Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles PS5 Review– There is a reason why a remake of Final Fantasy Tactics has been anticipated for the best part of the decade; not only was the game stuck on last-gen hardware, but Tactics is considered one of the very highest peaks of the Final Fantasy series as we know it. It has had an undeniable mark on many games that have come after, and yet it feels like it never had the proper opportunity to shine.
This remake of Final Fantasy Tactics not only preserves that original game, alongside the definitive translation, but brings a transformative new version to the fore, allowing players to experience both the original and a reimagined interpretation of the story, while still remaining true to what Final Fantasy: Tactics has always been.
In a statement just prior to launch, writer Yasumi Matsuno stated how Final Fantasy: Tactics was written in the historical context of when it originally released, before prefacing how this has lingered into 2025, with this new version of the game compounding this. There’s no escaping it, Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles is a special type of game, that feels almost singular in what it goes for. There’s a reason why Square Enix has been trying to chase the heights of this game for so long, and it’s because of how scathing it truly is. Truly something special.
Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles Review (PS5) – The Return of the King
A Return to Grand Form
As the name would suggest, Final Fantasy Tactics is an RPG of a different kind when compared to its contemporaries, being a tactics-focused one as opposed to strictly turn-based. It’s a natural pivot for a series with such a heritage, and yet it never feels like just a gimmick. For the sake of this review, I spent the vast majority of my time exploring the explicitly remastered version, which includes a litany of improvements from the playability side of things.
For those wanting a more traditional experience, The Ivalice Chronicles also functions as an effective time capsule for the original game, with the acclaimed re-translation from later versions, allowing both camps to be catered to.
But for the most part, the fundamentals remain the same between the two; over the course of the game, you’ll steadily form and grow an army of units to take into a variety of different battles. These are conducted on relatively small fields that let you see the lay of the land in relatively easy terms. The result is condensed and easily readable conflicts that smartly reward clever use of space and manipulation of what you’ve got.
Additionally, you’re encouraged to experiment with what you’ve got. Drawing on the classic Final Fantasy Job system, Tactics makes use of it in a way to encourage the shifting of job archetypes and loadouts for your army. You’ll start with some relatively basic archetypes, before fanning out into some more specific and specialised units that hide powerful potential.
The “enhanced” edition of the game builds on the already strong foundations of the original game and offers quality-of-life features that sand down some of the rougher edges from the PS1 version. Most notably, you have the freedom to move units and undo the move before you commit to them, cutting down on frustrating moves that you can’t undo. You can also restart battles from the beginning without having to totally restart the game, with the option to change your loadout beforehand as well.
With the breadth of customisation options available, I was pleased that I was able to dip in and out with much commitment. You’ll be messing around with equipment and job loadouts before every battle, so every step to make that process a bit easier was noticed and appreciated. Especially with the inclusion of an optimal outfitting setting in equipment shops, to help you work out what you’ll want to invest in. This doesn’t solve everything, but it’s a good benchmark.
Doing Its Homework
All of the changes in the combat system are committed to maintaining what made Tactics so distinctive in the first place while making the experience a bit more friendly for people who might be experiencing Tactics for the first time. This is compounded by the inclusion of an easier and harder difficulty setting, further allowing for customisation and ease.
The enhanced edition of the game does still sometimes struggle with level geometry getting in the way of seeing the action, but the addition of a top-down tactical camera effectively eliminates these concerns and lets you see everything at a glance.
The isometric view is a core part of Tactics’ visual identity; removing that with a full 360-degree camera would have completely changed the way you approach combat design and general aesthetics.
A Story As Strong As Ever
The real legacy of Final Fantasy: Tactics is found in the story. It’s what every other tactics game in the genre strives to replicate, and yet it feels like none quite have. In many ways, it feels like a story that shouldn’t exist and yet does. The story is framed around examining the truth of Ivalice’s history, primarily following the exploits of Ramza Beoulve and his journey in both conflict and personal development.
For those unfamiliar with the story going into this game, it’s a far cry from the fantasy that makes up so many other games in the Final Fantasy series. While the greater franchise has never had an issue with dipping its toes into more politically focused conflict, it always does so with the framing of fantastical beasts and summons being the hallmarks. Final Fantasy XVI was a deeply complex game in terms of characterisation, but it did so with the aid of huge battles to punctuate key moments.
The story in Final Fantasy: Tactics is very much embedded in the history of Ivalice, and is done in a way that demands that you pay attention and understand the tapestry of what the continent has gone through. Unlike others, this game takes pride in its complexity and doesn’t jangle keys in your face to get you to pay attention.
This is aided by just how formidable of a protagonist Ramza truly is. Defying the odds, Ramza is a protagonist of multitudes and manages to be truly defiant in how he comes across. He starts as a member of nobility, but very quickly sees the truth of the world and is consistently pushing the boat out in a way that feels empowering without feeling naive. I would genuinely consider him to be one of the greatest characters in the entire franchise.
This is true of the supporting cast, too; the vast majority of the people you come across in your journey are complex people who are defined by far more than their role in the party. You won’t be meeting any throwaway characters during the main plot, as each contributes in a way that either benefits Ramza or changes the course of the plot. Even the sneering socialites that briefly join your team are handled in a way that pushes Ramza to greater heights.
Across the long campaign, I genuinely never found myself tiring of what was unfolding. It was a lot, sure, but it was compelling stuff. It never took itself as a joke and was always earnest with what it was trying to say, and that’s no small feat.
A Story For A New Generation
This is all supported magnificently by an immaculate presentation, particularly in its enhancements. Anybody who knows me knows that I have a particular grudge with pixel-smoothing filters, and I’m pleased to share that this game doesn’t feel like it’s haphazardly using one. While it might take some getting used to (and I do wish that I could have the pixel-style while enjoying the rest of the enhanced edition), it’s by no means a bad look, and it feels carefully crafted to keep the original style enduring.
My issues with the new UI largely come down to nitpicks; I feel like some of the new elements look a little bit too ‘modern’ and ‘sleek’ for what the game is going for tonally, but these are incredibly small blemishes that I hardly even care to mention. The new animated sprites replicate the original style, and do so while lifting them to a new level of clarity.
The relatively chibi art style is just sharp enough to carry the weight of the story, and the result is a distinctive look that has clearly stood the test of time and flourishes with a greater space to spread its wings.
The main addition to the experience in the enhanced edition is complete and total voice acting for the entire game, which is an impressive feat. I’m not a massive proponent of every game necessarily needing voice acting to be impactful, but I’m over the moon that The Ivalice Chronicles has been granted a voiceover of this quality. Outside of the larger-than-life Ben Starr taking up a role in this game, every other character is given the same amount of care and quality as he gives to his performances.
I would particularly like to mention the voice actors of Ramza and Delita, who both manage to give some standout moments from the moment they appear on screen to the very end of the game. Even down to the individual innkeepers you come across, each one is voiced with care and enthusiasm that feels authentic and incredibly emotive.
A Remake With The Utmost Respect
It’s almost impossible to describe how singular this remaster feels. Including the original version of the game is a great touch that allows the additions of the enhanced edition to soar.
More importantly, not an ounce of Final Fantasy: Tactics has been lost in this translation to a new generation. Whether or not I was being cynical, I was expecting aspects of this game to be sanded down. It takes no prisoners when it comes to attacking some of the core issues that lie at the heart of our society today, and I wondered if they would try to dilute some of the stronger moments for the sake of palatability.
Which is probably the most astounding thing about The Ivalice Chronicles. This is – without much of a doubt – the definitive way to play this landmark game. It was a scathing game when it first released, and it’s even more so now. If you have a penchant for the tactics genre, or even a story that cuts through the noise and might make you actually want to stand up and fight for something, Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles is a borderline required purchase.
Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles is due out on PS5, PS4, PC, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One on September 30, 2025.
Review code kindly provided by publisher.