Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift Reviews

• Deep Engrossing Gameplay Makes Up for Forgettable Story

  
  By A29BQ6B90Y1R5F on 2008-06-25
  Pros:
  
  +Deep, strategic combat
  +Loads of customization
  +Crisp, detailed graphics
  +Fantastic artwork
  +Great music
  +More incentive to obey the law
  +It overall greatly improves on its predecessor on the Gameboy Advance
  
  Cons:
  
  -Forgettable storyline
  -There are some ridiculous laws
  -No control over the camera in battle
  -Battles can be unusually sluggish
  -Tacked on Stylus Controls
  
  
  In 1998, Square released a game called Final Fantasy Tactics on the original Playstation. In 2003 we finally saw the follow up, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. While the original game gained a strong cult following, Tactics Advance had a love/hate relationship with many gamers. With that in mind, Final Fantasy Tactics A2 is very much in tune with its predecessor on the Gameboy Advance. If you enjoyed Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, you'll more than likely enjoy this one. If Final Fantasy Tactics Advance wasn't your cup of tea, then Tactics Advance A2 doesn't do much to make you like it. It sticks to many of its conventions and in turn, suffers from many of the same problems. It's problems, however, don't have as great an impact, and that overall helps Final Fantasy Tactics A2 be a better game than the Gameboy Advance outing.
  
  Final Fantasy Tactics A2 focuses on Luso, a school student who is geared up for summer vacation. Unfortunately, his lazy ways have made the teacher want to straighten him out and instead of beginning his summer vacation right away, Luso is sent to the library to help clean it up. While he's there, he stumbles upon a book where the pages are blank. When he finally writes his name in the book he's transported to the world of Ivalice where he'll meet up with a clan who agrees to help him find a way home. Essentially, your main goal is the same as the first Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, to find a way home. The story isn't all that great. It's fairly forgettable, as a matter of fact. However, where Tactics A2 falls in story, it makes up for in gameplay.
  
  Throughout the game, you'll visit pubs which will display missions for you to undertake. Once you select a mission you'll have to go to the location and carry out the duty. When in battle, Final Fantasy Tactics A2 plays like most other Strategy RPGs. You'll send your warriors into battle, move them a certain number of spaces and execute attacks against the enemy. Battles can, at times, be a little sluggish. Even the simplest battles can last for a half an hour at most, but the amount of strategy needed is pretty deep. As is the game's job system which can really put a spin on how easy or difficult a battle can be.
  
  The job system is easily the best part of the game. You can choose a wide variety of jobs. Warriors, Mages and Summoners alike. The job a character can choose depends on their race. For example, a Viera can't become a Soldier. You'll unlock more jobs based on how many abilities you learn for other jobs. Abilities are learned through a character's equipment. This is both good and bad. It's simple to gain ability points, all you have to do is finish a battle. However, learning abilities is a slow task. While most can be learned in one or two battles, the fact that most battles will take a while to finish makes learning abilities take a little longer. Additionally, once you start needing 300 or 400 Ability Points to learn an ability, it's that much longer. Along those lines, since it goes based on your equipment, it's not always a good idea to go into battle with the best equipment. In terms of strategy, Final Fantasy Tactics A2 emphasizes it more so than most Strategy RPGs out there. A slight hiccup in your jobs or abilities can cost you a battle. The strategy involved in the game is very in-depth.
  
  Another feature that returns from Final Fantasy Tactics Advance is the judge system. In every battle there are certain laws you must obey. To compensate, however, the judge also lets you have a privilege that will boost certain stats like strength, agility, etc. Breaking a law doesn't have nearly as harsh of a punishment this time around. If you break the law you lose your privilege and you can't revive any fallen characters. You'll want to follow the law as much as possible. Doing so can net you some bonus items, some of which are rare. The judge system works better in Tactics A2, but it still suffers the same problems. There are simple laws to obey such as not using a specific spell in combat, but there are still some outright ridiculous laws to beware of. In one battle, for example, it was against the law to miss the enemy.
  
  The game also lets you use the stylus if you want. While the stylus controls seem like a perfect fit, they'll often slow you down. It's to the point where the stylus controls feel more tacked on than anything else.
  
  Visually, Final Fantasy Tactics A2 is breathtaking. The battlefields are very well designed and colorful. The sprites are detailed as are the characters portraits. The spell animations are also pretty good looking, vibrant and colorful. What's even better is the games overall art design which is nothing short of fantastic. If there was anything to fret over, it would be that the game is isometric 3D and not fully 3D. This means that the camera stays fixed throughout the entire battle. You can't rotate it or anything and that'll become a problem when your characters get bunched up and you can't see them. The top screen is used to display the turn order by showing the sprites. It's detailed but the sprites also looks a little pixelated when they're enlarged on the top screen. Nonetheless, Final Fantasy Tactics A2 is an incredible looking game.
  
  In terms of music, most of it you'll have heard before. Much of the music you here in Final Fantasy Tactics A2 is remixed from either Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, or Final Fantasy XII. Most of it is good music, although if you didn't really like the soundtrack to Final Fantasy Tactics Advance or Final Fantasy XII, you probably won't find this one to be too memorable either.
  
  In the end Final Fantasy Tactics A2 is a better game than Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, but still doesn't manage to be as memorable as the original Final Fantasy Tactics. While it has a forgettable storyline, it's deep, strategic and engaging gameplay will keep the player immersed for hours to come.
  
  

• Spectacular

  
  By AJKWF4W7QD4NS on 2008-07-06
  The DS has received some wonderful RPG's and strategy games as of late, and Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift is no different, and in fact, this may very well be the best of the bunch. Anyone who remembers the original Final Fantasy Tactics will be happy to know that this game bears much more resemblance in terms of tone and overall gameplay to the original game than Final Fantasy Tactics Advance ever did, and is also one of the best games that Square-Enix has unleashed on the DS thus far. The judge system from FFTA is used here yet again, and it is used quite well and offers some rewarding moments of gameplay during battles. The game's strategy mechanics are top notch and are the best to be seen on the DS, and the game is a piece of beauty to look at as well. Undoubtedly one of the best looking games to grace the DS yet, nearly everything presentation-wise is a work of art from the art direction and design to the game's score. There are tons of customization options and lengthy quests as well, meaning that Final Fantasy Tactics A2 will definitely keep you busy for quite some time. While it doesn't feature the most engaging story or anything that hasn't been done before, Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift is a spectacular strategy game that delivers the goods, and stands as the best third-party strategy game to hit the DS yet.
  
  

• some notable flaws but worth a try if you liked other FFT games

  
  By A2YJ1K8M0KPHMF on 2008-08-03
  Its obvious a lot of effort went into making this game so some of its flaws are surprising. Many of the issues dont become apparent until you are well into 20 hours into the game. First, one of the new races has the ability to cause 400 points of damage using health potions as damage with a 99% chance of succeeding. This pretty much ruins any difficulty in the game right to the end of this very long game. It doesnt help that the enemy AI isnt very hard to beat. Just build an army and make sure to keep acquiring new abilities as you go. Most of the new "jobs" arent as useful as the usual mage, thief, and warrior jobs. But the biggest flaw is the story, which is truly boring from beginning to end. I had fun with the game but the above is just a smattering of some of the issues that eat away at what could have been an awesome game. It gets 3 stars, but only just barely.
  
  

• Strategic excellence

  
  By A1T72UPMTQT3HL on 2008-06-25
  In many ways, this game is one of the finest tactics style rpg's out there. A player can choose from a wide variety of popular Final Fantasy job classes (at least 53, give or take) and it includes jobs for every "race" in the ivalice alliance. Fans of the series will enjoy countless hours spent questing, upgrading items, and customizing thier units. The judge system has been overhauled for the better. Instead of going to fantasy "jail" rule breakers just cant revive units until the end of their current battle. In conclusion thank you square enix for this game! Five chocobo's out of five!
  
  

• Worthy of the Final Fantasy Tactics name.

  
  By A2UFCE5FAQU0KQ on 2008-06-25
  Ever since I played Final Fantasy Tactics on the PS1, all other strategy RPGs just didn't compare to the shear depth and strategy of that game. After playing through Final Fantasy Tactics Advance (the first one), I was disappointing that they didn't preserve anything else from the original FFT except for the strategy-based gameplay. With the introduction of the judge system, it restricts players from playing the game to its potential. Although FFT A2 still has the judge system, it has been overhauled so that it won't be so annoying. There are alot of things to do in this game to maintain its replay-ability just like the original. I am still hoping that Square-Enix will release a sequel to the original FFT on the home consoles (not portables). But for now this game will do just fine. Excellent game overall.
  
  
• Extremely Addictive
  By A17IPC2X0NWJSQ on 2008-06-28
  Though this game seems slightly "kiddy", it is very fun to play and I find that I have a hard time putting it down. I wish it had the same level of maturity and excellent story line that the original PS1 title had, but I feel it is a lot better than the gba title. I always loathed the judge system with its ridiculous laws, but it is by far a better system here than in the gba title, and this game is so much fun I usually dont even mind. If anything it makes my team more versatile since I have to work to make a more well rounded team that can handle any law, and there are no real punishments for breaking the law other than loosing the bonuses that you are given. So one could just ignore them all together, which I sometimes do. All in all this is a very good game. Its worth a purchase. I would recommend it to any fan of rpg strategy games.
  
  
• Good graphics, good but slow-paced gameplay, extremely childish story
  By AXNTQJSFOEBXE on 2008-07-11
  I bought this game having played the original Final Fantasy Tactics for playstation a long time ago and I assumed this would be more of the same. I was part right; the combat system is deep and complex. Graphically, the game's animations are excellent. However, during combat you must sit and watch these same animations many times over. The animations combined with lots of menu interaction generally makes single battles take a very long time, around 15-30 minutes each.
  
  The worst part of this game however, is its story. I knew from the reviews I read that the story would be childish, but I thought that it would not be such a big deal. I didn't realize just how infantile it was. If I had, I might not have bought it. The story must have literally been targeted to kids who just learned how to read, which is strange because most kids that age would probably have trouble learning the game's complex combat system. I feel extremely silly at 26 years old having to click through it all. I would recommend watching a few movies of this game's cutscenes to see just how relentlessly corny it is before you buy it. Aside from that it's a good game.
  
  
• ...A Great Stand Alone Game and Sequel...
  By A6Q9CLE80FJ5 on 2008-07-27
  In the same vain as its predecessor, Final Fantasy Tactics A2 welcomes you once again to the world of Ivalice where you are reintroduced to the various races/inhabitants of the world: Bangaa, Nu Mou, Viera, Moogle, and the Humans/Humes. This time around, there is the introduction of two new races and a series of new job classes as well.
  
  Graphics:
  
  For everyone familar with FFTA, you would know the worlds were rich with detail and color and the characters animated quite nicely out on the battlefield. Each race had their own appearances and features that made them distinguishable from the other races in the game.
  
  FFTA2 retains its predecessor's graphics. While the game's graphical engine remains identical to its predecessor's, the special effects used for spell skill and tech animations are a breath of fresh air as they were all redone and appear quite flashy.
  
  Story:
  
  In the same vain as Marche in FFTA, Luso opens a book and finds himself immersed in the world of Ivalice. Most of the game is comprised of gameplay; however, the story slowly developes. While definitely not the highlight of the game, it is intereseting unless you found FFTA's story to be uninteresting.
  
  Music/Sound:
  
  Some of FFTA's music can be heard throughout the game. A portion of the game's soundtrack is all new. One of the boss themes were straight from Final Fantasy XII. The music is a light-hearted and beautiful symphony that creates its very own mood varying from battle to battle and scenarios/situations.
  
  The sounds and sound effects are similar to that of FFTA. The same can be said about the sounds each character makes when they are KO'd, but with better audio quality.
  
  Control/Playability:
  
  The game has a 30-60 minute learning curve. Similar to FFTA, the game puts you in a tutorial scenario; however, the game immediately throws you into a real battle this time. It can be thought that the game may have somewhat assumed you've played its predecessor; though, still taking the time out to teach you the basics.
  
  The game is FULL of customization. With the inclusion of two new races AND a series of new jobs (some including the "extra" job classes introduced in the Advance version of Final Fantasy V) you would be spending a lot of time customizing your clan members alone.
  
  There are SOME new objectives present in this sequel. Some jobs may require you to pick up items on the battle field OR simply visit a series of locations on the map to complete quests.
  
  The Law System:
  
  Its back, but is a lot less annoying (or detrimental) to battles this time around. Rather than a character breaking a law and getting thrown into prison, this time around, your clan loses the privilege you choose at the beginning of the match. In addition, you are unable to revive fallen clan members for the remainder of a battle.
  
  Replayability:
  
  This fits into a truly replayable game. Even after the Main Game is complete, there is still more to do. Customization plays into being one of the hugest reasons to replay the game.
  
  Pros:
  +This Game can be Played Over and Over!!! Better than Replayable
  +Two New Races
  +Many New Job Classes
  +Improved Law System
  +Varied Mission Objectives
  +New Special Effects
  +Great Music
  +Some Cool Cameos
  
  Cons:
  -Story May be Childish or Unappealing...
  -This story was used before...
  -The Graphics Engine was used before
  -The changed method of inheriting new equipment and Job Classes MIGHT be unappealing
  
  
• Great game.
  By A3NJMN79JJEY4X on 2008-07-28
  This game is quite a step up from the original Final Fantasy Tactics Advanced (though still in my opinion not as good as the original). I would have given it 5 stars had I not also picked up Tactics Ogre (for the advance), which is by far a more in depth and amazing game. Even for how old it is.
  
  
• Mission: Success!
  By A3MVA6ZU3X4QTH on 2008-08-05
  FFTA2, like its predecessor, sports a rather simple storyline, but don't let that convince you this game won't be much fun or be very long! The fighting system has built on FFTA, changing some things that weren't so good and adding in new jobs, abilities, and races.
  
  The sheer amount of time you can spend with this game is amazing! There are hundreds of quests you can run aside from those that progress the main storyline- most involve fighting, but some just require you to talk to a particular person or bring someone a special item. Instead of being repetitive or dull, most of the missions are quite entertaining, with recurring NPCs and subplots. I've played for over forty hours and I still have plenty of things I want to do!
  
  Anyone who enjoyed the Final Fantasy Tactics Advance would definitely enjoy FFTA2, as well as anyone who likes strategy games with plenty of things to do in them!
  
  
• Difficult but Fun
  By A21M5N796KO27N on 2008-08-14
  This game makes chess look like child's play. This is an EXTREMELY difficult and VERY cerebral game. If you like a good challenge, then this is the game for you!!
  
  
• If you like FireEmblem, you'll love this
  By A7VQPHE0NQ5G4 on 2008-08-16
  I didn't think I could enjoy a turn-based RPG as much as FireEmblem but this game actually blows it out of the water with how much deeper it is. The only thing FireEmblem has above this game is much better story-lines.
  
  
• Classical FF Tactics gameplay, and not much else
  By A11L1MD4AIYKB4 on 2008-08-19
  The Final Fantasy Tactics series traces its roots back to the venerable game of the same name on Playstation, and the gameplay hasn't changed much in the intervening ten or so years. This is a good thing, since the original game was remarkably enjoyable and deep. Of course, there are minor differences between this game and FFT or FFTA, but the core of the gameplay is identical. You still command a small group of characters who can accept various jobs, each with its own (more or less) unique set of abilities, and combat other armies and monsters on a top-down grid of squares.
  
  However, the story in this game is seriously lacking. While the original FFT had an engrossing (if poorly translated) plot, this game has virtually none at all. Because the game is structured around quests, many of which are optional, there is no focus on the central plot line since you may very well take on multiple optional quests in between two "main storyline" quests. The main storyline is also very forgettable, and I found some of the sidequest storylines more interesting than the main story.
  
  Nevertheless, if you approach this game with the expectation that you'll find classic FFT gameplay and a subpar story, you won't be disappointed. There are lots of missions to complete for the thorough gamers out there, some of which are rather challenging, so if you stay interested throughout this entire game you can expect this game to last about a hundred hours or so.
  
  
• A promising return of the franchise without much break throughs
  By A5CWLQF6QO3CN on 2008-09-04
  Square-Enix has been churning out games after games for their most popular franchises. So it is not surprising to have a sequel to the extremely popular Final Fantasy Tactics Advance on GBA a few years ago. Same as the previous Tactics games, the world is set in Ivalice as part of the Ivalice Alliance series.
  
  A2 inherited quite a number of features from its predecessors in the Ivalice world - a whole array of ridiculously diverse job classes with different degree of customisation. What added to the system of A2 is the new job class that are related to FF XII, which introduced the green magick category for now the new class Green Mage. Also all the summons or espers in FF XII are now back in A2 but instead of assigning them on the license board you can summon them through equipping certain accessories that you get in various quests. Also the Seeq race is back for A2 and now controllable characters that you can recruit.
  
  Treating A2 just as an extension to previous Ivalice games will be unfair though for it does introduce new elements to the world. The most easily spotted being the new Grias race - the flying race that can reach high places on the field to grab those exotic treasure chests that contains items that you could not find in shops or bazaar. They proved to be quite useful on the field as compared to the slow Seeq race. A2 also reintroduced geomancer, one of the most useful jobs (in my opinion) and works in a complementary way with the Viera's Elementalist class. Due to the presence of two new races, there are quite a number of new job classes available for you to choose from and play around to create your favorite army. Not all of them are useful and some skills of different jobs are actually the same when executed on the battle field, so leaving you wondering why they have those skills and jobs anyway.
  
  Story wise, it is similar to Tactics Advance about a boy or teenage got teleported to the world of Ivalice after opening an ancient tome. The objective was to fill up the pages and go back to the original world. Nothing much of a very interesting story. But the great improvement story wise are all the side quests that weave themselves either into the main story or run their own storylines themselves. Clearly in those storylines, the theme are more mature and also provides a very different angle for you to look at some of the story characters.
  
  The battle system still plays on a grid structure, and you have to think about your direction of attack and elemental properties. The Judge system is back but less annoying than its predecessor as now you don't need to bail your allies out from the jail anymore but you lost the Judge protection and won't be able to revive your fallen allies inside the battle if you broke the law. Also a welcoming addition is the Clan Privileges you can maintain (and acquire through Clan Trials) throughout the battles if you comply with the laws. These Clan Privileges could prove to be tide turning if used appropriately in different battle context. Square-Enix has done away with most random battles in A2 but all battles are now mission and quest related - including the rare random battles that pops up according to what time of the year and what other clans are in control of the area. Most of the skills effect play out beautifully on the DS and the will tempt you just to apply them to look at how pretty they look on the small screens. However, in a very Tactics manner, from time to time you will run into very frustrating battles that really test your tactical skills and thinking even prior to the battles e.g. what to equip and what jobs to bring into the battles. Further certain job classes may not behave in the same way you remembered as in the past so you might need a bit of adjustments to get use to what they offer.
  
  A2 has a variety of gameplay to make it less monotonous. The injection of FF XII's bazaar system is one of them although the titling of items are as random as ever and you will need a walkthrough to get what you want without wasting certain hard to come by materials. There is also the Clan Trial for you to obtain bonus Clan Privileges to give you an edge to the battles. Also the Auction House allows you to get goodies and cheaper prices for items if you control certain turfs under your name. These are all welcoming additional gameplay that offer a better variety of experience although for most of the time you don't necessarily need to complete them to complete the game.
  
  In all, A2 is a welcoming and stable addition to the Tactics franchise but it certainly didn't revolutionise the franchise as the predecessors did. If there is another Tactics game for Square-Enix under the Final Fantasy banner, they will need to work harder to make sure that the franchise won't go stale.
  
  
• First time tactics player impressions
  By A1XA3KFU6MP0FL on 2008-09-19
  As a first time tactics player, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. While there were some very enjoyable parts to the game, I found most of the gameplay to be too slow and too cumbersome. Just moving around the map, going between screens/shops/inns, the quest picking systems were all slow. The inventory management system felt weak as well.
  
  With the battles, there were some fun parts with regards to "tactics", but there were so many actions that had to be repeated each battle and each turn that it was just too slow for me.
  
  Overall, I can see the attraction of this kind of game, but having expected something closer to RPGs, I found myself getting annoyed with the long time it took for each combat action. I would say if you are a tactics fan, this is probably a good game, but I did not personally enjoy it.
  
  
• If you're a fan of final fantasy and a fan of strategy RPGs...
  By A1TNF9ZQU89ZR on 2008-09-20
  THEN GET THIS GAME! Seriously, it's an absolutely fantastic follow up of Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. I warn you though, it's addictive but for all the right reasons. I haven't got through the whole story yet but if you're a fan of SRPGs you're probably less concerned about it than you are how well the battle system holds up. It's essentially a slightly refreshed version of FFTA's system, however, the user interface feels much smoother. The touch screen is usable but not really necessary and sometimes the things you have to touch are so tiny that it's not worth it and the buttons do the job so it's really not worth it unless you're a touch junkie and WANT to do it that way (not that there's anything wrong with that, of course). I'll finish up saying I'm not even that much a fan of SRPGs and can really enjoy this game. It's challenging but easy to get into.
  
  
• best final fantasy ever
  By AS6CAJCBZTON6 on 2008-07-02
  i just got this game yestarday and ive played it for 12hours & 38min and 58sec i was was playing tactic adv about 3years ago and got to 316hours on it than decided it was time to play a diffrent game and 3 years later 2 months before relese i was gonna buy it again cuz i lost it but just when i saved up enough money to buy it my monthly issue of nintendo power had a reviw about a2 and i had to buy it this game is the best game ive ever purchased its well worth the cost with hundreds of hours of replay i know ill be playing it over and over again
  
  
• Pleasing Sequel
  By A2OFBSNLWID109 on 2008-07-12
  If you're looking at this review, chances are that you're probably familiar with the Final Fantasy Tactics series. If not, then this is definitely the time to try it out.
  
  Final Fantasy Tactics was the first in this series, and it was definitely a big hit. It uses a grid battle-system like most other tactics games. However, Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift adds a lot of new material, including hundreds of quests and a variety of new jobs. And if you're a fan of customization, then this will strike your fancy. I've come across so many bizarre, yet exciting combinations of skills and equipments which lets you create some pretty powerful units.
  
  There are also other interesting changes like the bazaar system and the auction system. You obtain loot from enemies and quests and depending on the combination and ranking of the loot, you can create specific weapons, armors, and etc. This bazaar system thus rewards you for completing quests and being thorough, letting you obtain lots of ingredients for creating some pretty interesting equipment early on in the game. Besides having to create equipment, you can bid for some relatively rare/uncommon equipment at auction houses. The newly implemented auction houses seems like a mini-game, in which you bid for items using a supply of tokens.
  
  As for gameplay, the battles aren't too difficult; except the law system can be quite frustrating on more than one occasion. The percentages and AI also seem to be unforgiving, for example, having 60, 70, 80% accuracy still results in quite a bit of missing the target. The judge's laws make another appearance, and though it isn't necessary to follow them, they definitely have their benefits (Clan boosts: Regen, Speed ^, etc; Being able to Raise; Bonus loot).
  
  Although some people digress about the sprite animation and 2D gameplay, I find the art and background detailing to be a great deal of fun and fitting of the attitude/atmosphere of the game. I've already put about 50 hours into FFT:A2 and I'm still finding it pretty fun to play around with the combinations. The jobs, skills, and stat growth definitely add to the replay value as well.
  
  Overall it's been a really fun experience, there's a lot of interesting new features such as the auction house, the bazaar, and clan points/traits. If you've played any of the previous FF:T games or enjoy customizing a little too much, then you probably will like this game too.
  
  
• Don't listen to what other people say... just buy it!!!
  By AI2G06WV2ZPLM on 2008-07-15
  I got this game two weeks ago, and I just love it. The story might not be top-notch for a FF game, but it is still okay. Anyway, the real part of the game is the teeth-grinding strategy. Pretty much, you move little guys around a battlefield, kill bad guys, level up, get better weapons, and repeat. It might not sound great,but is great. Anyway if you love your DS and fantasy, you MUST buy this game.
  
  
• Not the best SRPG but still okay
  By A2ZN1TFNFFGIZ4 on 2008-07-18
  I just finished this game and I have to say overall I wasn't impressed. I did over 225 quests before I went to the final battle so I spent a lot of time on this game. The story was pretty lame not really enough to keep you intrested. The game play itself was slow, some of the judges laws were just plain stupid and the payout for following them wasn't really worth it. The graphics were okay they reminded me of the 1st Zelda game that came out for the orginal nintendo. Overall the game is basic in every way once your done playing it there is nothing to make you remember it or to play it over again.
  
  
• No story/ Great Game
  By AEP3RG14XEA0E on 2008-07-21
  The story is practiclly non-existent, but the gameplay is addicting. Graphics are bright and smooth. Recomend this game for any strategy gamer looking to lose a few hundred hours!
  
  
• One of the best DS titles I've ever played
  By A2C8ZN574X2YCX on 2008-07-22
  Spinoffs of the main "Final Fantasy" series tend to be somewhat lower quality than the main numbered entries. See, for example, Final Fantasy VII: Dirge of Cerberus and Final Fantasy X-2. I enjoyed both of those games, but they weren't really anything special. Fortunately for those who just can't wait until Final Fantasy XIII comes out in order to get their fix, there is Final Fantasy Tactics. The Tactics series has always been fantastic, and this one is no exception. Of course, as a tactics game it's not exactly fast-paced, but then again, if you're just looking to blow some things up, Final Fantasy is hardly the way to go. The depth in this game is simply astounding: there are nearly 400 quests, 56 jobs to master, including secret jobs and hidden clan members to unlock, hundreds and hundreds of unique pieces of equipment, and over a hundred hours of gameplay. The core gameplay itself is also very polished and well-balanced, although as I said it moves a little slowly. There are only a few minor quibbles I have with this game: the story isn't particularly gripping, and the music is pretty lackluster although not obnoxious or overly repetitive. However, these minor trifles in no way make me doubt that this game deserves a five out of five rating. If you're a fan of Final Fantasy or strategy titles, you're missing out on a whole lot of fun if you haven't bought this game yet. It's only left my DS twice since I bought it, and only for a few minutes each time.
  
  
• An improvement in everything but story
  By AB16HESEJVA6C on 2008-07-22
  For the most part Final Fantasy Tactics A2 is a great game. The game play is sharp and well organized and most importantly it is very fun to play. I keep finding myself saying that I'm only going to do one more quest but inevitably that will stretch out into several more. There is a good variety of quests and a great number of side quests so it should keep you entertained for a while The graphics, sound and music are about on par for a DS game in general and don't significantly detract from or enhance the game.
  
  The game isn't perfect though. The most obvious defect is the games lackluster story. It comes of as a secondhand ripoff of "The Neverending Story" down right to the fact that naming a person transports the protagonist into the story. Also you will find that not all of classes were created equal and and at least one of them is downright useless.
  
  Despite this the overall quality of the game manages to shines through and makes this game a worthy addition to anyone's collection.
  
  
• A nice game
  By A2G317ZAVAMB12 on 2008-07-25
  This is a nice game and to me improves allot in comparison to its predecessor on the gameboy advanced. The graphics are nice and smooth and there are tons of features and job classes to sink into as well. My only complaint is with its ridiculous law system. The laws sometimes state you cannot cause more damage that set amount or your not allowed to miss a target. I mean its a little absurd. Another thing I am not happy about is the fact that random battles do not occur to help you train through the classes and get your characters stronger for quests you want to take on. The last thing I am disappointed with is the fact that you cannot keep monsters you tame in Final Fantasy Tactics on the PSOne you could not only capture monsters to join your team but level them up to become advanced versions of themselves and sometimes you would even get them to breed and you could raise new ones to help you fight in battle. But I guess allot of my disappointments arise from the fact that I really really liked the first Final Fantasy Tactics and nothing has come close to reviving its glory.
  
  
• not bad, but..
  By A2MYRKKYDRUH5Y on 2008-07-29
  Final Fantasy Tactics Advance was one of my favorite games for the GBA (5 stars for sure), so I had high expectations for this game (3.5 stars). It's not a bad game, but it could have been much better. It feels like more good things were taken away from the series than were added to it. I thought that the law system in the previous game gave it more depth. In this game, it's more of an annoyance because only YOUR characters are punished for breaking the law. When the law is broken, you lose the ability to revive any KO'd characters, which can become annoying. The graphics and music are similar to the previous game. I often found myself thinking that some of the graphics for attacks in the previous game shouldn't have been changed, though others do admittedly look improved. There are significantly more missions than in the previous game, but a lot of them seem similar to each other or as though not much thought was placed into their conception. With so many missions, the main storyline and side plots can be forgotten easily (though they are not very deep). On the plus side, there are a couple of new races and several new jobs for each race to play around with. Also, this game has plenty to do in it, so it should keep you busy for a while (if you like strategy/rpg games). There's a lot more I could say about this game, but I'll wrap this up by saying that those who haven't played the first one will probably like this game more.
  
  

• Final Fantasy IV
• FINAL FANTASY TACTICS A2: Grimoire of the Rift Official Strategy Guide (Official Strategy Guides (Bradygames))
• Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen
• Etrian Odyssey II: Heroes of Lagaard
• Chrono Trigger