Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles: Tips for New and Returning Players

For many RPG fans, Final Fantasy Tactics is not just a game – it’s the game.

The game’s an undisputed crown jewel. A legendary game that stands tall as one of the most revered in the RPG genre. It’s regularly featured in top 100 lists in publications like Famitsu, EGM, and IGN, GameSpot, and it’s one of the most frequently requested games by Square Enix fans on social media. It is, in other words, a Very Good Game.

Now it’s coming back as Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles, launching September 30, 2025, for Xbox Series X|S. This version enhances the already superb original with a host of improvements, including full voice acting, a new user interface, and loads of quality-of-life additions.

For some of you, this will be the first time you’ve been introduced to this tactical masterpiece. For others who played the original, you’re probably desperate to know: what’s new? Don’t worry, we can answer both of you. Simply skip to the relevant section to find the answers you seek!

I’m a new player! What’s Final Fantasy Tactics?

Let’s start with the basics. This is a tactical RPG set in the kingdom of Ivalice. It is a time of great political turmoil — the death the king triggers a succession crisis that seems destined to drag the land into war.

It’s a standalone story that focuses on two childhood friends who find themselves pulled into the conflict: Ramza, third son of House Beoulve, and Delita, a commoner raised among nobles. As they try to chart their course through this turbulent age, they’re dragged closer to the abyss.

As you follow their story, you’ll command them and their forces in exciting turn-based tactical battles. These are satisfyingly strategic clashes where you’ll issue orders to multiple units, taking advantage of the terrain and their abilities to outwit the enemy and claim victory.

Each new battle tests your tactical skills in new and exciting ways, especially when combined with the phenomenally flexible character customization. Your units can be assigned jobs – roles that determine their roles and abilities in combat.

For example, they can cast devastating elemental spells as a black mage, get up close and personal as a knight, bring help onto the field as a summoner, jump into action as an agile dragoon and many more.

There are more than 20 jobs to discover in the game, you can even equip abilities from one job while using another! It makes for all kinds of tactical possibilities and there’s a lot of fun to be had exploring the different setups and strategies available.

What’s so good about Final Fantasy Tactics?

So that’s a basic overview, but you may be wondering: why is this game so acclaimed and beloved? Let us break it down for you as simply as possible:

• It has one of the best stories in gaming – The game tells a mature tale where characters are painted in shades of grey rather than black and white. It’s a rich tapestry of political machinations, sinister plots and treacherous backstabbery, with a powerful emotional center. This game will make you feel things. Plus, there are plenty of exciting battles too, of course!

Tip: Some of your most powerful combatants will be recruits that join your party as you progress through the story.

• The battles are super strategic and satisfying – Taking to the field of battle is always a thrill, thanks to challenging combat that forces you to think carefully about every move. With so many different scenarios in the game, it’s always giving you something new to think about. It adds up to an endlessly compelling gameplay loop where you always feel that urge for just one more battle.

Tip: Changing formations can impact battles. Don’t be afraid to experiment and change up your starting formation to get early leverage in battle.

• The job system is one of the best in the series – The Final Fantasy series is famed for its job system, and Final Fantasy Tacticsis one of its most impressive examples. The sheer number of options you have in how you customize your troops is remarkable – yet it never feels confusing or overwhelming. Basically, it’s easy to understand, and yet incredibly deep – a killer combo.

Tip: Leveling up a variety of jobs is essential for unlocking the more advanced jobs, and you’ll need to pull abilities from multiple jobs when forming a strategy for taking on certain bosses.

That’s barely scraping the surface, of course. We could talk about the memorable characters or brilliant soundtrack, for example, but we think you get the point.

As we said earlier, it is a Very Good Game.

I’ve played Final Fantasy Tactics before. What’s new in The Ivalice Chronicles?

So, what if you played Final Fantasy Tactics before? You’ll be excited to discover that Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles adds a host of enhancements to make this Very Good Game even better.

Here’s what you can expect:

* A brand-new user interface – The game’s UI has been completely overhauled to make the game more approachable. The tactical depth hasn’t changed – but it’s quicker and more intuitive to command and customize your units.

* Updated visuals – The 3D battlegrounds and detailed pixel art of Final Fantasy Tacticshave been reworked for The Ivalice Chronicles. The team has taken great care to capture the same charming visuals of the original game – but now they look great on modern displays.

* Full voice acting – The full story is now fully voiced in English and Japanese by a talented cast of actors. The original Final Fantasy Tacticswas a text-only affair, so these new performances make its powerful story hit even harder than before.

* Tactical View – This new feature gives you a birds-eye view of the battlefield, making it easier to get the lay of the land and develop strategies.

* Battle speed – You can now speed up battles to make them go faster. It’s great for when you have an easy encounter, or you want to play around with different strategies and party setups.

* New difficulty levels – Do you want to full tactical challenge, or are you just in it for the story? New difficulty levels let you adjust the game to your playstyle!

* Classic version – What if you want to experience the game with the same feel as the original release? A classic version of the game is included – this reflects the original 1997 experience, but with some modern conveniences, such as the acclaimed script from Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions and autosave.

As you can see, there’s a lot to be excited about with Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles – whether you’re about to step into the tactical trenches for the first time, or a returning Final Fantasy fan.

You’ll get to experience it for yourselves from September 30, 2025, when the game releases for Xbox Series X|S. It’s available to preorder now.

FINAL FANTASY TACTICS – The Ivalice Chronicles Deluxe Edition

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Ivalice—a kingdom blessed by the light of the gods and ruled by the Two-headed Lion. A year after her defeat to Ordallia in the Fifty Years' War, the king succumbed to malady, leaving a mere boy of two to ascend the throne. Whoever was named regent would rule in truth, and thus emerged two rival candidates: dukes Goltanna and Larg, whose deeds during the war had earned them great renown. Goltanna the Black Lion and Larg the White Lion were destined to clash, and the resulting conflict would come to be known as the War of the Lions. – Product Description The Deluxe Edition includes the following bonuses: ・ Weapon: Akademy Blade (Raises a unit's speed attribute slightly while equipped) ・ Headwear: Akademy Beret (Prevents the Charmed status while equipped) ・ Combat Garb: Akademy Tunic (Grants Shell while equipped) ・ Accessory: Ring of Aptitude (Boosts JP earned while equipped) ・ Consumable Items: Phoenix Down x10 ・ Black Equipment for Ramza ・ Red Equipment for Ramza *An internet connection is required to receive the bonuses. *Bonuses can be obtained from the Options section of the main menu once it becomes available after starting a new game. *Ramza's alternate equipment colors can be applied from his status screen under the Units section of the main menu. *Certain bonuses can also be obtained by playing through the game. *Bonuses may be distributed to players or made available for purchase at a later date. — Pre-order Bonuses By pre-ordering FINAL FANTASY TACTICS – The Ivalice Chronicles, you will receive the following bonuses: ・ White Equipment for Ramza ・ Weapon: Mythril Knife ・ Accessory: Spiked Boots (Increase a unit's Jump attribute while equipped) ・ Consumable Items: High Potion x10 ・ Consumable items: Ether x10 *These bonuses can be obtained by pre-ordering the game, and will not be included with purchases made on or after the game’s release date. *An internet connection is required to receive the bonuses. *Bonuses can be obtained from the Options section of the main menu once it becomes available after starting a new game. *Ramza's alternate equipment colors can be applied from his status screen under the Units section of the main menu. *Certain bonuses can also be obtained by playing through the game. *Bonuses may be distributed to players or made available for purchase at a later date.

FINAL FANTASY TACTICS – The Ivalice Chronicles

SQUARE ENIX

☆☆☆☆☆ 210

★★★★★

Get it now

– Story Ivalice—a kingdom blessed by the light of the gods and ruled by the Two-headed Lion. A year after her defeat to Ordallia in the Fifty Years' War, the king succumbed to malady, leaving a mere boy of two to ascend the throne. Whoever was named regent would rule in truth, and thus emerged two rival candidates: dukes Goltanna and Larg, whose deeds during the war had earned them great renown. Goltanna the Black Lion and Larg the White Lion were destined to clash, and the resulting conflict would come to be known as the War of the Lions. Against this backdrop appear Ramza, third son of House Beoulve, one of Ivalice's leading military families, and his childhood companion Delita, a commoner raised amongst nobles. As they endeavor to chart a course through this tumultuous age, a mighty current draws them ever closer to the abyss. – Combat Lead your party in exhilarating encounters where strategic positioning and forward planning determine the outcome. Use the varied terrain of 3D battlefields to your advantage, skillfully manipulate the turn order, and victory will be yours for the taking. – Character Growth and Customization Combine a wide variety of jobs and abilities to craft your very own strategies. As your party members grow, they will gain access to more jobs, each with its own unique abilities. Once learned, abilities can be used even after changing to another job. With over 20 jobs to master—including white mage, black mage, dragoon, and many others from the FINAL FANTASY series—and hundreds of abilities to learn, you have the freedom to experiment and discover the combinations that best suit your party. Chocobos and other creatures can also be tamed and led into battle. – Two Versions: Enhanced and Classic With improved graphics, fully voiced dialogue, and refined gameplay, the enhanced version provides the perfect way to immerse yourself in the world of Ivalice. Along with the fine-tuning of several features and battle mechanics, the inclusion of the more accessible "Squire" difficulty setting makes the enhanced version an excellent starting point for first-time players. The classic version unites the graphics and gameplay of the original 1997 version with the renowned War of the Lions translation for a unique way to experience this beloved title. — Pre-order Bonuses By pre-ordering FINAL FANTASY TACTICS – The Ivalice Chronicles, you will receive the following bonuses: ・ White Equipment for Ramza ・ Weapon: Mythril Knife ・ Accessory: Spiked Boots (Increase a unit's Jump attribute while equipped) ・ Consumable Items: High Potion x10 ・ Consumable items: Ether x10 *These bonuses can be obtained by pre-ordering the game, and will not be included with purchases made on or after the game’s release date. *An internet connection is required to receive the bonuses. *Bonuses can be obtained from the Options section of the main menu once it becomes available after starting a new game. *Ramza's alternate equipment colors can be applied from his status screen under the Units section of the main menu. *Certain bonuses can also be obtained by playing through the game. *Bonuses may be distributed to players or made available for purchase at a later date.