DS video game to hold players over
Shelby Reiches
Issue date: 8/8/08 Section: Arts & Entertainment
Back when the original Playstation was still riding high on the success of Final Fantasy VII and Enix was Squaresoft's rival, rather than their business partner, the latter attempted to play off of the success of the Final Fantasy brand name with Final Fantasy Tactics.
Final Fantasy Tactics was a strategy RPG that gained a sizable cult following. It had attractive, sprite graphics and a challenging battle system that took position into account, instead of just a character's abilities. The story, however, is what struck me the most about it-a violent and complex tale of political intrigue and misremembered history that turned relationships on their heads in serious and detrimental ways.
"Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift," possesses none of that. The story begins with a seemingly modern-day student (you) falling into a book in the school library on what is supposed to be the first day of summer vacation. You find yourself in the world of Ivalice, one taken out of the pages of your slightly above-par fantasy novel, where you join a clan so people in helmets can make your fights more difficult. I guess you're supposed to be trying to find your way back home, but the main character seems more interested in jerking around in this dangerous, yet completely non-threatening society he's fallen into.
Combat in "FFTA2:GotR", follows the same, general rules as in many other strategy RPGs. Your forces move around on a field, struggling for position so that when they unleash their powerful, arcane forces and brutal sword swings, they'll do more damage and be harder to retaliate against. It's been a long time since the original Tactics, though, and even longer since its spiritual predecessor, Tactics Ogre. Combat itself needs some kind of hook, so we get "judges." These well-armored forces cast spells, offering benefits to members of your "clan" with the caveat that you follow a simple rule they put in place at the beginning of the fight. Breaking the rule means the loss of your privilege for that combat, as well as the forfeit of bonus items at the end of battle and your ability to revive your teammates in combat.
Final Fantasy Tactics was a strategy RPG that gained a sizable cult following. It had attractive, sprite graphics and a challenging battle system that took position into account, instead of just a character's abilities. The story, however, is what struck me the most about it-a violent and complex tale of political intrigue and misremembered history that turned relationships on their heads in serious and detrimental ways.
"Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift," possesses none of that. The story begins with a seemingly modern-day student (you) falling into a book in the school library on what is supposed to be the first day of summer vacation. You find yourself in the world of Ivalice, one taken out of the pages of your slightly above-par fantasy novel, where you join a clan so people in helmets can make your fights more difficult. I guess you're supposed to be trying to find your way back home, but the main character seems more interested in jerking around in this dangerous, yet completely non-threatening society he's fallen into.
Combat in "FFTA2:GotR", follows the same, general rules as in many other strategy RPGs. Your forces move around on a field, struggling for position so that when they unleash their powerful, arcane forces and brutal sword swings, they'll do more damage and be harder to retaliate against. It's been a long time since the original Tactics, though, and even longer since its spiritual predecessor, Tactics Ogre. Combat itself needs some kind of hook, so we get "judges." These well-armored forces cast spells, offering benefits to members of your "clan" with the caveat that you follow a simple rule they put in place at the beginning of the fight. Breaking the rule means the loss of your privilege for that combat, as well as the forfeit of bonus items at the end of battle and your ability to revive your teammates in combat.
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