Final Fantasy Tactics

Not every legend sounds its fanfares; some are born on chessboard battlefields, in quiet contemplation of the next move. Final Fantasy Tactics from 1998 is exactly such a game - a deep, serious and, for many players, still unsurpassed tactical RPG that had no equal on the PlayStation.

Behind the design stands Yasumi Matsuno, a master of elaborate worlds and mature storytelling. The story unfolds in the land of Ivalice and does not revolve around saving the world from cosmic evil but around far more earthly themes: class struggle, wars over the throne and cold-blooded manipulation on the part of the church. The inspiration of the English Wars of the Roses is felt at every step - it is a political thriller full of betrayal, intrigue and gray moral tones, where heroes and villains alike have their reasons.

In terms of gameplay it is turn-based tactics on isometric maps, where terrain height, unit positioning and turn order all matter. The heart of the system is the complex job system: characters change professions, learn abilities and combine them into countless variations. The depth is enormous and gives the player the freedom to build a unit exactly to their liking - from healers through knights to exotic combinations that change the course of battle.

An inseparable part of the game's history is its notorious original English translation, which was, to put it mildly, botched and at times confused more than it helped. Fortunately, along came the War of the Lions version for the PSP, which completely reworked the text into a form worthy of such an ambitious story and even added new content. Only thanks to it did many Western players appreciate just how sophisticated a narrative the game actually offers.

Today Final Fantasy Tactics is revered as one of the peaks of the genre and, for a large part of the community, simply the best tactical RPG ever made. For it combines intellectual challenge, depth of systems and a narrative that is not afraid to be dark and grown-up.

Why play it: For the deepest tactical RPG of its time with a mature story about power and betrayal - a must for anyone who loves thoughtful combat.