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[LTTP] Final Fantasy Tactics : the War of the Lions

DelireMan7

Member
It's finally time I experience this classic of strategy RPG.

I never had a PS1 so I didn't have the chance to play the Final Fantasy of the system at that time.

My first Final Fantasy was X on PS2. It was a mind blowing experience for me and it made me want to play all of the entry.

I don't remember how I heard about Tactics but I was in love when I so the graphics.

I have currently several Strategy RPG on my backlog (Brigandine : The legend of Runersia, Shin Megami Tensei : Devil Survivor 2 Record Breaker) and Triangle Strategy looks incredible. But I set a rule in my mind that I have to play Final Fantasy Tactics before any other.

So here I am on my PSP playing this cult classic. My only proper experience of the genre till then is Fire Emblem Awakening.

The art style immediately made me feel comfy. The color palette has something warm and old school and I love it.
The PSP version seems to have smoothed the pixel art a bit but it remains really nice to see.

The medieval political setting is amazing. The dialog are a bit tricky sometimes for a non native english speaker since it's a kind of "old English" but it has a lot of charm.

Then the gameplay... Extremely deep and strategic. A bit hard for me at the beginning (I lost my first random encounter xD) but extremely satisfying to learn and master.

The job system is my favorite. I love discovering new classes. The way you learn abilities and then are able to mix them is incredible ! Want a mage wearing heavy armor and shield ? Just level up Knight to unlocked these competences and then switch to Mage.
I like some job interaction like the Archer allowing to use the Knight's abilities, normally only at melee range, at distance.

The level of customisation is insane. I am having so much fun experimenting with the job system and different abilities. Actually working on a tanky Black mage and a Summoner with White magicks. I also unlocked Dragoon and it seems really powerful.
I also like the Geomancer concept.

Now that I grinded a bit the difficulty looks fine. It was brutal on some story battle, especially when a AI ally is involved which sometimes make some dumb decision (I am looking at you Mustadio...).

I am 17h in and the game is beyond any of my expectation. I wonder why I waited so long to play it.
 

DelireMan7

Member
It's my favorite FF. Enjoy
I understand why !

Forgot to mention in my first post but I am impressed by how elevation is playing a role in the different attack and skill.
Also the delayed attack (for spells or Aim) add to a lot to the strategy. Last time I could intercept an arrow which would have killed one of my character but placing another one in between.
 

TintoConCasera

I bought a sex doll, but I keep it inflated 100% of the time and use it like a regular wife
Never played this one before, but what OP says about the job system really makes me want to play it.

Is WOTL the best version available? Or is the original better for whatever reason?
 

Vandole

Member
FF Tactics is possibly my favorite game of all time. I bought it the day it came out, and to this day it's one of those games that every couple years I go back to and replay. Enjoy it. The combat is extremely fun, particularly once you're closer to the end game and some of the more difficult classes open up. And the story only gets better as the game goes on.

Is WOTL the best version available? Or is the original better for whatever reason?

WOTL isn't a particularly dramatic improvement, but it's probably the better game. The main thing it adds are hand-drawn cutscenes, and an additional character from another then-current Final Fantasy game (and truthfully adds absolutely nothing of meaning to FFT). It also cleans up the dialogue a bit, since the original had a mediocre translation. Some people prefer the original, but that's probably just nostalgia talking, since it expecting some of the more memorable lines.
 

EruditeHobo

Member
Probably one of my very favorite games of all time. I think the general art style, the overall story, and of course the nature of the combat/leveling system contributes to essentially make this one of the most resilient games I've ever played, and not just because of the style they went for but the game's quality on the whole -- just as good now as the day it came out, never feels dated, could pick it up right now (and I might, if I find a little more free time) and have an absolute blast.

It's on a very, very short list of "future-proof" games, for me. Looking forward to your journey.
In particular I love to see where the stumbling blocks are for others, in terms of pinch points re: party composition & difficult battles.
 
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DelireMan7

Member
Never played this one before, but what OP says about the job system really makes me want to play it.

Is WOTL the best version available? Or is the original better for whatever reason?
The job system is amazing.

Basically each unit has 1 slot for reactive abilities, 1 for support abilities, 1 for movement abilities and 2 for action abilities (one of them being lock for your current job). You can set whatever you want in this slot as long as you unlocked those abilities in others job with this unit.

So you usually use several jobs on one unit to unlock the abilities you want to create the unit you want (like unlocking the Teleport movement ability of a Time mage to put it on a Knight giving you a Knight able to teleport around the battlefield)
The customizations is pretty crazy here
 

TintoConCasera

I bought a sex doll, but I keep it inflated 100% of the time and use it like a regular wife
The job system is amazing.

Basically each unit has 1 slot for reactive abilities, 1 for support abilities, 1 for movement abilities and 2 for action abilities (one of them being lock for your current job). You can set whatever you want in this slot as long as you unlocked those abilities in others job with this unit.

So you usually use several jobs on one unit to unlock the abilities you want to create the unit you want (like unlocking the Teleport movement ability of a Time mage to put it on a Knight giving you a Knight able to teleport around the battlefield)
The customizations is pretty crazy here
So it's kinda like Final Fantasy V, but with even more options thanks to having more types of abilities?

Yeah, think I'll be playing this soon. Thanks!
 

EverydayBeast

thinks Halo Infinite is a new graphical benchmark
Still waiting for the second part of final fantasy 7 remake they shouldn’t have made it into two parts now we’re waiting months, years until it’s release.
 
WOTL isn't a particularly dramatic improvement, but it's probably the better game. The main thing it adds are hand-drawn cutscenes, and an additional character from another then-current Final Fantasy game (and truthfully adds absolutely nothing of meaning to FFT). It also cleans up the dialogue a bit, since the original had a mediocre translation. Some people prefer the original, but that's probably just nostalgia talking, since it expecting some of the more memorable lines.
I'd say WotL is hands down the definitive version for the translation alone. The difference in translation quality between the PS1 version and WotL is one of the starkest in all of gaming.
 

Graciaus

Member
Never played this one before, but what OP says about the job system really makes me want to play it.

Is WOTL the best version available? Or is the original better for whatever reason?
WOTL has the most content but that doesn't make it the best. It completely changes the script into something like a Shakespearean work. It introduced a major slowdown every time a spell was cast, removed the iconic spell/technique quotes and changed some class requirements. There is really no inbetween you either like the blunt messy original or the this one. It added more cutscenes, two classes and two unique characters. The slowdown does have a fan fix though.

I would recommend the original version. Fans have hacked most of the WOTL content into the original if you really want it on a replay.
 
I would love a direct sequel that looks like the original but if they made Final Fantasy Tactics 3D I would want it to look and play like Valkyria Chronicles. That would be a true next-gen evolution!
 

Swift_Star

Banned
WOTL has the most content but that doesn't make it the best. It completely changes the script into something like a Shakespearean work. It introduced a major slowdown every time a spell was cast, removed the iconic spell/technique quotes and changed some class requirements. There is really no inbetween you either like the blunt messy original or the this one. It added more cutscenes, two classes and two unique characters. The slowdown does have a fan fix though.

I would recommend the original version. Fans have hacked most of the WOTL content into the original if you really want it on a replay.
The slowdown also don’t exist on mobile versions.
 

DelireMan7

Member
I am on the execution battle. It's another difficulty spike for me.

Game can be frustrating sometimes on the unit placement. You can choose where to put them but on a bland grid that doesn't show you the different elevation or enemy placement. On this mission, you have to place 2 squad at different place and one of them is extremely exposed to the enemy but you can't know that before starting the battle. On my first try, I put my white mage here... so of course he died pretty quickly.

And of course there is the infamous "80% chance to hit" for a fatal blow and it misses... Happened to me 3 times in a row on this battle...
 

BadBurger

Is 'That Pure Potato'
Enjoy. It's my favorite Final Fantasy title. One can get lost in this game for weeks thanks to how deep the job system is and how beneficial it is to grind or do the side activities.

I first played it as a kid. An older friend lent me his old copy. I was instantly hooked. I would go on to buy pretty much every iteration of the game since. I keep a copy on my phone just to have it, to scratch that itch any time.
 

Graciaus

Member
I am on the execution battle. It's another difficulty spike for me.

Game can be frustrating sometimes on the unit placement. You can choose where to put them but on a bland grid that doesn't show you the different elevation or enemy placement. On this mission, you have to place 2 squad at different place and one of them is extremely exposed to the enemy but you can't know that before starting the battle. On my first try, I put my white mage here... so of course he died pretty quickly.

And of course there is the infamous "80% chance to hit" for a fatal blow and it misses... Happened to me 3 times in a row on this battle...
What are you using for jobs and are you using story characters?

Mustadio and Agrias are useful all game. I like him as a chemist with his normal job as a secondary with his gun. Can interrupt/damage enemies and heal from a distance. Agrias is your first holy knight but you'd have to class level her a little since you just got her. But lightning stab and holy explosion can clear mobs.

White mages should probably be summoners at that point. A Lancer can deal a lot of damage while not taking any since you start with enemies all around.
 

DelireMan7

Member
What are you using for jobs and are you using story characters?

Mustadio and Agrias are useful all game. I like him as a chemist with his normal job as a secondary with his gun. Can interrupt/damage enemies and heal from a distance. Agrias is your first holy knight but you'd have to class level her a little since you just got her. But lightning stab and holy explosion can clear mobs.

White mages should probably be summoners at that point. A Lancer can deal a lot of damage while not taking any since you start with enemies all around.
I am not using the story characters for this one (I prefer the characters I have "made").

I have a White Mage/Summoner, a tanky Black mage, a dragoon, a Knight and Ramza as a Geomancer.

I almost did it with that. I was distracted by irl matters at one point and misplaced my summon which would have kill Gaffgarion.

But I am not far from beating it I think
 
Never played this one before, but what OP says about the job system really makes me want to play it.

Is WOTL the best version available? Or is the original better for whatever reason?
The best versions are the modded PS1 versions. At least that was the case years ago. I beat 3 different modded ones and all were fantastic. They can be quite difficult and are not recommended for first play.
You should check Shining Force III if possible.

The recent Brigandine is also highly recommended.
I loved shining force 1 and 2. Never played 3. Was it for Saturn?
 

Pejo

Member
I was able to take this game when I was younger with infinite time and patience since the tech was new, but every single time I've tried to play it in the last 10 years, it was so slow paced that I was unable to finish more than 1-2 battles per session. I loved the game at one point, but this is one of those games that haven't aged well because of the tech. A "skip enemy phase" where the characters just move and attack and whatever would make it more playable, but even then I'm not sure how it would be.
 

DelireMan7

Member
I was able to take this game when I was younger with infinite time and patience since the tech was new, but every single time I've tried to play it in the last 10 years, it was so slow paced that I was unable to finish more than 1-2 battles per session. I loved the game at one point, but this is one of those games that haven't aged well because of the tech. A "skip enemy phase" where the characters just move and attack and whatever would make it more playable, but even then I'm not sure how it would be.

I agree that some QoL could be nice. Faster animation (but it looks like it's a PSP problem) and a way to quit a battle already lost instead of waiting my party to be entirely killed. I can restart the game but it takes quite some time on my PsP.
Also skipping dialog scene at the beginning of battle would be nice because when you retry several time a battle it becomes frustrating.

Well...since you are playing ps1 games maybe give Skullmonkeys a try, it's a platform game but it has a unique artstyle and sense of humor.
Never heard about it. But I am not a fan of platformer. I checked the art style and indeed it looks pretty unique. It's like modeling clay animation.
 

TintoConCasera

I bought a sex doll, but I keep it inflated 100% of the time and use it like a regular wife
Never heard about it. But I am not a fan of platformer. I checked the art style and indeed it looks pretty unique. It's like modeling clay animation.
Check out The Neverhood then. Same devs, same style, but it's a fairly simple point & click game instead. Not for the PSX tho.
 
Well worth it. My favourite game of all time. That and Guardian Heroes.
You can get the translated patches/version. Play them on an emulator.
I recently played Panzer Dragoon Saga on my macbook via emulation without any problems. Saturn emulation isnt poop anymore lol
I tried it 10 or so years ago and it was Garbage. Thanks for reminding me of it's existence.
 
I was able to take this game when I was younger with infinite time and patience since the tech was new, but every single time I've tried to play it in the last 10 years, it was so slow paced that I was unable to finish more than 1-2 battles per session. I loved the game at one point, but this is one of those games that haven't aged well because of the tech. A "skip enemy phase" where the characters just move and attack and whatever would make it more playable, but even then I'm not sure how it would be.
This is one of many reasons Triangle Strategy is better.
 

DelireMan7

Member
I am not using the story characters for this one (I prefer the characters I have "made").

I have a White Mage/Summoner, a tanky Black mage, a dragoon, a Knight and Ramza as a Geomancer.

I almost did it with that. I was distracted by irl matters at one point and misplaced my summon which would have kill Gaffgarion.

But I am not far from beating it I think

So I got it finally. I left in standby this battle thinking it was lost but I comeback to it and I was able to block to a choke point 2 Knights making them useless.

Then I had to chase Gaffgarion for a long time. And many many Phoenix down later I finally got him. His lifesteal ability was annoying as hell.


I unlocked the Orator job. On paper his abilities look powerful but it looks like they have very few chance to land so...
 

DelireMan7

Member
Pff... The game can be infuriating at time. I have to protect a NPC (Orran) but he's constantly running in the middle of ennemies and dies a few turn without me being able to help him...

Still love the game but AI allied is very often dumb
 

XJF

Member
I've always meant to play this. I have the original ps1 disc and the WotL on PSP, but my psp battery exploded. Can you still buy this on the vita in North America? I thought I remember hearing they closed the vita store? I tried searching for it on the PS App but nothing came up for it.
 
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DelireMan7

Member
It's the best FF game imo. Easily.
There are lots of secrets as well to do with move find item and steal.
Job system is deep and better start learning faith and brave up skills to become God.

I don't really get what Bravery and Faith impact. Any advice ?


I finally understood how to complete errands mission. I discover an ancient city and became an adventurer. I am gonna do more to see what happen.
 
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