The legendary tactical RPG, FINAL FANTASY TACTICS, first captivated players in 1997 on the original PlayStation. Renowned for its gripping narrative, memorable characters, and intricate gameplay, it has truly stood the test of time. Now, almost 30 years later, Square Enix is reintroducing this classic as FINAL FANTASY TACTICS – THE IVALICE CHRONICLES, featuring updated graphics and crucial quality-of-life improvements to make it more accessible than ever before. We sat down with director Kazutoyo Maehiro and art director Hiroshi Minagawa to discuss the timely release of this remaster, its revamped visual direction, and their ambition to introduce this beloved game to a new audience.
Why Now? The Resurgence of Ivalice
Q: It’s been nearly 30 years since the original Final Fantasy Tactics was released. What inspired you to bring this remaster to life at this particular moment?
Kazutoyo Maehiro: A few years ago, I found myself replaying the original FINAL FANTASY TACTICS for the first time since its initial launch. It was a profound experience, reminding me of the game’s timeless brilliance—its exceptional story, masterful design, and a combat system that still feels relevant today. It became clear to me that the original game’s outstanding quality is precisely why fans have cherished it for so long. However, there was no straightforward way to play it on modern consoles.
I felt a strong desire for both long-time fans and a new generation of players—who never had the chance to experience the original—to play this incredible game, but with modern enhancements and quality-of-life updates. That conviction was the spark that ignited the development of this title.
Overcoming the Past: Reconstructing a Lost Legacy
Q: We heard that the original source code was lost, requiring you to work from various other versions of the game, like retail releases and mobile ports. What was the biggest lesson learned from the development of both the original and this remaster?
Maehiro: The greatest challenge was undoubtedly breathing new life into the original game. Our primary goal for this title was to meticulously recreate the exact gameplay experience of the original FINAL FANTASY TACTICS.
Back in those days, we didn’t have the robust resource-management tools that are standard today. For example, games were often rewritten during development; we’d create the Japanese version, then localize it into English by directly overwriting code. This process, unfortunately, led to the true original version of the game being lost.
Furthermore, while several versions of FINAL FANTASY TACTICS exist—such as the PSP and smartphone adaptations—these were optimized for their specific hardware, meaning the original’s essence couldn’t be fully recovered from them either. So, we undertook a meticulous analysis of all existing versions, then painstakingly reconstructed the original by referencing fan-uploaded YouTube videos and their meticulously gathered data on items and abilities. It was truly a testament to the community’s dedication.
Modern Touches: UI, Voice Acting, and Immersion
Q: The Enhanced Version introduces significant upgrades like a reworked UI and new voice acting. Can you elaborate on the process behind these choices and why you prioritized these specific improvements?
Maehiro: The main driver behind overhauling the UI was our desire for new, modern players to find the game welcoming. Additionally, we wanted to offer long-time fans a more accessible and enjoyable experience, even when revisiting it today. Game UIs naturally evolve with time and vary across platforms, though game design choices also play a role. Given how long it’s been since the original FINAL FANTASY TACTICS debuted, its UI naturally feels dated by contemporary standards. Our aim with these enhancements was to elevate the overall enjoyment of FINAL FANTASY TACTICS’s core game design.
We began by pinpointing aspects of the original UI that were particularly confusing or cumbersome. We then completely redesigned the interface, integrating new features to ensure it felt intuitive and comfortable for today’s players.
Regarding the addition of voice acting, it’s now the norm for games to feature fully voiced dialogue, which wasn’t the case when the original FINAL FANTASY TACTICS was released. The benefits of voice acting are immense: it allows for an accurate portrayal of characters’ emotions and significantly deepens immersion in the story. Therefore, having this game be fully voiced was essential.
However, the original dialogue was crafted specifically for reading, so simply having it spoken aloud as-is would have felt unnatural. With the invaluable help of Yasumi Matsuno, the original scriptwriter, we meticulously adjusted the dialogue to better suit spoken delivery. I believe we’ve preserved the original’s overall feel while creating more natural spoken dialogue, offering an even greater level of immersion into the narrative.
A Visual Renaissance: Art Style and Cinematic Opening
Q: How did you approach updating the game’s art style, and what was the process for creating the new cinematic opening? What is it like seeing these updates applied to such a classic game?
Maehiro: We considered various visual styles for the enhanced version. Options included a full 3D approach or leaning more into an HD-2D aesthetic. However, FINAL FANTASY TACTICS is defined by its charming pixel-based characters and isometric maps, which are integral to its unique identity. So, rather than adopting an existing style, we developed a visual approach that better leverages these characteristics. We believe this has resulted in an upgraded style that suits modern platforms without sacrificing the core essence of FINAL FANTASY TACTICS.
For the opening movie, the animated sequences from the PSP release, FINAL FANTASY TACTICS: The War of the Lions, were exceptionally well done. We thought it would be wonderful to recreate the original opening movie in a similar, stunning style. To achieve this, we enlisted the help of Kamikaze Douga—the very studio that created those original animation sequences—to produce the new one. We feel that these visuals, built specifically for FINAL FANTASY TACTICS, combined with this breathtaking new opening movie, truly immerse players in the world and powerfully convey the game’s grandeur. We are confident players will feel drawn right into the experience.
Hiroshi Minagawa: This project was developed by a considerably smaller team compared to modern AAA titles like FINAL FANTASY XVI (which I worked on just before this). We accomplished this by employing “procedural” graphic production techniques to reconstruct the original version’s data. Approximately 80 percent of the groundwork for upscaling and improving the graphics was extrapolated without direct artist involvement, relying instead on pre-set procedures and algorithms. From there, our artists meticulously refined key areas to maintain a consistent, authentic atmosphere, achieving a quality that holds up beautifully on modern high-resolution displays, even with our smaller team.
Many staff members joined us from the FINAL FANTASY XVI team, and while the workflow and art style were significantly different, I am profoundly grateful that they grasped the concept of this title so exceptionally well and delivered visuals that surpassed my expectations. Regarding the opening movie, Kamikaze Douga Studios skillfully arranged the original layout, creating a truly remarkable piece that perfectly sets the tone for the game’s beginning.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Ivalice and Tactical RPGs
Q: It was mentioned that if THE IVALICE CHRONICLES is well received, there could be opportunities to remaster other entries in the series, like Advance and A2, and potentially even new games. Hypothetically, if a new entry were developed, would you stick with the same sprite-based graphics style or use 3D models?
Minagawa: The availability of staff and the development timeline would significantly influence such a decision. However, if we were to embark on creating a completely new title in this genre from scratch today, I believe we would lean towards using 3D models. Simply put, crafting a new pixel-art style title in this genre requires a substantial number of 2D artists, which has become increasingly challenging in recent years.
On the other hand, because this current title utilized various data assets from the original game and was developed with a smaller team, there’s a strong possibility that if we were to remaster games like FINAL FANTASY TACTICS Advance or FINAL FANTASY TACTICS A2: Grimoire of the Rift, we might develop them in a similar style to this one. I would personally love to implement playability enhancements such as map rotation or a top-down camera view in future projects.
Treasured Features for Veterans and Newcomers
Q: Are there any particular upgraded features you’re most excited for older fans to discover? What do you hope they gain from stepping back into this world?
Maehiro: There are two features I especially want fans of the original to experience. The first is the story, now enriched with fully voiced dialogue. Thanks to the expanded and refined script by Yasumi Matsuno—who served as the original director and scriptwriter—players can now feel the characters’ emotions and thoughts far more deeply. Even if you’ve played the original countless times, you can experience the wonderful story of FINAL FANTASY TACTICS anew.
The second is the improved combat timeline. While turn order is absolutely crucial in the FINAL FANTASY TACTICS battle system, checking it could be cumbersome in the original. This enhanced version constantly displays this vital information on screen, making it incredibly user-friendly and allowing players to devise tactics with unprecedented ease. This offers a fresh way to enjoy combat, different from the tactics honed in the original, so we highly recommend giving it a try.
Minagawa: Compared to the original PlayStation era, graphical precision has dramatically improved, making map rotation and scrolling much smoother. This significantly enhances the overall feel and responsiveness of the controls. Furthermore, the addition of essential features—including a fast-forward option for better pacing, the combat timeline for instant turn order checks, and a tactical view that clearly shows each character’s movement and attack ranges—has dramatically boosted the ease and enjoyment of battles.
Beyond gameplay, features like the voice acting and a dedicated “Chronicle” menu—which makes it easier to track the situation of each faction and character within the story—allow you to delve even deeper into the narrative!
A First Journey into Ivalice
Q: Given almost 30 years have passed, there’s a high chance this remaster will be many players’ first introduction to FINAL FANTASY TACTICS. What is it like knowing this could be someone’s initial experience, especially considering Yasumi Matsuno’s powerful statement, “The will to resist is in your hands”?
Maehiro: I would be absolutely thrilled if this game becomes someone’s first encounter with FINAL FANTASY TACTICS. Video games are heavily tied to the hardware of their time, and no matter how excellent a game was, it’s not often that older titles remain easily playable. FINAL FANTASY TACTICS was one such example. The original has been beloved for a very long time, and I imagine many people know its name but have never actually played it. Our entire team sincerely hopes that these individuals will pick it up.
We hope that not only will fans of the original rediscover the brilliance of FINAL FANTASY TACTICS and the depth of the tactical RPG genre, but that new players will also experience something truly unforgettable. We want players, both old and new, to feel that the story’s powerful themes resonate with them as they step into—and ultimately emerge from—the rich world of Ivalice.
FINAL FANTASY TACTICS – THE IVALICE CHRONICLES launches on September 30 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, and Xbox Series X|S.