Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles Review (PC) – A Classic Strategy RPG Reborn

Final Fantasy Tactics is one of my most beloved SRPGs of all time. It featured a strong political story, a robust job system, and challenging tactical gameplay. After years of fans asking for a port, Square Enix has finally answered with a full remaster titled Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles. But does this remaster capture the magic of the original while delivering something new for modern players? Check out our review to find out.

Game Name: Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles
Platform(s): PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PC (Reviewed)
Developer(s): Square Enix
Publisher(s): Square Enix
Release Date: September 30th, 2025
Price: $49.99

Ramza is a mercenary hired to protect Princess Ovelia from a kidnapping attempt. Although he helps defend her from an attack, she is still kidnapped by one of Ramza’s former military friends, Delita. Determined to rescue her, Ramza joins her guard unit, only to uncover a devastating truth: his own brother orchestrated the kidnapping. Now he must face this knowledge and unravel the conspiracies threatening his kingdom.

Ramza Beoulve

Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles is told from the perspective of Ramza Beoulve, a young man born into the noble Beoulve clan. This heritage gives him a sheltered worldview defined by a clear sense of good versus evil, a mindset most other characters in the story do not share. One constant, however, is Ramza’s belief in the goodness of people, which many dismiss as naïve. Yet this belief allows him to gather allies, along with the money earned from battles that lets him hire mercenaries. The currency in Ivalice is Cole, and it can be earned by completing errands or defeating soldiers and monsters.

Combat in this game takes place on a grid. Every map, even in story cutscenes, is structured this way, so players quickly become accustomed to seeing everything on tiles. You can typically control up to five units, including Ramza. These units are mostly mercenaries who begin as squires but can branch into other classes once they reach level two. Characters have both a character level and a job level. Performing job-related actions grants job points and experience, and even basic attacks with job-appropriate weapons earn experience. This design encourages constant action, rewarding mages for casting buffs, debuffs, or healing just as much as physical attacks.

Another way to gain job experience is through errands. In cities, you can visit taverns to hear rumors and accept quests. You assign up to three units to these quests, and when they return, they earn significant job experience. However, they do not gain battle experience, so their character levels remain unchanged. This system is a useful way to build jobs for units you do not want to bring into combat yet. To unlock a new job, units must meet certain prerequisites. For example, before becoming a black mage or white mage, a unit must reach level two as a chemist. After squire, the initial job paths include chemist, knight, and archer.

Aesthetics of Ivalice

The original PlayStation game featured hand-drawn sprites, but when scaled up, the art often looked smeared. To address this, Square Enix chose a softer, enhanced style for the remaster. This gives the sprites a cleaner look at higher resolutions, though players nostalgic for the original detail can still choose the classic mode.

The grid-based aesthetic remains a strong artistic choice for SRPGs, reinforcing a consistent sense of scale across the world. However, some dungeons and areas can be frustrating due to the fixed four-directional camera. At times, enemies may occupy tiles that are hidden from view, which briefly disrupts the experience. While uncommon, these moments highlight the limited camera control.

I still enjoyed the visual presentation and appreciated being able to switch back to the classic mode to revisit the original models and job wheel. That said, one feature always drew me back to the enhanced version—the voice acting.

Hearing Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles

The script and dialogue in Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles carry a Shakespearean tone in both writing and translation. This same high-fantasy, politically charged setting is what later connected Final Fantasy XII to Ivalice. Themes of sexism, classism, and noble versus commoner bloodlines dominate the story, creating a world steeped in intrigue over kingdoms, rulers, and power. Hearing Ramza deliver these lines through voice acting brought a new weight to the narrative.

The voice acting channels the style of old stage plays, complete with rich accents and deliberate dialects. Characters attempt to persuade their enemies with words, even in the midst of combat, giving each scene a theatrical feel. Every character, even minor soldiers, is given depth through well-acted dialogue. Ivalice feels like a stage, and its inhabitants like actors, each striving to leave an impression. The combination of debate, action, and voice brought the world of Ivalice to life more vividly than ever before.

Why This Remaster Matters

Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles is a game I have been anticipating for years. While it omits some content from the PSP version, such as additional classes and Balthier’s appearance, this release still feels timely and meaningful. Its story of morality and perseverance resonates as strongly as ever, and its systems and strategies remain among the most robust in the genre. I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who enjoys compelling stories or deep SRPG mechanics.

Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles launches on September 30th, 2025, for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.

Review Disclosure Statement: Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles was provided to us by Square Enix for review purposes. For more information on how we review video games and other media/technology, please review our Review Guideline/Scoring Policy.

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