Final Fantasy Tactics
Updated: 12/11/2025, 2:13:35 PM Wikipedia source
Final Fantasy Tactics is a 1997 tactical role-playing game developed and published by Square for the PlayStation. It was released in Japan in June 1997 and in North America in January 1998 by Sony Computer Entertainment. It is the first game of the Tactics sub-series within the Final Fantasy franchise, and the first entry set in the fictional world later known as Ivalice. The story follows Ramza Beoulve, a highborn cadet placed in the middle of a military conflict known as The Lion War, where two opposing noble factions are coveting the throne of the kingdom. Production was begun in 1995 by Yasumi Matsuno, a newcomer who had created the Ogre Battle series at Quest Corporation. Matsuno's wish was for an accessible tactical game with a storyline focusing on class-based conflict and the rewriting of history. Matsuno acted as director and writer, Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi was producer, and the battles were designed by Hiroyuki Ito. Multiple other staff members were veterans of the Ogre Battle series, including artists Hiroshi Minagawa and Akihiko Yoshida, and composers Hitoshi Sakimoto and Masaharu Iwata. The game received critical acclaim and has become a cult classic since its release. It sold over one million units in Japan during 1997, and over 2.4 million worldwide by August 2011. It has been cited as one of the greatest video games of all time. The world of Ivalice became the setting for multiple other titles, including other Tactics games, and the 2006 mainline entry Final Fantasy XII. An enhanced port of the game, Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions, was released in 2007 as part of the Ivalice Alliance project. An expanded remaster for eighth and ninth generation consoles and Windows, subtitled The Ivalice Chronicles, was released on September 30, 2025.
Infobox
Developer
Square[a]
Publishers
mw- JP: SquareNA: Sony Computer EntertainmentThe Ivalice ChroniclesSquare Enix
Director
Yasumi Matsuno
Producer
Hironobu Sakaguchi
Designer
Hiroyuki Ito
Programmer
Taku Murata
Artists
Hiroshi MinagawaAkihiko YoshidaHideo Minaba
Writer
Yasumi Matsuno
Composers
Hitoshi SakimotoMasaharu Iwata
Series
Final FantasyIvalice Alliance
Platforms
PlayStationThe Ivalice ChroniclesNintendo SwitchNintendo Switch 2PlayStation 4PlayStation 5WindowsXbox Series X/S
Release
OriginalJP: June 20, 1997NA: January 28, 1998The Ivalice ChroniclesSeptember 30, 2025
Genre
Tactical role-playing
Mode
Single-player
Tables
Aggregate score
Metacritic
Metacritic
Aggregator
Metacritic
Score
83/100
| Aggregator | Score |
| Metacritic | 83/100 |
Review scores
Edge
Edge
Publication
Edge
Score
9/10
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Publication
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Score
8.875/10
Famitsu
Famitsu
Publication
Famitsu
Score
34/40
GameFan
GameFan
Publication
GameFan
Score
267/300
GamePro
GamePro
Publication
GamePro
Score
4.5/5
GameSpot
GameSpot
Publication
GameSpot
Score
8.9/10
IGN
IGN
Publication
IGN
Score
8.5/10
Jeuxvideo.com
Jeuxvideo.com
Publication
Jeuxvideo.com
Score
19/20
Next Generation
Next Generation
Publication
Next Generation
Score
RPGamer
RPGamer
Publication
RPGamer
Score
10/10
RPGFan
RPGFan
Publication
RPGFan
Score
84% (PS1)86% (PSN)
Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
Publication
Chicago Tribune
Score
PSX Extreme
PSX Extreme
Publication
PSX Extreme
Score
9/10
| Publication | Score |
| Edge | 9/10 |
| Electronic Gaming Monthly | 8.875/10 |
| Famitsu | 34/40 |
| GameFan | 267/300 |
| GamePro | 4.5/5 |
| GameSpot | 8.9/10 |
| IGN | 8.5/10 |
| Jeuxvideo.com | 19/20 |
| Next Generation | |
| RPGamer | 10/10 |
| RPGFan | 84% (PS1)86% (PSN) |
| Chicago Tribune | |
| PSX Extreme | 9/10 |
References
- The Ivalice Chronicles developed by Square Enix Creative Studio 3.
- Japanese: ファイナルファンタジータクティクス, Hepburn: Fainaru Fantajī Takutikusu
- GameSpothttps://web.archive.org/web/20070314062316/http://www.gamespot.com/ps/strategy/finalfantasytactics/review.html
- Final Fantasy Tactics North American instruction manual
- Final Fantasy Tactics North American instruction manual
- GamePro
- Edge Onlinehttps://web.archive.org/web/20130521023036/http://www.edge-online.com/review/final-fantasy-tactics-review/
- IGNhttps://www.ign.com/articles/1997/06/24/final-fantasy-tactics-3
- Final Fantasy Tactics North American instruction manual
- Final Fantasy Tactics North American instruction manual
- Final Fantasy Tactics North American instruction manual
- Final Fantasy Tactics North American instruction manual
- Electronic Gaming Monthly
- Final Fantasy Tactics
- GameSpothttp://www.gamespot.com/ps2/rpg/finalfantasy12/news_6084068.html
- "Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions ships to North American Retailers"http://www.square-enix.com/na/company/press/2007/1009/
- Shmuplationshttp://shmuplations.com/fft/
- Dorimaga
- Polygonhttp://www.polygon.com/a/final-fantasy-7
- "Vagrant Story: from the Development Team"https://web.archive.org/web/20020808122357/http://www.playonline.com/archives/psgame/vagrantstory/flb/stuff/04.html
- 4Gamer.nethttps://www.4gamer.net/games/116/G011621/20110426090/
- Animatek Internationalhttps://web.archive.org/web/19990302070140/http://www.animatek.com/press.htm
- "Final Fantasy Tactics was originally an RTS RPG inspired by the director's cult classic Super Nintendo game, but his boss said "NOT THIS ONE!""https://www.gamesradar.com/games/final-fantasy/final-fantasy-tactics-was-originally-an-rts-rpg-inspired-by-the-directors-cult-classic-super-nintendo-game-but-his-boss-said-not-this-one/
- Famitsu
- Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together Developer Diary – The History of Tactics Ogre and Final Fantasy Tacticshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYAd9Pv2sxU
- Vagrant Story Ultimaniahttp://www.bent.co.jp/main/works/um05/naiyo_fr.htm
- 1UP.comhttps://web.archive.org/web/20150404131218/http://www.1up.com/features/final-fantasy-iv-creator-conversation
- DenFamicoGamer.jphttps://news.denfaminicogamer.jp/interview/180522
- PC Gamerhttps://www.pcgamer.com/games/final-fantasy/the-will-to-resist-is-in-your-hands-final-fantasy-tactics-director-makes-statement-on-the-political-backdrop-of-the-original-and-the-inequality-and-division-that-persists-today/
- Final Fantasy 14: Why Ivalice is the Perfect Location for FFXIVhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rk_WL6wZ5tE
- "Final Fantasy Tactics A2 – Interview"http://www.gamesradar.com/final-fantasy-tactics-a2-interview/
- FFWorldhttp://www.ffworld.com/?rub=ff12&page=interview_jp-mai04
- Dengeki Onlinehttps://dengekionline.com/elem/000/001/911/1911654/
- Shumplationshttp://shmuplations.com/fftmusic/
- RocketBabyhttps://web.archive.org/web/20060813094855/http://www.rocketbaby.net/interviews_masaharu_iwata.html
- Square Enix Music Onlinehttps://web.archive.org/web/20080121184611/https://www.squareenixmusic.com/composers/sakimoto/apr01interview.shtml
- "Final Fantasy Tactics Original Soundtrack Review"https://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/fft/index.html
- Square Enixhttps://www.jp.square-enix.com/game/detail/fft/
- IGNhttps://www.ign.com/articles/1997/04/10/final-fantasy-tactics-to-include-saga-frontier-demo
- Chrono Compendiumhttps://web.archive.org/web/20130329024935/https://www.chronocompendium.com/Term/Talk:January_2011_-_GameSpite_Interview_with_Richard_Honeywood.html
- Web Archivehttps://web.archive.org/web/19990302065506/http://www.gameinformer.com/news/jan98/012798e.html
- GameSpothttps://web.archive.org/web/20070903124932/http://www.gamespot.com/ps/strategy/finalfantasytactics/news.html?sid=2792279
- IGNhttp://psx.ign.com/articles/077/077788p1.html
- "Square Enix Adds 16 to Ultimate Hits Series"https://web.archive.org/web/20151017183611/http://www.rpgfan.com/news/2006/1219.html
- IGNhttp://psp.ign.com/articles/750/750839p1.html
- Gematsuhttps://www.gematsu.com/2025/06/final-fantasy-tactics-the-ivalice-chronicles-announced-for-ps5-xbox-series-switch-2-ps4-switch-and-pc
- Square Enixhttps://www.square-enix-games.com/en_GB/news/final-fantasy-tactics-interview
- Metacritichttps://www.metacritic.com/game/final-fantasy-tactics/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation
- Electronic Gaming Monthly
- "Famitsu Top 120 PlayStation games"https://web.archive.org/web/20110605221312/http://www.gaming-age.com/news/2000/6/23-151
- GameFan, volume 6, issue 2 (February 1998), pp. 16, 56–57
- GamePro
- IGNhttp://psx.ign.com/articles/150/150026p1.html
- Jeuxvideo.comhttp://www.jeuxvideo.com/articles/0001/00013136-final-fantasy-tactics-test.htm
- Next Generation
- Rpgamer.comhttps://web.archive.org/web/20160312073316/http://www.rpgamer.com/games/ff/fft/reviews/fftrdrev1.html
- RPGFanhttps://web.archive.org/web/20071011143120/http://rpgfan.com/reviews/finalfantasytactics/Final_Fantasy_Tactics-4.html
- "Final Fantasy Tactics"https://www.rpgfan.com/reviews/finalfantasytactics/Final_Fantasy_Tactics.html
- "RPGFan Reviews – Final Fantasy Tactics"https://www.rpgfan.com/reviews/fftactics-psn/index.html
- Chicago Tribunehttps://www.newspapers.com/newspage/168679522/
- PSX Extremehttps://archive.org/stream/PSX_Extreme_007#page/n27/mode/2up
- Weekly Famitsuhttp://edstorm.tripod.com/sales.html
- Famitsū Gēmu Hakusho 1998http://geimin.net/da/db/1997_ne_fa/index.php
- "Japan Platinum Game Chart"https://web.archive.org/web/20071213230402/http://www.the-magicbox.com/topten2.htm
- "Final Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions Now Available on iPhone/iPod touch!"http://release.square-enix.com/na/2011/08/04_01.html
- Game Informer Magazine
- GameSpothttps://web.archive.org/web/20121103183917/http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/greatestgames/p-16.html
- "Japan Votes on All Time Top 100"https://web.archive.org/web/20120110224117/http://www.next-gen.biz/features/japan-votes-all-time-top-100
- Game Informer
- EGMhttps://web.archive.org/web/20030611191341/http://gamers.com/feature/egmtop100/index.jsp
- IGNhttps://web.archive.org/web/20071129211145/http://top100.ign.com/2007/ign_top_game_38.html
- Joypadhttp://www.ffworld.com/?rub=ff12&page=interview_jp-mai04
- "Des images du Final Fantasy Tactics 2 qui ne s'est jamais fait"https://www.ffworld.com/2018/05/20/des-images-du-final-fantasy-tactics-2-qui-ne-sest-jamais-fait/
- "Square Enix announces FF Tactics for the PSP and Another New FFT Game"https://www.rpgfan.com/news/2006/1595.html
- IGNhttp://gameboy.ign.com/articles/436/436979p2.html
- IGNhttp://www.ign.com/articles/2007/09/20/tgs-2007-final-fantasy-tactics-a2-update
- "The marketing blitz of Final Fantasy Tactics A2"http://www.siliconera.com/2007/10/25/the-marketing-blitz-of-final-fantasy-tactics-a2/
- Dengeki Onlinehttps://web.archive.org/web/20201224123908/https://dengekionline.com/elem/000/000/813/813746/
- Siliconerahttps://www.siliconera.com/2016/01/29/heres-a-first-look-at-ramza-in-dissidia-final-fantasy/
- destructoidhttps://www.destructoid.com/final-fantasy-xiv-s-next-patch-will-seemingly-tackle-the-world-of-final-fantasy-tactics-458707.phtml
- www.square-enix-shop.comhttp://www.square-enix-shop.com/jp/ff-tcg/language/en/index.html
- "2018 Awards"http://www.audiogang.org/2018-awards/
- USGamerhttps://web.archive.org/web/20160530140802/http://www.usgamer.net/articles/why-unsung-story-could-be-the-first-proper-successor-to-final-fantasy-tactics
- PC Gamerhttps://www.pcgamer.com/games/strategy/10-years-on-the-most-infamous-gaming-kickstarter-of-them-all-is-still-trying-to-reach-the-finish-line-i-want-to-explicitly-state-that-this-project-is-not-dead/
- PlayStation Lifestylehttps://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2019/01/02/unsung-story-tale-of-the-guardians-soundtrack-finished/#/slide/1