What if, and bear with me here because I know this is going to sound crazy, but what if Napoleon, famous French leader, was not actually the big deal in the Bonaparte family. What if his younger sister Pauline was the real military genius and hero of the French revolution. And what if Pauline was the star of an alternate history tactics game about the French revolution, that just happened to be very anime, and also developed in China? And named Banner of the Maid? Would you, like me, find this both deeply amusing and pretty freakin' rad?
I stumbled upon Banner of the Maid on Steam, and was pretty much 'in' as soon as I saw that it was a Chinese game about the French Revolution, a promisingly weird combination if ever there was one. Then I watched the trailer, and realized that this game looks a hell of a lot like Final Fantasy Tactics crossed with Fire Emblem. Then I started reading about the characters on the official website and realized that of course they're alternate history anime versions of real French figures.
Napoleon's general Louis Desaix, for example, got a bit of an anime glow-up.
It's hard to tell from its Steam trailer how deep of a tactics game Banner of the Maid is, but it at least looks competent. The battlefield looks very Final Fantasy Tactics, with an isometric perspective and simple grid movement. The stages are more Fire Emblem-scale, however, and when units fight they go into a Fire Emblem (or more accurately, Advance Wars)-esque battle cutscene. A single unit on the field actually stands in for a regiment.
There are some RPG growth systems here, as noted on the Steam page. Also, I love that it sells itself on some degree of historical accuracy:
'Command the iconic troops of the 18th and 19th century such as Line Infantry, Skirmisher, Calvary, Artillery and much more through the Turn-Based Strategy combats to experience the reimagined European battlegrounds. Train your commanders to improve their abilities and learn the appropriate tactical skills, defeat powerful enemies!'
Everything in the story description also reads about how you'd expect for an alternate history tactics game:
'In the heat of the French Revolution, the Royalists, Club des Feuillants, Club des Jacobins and Malmaisons, various factions contend with each other on the grand stage of Paris. Starting from the eye of storm, the Malmaison Salon, Pauline Bonaparte have to approach the factions, complete their quests and challenges in order to establish connections with political figures and win over their support, gather funding to improve her weaponry and equipments, secure army supplies..'
Untilâare you ready? Anime twist!!
'..while she also tries to discover and unveiled the secrets of the Maids that are buried deep inside the City.'
The secrets of the Maids? What the hell does that mean? I don't remember anything about the secrets of the Maids from my high school history classes, but I sure as hell want to know now.
Tragically, Banner of the Maid, which is launching today, is only available in Simplified Chinese. Perhaps it will be the next breakout Chinese indie game on Steam. Maybe it'll even get localized into English or French. Surely French strategy game fans will want to learn about the secrets of the Maids, too. Ubisoft, lend them a hand!
First, see here: (PSN - Final Fantasy Tactics)..and here: (PSN - Final Fantasy Tactics - War of the Lions)
I don't have a Sony system, but I do own an iPhone. From the App Store, I have downloaded and I am currently playing FFT-WotL. From what I can tell it's the same as the original, with a few tweaks for it to work on a touch-based device.
There aren't two versions within the Apple App Store. I'm curious, what are the differences between the two PSN versions?
Can someone clarify?
Frankâ¦
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RLHRLH
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2 Answers
Changes (From Original to WotLs):
Main source (among the others listed and my own knowledge). I felt the need to post as the original post didn't mention any specifics and left it all to a link, which will eventually die making the answer not as good, so I added the info in another answer to maintain the reliability of the question's answer(s).
Shelby115Shelby115
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War of the Lions is basically the PSP version/remake, released 2007. It features a number of improvements and new elements (which are described on Wiki page in more detail - watch out for story spoilers though!) over its predecessor. Notable changes include increased difficulty level (reflecting the difficulty of original 1997 Japanese version), as well as additional battles, characters from later FF games and completely new translation. The iPhone version is a port from PSP, with only slight changes.
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Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged version-differencesfinal-fantasy-tactics or ask your own question.
Final Fantasy Tactics[a] is a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Squaresoft (later changed to Square and now Square Enix) for the SonyPlayStationvideo game console. It is the first game of the Final Fantasy Tactics series and was released in Japan in June 1997 and in the United States in January 1998. The game combines thematic elements of the Final Fantasy video game series with a game engine and battle system unlike those previously seen in the franchise. In contrast to other 32-bit eraFinal Fantasy titles, Final Fantasy Tactics uses a 3D, isometric, rotatable playing field, with bitmapsprite characters.[2]
Final Fantasy Tactics is set in a fictional medieval-inspired kingdom called Ivalice, created by Yasumi Matsuno. The game's story follows Ramza Beoulve, a highborn cadet who finds himself thrust into the middle of an intricate military conflict known as The Lion War, where two opposing noble factions are coveting the throne of the kingdom. As the story progresses, Ramza and his allies discover a sinister plot behind the war.
The game received extremely positive reviews from gaming magazines and websites and has become a cult classic since its release. It has been cited as one of the greatest video games of all time.
A spin-off title, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, was released for the NintendoGame Boy Advance in 2003 and a sequel to that title, Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift, was released in 2007 for the Nintendo DS. Various other games have also utilized the Ivalice setting, including Vagrant Story for the PlayStation and Final Fantasy XII for the PlayStation 2. An enhanced port of Final Fantasy Tactics, Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions, was released in 2007 as part of Square Enix's Ivalice Alliance project.[3]
Gameplay[edit]
The gameplay of Final Fantasy Tactics differs in several key areas from other titles in the Final Fantasy series. Instead of a generic battle screen, with the player's characters on one side and the enemies on the other, encounters take place on three-dimensional, isometric fields. Characters move on a battlefield composed of square tiles; movement and action ranges are determined by the character's statistics and job class.[4] Battles are turn-based; a unit may act when its CT (Charge Time) reaches 100.[4] Charge time is increased once every CT unit (a measure of time in battles) by an amount equal to the unit's speed statistic.[4] When CT reaches 100 or greater, the unit may act. During battle, whenever a unit performs an action successfully, it gains Experience Points (EXP) and Job Points (JP).[5]
An example of the isometric battlefields found in the game. The blue panels on the ground mark where the Wizard (with straw hat and 'AT' icon) can move to.
Another difference is the manner in which random battles are encountered. Like other Final Fantasy games, random battles occur on the world map. However, in Final Fantasy Tactics, random battles only occur in pre-set locations, marked in green on the world map.[6] Passing over one of these spots may result in a random encounter. Another major aspect of battles is magical attacks. Certain magical attacks cause area of effect damage, and many of the more powerful magical attacks require several turns of charging.[7]Hit Points of enemy units are also visible to the player (except in the case of certain bosses), allowing the player to know exactly how much damage they still have to inflict on a particular unit.[5]
Movement on the world map is limited to predefined paths connecting the towns and battle points.[6] When the character icon is over a town, a menu can be opened with several options: 'Bar' for taking sidequest job offers, 'Shop' for buying supplies and equipment, and 'Soldier Office' for recruiting new characters.[6] Later in the game, some towns contain 'Fur Shops' for obtaining items by way of poaching monsters.[6]
Final Fantasy Tactics offers a wide selection of Job Classes. This particular character is currently a Wizard.
Like several installments in the series, Final Fantasy Tactics features a character class system, which allows players to customize characters into various roles. The game makes extensive use of most of the original character classes seen in earlier Final Fantasy games, including Summoners, Wizards (Black Mages), Priests (White Mages), Monks, Lancers (Dragoons), and Thieves.[8] New recruits start out as either a Squire or a Chemist, the base classes for warrior and magician jobs, respectively. The game features twenty jobs accessible by normal characters.[8]
Throughout the game, unique characters also join the party. As well, some characters join as 'guests', which are computer-controlled characters that fight on your side. Many of the unique characters have custom classes that replace the base squire class. It's also possible to recruit monsters into the party. Monsters have unique abilities, but cannot change jobs. Monsters can be captured from battles or bred from existing monsters.
In battle, JP are rewarded for every successful action. JP are used to learn new abilities within each job class.[8] Accumulating enough JP results in a job level up; new jobs are unlocked by attaining a certain level in the current job class (for instance, to become a Priest or Wizard, the unit must first attain Job Level 2 as a Chemist), which also allows the character to gain more JP in that class in battles.[8] Once all the abilities of a job class have been learned, the class is 'Mastered'. A soldier in a specific Job always has its innate skill equipped (Wizards always have 'Black Magic,' Knights always have 'Battle Skill') but a second job-skill slot and several other ability slots (Reaction, Support, and Movement) can be filled with any skill the particular soldier has learned from any job class. This deep level of customization and flexibility grants nigh-infinite replayability, contributing to the game's unusually enduring popularity.[8]
Plot[edit]Setting[edit]
The story takes place in the kingdom of Ivalice, located in a peninsula surrounded by sea on the north, west and south, with a headland south of the landmass. Its geography features ranging landscapes, from plains to mountains ranges to deserts and forests. It is heavily populated by human beings, although intelligent monsters can be found living in less populated areas. Magic is predominant in the land, although ruins and artifacts indicated that past populace had relied on machinery, such as airships and robots.[9]
Ivalice is a kingdom of seven territories; Fovoham, Gallione, Limberry, Lionel, Zeltennia, the Holy Territory of Murond (Mullonde in later versions), and the Royal Capital of Lesalie (Lesalia in later versions),[10] Ivalice's neighbors are the kingdom of Ordalia in the east and Romanda, a military nation to the north, across the Rhana Strait. While the three nations share common royal bloodlines, major wars have taken place between them. An influential religious institution known as the Glabados Church heads the dominant faith, centering around a religious figure known as Saint Ajora.[11]
The story takes place after Ivalice ended its war with the two nations in what is known as the Fifty Years War, and is facing economic problems and political strife.[12] Adding to its problems is the recent death of the king, whose heir is only an infant.[13] A regent is needed to rule in place of the prince, and the kingdom is split between Prince Goltana, represented by the Black Lion, and Prince Larg, symbolized by the White Lion. The conflict leads to what is known in the game as the Lion War. Behind this backdrop is a revelation by the game's historian Alazlam J. Durai, who seeks to reveal the story of an unknown character whose role in the Lion War was major but was covered up by the kingdom's church.[14] The setting is based around this character, named by default as Ramza, and revolves around his early life and the future conflicts he faced while the events that changed the kingdom unfold.
Characters[edit]
Central to the plot of the game are two main characters, Ramza Beoulve and Delita Heiral. The two characters are childhood friends, and while both are born of differing social classes; Ramza a noble and Delita a commoner, both disregarded this fact and grew up together believing in justice and honor, as taught by Ramza's father Barbaneth (called Balbanes in earlier version). However, as the story progresses, the two characters faced many conflicts that changed their viewpoint on life; Delita seeks to manipulate the upper class to achieve his dreams, while Ramza believes in justice and honor regardless of name and class.[15][16]
The game's plot is then portrayed through the eyes of Ramza Beoulve, who is the player character of the story. His exploits in the war introduced him to a number of characters; each with their own roles and agenda concerning the war and the fictional world, Ivalice, that they inhabit. The most prominent factions at the beginning of the story are those of Prince Goltana and Prince Larg, both are nobles seeking to obtain control of the throne by being the guardian to the monarch's young heir and were thus engaged in a war. The story progresses to include characters from the Glabados Church, which have been controlling Ivalice silently and engineering the war in question.[17]
As the game progresses, players are able to recruit generic player characters and customize them using the Job system of the Final Fantasy series. Several battles also feature 'Guest' characters that are controlled via the game's A.I., which may be recruited later in the game according to the story proper. Aside from original characters, the developers have also incorporated cameo roles from other Square games. The characters were designed by Akihiko Yoshida, who was also in charge of the illustration and character designs of games such as Tactics Ogre, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, Final Fantasy XII, and Vagrant Story.[18][19]
Story[edit]
Final Fantasy Tactics begins with Ivalice just recovering from the Fifty Year War against Ordalia.[20] The power vacuum caused by the death of its ruler, King Omdoria, soon sparks another conflict. Princess Ovelia and the younger Prince Orinas are both candidates to the throne, with the former supported by Prince Goltana of the Black Lion,[21] and the latter by Queen Ruvelia and her brother, Prince Larg of the White Lion.[22] This erupts into a full-scale war known as the 'Lion War', with either side using whatever means possible to secure their place in the throne. This includes bearing an illegitimate child,[23] killing other possible heirs,[24] betrayal,[25] assassination[26] and false identities.[27]
Throughout the game, nobles regard commoners and peasants as animals,[28] and many commoners try to take revenge on the nobles, who abandoned them after the war.[29] Most joined the so-called Corpse Brigade (a.k.a. Death Corps) to fight against the nobles' soldiers, and many die in vain.[30] Ramza, part of the noble Beoulve family of knights, and Delita, his childhood friend who was an ordinary commoner, are witnesses to this phenomenon. Events such as meeting an arrogant noble named Argath (a.k.a. Algus), as well as the negligent killing of Delita's sister Tietra (a.k.a. Teta) during an uprising, cause Delita and Ramza to abandon their ties to the nobility, both going separate ways.[31]
Ramza joins a mercenary group,[32] led by Gafgarion, who protects Princess Ovelia from being hunted by both sides. Delita joins Prince Goltana's forces to rise up through the ranks and gain control over his own destiny.[33] Ramza and Delita are reunited when Gafgarion attempts to take Ovelia to Prince Larg, though this proves futile. Agrias suggests visiting Cardinal Delacroix (a.k.a. Draclau) of the Glabados Church to protect Ovelia, while Delita continues to work in the shadows, working with multiple sides to realize his ambitions.[34] Along the way to Lionel Castle, Ramza meets Mustadio, a machinist in possession of a holy relic called the Zodiac Stone. Hunted by a trading company for the power it contains,[35] Mustadio also seeks Delacroix's intervention.
However, soon after the encounter with Cardinal Delacroix, Ramza discovers that an elaborate plot was set by the Glabados Church. In their desire to control Ivalice, the Church, particularly the High Confessor Marcel Funebris (a.k.a. High Priest Marge Funeral), uses the legend of the so-called holy Zodiac Braves to gather the Zodiac Stones,[36] and fuels the Lion War between Larg and Goltana.[37] To stave off Ramza's interference, Delacroix uses the stone to transform into a legendary Lucavi demon,[38] and Ramza has no choice but to slay him/it. As a result, Ramza is regarded a heretic of the Church, and he is approached by the Confessor Zalmour (a.k.a. Heretic Examiner Zalmo) at Lesalia Imperial Capital.[39]
While noble in name, the Beoulve family is susceptible to corruption, due to ambition. Dycedarg, the eldest sibling, conspires with Larg and the Church to ensure that the Beoulve family remains in power. However, his younger brother Zalbag is unaware of his dealings.[40] Alma, Ramza's younger sister, remains in church, unaffected by the situation until Ramza is branded a heretic in front of her.[41] Ramza seeks to rescue her after her capture while helping Ramza escape the Confessors/Heresy Examiners. Only Ramza and Alma share their father's sense of justice.
Ramza is chased throughout the story by the Knights Templar (a.k.a. Shrine Knights), the soldiers of the Church who are hunting the Zodiac Stones, although he gains allies, either by saving their lives,[42] or by showing them the truth.[43] Some individuals with knowledge of the Zodiac Stones attempt to conspire with the Knights Templar for its power, though most fail.[44][45] Ramza also acquires proof of the Church's lies about Saint Ajora, a central figure in the religion,[46] and attempts to use it along with the Zodiac Stone to reveal the organization's plot.[47]
During the course of the story, the two sides face off in a major battle that sees the deaths of many soldiers, including their leaders Larg and Goltana. Ramza manages to stop the bloodshed from continuing and rescues the general, Count Cidolfus Orlandeau (a.k.a. Cidolfas Orlandu), though the Church succeeds in eliminating the two Lions to secure its power over Ivalice. Deeper into the story, Ramza discovers that the Knights Templar are in reality possessed by the Lucavi, who are the real conspirators behind the Church's plot.[48] The Lucavi are seeking to resurrect their leader Ultima (a.k.a. Altima), who in the past was Saint Ajora, and they need much bloodshed and a suitable body to complete the resurrection. Alma is to serve as the host for Ultima's incarnation.[49][50] While racing off to find her, Ramza encounters Dycedarg - now a Lucavi demon - and witnesses Zalbag's death. Zalbag is then risen and converted into an undead servant, and frequently begs for death during the encounter.
At the end of the story, though Ultima is resurrected, Ramza and his allies succeed in destroying her. Their final fates are unknown, although Orran Durai (a.k.a. Olan), a witness who had many encounters with Ramza, does witness Ramza and Alma riding away from the kingdom on Chocobos at the end of the game. In the epilogue, Delita marries Ovelia and becomes the King of Ivalice.[51] However, he fails to find true satisfaction as even Ovelia distrusts him, leading her to stab Delita. Ovelia in turn is stabbed by the agonizing Delita and dies. Delita then sorrowfully cries out to Ramza, asking if what they have done was worth what they received (vilification for Ramza, and ostracization for Delita).[52] Orran attempts to reveal the Church's evil plot with the 'Durai Report.' However, his papers are confiscated and he is burned at the stake for heresy.[53] The story ends many centuries later with the historian Arazlam J. Durai (a.k.a. Alazlam) intent on revealing the truth of the Lion War and the Durai Report.[54][55]
Development[edit]
Final Fantasy Tactics was produced mostly by the team that made Ogre Battle and Tactics Ogre, and was Yasumi Matsuno's first project with Square following his departure from Quest in 1995.[56] In an interview with Akito Inoue, an assistant professor at the International University of Japan, Inoue mentions that Final Fantasy Tactics was made because of how casual gamers are usually put off by games with branching storylines found in other Matsuno's titles such as Tactics Ogre.[57]
Several historical and mythological references were altered by translators: for instance, the Norse World Tree, Yggdrasil, makes an appearance as Yugodorasil; the word 'breath' is consistently rendered as 'bracelet' in attack names; and Wiegraf's name is nearly homonymous with a character from Beowulf but rendered differently.[58] The in-game tutorial function also shows examples of Engrish - poorly translated English - including lines such as 'This was the darkened Items won't appear.'[59]
The game also includes references to several Final Fantasy specific characters, places, and situations from earlier games in the Final Fantasy series â Final Fantasy VII's Cloud Strife is a playable character, and through the 'Proposition' system in bars scattered around the world map, treasures and lost areas such as 'Matoya Cave' (a reference to the first Final Fantasy) and various colors of materia can be found.[60] To keep with tradition, Olan's adoptive father, Cidolfas Orlandu, is nicknamed 'T.G. Cid', and chocobos are present in the game as well. Additionally, most of the monsters appear in one Final Fantasy game or another, although the Lucavi are entirely new monsters altogether.[61]
Music[edit]
The original score for Final Fantasy Tactics was composed, arranged, and produced by Hitoshi Sakimoto and Masaharu Iwata. Matsuno approached his longtime friends Sakimoto and Iwata to compose the music soon after the initial release of Final Fantasy VII in January 1997.[62] Sakimoto composed 47 tracks for the game, and Iwata was left to compose the other 24. The orchestral timbres of the game's music were synthesized, with performance by Katsutoshi Kashiwabara and sound programming by Hidenori Suzuki. The album was first released on two Compact Discs by now-defunct DigiCube on June 21, 1997, bearing the catalog number SSCX-10008,[63] and was re-released by Square Enix on March 24, 2006, with the catalog number SQEX-10066/7. It spans two discs and 71 tracks, covering a duration of 2:31:03.
Some reviewers made comparison with Nobuo Uematsu's Final Fantasy compositions, though the soundtrack received positive reviews from critics. Chudah's Corner summarized its review by stating that the soundtrack is an 'astoundingly memorable classic of videogame music'.[64] This is also supported by other professional reviews, such as by an RPGFan reviewer that 'don't believe that any other soundtrack known to man surpasses it', and a VGM World review who quotes that 'the orchestral music is beautiful nonetheless'.[65][66]
Reception[edit]
Final Fantasy Tactics Names
Save game ps3 ffxiii version bles youtube. Final Fantasy Tactics sold nearly 825,000 copies in Japan in the first half of 1997, and ended the year at almost 1.24 million copies sold.[84][85] Since then, the total number of copies sold in Japan has reached approximately 1.35 million.[86] In the United States it reached an estimated sale of 750,000 units as of year 2004.[87] As of March 31, 2003, the game had shipped 2.27 million copies worldwide, with 1.36 million of those copies being shipped in Japan and 910,000 abroad.[88] Since its release, rumors were circulated that the game was to be re-released by Sony as a Greatest Hits title, the tentative date being around July 30, 2001.[89][90] As of August, 2011, the game had sold over 2.4 million copies worldwide.[91]
Final Fantasy Tactics received universal acclaim upon its release, and critical opinion of the game has improved further over time. Magazines such as Electronic Gaming Monthly acknowledged it as 'Square's first attempt into the strategy RPG genre'; though being 'uneven', it is worthy of being called 'a classic'.[83]Game Informer called it 'the most impressive strategy RPG yet.'[92] Gaming websites such as GameSpot lauded the game's battle sequences as challenging, requiring more strategic planning than ordinary RPGs.[2]IGN noted that the plot was the strength of the game, being in-depth and with numerous plot twists. During battle sequences, the story unfolds to create a serious atmosphere of the plot, even with simple and 'cute' character design. The spells and summoning visuals were compared with Final Fantasy VII 's detailed graphics.[2][73]
Criticism is made on gameplay, plot and the localization effort. One of the reviews of RPGFan criticized the difficulty of the game as being inconsistent with each encounter against enemy units. The factors that influence the difficulty of the game include overpowered enemy units or party members, and time had to be taken to level up before any progress can be made.[79] Though in-depth, IGN also noted that the game's plot was confusing at times, and that the item system was repetitive.[73] The game's localization effort was criticized by reviewers as poorly written, being rife with grammatical mistakes that almost stopped players from enjoying the storyline.[2] General RPGFan review noted that the battlefield area was too small, hindering any possibilities for better strategy. The gameplay is summarized by one of the reviews as 'strength vs. strength and proper spacing of troops when fighting magic users'.[80]
IGN awarded the game the Editor's Choice Award on 1998, praising the in-game graphics as 'amazing' and the battle environments with its extra details as being 'extremely well designed'.[73]GameSpot has named Final Fantasy Tactics as one of its Greatest Games of All Time[93]âthe first Final Fantasy game to receive such an honour. However, its legacy remains fairly obscure compared to Final Fantasy VII, also released for the PlayStation that year. The game still entered many 'best games of all time' lists, receiving 84th place in the 'Top 100 Favorite Games of All Time' poll by Japanese magazine Famitsu during March 2006,[94] 19th in a 2005 list by GameFAQs users,[95] 45th in Game Informer's list,[96] 43rd in Electronic Gaming Monthly's,[97] and 38th in IGN's.[98] Since its release, Final Fantasy Tactics has attracted a cult following.[99]Fan communities dedicated to modding and balancing the game have appeared on the internet. These communities experience member activity as of 2011, fourteen years after Final Fantasy Tactics' original release.[100]
Versions and re-releases[edit]
Final Fantasy Tactics saw several re-releases. Final Fantasy Tactics was re-released as part of the Square's Millennium Collection. This series of games was only released in Japan, and each title is bought with a set of related merchandise. Final Fantasy Tactics was sold on June 29, 2000 along with titles such as Saga Frontier, Saga Frontier 2, Brave Fencer Musashi, Front Mission 3, Ehrgeiz and Legend of Mana.[101][102]
Four years after its release in 1997, Final Fantasy Tactics was selected as part of the Sony Greatest Hits line of rereleases.[103] Games released as Sony Greatest Hits were sold at a lower price. Final Fantasy Tactics also became part of Ultimate Hits, Square Enix's main budget range available in Japan.[104]
A PlayStation Portable version of Final Fantasy Tactics, entitled Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions was released on May 10, 2007, in Japan; and is now released across all regions. It is the second game announced as part of the Ivalice Alliance. The game features an updated version of Final Fantasy Tactics, along with new features including in-game cutscenes, new characters, and multiplayer capability. The updated mechanics contain a 16:9 widescreen support, new items, new jobs, and cel-shaded full motion videos. The English version contains full voice acting during the cinematic cut scenes, whereas the Japanese version does not.[3]
Legacy[edit]
The world of Final Fantasy Tactics has been featured in several other Square video games. After the game's release, the development staff went on to develop Vagrant Story, which featured several subtle references to Final Fantasy Tactics. In an interview with the French video game magazine Joypad, Matsuno stated that both titles are set in the same fictional world of Ivalice.[105] During the development of Vagrant Story, Matsuno and Sakaguchi initiated a sequel to Tactics, which would have used 2D graphics due to issues with 3D development at the time. Due to the team's committent to Vagrant Story, the project was outsourced to an unspecified developer, but was cancelled for unspecified reasons.[106]
Square released Final Fantasy Tactics Advance for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance in 2003. The game setting and engine are similar to the ones of its predecessor, however the characters and plot are notably different; the cast of characters is considerably smaller, and the plot is considerably simpler.[107] Additionally, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance has a shorter main campaign, but more side missions and a secret campaign at the end of the game.
In 2006, Final Fantasy XII was released, also set in the world of Ivalice. Square Enix announced at the end of the same year the Ivalice Alliance, a new series of games set in the world of Ivalice, during a Tokyo press conference. The first title released was Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings.[108] An indirect sequel to Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, titled Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift, was released in Japan in 2007 and in the rest of the world in 2008. It is also one of the titles released under the Ivalice Alliance game series, and takes place in the Ivalice universe.[109][110] Ramza also appears as a playable character in the fighting game Dissidia Final Fantasy NT.[111]
In 2017, the MMORPGFinal Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn portrayed a version of the events of Final Fantasy Tactics as a fairy tale, with Ivalice being a mythical realm. It also introduced a version of Ramza and Alma as characters within the setting.[112]
The remixed song from the game, 'Ovelia & Delita', was nominated for 'Best Game Music Cover/Remix' at the 16th Annual Game Audio Network Guild Awards.[113]
Notes[edit]
References[edit]
External links[edit]
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Final_Fantasy_Tactics&oldid=903629511'
Boy, do people love Final Fantasy Tactics. They love it so much they'd marry it, if human-video-game marriage were legal. It's a desert-island game for approximately 70% of the video gaming population; it's been replayed more often than The White Album.
Over the past couple of weeks, I've begun playing the 1998 strategy role-playing game for the first time. With tips from our resident FFT expert Jason Schreier, I finally (finally!) managed to survive the Dorter Slums. I'm already liking the game, but the near-universal adoration it enjoys is so intense and dogmatic that I wanted to explore it further before I played too much more myself. So, I asked a few people who make games why they love Final Fantasy Tactics.
'Saying Final Fantasy Tactics is your favorite Final Fantasy game is like saying Jed Bartlet is your favorite U.S. president,' said Darius Kazemi, game designer at Bocoup, in an email. 'It is at once obviously correct, and obviously cheating.'
In particular, Kazemi loves how Tactics is so unbalanced. 'The thing I like best about FFT is how it's not afraid to let the player power up and essentially break everything,' he said. 'While it's important to have a balanced combat system in a multiplayer game, it's not nearly as important in a single-player game. FFT says 'to hell with balance!' and gives you a set of fascinating systems that you can bend to your will.
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He continued by detailing an exploit likely well-known to most hardcore Tactics players: 'My fondest memory was building the ultimate Calculator (the coolest mage class ever), who would cast Holy on every character standing at an elevation that is also a prime number. This would often one-hit kill every single enemy and ally on the map, including the Calculator himself, the only survivor being the one party equipped with an item that absorbed Holy damage.'
Trent Polack, senior game designer at LightBox Interactive, is also a fan of the Calculator, also known as the Arithmetician: 'Final Fantasy Tactics is the greatest SRPG that will ever exist for one reason: The arithmetician.
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'Look at this shit.' Polack said. ''These calculating strategists employ the principles of arithmetic law to pinpoint targets for their attacks'. That is the actual description of a class in a video game. You choose an attribute and a numerical base and everyone on the board (friend or foe) is affected by whatever spell you use in conjunction.'
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Polack said that about sums it up for him. 'I don't really have a better reason than that; I feel like that class just encompasses everything that is amazing about Final Fantasy Tactics.'
Supergiant Games creative director Greg Kasavin agrees, telling me in an email, 'It's a game whose flaws I think contribute to its unique personality. Vital aspects of the experience, charming, idiosyncratic quirks give the game a distinct personal feel.' Like Kazemi, Kasavin has a favorite anecdote: 'There's one particularly notorious battle about two-thirds of the way through the game where you can become impossibly stuck if you've been using the same save slot the entire time and saving when the game suggests you should. In principle, that's not good design. The first time I played the game, I had to start over after 20 hours or more. But in the end, I really love that battle â it's an outstanding moment in the story, and suitably challenging given who you're up against.'
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Polack elaborated on the game's strange imbalances: 'There are horrible strategies that make the game very difficult. There are degenerate strategies that make the game incredibly easy. And then there's the game that most people play: a strategy game that provides an obscene amount of meaningful character customization and a mix of determinism/randomness to make it deep enough for people (like myself) to play the game from start to finish upwards of ten times over the course of fourteen-fifteen years.'
That deep level of customization seems like a key part of why people still play Tactics fifteen years after it came out. Kasavin says he recently replayed the game over the holidays, using his Vita to emulate the PlayStation version. (For my part, I'm playing the PSP port, which I gather has some slowdown issues but is also a superior translation. We'll see.) 'The job system is so open-ended that each time I play through, my path is different,' Kasavin said. 'I discover some other cool and effective combination of abilities for my team of characters. It's one of those games where your long-term planning can really pay off, and each battle pushes you a little closer to some exciting late-game outcome.'
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Everyone I talked to agreed that the story is another high point. I have to say, six hours in, I already see what they're talking about. It's a remarkably grounded, nuanced tale. 'The best part is that the game has aged well,' Polack said, 'and the storyâwhile very male-orientedâis actually about politics and war and country and treason and not how stupidly big someone's chainsaw is.'
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'The story has all the weight and intrigue of a Shakespearean tragedy,' Kasavin said, 'and I love that such an ambitious and genuinely epic story is delivered using these doll-like characters that look like they could have come from a children's game.'
Matthew Burns, founder of Shadegrown Games, went into greater detail. 'It strikes a perfect balance between the traditional whimsy of the Final Fantasy series with a more serious, and ultimately rather dark, story. Framed from the perspective of a historian looking back on events in the murky past, the game's presentation of its world is relatively reserved: it presents the player with a sweeping look at people, politics, and events without itself getting too caught up in any of its own characters' emotions and causes.'
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Burns sent me a lengthy email in which he went into detail about his love of Hitoshi Sakimoto and Masaharu Iwata's soundtrack, which he says is arguably the best Final Fantasy soundtrack of all time. '[The score] captures the ornate, fantasy-baroque visual style of the game's setting, Ivalice,' he wrote, 'but it doesn't lose itself in the details as so many orchestral soundtracks tend to do. It's exciting without being bombastic, melodic without the overuse of leitmotifs, memorable without being catchy.'
Burns pointed out three tracks in particular: The familiar-sounding 'P.R. Movie', which plays around with Uematsu's famous Final Fantasy harp arpeggios to hint that this game will be darker and more complicated than past games, as well as 'Tutorial,' which to his ear is peppy and exciting, but 'without being a goofy, too-perky anime song that a more typical JRPG might've had in its place.'
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I'll copy in his entire analysis of his third pick, because it's good stuff:
The first main battle theme from the game, 'Trisection,' exhibits all of the balance I mentioned earlier. It's serious but not self-regardingly so. It's big and orchestral but not shrill and over-dramatic. It doesn't rely on a theme that might as well be in a pop song, but it's still very driven by melody and harmony.
The way the theme from the first few bars repeats four times overâfirst singular, then harmonized, then repeated again in the background, fugue-style, then harmonized again with the hornâsuggests the bourgeoning conflict that's soon to envelop the continent, without being overly portentous or mock-sad. You can tell shit's getting started, but it's not telling you *how* you're supposed to feel about thatânot just yet.
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People love Final Fantasy Tactics for all sorts of reasons, from the story, to the music, to the wonderfully weird way it's designed. They love what it does right, and they love what it gets wrong. I'm looking forward to digging in deeper; you'll be hearing about the game more this month at Kotaku. I'll hopefully come back to these folks and a few more to talk about the game once I've played more.
For now, I'm curious to hear from you. With no big story spoilers, if you can help it: Why do you love (or hate) Final Fantasy Tactics?
Final Fantasy[a] is a Japanesescience fantasymedia franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and developed and owned by Square Enix (formerly Square). The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and science fantasy role-playing video games (RPGs/JRPGs). The first game in the series was released in 1987, with 14 other main-numbered entries being released since then. The franchise has since branched into other video game genres such as tactical role-playing, action role-playing, massively multiplayer online role-playing, racing, third-person shooter, fighting, and rhythm, as well as branching into other media, including CGI films, anime, manga, and novels.
Final Fantasy installments are generally stand-alone stories, each with different settings, plots and main characters, but the franchise is linked by several recurring elements, including game mechanics and recurring character names. Each plot centers on a particular group of heroes who are battling a great evil, but also explores the characters' internal struggles and relationships. Character names are frequently derived from the history, languages, pop culture, and mythologies of cultures worldwide. The mechanics of each game involve similar battle systems and maps.
The Final Fantasy video game series has been both critically and commercially successful, selling more than 144 million games worldwide, making it one of the best-selling video game franchises of all time. The series is well known for its innovation, visuals, and music, such as the inclusion of full-motion videos (FMVs), photorealistic character models, and music by Nobuo Uematsu. It has been a driving force in the video game industry, and the series has affected Square Enix's business practices and its relationships with other video game developers. It has popularized many features now common in role-playing games, also popularizing the genre as a whole in markets outside Japan.
Media[edit]Games[edit]
The first installment of the series was released in Japan on December 18, 1987. Subsequent games are numbered and given a story unrelated to previous games, so the numbers refer to volumes rather than to sequels. Many Final Fantasy games have been localized for markets in North America, Europe, and Australia on numerous video game consoles, personal computers (PC), and mobile phones. Future installments will appear on seventh and eighth generation consoles. As of November 2016, the series includes the main installments from Final Fantasy to Final Fantasy XV, as well as direct sequels and spin-offs, both released and confirmed as being in development. Most of the older games have been remade or re-released on multiple platforms.[1]
Main series[edit]
Three Final Fantasy installments were released on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Final Fantasy was released in Japan in 1987 and in North America in 1990.[2][3] It introduced many concepts to the console RPG genre, and has since been remade on several platforms.[3]Final Fantasy II, released in 1988 in Japan, has been bundled with Final Fantasy in several re-releases.[3][4][5] The last of the NES installments, Final Fantasy III, was released in Japan in 1990;[6] however, it was not released elsewhere until a Nintendo DSremake in 2006.[5]
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) also featured three installments of the main series, all of which have been re-released on several platforms. Final Fantasy IV was released in 1991; in North America, it was released as Final Fantasy II.[7][8] It introduced the 'Active Time Battle' system.[9]Final Fantasy V, released in 1992 in Japan, was the first game in the series to spawn a sequel: a short anime series, Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals.[3][10][11]Final Fantasy VI was released in Japan in 1994, titled Final Fantasy III in North America.[12]
The PlayStation console saw the release of three main Final Fantasy games. Final Fantasy VII (1997) moved away from the two-dimensional (2D) graphics used in the first six games to three-dimensional (3D) computer graphics; the game features polygonal characters on pre-rendered backgrounds. It also introduced a more modern setting, a style that was carried over to the next game.[3] It was also the second in the series to be released in Europe, with the first being Final Fantasy Mystic Quest. Final Fantasy VIII was published in 1999, and was the first to consistently use realistically proportioned characters and feature a vocal piece as its theme music.[3][13]Final Fantasy IX, released in 2000, returned to the series' roots by revisiting a more traditional Final Fantasy setting rather than the more modern worlds of VII and VIII.[3][14]
Three main installments, as well as one online game, were published for the PlayStation 2 (PS2).[15][16][17]Final Fantasy X (2001) introduced full 3D areas and voice acting to the series, and was the first to spawn a direct video game sequel (Final Fantasy X-2, published in 2003).[18][19] The first massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) in the series, Final Fantasy XI, was released on the PS2 and PC in 2002, and later on the Xbox 360.[20][21] It introduced real-time battles instead of random encounters.[21]Final Fantasy XII, published in 2006, also includes real-time battles in large, interconnected playfields.[22][23] The game is also the first in the main series to utilize a world used in a previous game, namely the land of Ivalice, which had previously featured in Final Fantasy Tactics and Vagrant Story.[24]
In 2009, Final Fantasy XIII was released in Japan, and in North America and Europe the following year, for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.[25][26] It is the flagship installment of the Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy series[27] and became the first mainline game to spawn two direct sequels (XIII-2 and Lightning Returns).[28] It was also the first game released in Chinese & High Definition along with being released on two consoles at once. Final Fantasy XIV, a MMORPG, was released worldwide on Microsoft Windows in 2010, but it received heavy criticism when it was launched, prompting Square Enix to rerelease the game as Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, this time to the PlayStation 3 as well, in 2013.[29]Final Fantasy XV is an action role-playing game that was released for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in 2016.[30][31] Originally a XIII spin-off titled Versus XIII, XV uses the mythos of the Fabula Nova Crystallis series, although in many other respects the game stands on its own and has since been distanced from the series by its developers.[32][33][34][35][36][37]
Remakes, sequels and spin-offs[edit]
Final Fantasy has spawned numerous spin-offs and metaseries. Several are, in fact, not Final Fantasy games, but were rebranded for North American release. Examples include the SaGa series, rebranded The Final Fantasy Legend, and its two sequels, Final Fantasy Legend II and Final Fantasy Legend III.[38]Final Fantasy Mystic Quest was specifically developed for a United States audience, and Final Fantasy Tactics is a tactical RPG that features many references and themes found in the series.[39][40] The spin-off Chocobo series, Crystal Chronicles series, and Kingdom Hearts series also include multiple Final Fantasy elements.[38][41] In 2003, the Final Fantasy series' first direct sequel, Final Fantasy X-2, was released.[42]Final Fantasy XIII was originally intended to stand on its own, but the team wanted to explore the world, characters and mythos more, resulting in the development and release of two sequels in 2011 and 2013 respectively, creating the series' first official trilogy.[28]Dissidia Final Fantasy was released in 2009, a fighting game that features heroes and villains from the first ten games of the main series.[43] It was followed by a prequel in 2011.[44] Other spin-offs have taken the form of subseriesâCompilation of Final Fantasy VII, Ivalice Alliance, and Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy.
Other media[edit]Film and television[edit]
Square Enix has expanded the Final Fantasy series into various media. Multiple anime and computer-generated imagery (CGI) films have been produced that are based either on individual Final Fantasy games or on the series as a whole. The first was an original video animation (OVA), Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals, a sequel to Final Fantasy V. The story was set in the same world as the game, although 200 years in the future. It was released as four 30-minute episodes, first in Japan in 1994 and later in the United States by Urban Vision in 1998. In 2001, Square Pictures released its first feature film, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. The film is set on a future Earth invaded by alien life forms.[45]The Spirits Within was the first animated feature to seriously attempt to portray photorealistic CGI humans, but was considered a box office bomb and garnered mixed reviews.[45][46][47]
In 2005, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, a theatrical CGI film, and Last Order: Final Fantasy VII, a non-canon OVA,[48] were released as part of the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII. Advent Children was animated by Visual Works, which helped the company create CG sequences for the games.[49] The film, unlike The Spirits Within, gained mixed to positive reviews from critics[50][51][52] and has become a commercial success.[53]Last Order, on the other hand, was released in Japan in a special DVD bundle package with Advent Children. Last Order sold out quickly[54] and was positively received by Western critics,[55][56] though fan reaction was mixed over changes to established story scenes.[57]
Final Fantasy Tactics Anime Online
A 25-episode anime television series, Final Fantasy: Unlimited, was released in 2001 based on the common elements of the Final Fantasy series. It was broadcast in Japan by TV Tokyo and released in North America by ADV Films.
Two animated tie-ins for Final Fantasy XV were announced at the Uncovered Final Fantasy XV fan and press event, forming part of a larger multimedia project dubbed the Final Fantasy XV Universe. Brotherhood: Final Fantasy XV is a series of five 10-to-20-minute-long episodes developed by A-1 Pictures and Square Enix detailing the backstories of the main cast. Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV, a CGI movie set for release prior to the game in Summer 2016, is set during the game's opening and follows new and secondary characters.[58][59][60][61]In February 26, 2019 Square Enix released a Short Anime called Final Fantasy XV: EPISODE ARDYN - PROLOGUE on their YouTube channel which acts as the background story for the final piece of Dlc for Final Fantasy 15 giving insight into Ardyn's past.
Square Enix also released Final Fantasy XIV: Dad of Light, an 8-episode Japanese soap opera. It features a mix of live-action scenes and Final Fantasy XIV gameplay footage. It premiered in Japan on April 16, 2017 and became available worldwide via Netflix in September of the same year.
It was announced in June 2019 that Sony Pictures Television is working on a first ever live-action adaptation of the series with Hivemind and Square Enix. Jason F. Brown, Sean Daniel and Dinesh Shamdasani for Hivemind will be the producers while Ben Lustig and Jake Thornton will write for the series and will serve as executive producers.[62]
Other media[edit]
Several video games have either been adapted into or have had spin-offs in the form of manga and novels. The first was the novelization of Final Fantasy II in 1989, and was followed by a manga adaptation of Final Fantasy III in 1992.[63][64] The past decade has seen an increase in the number of non-video game adaptations and spin-offs. Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within has been adapted into a novel, the spin-off game Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles has been adapted into a manga, and Final Fantasy XI has had a novel and manga set in its continuity.[65][66][67][68] Seven novellas based on the Final Fantasy VII universe have also been released. The Final Fantasy: Unlimited story was partially continued in novels and a manga after the anime series ended.[69] The Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy XIII series have also had novellas and audio dramas released. Two games, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance and Final Fantasy: Unlimited, have been adapted into radio dramas.
A trading card game named the 'Final Fantasy trading card game' is produced by Square Enix and Hobby Japan, first released Japan in 2012 with an English version in 2016.[70] The game has been compared to Magic: the Gathering, and a tournament circuit for the game also takes place.[71][72]
Common elements[edit]
Although most Final Fantasy installments are independent, many gameplay elements recur throughout the series.[73][74] Most games contain elements of fantasy and science fiction and feature recycled names often inspired from various cultures' history, languages and mythology, including Asian, European, and Middle-Eastern.[75] Examples include weapon names like Excalibur and Masamuneâderived from Arthurian legend and the Japanese swordsmith Masamune respectivelyâas well as the spell names Holy, Meteor, and Ultima.[74][75] Beginning with Final Fantasy IV, the main series adopted its current logo style that features the same typeface and an emblem designed by Japanese artist Yoshitaka Amano. The emblem relates to a game's plot and typically portrays a character or object in the story. Subsequent remakes of the first three games have replaced the previous logos with ones similar to the rest of the series.[74]
Plot and themes[edit]
Final Fantasy V is typical of the earlier games in the series, in that the heroes must attempt to retrieve crystals to save the world from an ancient evil.
The central conflict in many Final Fantasy games focuses on a group of characters battling an evil, and sometimes ancient, antagonist that dominates the game's world. Stories frequently involve a sovereign state in rebellion, with the protagonists taking part in the rebellion. The heroes are often destined to defeat the evil, and occasionally gather as a direct result of the antagonist's malicious actions.[3][75] Another staple of the series is the existence of two villains; the main villain is not always who it appears to be, as the primary antagonist may actually be subservient to another character or entity.[3] The main antagonist introduced at the beginning of the game is not always the final enemy, and the characters must continue their quest beyond what appears to be the final fight.[75]
Final Fantasy Tactics Enemies
Stories in the series frequently emphasize the internal struggles, passions, and tragedies of the characters, and the main plot often recedes into the background as the focus shifts to their personal lives.[23][76] Games also explore relationships between characters, ranging from love to rivalry.[3] Other recurring situations that drive the plot include amnesia, a hero corrupted by an evil force, mistaken identity, and self-sacrifice.[3][77][78] Magical orbs and crystals are recurring in-game items that are frequently connected to the themes of the games' plots.[75] Crystals often play a central role in the creation of the world, and a majority of the Final Fantasy games link crystals and orbs to the planet's life force. As such, control over these crystals drives the main conflict.[75][79] The classical elements are also a recurring theme in the series related to the heroes, villains, and items.[75] Other common plot and setting themes include the Gaia hypothesis, an apocalypse, and conflicts between advanced technology and nature.[75][77][80]
Characters[edit]
The series features a number of recurring character archetypes. Most famously, every game since Final Fantasy II, including subsequent remakes of the original Final Fantasy, features a character named Cid. Cid's appearance, personality, goals, and role in the game (non-playable ally, party member, villain) vary dramatically. However, two characteristics many versions of Cid have in common are 1) being a scientist or engineer, and 2) being tied in some way to an airship the party eventually acquires. Every Cid has at least one of these two traits.
Biggs and Wedge, inspired by two Star Wars characters of the same name, appear in numerous games as minor characters, sometimes as comic relief.[23][74] The later games in the series feature several males with effeminate characteristics.[81][82] Recurring creatures include Chocobos and Moogles.[23] Chocobos are large, often flightless birds that appear in several installments as a means of long-distance travel for characters. Moogles, on the other hand, are white, stout creatures resembling teddy bears with wings and a single antenna. They serve different capacities in games including mail delivery, weaponsmiths, party members, and saving the game. Chocobo and Moogle appearances are often accompanied by specific musical themes that have been arranged differently for separate games.[3][23][74] Final Fantasy is also well known for its enemy monsters and creatures.[83]
Gameplay[edit]
In Final Fantasy games, players command a party of characters as they progress through the game's story by exploring the game world and defeating opponents.[3][75] Enemies are typically encountered randomly through exploring, a trend which changed in Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XII. The player issues combat ordersâlike 'Fight', 'Magic', and 'Item'âto individual characters via a menu-driven interface while engaging in battles. Throughout the series, the games have used different battle systems. Prior to Final Fantasy XI, battles were turn-based with the protagonists and antagonists on different sides of the battlefield. Final Fantasy IV introduced the 'Active Time Battle' (ATB) system that augmented the turn-based nature with a perpetual time-keeping system. Designed by Hiroyuki Ito, it injected urgency and excitement into combat by requiring the player to act before an enemy attacks, and was used until Final Fantasy X, which implemented the 'Conditional Turn-Based' (CTB) system.[3][23][84] This new system returned to the previous turn-based system, but added nuances to offer players more challenge.[19][85]Final Fantasy XI adopted a real-time battle system where characters continuously act depending on the issued command.[86]Final Fantasy XII continued this gameplay with the 'Active Dimension Battle' system.[87]Final Fantasy XIII's combat system, designed by the same man who worked on X,[88] was meant to have an action-oriented feel, emulating the cinematic battles in Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. The latest installment to the franchise, Final Fantasy XV, introduces a new 'Open Combat' system. Unlike previous battle systems in the franchise, the 'Open Combat' system (OCS) allows players to take on a fully active battle scenario, allowing for free range attacks and movement, giving a much more fluid feel of combat. This system also incorporates a 'Tactical' Option during battle, which pauses active battle to allow use of items.[89]
Like most RPGs, the Final Fantasy installments use an experience level system for character advancement, in which experience points are accumulated by killing enemies.[90][91][92][93]Character classes, specific jobs that enable unique abilities for characters, are another recurring theme. Introduced in the first game, character classes have been used differently in each game. Some restrict a character to a single job to integrate it into the story, while other games feature dynamic job systems that allow the player to choose from multiple classes and switch throughout the game. Though used heavily in many games, such systems have become less prevalent in favor of characters that are more versatile; characters still match an archetype, but are able to learn skills outside their class.[23][74][75]
Magic is another common RPG element in the series. The method by which characters gain magic varies between installments, but is generally divided into classes organized by color: 'White magic', which focuses on spells that assist teammates; 'Black magic', which focuses on harming enemies; 'Red magic', which is a combination of white and black magic, 'Blue magic', which mimics enemy attacks; and 'Green magic' which focuses on applying status effects to either allies or enemies.[3][74][84] Other types of magic frequently appear such as 'Time magic', focusing on the themes of time, space, and gravity; and 'Summoning magic', which evokes legendary creatures to aid in battle and is a feature that has persisted since Final Fantasy III. Summoned creatures are often referred to by names like 'Espers' or 'Eidolons' and have been inspired by mythologies from Arabic, Hindu, Norse, and Greek cultures.[74][75]
Different means of transportation have appeared through the series. The most common is the airship for long range travel, accompanied by chocobos for travelling short distances, but others include sea and land vessels. Following Final Fantasy VII, more modern and futuristic vehicle designs have been included.[75]
Development and history[edit]Origin[edit]
Hironobu Sakaguchi, creator of the Final Fantasy series
In the mid-1980s, Square entered the Japanese video game industry with simple RPGs, racing games, and platformers for Nintendo's Famicom Disk System. In 1987, Square designer Hironobu Sakaguchi chose to create a new fantasy role-playing game for the cartridge-based NES, and drew inspiration from popular fantasy games: Enix's Dragon Quest, Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda, and Origin Systems's Ultima series. Though often attributed to the company allegedly facing bankruptcy, Sakaguchi explained that the game was his personal last-ditch effort in the game industry and that its title, Final Fantasy, stemmed from his feelings at the time; had the game not sold well, he would have quit the business and gone back to university.[94][95][96] Despite his explanation, publications have also attributed the name to the company's hopes that the project would solve its financial troubles.[95][97] In 2015, Sakaguchi explained the name's origin: the team wanted a title that would abbreviate to 'FF', which would sound good in Japanese. The name was originally going to be Fighting Fantasy, but due to concerns over trademark conflicts with the roleplaying gamebook series of the same name, they needed to settle for something else. As the word 'Final' was a famous word in Japan, Sakaguchi settled on that. According to Sakaguchi, any title that created the 'FF' abbreviation would have done.[98]
The game indeed reversed Square's lagging fortunes, and it became the company's flagship franchise.[46][95] Following the success, Square immediately developed a second installment. Because Sakaguchi assumed Final Fantasy would be a stand-alone game, its story was not designed to be expanded by a sequel. The developers instead chose to carry over only thematic similarities from its predecessor, while some of the gameplay elements, such as the character advancement system, were overhauled. This approach has continued throughout the series; each major Final Fantasy game features a new setting, a new cast of characters, and an upgraded battle system.[5] Video game writer John Harris attributed the concept of reworking the game system of each installment to Nihon Falcom's Dragon Slayer series,[99] with which Square was previously involved as a publisher.[100] The company regularly released new games in the main series. However, the time between the releases of Final Fantasy XI (2002), Final Fantasy XII (2006), and Final Fantasy XIII (2009) were much longer than previous games. Following Final Fantasy XIV, Square Enix stated that it intended to release Final Fantasy games either annually or biennially. This switch was to mimic the development cycles of Western games in the Call of Duty, Assassin's Creed and Battlefield series, as well as maintain fan-interest.[101]
Design[edit]
For the original Final Fantasy, Sakaguchi required a larger production team than Square's previous games. He began crafting the game's story while experimenting with gameplay ideas. Once the gameplay system and game world size were established, Sakaguchi integrated his story ideas into the available resources. A different approach has been taken for subsequent games; the story is completed first and the game built around it.[102] Designers have never been restricted by consistency, though most feel each game should have a minimum number of common elements. The development teams strive to create completely new worlds for each game, and avoid making new games too similar to previous ones. Game locations are conceptualized early in development and design details like building parts are fleshed out as a base for entire structures.[73]
The first five games were directed by Sakaguchi, who also provided the original concepts.[75][103] He drew inspiration for game elements from anime films by Hayao Miyazaki; series staples like the airships and chocobos are inspired by elements in Castle in the Sky and Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, respectively.[104] Sakaguchi served as a producer for subsequent games until he left Square in 2001.[75][103]Yoshinori Kitase took over directing the games until Final Fantasy VIII,[105][106][107] and has been followed by a new director for each new game. Hiroyuki Ito designed several gameplay systems, including Final Fantasy V's 'Job System', Final Fantasy VIII's 'Junction System' and the Active Time Battle concept, which was used from Final Fantasy IV until Final Fantasy IX.[75][105] In designing the Active Time Battle system, Ito drew inspiration from Formula One racing; he thought it would be interesting if character types had different speeds after watching race cars pass each other.[108] Ito also co-directed Final Fantasy VI with Kitase.[75][105]Kenji Terada was the scenario writer for the first three games; Kitase took over as scenario writer for Final Fantasy V through Final Fantasy VII. Kazushige Nojima became the series' primary scenario writer from Final Fantasy VII until his resignation in October 2003; he has since formed his own company, Stellavista. Nojima partially or completely wrote the stories for Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy X, and Final Fantasy X-2. He also worked as the scenario writer for the spin-off series, Kingdom Hearts.[109]Daisuke Watanabe co-wrote the scenarios for Final Fantasy X and XII, and was the main writer for the XIII games.[110][111][112]
Final Fantasy VI artwork by Yoshitaka Amano, who provided designs for much of the series
Artistic design, including character and monster creations, was handled by Japanese artist Yoshitaka Amano from Final Fantasy through Final Fantasy VI. Amano also handled title logo designs for all of the main series and the image illustrations from Final Fantasy VII onward.[103]Tetsuya Nomura was chosen to replace Amano because Nomura's designs were more adaptable to 3D graphics. He worked with the series from Final Fantasy VII through Final Fantasy X;[75][103] for Final Fantasy IX, however, character designs were handled by ShukÅ Murase, Toshiyuki Itahana, and Shin Nagasawa.[113] Nomura is also the character designer of the Kingdom Hearts series, Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, and Fabula Nova Crystallis: Final Fantasy.[114] Other designers include Nobuyoshi Mihara and Akihiko Yoshida. Mihara was the character designer for Final Fantasy XI, and Yoshida served as character designer for Final Fantasy Tactics, the Square-produced Vagrant Story, and Final Fantasy XII.[40][115]
Graphics and technology[edit]
Because of graphical limitations, the first games on the NES feature small sprite representations of the leading party members on the main world screen. Battle screens use more detailed, full versions of characters in a side-view perspective. This practice was used until Final Fantasy VI, which uses detailed versions for both screens. The NES sprites are 26 pixels high and use a color palette of 4 colors. 6 frames of animation are used to depict different character statuses like 'healthy' and 'fatigued'. The SNES installments use updated graphics and effects, as well as higher quality audio than in previous games, but are otherwise similar to their predecessors in basic design. The SNES sprites are 2 pixels shorter, but have larger palettes and feature more animation frames: 11 colors and 40 frames respectively. The upgrade allowed designers to have characters be more detailed in appearance and express more emotions. The first game includes non-player characters (NPCs) the player could interact with, but they are mostly static in-game objects. Beginning with the second game, Square used predetermined pathways for NPCs to create more dynamic scenes that include comedy and drama.[116]
In 1995, Square showed an interactive SGI technical demonstration of Final Fantasy VI for the then next generation of consoles. The demonstration used Silicon Graphics's prototype Nintendo 64 workstations to create 3D graphics.[116][117] Fans believed the demo was of a new Final Fantasy game for the Nintendo 64 console; however, 1997 saw the release of Final Fantasy VII for the Sony PlayStation.[117][118] The switch was due to a dispute with Nintendo over its use of faster but more expensive cartridges, as opposed to the slower and cheaper, but much higher capacity Compact Discs used on rival systems.[119][120]Final Fantasy VII introduced 3D graphics with fully pre-rendered backgrounds.[119][121] It was because of this switch to 3D that a CD-ROM format was chosen over a cartridge format.[119][122] The switch also led to increased production costs and a greater subdivision of the creative staff for Final Fantasy VII and subsequent 3D games in the series.[73]
Final Fantasy VIII, along with VII and IX, used pre-rendered backgrounds.
Starting with Final Fantasy VIII, the series adopted a more photo-realistic look.[123][124] Like Final Fantasy VII, full motion video (FMV) sequences would have video playing in the background, with the polygonal characters composited on top. Final Fantasy IX returned to the more stylized design of earlier games in the series, although it still maintained, and in many cases slightly upgraded, most of the graphical techniques used in the previous two games.[124]Final Fantasy X was released on the PlayStation 2, and used the more powerful hardware to render graphics in real-time instead of using pre-rendered material to obtain a more dynamic look; the game features full 3D environments, rather than have 3D character models move about pre-rendered backgrounds. It is also the first Final Fantasy game to introduce voice acting, occurring throughout the majority of the game, even with many minor characters.[19] This aspect added a whole new dimension of depth to the character's reactions, emotions, and development.[19][125]
Taking a temporary divergence, Final Fantasy XI used the PlayStation 2's online capabilities as an MMORPG.[126] Initially released for the PlayStation 2 with a PC port arriving six months later, Final Fantasy XI was also released on the Xbox 360 nearly four years after its original release in Japan.[127] This was the first Final Fantasy game to use a free rotating camera. Final Fantasy XII was released in 2006 for the PlayStation 2 and uses only half as many polygons as Final Fantasy X, in exchange for more advanced textures and lighting.[128][129] It also retains the freely rotating camera from Final Fantasy XI. Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy XIV both make use of Crystal Tools, a middleware engine developed by Square Enix.[130][131]
Music[edit]
Nobuo Uematsu, composer of most of the Final Fantasy soundtracks
The Final Fantasy games feature a variety of music, and frequently reuse themes. Most of the games open with a piece called 'Prelude', which has evolved from a simple, 2-voice arpeggio in the early games to a complex, melodic arrangement in recent installments.[23][74][96] Victories in combat are often accompanied by a victory fanfare, a theme that has become one of the most recognized pieces of music in the series. The basic theme that accompanies Chocobo appearances has been rearranged in a different musical style for each installment. A piece called 'Prologue' (and sometimes 'Final Fantasy'), originally featured in the first game, is often played during the ending credits.[74] Although leitmotifs are common in the more character-driven installments, theme music is typically reserved for main characters and recurring plot elements.[46]
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Nobuo Uematsu was the chief music composer of the Final Fantasy series until his resignation from Square Enix in November 2004.[46] Other composers include Masashi Hamauzu, Hitoshi Sakimoto[132][133] and Junya Nakano. Uematsu was allowed to create much of the music with little direction from the production staff. Sakaguchi, however, would request pieces to fit specific game scenes including battles and exploring different areas of the game world.[134] Once a game's major scenarios were completed, Uematsu would begin writing the music based on the story, characters, and accompanying artwork. He started with a game's main theme, and developed other pieces to match its style. In creating character themes, Uematsu read the game's scenario to determine the characters' personality. He would also ask the scenario writer for more details to scenes he was unsure about.[135] Technical limitations were prevalent in earlier games; Sakaguchi would sometimes instruct Uematsu to only use specific notes.[134] It was not until Final Fantasy IV on the SNES that Uematsu was able to add more subtlety to the music.[116]
Reception[edit]
Overall, the Final Fantasy series has been critically acclaimed and commercially successful, though each installment has seen different levels of success. The series has seen a steady increase in total sales; it sold over 10 million units worldwide by early 1996,[136] 45 million by August 2003, 63 million by December 2005, and 85 million by July 2008.[137][138][139] In June 2011, Square Enix announced that the series had sold over 100 million units,[140] and by March 2014, it had sold over 110 million units.[141] Its high sales numbers have ranked it as one of the best-selling video game franchises in the industry; in January 2007, the series was listed as number three, and later in July as number four.[46][142] As of 2018, the series has sold over 142 million units worldwide.[143]
Several games within the series have become best-selling games. At the end of 2007, the seventh, eighth, and ninth best-selling RPGs were Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VIII, and Final Fantasy X respectively.[144]Final Fantasy VII has sold more than 11 million copies worldwide,[145] earning it the position of the best-selling Final Fantasy game.[146] Within two days of Final Fantasy VIII's North American release on September 9, 1999, it became the top-selling video game in the United States, a position it held for more than three weeks.[147]Final Fantasy X sold over 1.4 million Japanese units in pre-orders alone, which set a record for the fastest-selling console RPG.[144][148] The MMORPG, Final Fantasy XI, reached over 200,000 active daily players in March 2006[149] and had reached over half a million subscribers by July 2007.[46]Final Fantasy XII sold more than 1.7 million copies in its first week in Japan.[150] By November 6, 2006âone week after its releaseâFinal Fantasy XII had shipped approximately 1.5 million copies in North America.[151]Final Fantasy XIII became the fastest-selling game in the franchise,[152] and sold one million units on its first day of sale in Japan.[153]Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, in comparison to its predecessor, was a runaway success, originally suffering from servers being overcrowded,[154] and eventually gaining over one million unique subscribers within two months of its launch.[155]
The series has received critical acclaim for the quality of its visuals and soundtracks.[46] In 1996, Next Generation ranked the series collectively as the 17th best game of all time, speaking very highly of its graphics, music and stories.[156] It was awarded a star on the Walk of Game in 2006, making it the first franchise to win a star on the event (other winners were individual games, not franchises). WalkOfGame.com commented that the series has sought perfection as well as having been a risk taker in innovation.[157] In 2006, GameFAQs held a contest for the best video game series ever, with Final Fantasy finishing as the runner-up to The Legend of Zelda.[158] In a 2008 public poll held by The Game Group plc, Final Fantasy was voted the best game series, with five games appearing in their 'Greatest Games of All Time' list.[159]
Many Final Fantasy games have been included in various lists of top games. Several games have been listed on multiple IGN 'Top Games' lists.[160][161][162][163][164][165] Eleven games were listed on Famitsu's 2006 'Top 100 Favorite Games of All Time', four of which were in the top ten, with Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy VII coming first and second, respectively.[166] The series holds seven Guinness World Records in the Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2008, which include the 'Most Games in an RPG Series' (13 main games, seven enhanced games, and 32 spin-off games), the 'Longest Development Period' (the production of Final Fantasy XII took five years), and the 'Fastest-Selling Console RPG in a Single Day' (Final Fantasy X).[144][167] The 2009 edition listed two games from the series among the top 50 consoles games: Final Fantasy XII at number 8 and Final Fantasy VII at number 20.[168] In 2018, Final Fantasy VII was inducted as a member of the Video Game Hall of Fame.[169]
However, the series has garnered some criticism. IGN has commented that the menu system used by the games is a major detractor for many and is a 'significant reason why they haven't touched the series.'[23] The site has also heavily criticized the use of random encounters in the series' battle systems.[170][171] IGN further stated the various attempts to bring the series into film and animation have either been unsuccessful, unremarkable, or did not live up to the standards of the games.[11] In 2007, Edge criticized the series for a number of related games that include the phrase 'Final Fantasy' in their titles, which are considered inferior to previous games. It also commented that with the departure of Hironobu Sakaguchi, the series might be in danger of growing stale.[46]
Several individual Final Fantasy games have garnered extra attention; some for their positive reception and others for their negative reception. Final Fantasy VII topped GamePro's '26 Best RPGs of All Time' list,[172] as well as GameFAQs 'Best Game Ever' audience polls in 2004 and 2005.[173][174] Despite the success of Final Fantasy VII, it is sometimes criticized as being overrated. In 2003, GameSpy listed it as the seventh most overrated game of all time, while IGN presented views from both sides.[175][176]Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII shipped 392,000 units in its first week of release, but received review scores that were much lower than that of other Final Fantasy games.[177][178][179] A delayed, negative review after the Japanese release of Dirge of Cerberus from Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu hinted at a controversy between the magazine and Square Enix.[180] Though Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within was praised for its visuals, the plot was criticized and the film was considered a box office bomb.[45][46][47][181]Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles for the GameCube received overall positive review scores, but reviews stated that the use of Game Boy Advances as controllers was a big detractor.[118][182] The predominantly negative reception of the original version of Final Fantasy XIV caused then-president Yoichi Wada to issue an official apology during a Tokyo press conference, stating that the brand had been 'greatly damaged' by the game's reception.[183]
Rankings and aggregators[edit]
Several video game publications have created rankings of the mainline Final Fantasy games. In the table below, the lower the number given, the better the game is in the view of the respective publication. By way of comparison, the rating provided by the review aggregator Metacritic is also given; in this row higher numbers indicate better reviews.
Impact and legacy[edit]
The Final Fantasy series and several specific games within it have been credited for introducing and popularizing many concepts that are today widely used in console RPGs.[3][118] The original game is often cited as one of the most influential early console RPGs, and played a major role in legitimizing and popularizing the genre. Many console RPGs featured one-on-one battles against monsters from a first-person perspective. Final Fantasy introduced a side view perspective with groups of monsters against a group of characters that has been frequently used.[3][96][118] It also introduced an early evolving class change system,[197][198] as well as different methods of transportation, including a ship, canoe, and flying airship.[199]Final Fantasy II was the first sequel in the industry to omit characters and locations from the previous game.[5] It also introduced an activity-based progression system,[200] which has been used in later RPG series such as SaGa,[201]Grandia,[202] and The Elder Scrolls.[200]Final Fantasy III introduced the job system, a character progression engine allowing the player to change character classes, as well as acquire new and advanced classes and combine class abilities, at any time during the game.[203]Final Fantasy IV is considered a milestone for the genre, introducing a dramatic storyline with a strong emphasis on character development and personal relationships.[204]Final Fantasy VII is credited as having the largest industry impact of the series,[119] and with allowing console role-playing games to gain mass-market appeal.[205]
The series affected Square's business on several levels. The commercial failure of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within resulted in hesitation and delays from Enix during merger discussions with Square.[47][96] Square's decision to produce games exclusively for the Sony PlayStationâa move followed by Enix's decision with the Dragon Quest seriesâsevered their relationship with Nintendo.[3][118]Final Fantasy games were absent from Nintendo consoles, specifically the Nintendo 64, for seven years.[102][119] Critics attribute the switch of strong third-party games like the Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest games to Sony's PlayStation, and away from the Nintendo 64, as one of the reasons behind PlayStation being the more successful of the two consoles.[3][118][122] The release of the Nintendo GameCube, which used optical disc media, in 2001 caught the attention of Square. To produce games for the system, Square created the shell companyThe Game Designers Studio and released Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, which spawned its own metaseries within the main franchise.[38]Final Fantasy XI's lack of an online method of subscription cancellation prompted the creation of legislation in Illinois that requires internet gaming services to provide such a method to the state's residents.[206]
The series' popularity has resulted in its appearance and reference in numerous facets of popular culture like anime, TV series, and webcomics.[207][208][209] Music from the series has permeated into different areas of culture. Final Fantasy IV's 'Theme of Love' was integrated into the curriculum of Japanese school children and has been performed live by orchestras and metal bands.[210] In 2003, Uematsu co-founded The Black Mages, a instrumental rock group independent of Square that has released albums of arrangedFinal Fantasy tunes.[211][212]Bronze medalistsAlison Bartosik and Anna Kozlova performed their synchronized swimming routine at the 2004 Summer Olympics to music from Final Fantasy VIII.[144] Many of the soundtracks have also been released for sale. Numerous companion books, which normally provide in-depth game information, have been published. In Japan, they are published by Square and are called Ultimania books.[213][214]
The series has inspired numerous game developers. Fable creator Peter Molyneux considers Final Fantasy VII to be the RPG that 'defined the genre' for him.[215]BioWare founder Greg Zeschuk cited Final Fantasy VII as 'the first really emotionally engaging game' he played and said it had 'a big impact' on BioWare's work.[216]The Witcher 3 senior environmental artist Jonas Mattsson cited Final Fantasy as 'a huge influence' and said it was 'the first RPG' he played through.[217]Mass Effect art director Derek Watts cited Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within as a major influence on the visual design and art direction of the series.[218] BioWare senior product manager David Silverman cited Final Fantasy XII's gambit system as an influence on the gameplay of Dragon Age: Origins.[219]Ubisoft Toronto creative director Maxime Beland cited the original Final Fantasy as a major influence on him.[220]Media Molecule's Constantin Jupp credited Final Fantasy VII with getting him into game design.[221]Tim Schafer also cited Final Fantasy VII as one of his favourite games of all time.[222]
See also[edit]
Notes[edit]References[edit]
External links[edit]
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