First it was the PS2, and now the DS has become the home for tactical RPGs. Great games such as Luminous Arc, Disgaea, and even Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings have all found their calling on the system. One series that stands out in particular is Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. While the original was born for the GameBoy Advance, the sequel is finding a niche on the DS. I recently finished the game and now bring you the LTTP Review.
Notes:
Serving Size: Single Player, with limited WiFi Online Play
Game System: DS
Game Type: RPG
Length of time to complete main quest (and the majority of the missions): 72 hours
Released: July 2008
Publisher: Square Enix
Ingredients:
– 1 Spiky-haired hero
– Several dustings of supporting cast members
– Oodles of traditional turn-based gameplay (JRPG)
– Short storyline, interspersed with missions… lots and lots of missions
– Handfuls of magic, swords, dragons, and steampunk-tech
Final Fantasy Tactics A2’s game play revolves around the very formulaic “fight-upgrade-shop” process. Being a mission-based game the main draw is to complete tasks, often fighting with other clans or monsters that have wandered into villages. Once tasks are completed the next steps that the gamer will opt to do is to evaluate which characters in the party have gained new abilities, modify said characters’ weapons, and then buy new weapons if needed. This happens for well over 100 missions, and can become extremely repetitive. I often found myself setting aside the additional quests and finishing storyline-based missions until I needed to do any considerable leveling-up. Perhaps that is why this “small dosage” game play has taken me nearly 10 months to complete.
Likes
- Length – The game can actually be finished rather quickly… Probably about 12-15 hours in a speedy run through with minimal sidequesting (zing!). And for those obsessive-compulsive enough to want to complete every mission it can last for upwards of 100 hours.
- Visuals – There wasn’t much improvement in the games visuals over the Gameboy Advance original and it doesn’t need to. The game carries a 16-bit aesthetic of hand-drawn sprites that complement the non-threatening play style.
- Story – This is a very typical JRPG storyline of a kid who’s fallen into a book, sent to another dimension, and must become the hero of ages to return to his own world. Typical… and not memorable. In fact, I believe it is the same premise as the original game.
- Replay Value – There is tremendous replay value in the game. Apart from the main story there are several sub-plots, sidequests, and plenty of post-game experiences. Of note, a weapon-crafting bazaar and a territory auction create entire sub-experiences that hours (or even days) can be spent appreciating provide a truly yummy experience.
- Job System – Just like several of the Final Fantasy games and many strategic RPGs, the job system is an essential part of the experience. The mechanic has been tuned well from the first game, now with a few new classes and an overall tiering system. There are as many choices in classes as there are flavors of jelly beans.
Dislikes
- Battle length – While many people who buy tactical RPGs enjoy long, drawn-out battles I do not. Some of the game’s battles last for upwards of an hour. And for a person who mostly plays while laying in bed before falling asleep, this left a sour taste in my mouth.
- Repetition – With a few exceptions, the game’s missions are almost all the same. This is tiresome, tedious, and often drains the enjoyment.
- Difficulty of unlocking basic jobs – Some of the jobs, such as those that summon Espers, do not become unlockable until much later in the game and by completing specific quests. I found myself skipping entire classes and the usage of specific races because of this.
In summary, this game is best played in short spurts of one or two missions at a time. Because of the repetitive nature of the game it can become tedious to play for extended sessions. With that said, there is enough to continue to come back to in this game that actually make it a worthwhile experience. It’s cute, it’s quirky, and it’s extremely easy to pick up and play. This can be a game that a player can enjoy for several months, and can lead to a quite fulfilling experience when completed. If you like JRPGs and the formulaic design that comes with them, then give Final Fantasy Tactics A2 a taste.
Best served with: Milk & Oreos
Review: Final Fantasy Tactics A2 for the Nintendo DS/DSi
Written By:
Dalibor Dimovski
Managing Editor
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