The secrets behind Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles’ makeover

An updated version of the classic 1997 PlayStation strategy RPG, Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles, is on the way. And better yet, it’s being worked on by some members of the original’s team.

“It was Final Fantasy Tactics that inspired me to dedicate my life to becoming a game designer,” reveals Kazutoyo Maehiro, who was an Events Planner for the original, and now Director of The Ivalice Chronicles. “Even now it serves as an emotional underpinning for me, so it’s very dear to my heart.”

With other members of the development team, such as Yasumi Matsuno (Original Script, Scenario Writer, and Editor), present from the PlayStation original, there’s little doubt that this remake is in safe hands. For newcomers it means you can experience an engaging and rich tale of conflict in a troubled land, with updated and added dialogue, voice acting, and new features including a streamlined and optimised user interface.

Rebuilding Ivalice

Maehiro revisited the game a few years ago, a replay that reminded him of how awe-inspiring it continued to be. “[It was] no less impressive even compared to modern games with its excellent game design and deep storyline.” But with it came awareness that the game had become inaccessible on modern platforms within the console landscape. “I strongly felt that I wanted to revive this amazing game so that new players of the current generation could experience it. That was what began the development of this game.”

The process wasn’t without its challenges. Purists have the option to choose the Classic version, recreating the original as faithfully as possible, but crafting both it and the Enhanced version came with its challenges given the original master data and source code no longer exists. “This was simply the norm at the time,” explains Maehiro. ”We didn’t have the kinds of effective resource management tools available today, and we developed games by essentially overwriting the previous code each time we fixed a bug or added a new language.”

“The best way to ensure the game met modern playability standards while staying true to the original was to rebuild it.” – Kazutoyo Maehiro, Director, The Ivalice Chronicles

“Since the classic version was intended to recreate the original game, we did have the option to implement using an emulator,” he continues. “However, this method wouldn’t have allowed us to make granular refinements even if the objective was to recreate the original game. After our analysis, we felt the best way to ensure the game met modern playability standards while staying true to the original was to rebuild it.”

That rebuild of the original produced the Classic version, which was then updated to create the Enhanced version. The hard work paid off, giving the team a solid foundation that all improvements and changes could stand on, allowing for granular quality of life refinements, such as an auto-save function, as well as adding elements that had to be dropped from the original, due to time.

“One of the things we had to cut the first time around was character dialogue,” reveals Maehiro. “This was disappointing for me, as it was for Matsuno, who worked on the script additions and refinements for The Ivalice Chronicles. So this time we added dialogue while making overall story additions and refinements.

“Even if the game design is excellent, people won’t appreciate it if the controls aren’t great.” – Kazutoyo Maehiro, Director, The Ivalice Chronicles

“For example, in the original game certain characters rarely spoke once they were recruited, but here we added conversations that play during battles. When sending them into specific battles, characters like Agrias, Cid, and Mustadio speak considerably more. Some of these dialogues aren’t just exchanges between characters, but also complement the narrative, or touch on the heart of the story, such as why war veteran Marquis Elmdore chose the path he did.”

The UI also received scrutiny, with the Enhanced version receiving a complete graphical overhaul. “The goal was to create ‘the optimal solution to playing Final Fantasy Tactics today’,” summarises Maehiro. “Even if the game design is excellent, people won’t appreciate it if the controls aren’t great.” 

Giving Tactics its voice

While the story remains one of the biggest benefactors of the remaster, it’s interesting to discover why this was such a focus. “One of the biggest reasons we decided to add to and refine the story was because this game features voiceovers,” says Maehiro. “If we simply added voiceover without adjustments it would have sounded unnatural. So we adjusted the lines so they could flow as a conversation, greatly enhancing their immersion, while the additions clarify the characters’ thoughts, goals, and backgrounds.

“Once the characters’ voices played on-screen, I felt that the actors had truly brought them to life with their powerful performances. I may have felt this way because I worked on the original game, but I’m sure that both fans and newcomers alike will be able to relate to this feeling.”

Fans will also likely appreciate the introduction of the State of the Realm, a high-level summary of information and incidental lore that plays between battles, similar to how the feature was used in Final Fantasy XVI, which was also designed by Maehiro. 

“We wanted to give a way for players to appreciate the story further, however we made it so this information can be viewed chronologically according to the protagonist’s actions. So if you want to check the broader flow of the story, you can through the State of the Realm, whereas if you want to learn even more details, you can through rumors in the taverns or from the other features.”

One such feature is Errands, which reveals the smaller problems faced by Ivalice’s populace through a series of mini-games. “I’m very attached to [Errands] because back [during the original’s development], I was assigned its direction as a rookie and worked frantically on its implementation,” explains Maehiro. “Errands were initially something akin to rumors, but I thought it was a waste for them to be a mechanic solely to acquire information about the story. So, I proposed that we make errands something that could allow players to enjoy unit progression. As a result, I think we were able to create something that could coexist within the game as a nice break from the storyline, allowing players to take on the small problems faced by the inhabitants of Ivalice as if they were quests.

“In the classic version, these errands can be played just as they were back then, and in the enhanced version, they’ve been recreated with higher definition artefacts and wonders alongside graphically overhauled UI for a more approachable experience, so we hope you enjoy them.”

Tactical tips and tricks

With the additions of Stratagems for Battle, which compiles tips on strategy, it only felt right to ask if the team had any tips for players new to Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles. “At the start, I recommend combining Archer with the Knight’s Arts of War,” suggests the game’s Producer, Shoichi Matsuzawa. “Especially with Rend Weapon. Break your opponent’s weapon before they come into contact from high ground.

“If you’re unsure about your sub-character’s action abilities, just use Item for the time being. Having them learn Potion and Phoenix Down alone can enable them to take action immediately.”

“It’s generally easier to have two melee damage dealers, such as Monks, Ninjas, and Dragoon; two ranged damage dealers, such as Black Mages and Archers; and one healer, such as White Mages or Chemists,” adds Maehiro. “But it’ll likely serve you well to have each character individually progress their respective paths—such as being a damage dealer or a healer—rather than mindlessly trying your hand at them learning everything.

“My personal preference is improvising my strategies on the spot, such as raising or lowering parameters, or persuading enemies to become an ally using Speechcraft. This requires knowledge and the ability to improvise, so I encourage advanced tactical RPG players to give it a try.”

“Our greatest source of pride is the fact that the game is still beloved by so many fans, even after 28 years since its original release.” – Kazutoyo Maehiro, Director, The Ivalice Chronicles

Regardless of whether you’ll take the valuable pointers on hand or build your party your own way, we’re all excited for seeing this masterpiece find an entirely new audience while satisfying its old fans. It’s a sentiment echoed by the game’s team. “Our greatest source of pride is the fact that the game is still beloved by so many fans, even after 28 years since its original release,” says Maehiro. “My chest swells with pride knowing that I had a chance to be involved with both the original version of the beloved game, as well as this newest iteration.”

“Final Fantasy Tactics incorporates many series staples of Final Fantasy, such as the Jobs and Summons, but it’s also a complete, standalone story,” continues Matsuzawa. “This is a great game to start with if you’re new to the Final Fantasy series, so I hope you will give it a go.

“Some of you may have avoided the game because it is a tactical RPG, but the enhanced version lets you adjust the difficulty to make the game more accessible. We hope you take this opportunity to experience the rich world of Ivalice.”

We’ve not got long to wait before our dreams are realised. Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles launches September 30 on PS5 and PS4.