For many RPG fans, Final Fantasy Tactics is not just a game – it’s the game.

The game’s an undisputed crown jewel. A legendary game that stands tall as one of the most revered in the RPG genre. It’s regularly featured in top 100 lists in publications like Famitsu, EGM, and IGN, GameSpot, and it’s one of the most frequently requested games by Square Enix fans on social media. It is, in other words, a Very Good Game.

Now it’s coming back as Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles, launching September 30, 2025, for Xbox Series X|S. This version enhances the already superb original with a host of improvements, including full voice acting, a new user interface, and loads of quality-of-life additions.

For some of you, this will be the first time you’ve been introduced to this tactical masterpiece. For others who played the original, you’re probably desperate to know: what’s new? Don’t worry, we can answer both of you. Simply skip to the relevant section to find the answers you seek!

I’m a new player! What’s Final Fantasy Tactics?

Let’s start with the basics. This is a tactical RPG set in the kingdom of Ivalice. It is a time of great political turmoil — the death the king triggers a succession crisis that seems destined to drag the land into war.

It’s a standalone story that focuses on two childhood friends who find themselves pulled into the conflict: Ramza, third son of House Beoulve, and Delita, a commoner raised among nobles. As they try to chart their course through this turbulent age, they’re dragged closer to the abyss.

As you follow their story, you’ll command them and their forces in exciting turn-based tactical battles. These are satisfyingly strategic clashes where you’ll issue orders to multiple units, taking advantage of the terrain and their abilities to outwit the enemy and claim victory.

Each new battle tests your tactical skills in new and exciting ways, especially when combined with the phenomenally flexible character customization. Your units can be assigned jobs – roles that determine their roles and abilities in combat.

For example, they can cast devastating elemental spells as a black mage, get up close and personal as a knight, bring help onto the field as a summoner, jump into action as an agile dragoon and many more.

There are more than 20 jobs to discover in the game, you can even equip abilities from one job while using another! It makes for all kinds of tactical possibilities and there’s a lot of fun to be had exploring the different setups and strategies available.

What’s so good about Final Fantasy Tactics?

So that’s a basic overview, but you may be wondering: why is this game so acclaimed and beloved? Let us break it down for you as simply as possible:

• It has one of the best stories in gaming – The game tells a mature tale where characters are painted in shades of grey rather than black and white. It’s a rich tapestry of political machinations, sinister plots and treacherous backstabbery, with a powerful emotional center. This game will make you feel things. Plus, there are plenty of exciting battles too, of course!

Tip: Some of your most powerful combatants will be recruits that join your party as you progress through the story.

• The battles are super strategic and satisfying – Taking to the field of battle is always a thrill, thanks to challenging combat that forces you to think carefully about every move. With so many different scenarios in the game, it’s always giving you something new to think about. It adds up to an endlessly compelling gameplay loop where you always feel that urge for just one more battle.

Tip: Changing formations can impact battles. Don’t be afraid to experiment and change up your starting formation to get early leverage in battle.

• The job system is one of the best in the series – The Final Fantasy series is famed for its job system, and Final Fantasy Tacticsis one of its most impressive examples. The sheer number of options you have in how you customize your troops is remarkable – yet it never feels confusing or overwhelming. Basically, it’s easy to understand, and yet incredibly deep – a killer combo.

Tip: Leveling up a variety of jobs is essential for unlocking the more advanced jobs, and you’ll need to pull abilities from multiple jobs when forming a strategy for taking on certain bosses.

That’s barely scraping the surface, of course. We could talk about the memorable characters or brilliant soundtrack, for example, but we think you get the point.

As we said earlier, it is a Very Good Game.

I’ve played Final Fantasy Tactics before. What’s new in The Ivalice Chronicles?

So, what if you played Final Fantasy Tactics before? You’ll be excited to discover that Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles adds a host of enhancements to make this Very Good Game even better.

Here’s what you can expect:

* A brand-new user interface – The game’s UI has been completely overhauled to make the game more approachable. The tactical depth hasn’t changed – but it’s quicker and more intuitive to command and customize your units.

* Updated visuals – The 3D battlegrounds and detailed pixel art of Final Fantasy Tacticshave been reworked for The Ivalice Chronicles. The team has taken great care to capture the same charming visuals of the original game – but now they look great on modern displays.

* Full voice acting – The full story is now fully voiced in English and Japanese by a talented cast of actors. The original Final Fantasy Tacticswas a text-only affair, so these new performances make its powerful story hit even harder than before.

* Tactical View – This new feature gives you a birds-eye view of the battlefield, making it easier to get the lay of the land and develop strategies.

* Battle speed – You can now speed up battles to make them go faster. It’s great for when you have an easy encounter, or you want to play around with different strategies and party setups.

* New difficulty levels – Do you want to full tactical challenge, or are you just in it for the story? New difficulty levels let you adjust the game to your playstyle!

* Classic version – What if you want to experience the game with the same feel as the original release? A classic version of the game is included – this reflects the original 1997 experience, but with some modern conveniences, such as the acclaimed script from Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions and autosave.

As you can see, there’s a lot to be excited about with Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles – whether you’re about to step into the tactical trenches for the first time, or a returning Final Fantasy fan.

You’ll get to experience it for yourselves from September 30, 2025, when the game releases for Xbox Series X|S. It’s available to preorder now.