on-the-go for months. If only the game had spent a few extra months in development, it could have achieved the perfection the original never managed. The improvements warrant a purchase for fans and newcomers alike, but it could have been so much more.

Features:

  • Character designer Akihiko Yoshida’s character illustrations come to life in all-new animated sequences that combine hand-drawn style visuals with the fluidity of computer. graphics – fully voiced exclusively for the English version.
  • All-new enhancements update the experience for a new generation of gamers – enhanced widescreen presentation, new jobs, new characters and a new English translation deepen the Ivalice experience.
  • Challenge friends in head-to-head battles with the all-new multiplayer function or team up in the all-new co-operative mode and try to outwit the game’s advanced computer opponents.

    RATING OUT OF 5 RATING DESCRIPTION 3.5 Graphics
    Slowdown not present in the original along with graphics behind the times on the PSX, though beautiful new cinemas are a welcome addition. 4.5 Control
    The controls are as responsive as necessary for a turn-based game, though fighting with the game’s camera can be frustrating at times. 4.8 Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
    The score is as perfect as ever, it’s just too bad the PSP sound system can’t do it justice. Wear headphones. 5.0 Play Value
    The amount of content you get for your dollar here in almost unmatched. You could play for hundreds of hours and still not see and find all the game has to offer. 4.6 Overall Rating – Must Buy
    Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

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