Final Fantasy Tactics (ファイナルファンタジータクティクス?)

Final Fantasy Tactics (ファイナルファンタジータクティクス?) is a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) for the Sony PlayStation video game console. It was released in Japan in June 1997 and in the United States in January 1998. The game combines thematic elements of the Final Fantasy video game series with a game engine and battle system unlike those previously seen in the franchise. In contrast to other 32-bit era Final Fantasy titles, Final Fantasy Tactics uses a 3D, isometric, rotatable playing field, with bitmap sprite characters.[1]

The game is set in a fictional kingdom called Ivalice, which has just ended its war with the neighboring kingdom of Ordalia. The story follows Ramza Beoulve, a young cadet who finds himself thrust into the middle of a conflict, where two noble factions are coveting the throne of the kingdom.[2] While the war was caused by a conflict of succession, Ramza was exposed to a plot that involved the kingdom's dominant religious organization.

A spin-off was created in 2003, called Final Fantasy Tactics Advance for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance (itself having a sequel called Final Fantasy Tactics A2), and in 2006, a stand-alone title called Final Fantasy XII was released for the Sony PlayStation 2. All three games take place in the fictional land of Ivalice. An enhanced remake of Final Fantasy Tactics, Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions, was also released in 2007 as part of Square Enix's new Ivalice Alliance project.[3] Overall, the game received positive reviews from gaming magazines and websites.
Story

Final Fantasy Tactics begins with Ivalice just recovering from the Fifty Year War against Ordalia.[20] The power vacuum caused by the death of its ruler, King Omdoria, soon sparked another conflict. Princess Ovelia and the younger Prince Orinas are both candidates to the throne, with the former supported by Prince Goltana of the Black Lion,[21] and the latter by Queen Ruvelia and her brother, Prince Larg of the White Lion.[22] This erupted into a full-scale war known as the "Lion War", with either side using whatever means possible to secure their place in the throne. This included bearing an illegitimate child,[23] killing other possible heirs,[24] betrayal,[25] assassination[26] and false identities.[27]

Throughout the game, nobles regard commoners and peasants as animals,[28] and many commoners try to take revenge on the nobles, who abandoned them after the war.[29] Most joined the so-called Death Corps to fight against the nobles' soldiers, and many died in vain.[30] Ramza, part of the noble Beoulve family of knights, and Delita, his childhood friend who was an ordinary commoner, were witnesses to this phenomenon. Events such as meeting an arrogant noble named Algus, as well as the negligent killing of Delita's sister Teta during an uprising, caused Delita and Ramza to abandon the nobility, both going separate ways.[31]

Ramza joins a mercenary group,[32] led by Gafgarion, who protects Princess Ovelia from being hunted by both sides. Delita has joined Prince Goltana's forces to rise up through the ranks and gain control over his own destiny.[33] Ramza and Delita are reunited when Gafgarion attempts to take Ovelia to Prince Larg, though this was futile. Agrias suggests visiting Cardinal Draclau of the Glabados Church to protect Ovelia, while Delita continues to work in the shadows, working with multiple sides to realize his ambition.[34] Along the way to Lionel Castle, Ramza meets Mustadio, a machinist in possession of a holy relic called the Zodiac Stone. Hunted by a trading company for the power it contains,[35] Mustadio also seeks Draclau's intervention.

However, soon after the encounter with Cardinal Draclau, Ramza discovers that an elaborate plot was set by the Murond Glabados Church. In their desire to control Ivalice, the Church, particularly the High Priest Marge Funeral, uses the legend of the so-called holy Zodiac Braves to gather the Zodiac Stones,[36] and fuels the Lion War between Larg and Goltana.[37] To stave off Ramza's interference, Draclau uses the stone to transform into a legendary Lucavi demon,[38] and Ramza has no choice but to slay him/it. As a result, Ramza is regarded a heretic of the Church, and he is approached by the Heretic Examiner Zalmo at Lesalia Imperial Capital.[39]

While noble in name, the Beoulve family is susceptible to corruption, due to ambition. Dycedarg, the eldest sibling, conspires with Larg and the Church to ensure that the Beoulve family remains in power. However, his younger brother Zalbag is unaware of his dealings.[40] Alma, Ramza's younger sister, remains in church, unaffected by the situation until Ramza is branded a heretic in front of her.[41] Ramza seeks to rescue her after her capture while helping him escape the Heresy Examiners. Only Ramza and Alma share their father's sense of justice.

Ramza is chased throughout the story by the Shrine Knights, the soldiers of the Church who are hunting the Zodiac Stones, although he gains allies, either by saving their lives,[42] or by showing them the truth.[43] Some individuals with knowledge of the Zodiac Stones attempt to conspire with the Shrine Knights for its power, though most fail.[44][45] Ramza also acquires proof of the Church's lies about Saint Ajora, a central figure in the religion,[46] and attempts to use it along with the Zodiac Stone to reveal the organization's plot.[47]

In the course of the story, the two sides face off in a major battle that sees the deaths of many soldiers, including their leaders Larg and Goltana. Delita, being used by the church, betrays and assassinates Goltana, meanwhile on the other side, Dycedarg assassinates Larg. Ramza manages to stop the bloodshed from continuing and rescues the general Cidolfas Orlandu, though the Church succeeds in eliminating the two Lions to secure its power over Ivalice. Deeper into the story, Ramza discovers that the Shrine Knights are in reality Lucavi, and the real conspirators behind the Church's plot.[48] The Lucavi are seeking to resurrect their leader Altima, who in the past was Saint Ajora, and they need much bloodshed and a suitable body to complete the resurrection. Alma is to serve as the host for Altima's incarnation.[49][50] Ramza races off to rescue her, witnesses Zalbag confronting Dycedarg about his crimes to their family, and both encounter Dycedarg's evil side. Zalbag apologizes to Ramza for mistrusting him, but it is too late. Dycedarg transforms into a Lucavi demon, and Ramza witnesses Zalbag's death.

At the end of the story, though Altima is successfully resurrected, Ramza and his allies succeed in destroying her. Their final fates are unknown. Delita marries Ovelia and becomes the King of Ivalice.[51] However, he fails to find true satisfaction as even Ovelia distrusts him, leading her to stab Delita, apparently resulting in Delita's death shortly after the end of the story. Ovelia in turn is stabbed by Delita and dies.[52] Olan Durai, a witness who had many encounters with Ramza (and is unsure as to whether his glimpse of a living and well Ramza and Alma after the game's final battle is a hallucination or not), attempts to reveal the Church's evil plot with the "Durai Report." However, his papers are confiscated and he is burned at the stake for heresy.[53] The story ends many years later with the historian Alazlam J. Durai intent on revealing the truth of the Lion War and the Durai Report.