Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles Review – STRATEGIC BLISS

It’s been over two decades since Final Fantasy Tactics first redefined what a tactical turn-based RPG could be, and Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles brings that same strategic brilliance roaring back with a modern edge. From its deeply layered combat system to its emotionally charged storytelling, this remaster captures everything that made the original special while polishing it into something that feels right at home in 2025.

Decisions, Decisions

Let’s get one thing straight: The Ivalice Chronicles isn’t just a straight port; it gives players the choice to emulate the original PS1 classic or jump right into an enhanced, modern version. For the latter, Square Enix has rebuilt the visuals from the ground up, offering gorgeously reimagined environments and hand-drawn character art that breathe new life into the war-torn world of Ivalice. The fully orchestrated score further enhances that immersion, with each battle theme and tragic melody hitting just as hard as you remember, if not harder. It may not be my favourite Final Fantasy soundtrack ever, but it’ll still get ya where it counts.

The refined job system has certainly spiced things up, featuring a better balancing of abilities and JP Points required to unlock certain abilities like Teleport and First Strike, which are quite effective in almost any situation. Some units and jobs are still outright stronger than others, don’t get me wrong. However, The Ivalice Chronicles feels more encouraging of different builds and broader experimentation this time around. Just like the original, units can equip their own job’s abilities plus an extra set from another, leading to highly personalised squads, while making each battle feel like a fun puzzle waiting to be cracked.

Apart from some encounters that need to be grinded through—especially in the first chapter—and a particular 1-vs-1 encounter later on that can be ludicrously difficult (if you know, you know) the tactics you can deploy in this game are marvellous. For example, if your squad has a Black Mage, you can target a unit or a specific set of tiles to anticipate an enemy’s movement. But at the same time, if you target a unit that moves right next to your Black Mage’s position, you’ll both cop the full force of the spell. So if you want your foes to shoot themselves in the foot, this can make for a whole shemozzle of funny scenarios. 

Scenes From 1998

Being able to see the turn order and fast-forward through any action or dialogue sequence is a big win, though a ‘skip cutscene’ button would’ve been even better. Because if you enter a battle and forget to restock your items or forget to change jobs/abilities, trying to quit the fight, reorganise your team and then holding down the fast-forward button through a lengthy cutscene will grind thy gears over time. It does suffer from very similar issues to Tactics Ogre in terms of clunky, one-item-at-a-time inventory management and general fiddliness in menus, but these are just nitpicks—you’ll be speeding through once you get the hang of it.

Chronicle Mode is a new addition in The Ivalice Chronicles that acts as a comprehensive, interactive lore and timeline feature, similar to the Active Time Lore system from Final Fantasy XVI. It allows players to read through the true history (and propaganda) of Ivalice and keeps track of all the important characters and events as the story progresses. Neat stuff for you all lore-heads out there.

Narratively, The Ivalice Chronicles still stands as one of the best political dramas in gaming. Betrayal, honour and ambition intertwine throughout Ramza and Delita’s tragic arcs, now complemented by a few extra story scenes that expand the lore without breaking the pacing. It’s a gripping, grounded and dark fantasy with just the right amount of flowing, old English, proving that mature storytelling doesn’t need pure shock value to leave a mark… even though there are some scenes that will have you taken aback—in a good way. Plus, all the cutscenes are voiced extremely well, including the secret unlockable characters from the PS1 version that I won’t spoil…

Decision

While some outdated elements and lengthy animations can slow the pace at times, Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles is a triumph of tactical design and world-building. It honours the legacy of Yasumi Matsuno’s original vision while giving it the presentation and smooth performance it always deserved. Unfortunately, you won’t find any War of the Lions content here, though it doesn’t take anything away from this almost 30-year-old stunner.

By Anthony Culinas – Reviewed on Nintendo Switch

Must Have

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles masterfully revives a PS1 legend with stunning visuals, sharp combat and a story that still cuts deep. Some pacing hiccups aside, it’s an amazing return to Ivalice that strategy fans won’t want to miss.

This game was reviewed using a download code provided by Square Enix. The Beta Network uses affiliate partnerships, however, this does not influence reviews or any other content published. The Beta Network may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links that are on the website.