Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions

Betrayal, intrigue, a war for the throne and a hero whose name history forgot. Final Fantasy Tactics always ranked among the darkest and deepest stories the series ever produced — and The War of the Lions is the best way to experience it.

This PSP version is the definitive edition of the classic from the first PlayStation era. The most striking change is a completely new translation, which abandoned the earlier clumsy style in favor of a lofty, almost Shakespearean language that gave the story of the kingdom of Ivalice and the fate of Ramza Beoulve the dignity and weight it deserved. Beautiful animated cinematic sequences and several new characters were also added, among them the iconic Balthier from Final Fantasy XII.

At the heart of the game remains the brilliant job system. You train your units in dozens of professions — from knights and dark mages to archers and exotic classes — and each of them unlocks abilities that can be combined across professions. Building a perfectly coordinated team is a joy in its own right here, and the game rewards thinking ahead, knowledge of the terrain and unit positioning.

The battles themselves play out on isometric grids, where terrain height, range, direction of attack and turn order all matter. It's tactics that won't let go — challenging, deep and immensely satisfying the moment you manage to turn a seemingly hopeless situation around with a clever maneuver.

And yet the story never recedes into the background. It's a serious, adult tale of power, faith, class differences and how history is written and rewritten. The combination of top-tier tactics and a strong plot makes this game a lasting peak of the genre.

Why play it: The best available version of one of the best tactical RPGs of all time — a deep job system and a serious, beautifully translated story.