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Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift

EMAIL PRINT ds

7.9 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 47 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 19 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Square Enix

Developer: Square Enix

Genre(s): Strategy, Role-Playing Game

Players: 1

ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older)

Release Date: June 24, 2008

Summary

School is out for the summer, but mischievous Luso Clemens must first face detention to make up for his misbehavior. Alone in the library, he stumbles upon an ancient book with magical powers that summons him to the mystical land of Ivalice. Warped into the middle of a battlefield, Luso joins Cid and his clan to set off on an adventurous journey looking for a way home. Explore the fantastic world of Ivalice and join forces with famous heroes from FINAL FANTASY XII – Vaan, Penelo and Al-Cid. All-new content and enhancements, including polished game mechanics, new jobs, new classes, and a new clan system that enrich the Ivalice experience for fans and newcomers alike. The North American release will allow players to command characters in battle and navigate through menus all with a tap of the stylus Witness vibrant and colorful visuals in dual-screen presentation, made possible by Nintendo DS. Increased replay value with up to 400 available quests, allowing players to immerse themselves in a multi-faceted storyline. [Square Enix]

Also On Metacritic

GAMES: Final Fantasy Tactics Advance

Cheat Codes & Hints: Cheat Code Central

Also On The Web: Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

Cheat Code Central

It is a great crossover title and has appeal both as an Ivalice adventure and as a full-throttle tactics title.

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AtomicGamer

In spite of the standard-fare visuals, FFA2 is a game no RPG fan should miss.

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GameSpy

The production values in Final Fantasy Tactics A2 are top-notch and Square Enix has really punched up the graphics and sound.

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IGN

Four hundred quests, lots of customization options, and some of the best turn-based strategy around will keep you playing for a long time.

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GamerNode

A great addition to the Final Fantasy Tactics family. Gaming on the go never felt more fun than having an army of sprites fighting on your side.

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GameZone

Without really breaking new ground in tactical gameplay, the game is still able to give you plenty to think about during the excessively long battles. Character and job classes offer something different on the battlefield and this is good news seeing as there are hundreds of quests to take on aside from the main quest.

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Gamestyle

All these minor faults are soon forgotten once Final Fantasy Tactics A2 starts to slowly take over your life.

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Console Gameworld

Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift is an excellent game by all merits.

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Jolt Online Gaming UK

Final Fantasy Tactics A2 carries on the fine tradition of the series and, a couple of stylus issues aside, is a natural fit on the DS.

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Game Informer

When it all clicks, Final Fantasy Tactics A2 is a well-oiled adventure combining good design and fun gameplay that any strategy/RPG fan will appreciate. [July 2008, p.94]

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Official Nintendo Magazine UK

It's a daunting pospect but there are rewards for the brave here. This is a classy, addictive and sophticated RPG. [Aug 2008, p.78]

Worth Playing

The gameplay is solid as ever, the visuals and music are well worth a look, and Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift is a very solid game for anyone in need of a Final Fantasy or turn-based strategy fix on the go.

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Kombo

Final Fantasy Tactics A2 offers everything that FFTA offered plus some.

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GamingTrend

In conclusion, Final Fantasy Tactics A2 is a very good game that could have been a lot more. They could have put more effort into the music and graphics and made it a must-have, but it's still good and worth a play.

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RPG Fan

It's hard to understand why Square Enix didn't put any effort into the story, which would have upped the greatness of this game significantly had it been good. Even after some disappointments, FFTA2 remains worth it for all the reasons that FFTA was: great presentation and solid gameplay.

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Gaming Age

It's not the best in the genre, but it's a solid title with a ton of value for someone that's looking for something that'll last a while.

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NGamer UK

Engrossing tactical fun withthe depth and attention to detail we've come to expect from the new wave of Final Fantasy games on Nintendo consoles. Well worth it. [Sept 2008, p.62]

Gamers' Temple

Final Fantasy Tactics A2 once again takes us to the world of Ivalice and brings along the same addicting tactical gameplay from the last game with some new additions to keep it feeling fresh.

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GameTrailers

Grimoire of the Rift rewards players with a rich tactical RPG experience, but the lack of a meaningful and well-developed plot will leave many desiring more.

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G4 TV

So, yes, there is a little bit of hand-holding going on here. When you're going to play a game for dozens of hours, it’s nice to feel like the game's designers care enough about you to stand by your side.

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Games Radar (in-house)

With a whopping 400 quests total, it's amazing that the gameplay never gets stale during the 100+ hours it's going to take you to complete A2.

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GamePro

With its deep Clan system and 400 missions worth of downright addictive quests, I can't help but recommend it. [July 2008, p.82]

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Cubed3

While not without its flaws, Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift is a truly excellent turn-based strategy title.

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AceGamez

Aside from being visually beautiful in a perfect, picture book way, it has one of the smartest combat mechanics around for any RPG, managing to balance the pace of combat with the patient thought of a strategy game effortlessly.

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Thunderbolt

It’s one of the best single-player games on the DS. Though the story and characters are terrible, it’ll take you several hours to complete the main quest. That aside, you’ll have hundreds of secondary quests, tons of jobs to master, and massive collection of items and abilities to acquire.

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NintendoWorldReport

A quite uncommon (if not flawless) coupling of remarkable depth with relative accessibility, although it will not take players by the hand through all of its intricacies.

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VideoGamer

Despite these minor grievances Grimoire of the Rift is a deep and involving game, with excellent presentation and a great sense of scale.

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Edge Magazine

The expanded range of strategic choice and admirably polished presentation push Grimoire Of The Rift right into the top tier. [Sept 2008, p.93]

Gamervision

High production values take the game to a level of quality usually unreached on the Nintendo DS, and the game’s sound and graphics, while a little bit dated, help the battles from becoming too chaotic and move the game’s story along.

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games(TM)

Final Fantasy Tactics A2 takes all of the divisive elements of its predecessor and runs with them. [Sept 2008, p.119]

Modojo

Overall, Grimoire of the Rift is an excellent example of quality DS gaming.

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Level7.nu

A fantastic turn-based adventure that builds directly on top of the same formula used in it's predecessor. It does demand a tad bit too much time due to the slow paced gameplay, but from the time invested you'll be awarded with a great experience. Great battles and a great variety in character development will keep you motivated for this 60 hour plus adventure.

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LEVEL (Czech Republic)

Good-class and nice looking fantasy turn-based strategy game with very simple controls, but with a lot of possibilities, missions and tasks. It’s definitely a long-time run. [Aug 2008]

Gamer 2.0

In fact, games such as these are really losing their style due to the fact that they're sometimes too long—FFTA2 should actually take you 30-40 hours to finish, while taking more than 80 if you intend on finishing every mission and finding every nook and cranny with the job system.

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Games Master UK

Continues the fine work of the originals, but "Fire Emblem" and "Disgaea" are tighter games. [Aug 2008, p.76]

Wii Brasil

Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift is a good game indeed. Not excellent nor notable nor hardcore, yet fun. But if you're a veteran, don't expect a great challenge and don't think this is a successor to the first of the Final Fantasy Tactics series.

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N-Europe

It’s a good game, spoiled by its flaws. It deserves to be hated and loved in equal measure

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Gamer.nl

A strategic role playing game that does the right things, but hasn’t made any progress from the previous games. Thanks to the quality and the quantity of the product it’s still a very entertaining game and for gamers that haven’t had the pleasure to play the previous games, it’s even better.

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Zentendo

If you were thinking about getting this game as an attempt to delve into the world of turn-based strategy RPG’s, I strongly suggest you go buy the first Tactics Advance instead because you will probably have more fun with it, and it will probably be cheaper. Or better yet, go pick up a Fire Emblem game.

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Pocket Gamer UK

The perfect beginner's strategy role-player, even if it's one you'll eventually abandon for better and more involved alternatives.

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Electronic Gaming Monthly

It remains worth it for all of the reasons that made the original Tactics so engrossing: Switching between different jobs, mastering new abilities from your gear, and recruiting and building your clan all remain as appealing as ever. [July 2008, p.82]

Nintendo Power

As a result, although Grimoire of the Rift is another solid effort that's sure to scratch your tactical itch, the original Tactics remains the pinnacle of the series. [July 2008, p.86]

GameSpot

Grimoire of the Rift offers a surprising amount of depth, as highlighted by its impressive number of quests and skills, real-time area auctions, clan management, and unlockables, but many a Tactics fan might be put off by its cheapened quest-based plot progression and battle rules.

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Eurogamer

With a convincing story and some innovation in the fight system FFTA2 could have been so much more, but it still stands as the best example of the genre currently available for the handheld.

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1UP

Based on the series' past legacy of excellence, it's just a shame that Grimoire of the Rift feels more like an expansion pack than a bona fide sequel.

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GameShark

The gameplay is open-ended yet lacks a compelling plot and the combat is as solid as ever but veterans of the series will miss being able to fully flex the might of the job system.

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Play.tm

With a game like FFTA2 it's not really about the why as the how, only it's a bit too simplistic and uninteresting to make a winning formula.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 7.9 (out of 10) based on 19 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

anb gave it a10:
Outstanding game. Despite that the main plot is kinda childish, the game in general is soo deep with a lot of quest, skills, jobs etc and with a really great attention to details spiced up with really gorgeous artwork and music. Must have.

Aaron S gave it an8:
This is a pretty decent game, and can be scarily involving at times. The strategy elements are a little basic at first, but soon becomes more complicated as the game progresses. I would also like to add that the judgment system, I think, compliments the battles rather well, and there is great satisfaction to be had from keeping within the law. It takes a while, but once you have a full clan of units, and a varied amount of jobs and abilities to play with, the game takes on a whole new addictive level.

Lev gave it an8:
I think that FFTA2 was an improvement over the FFTA for the gba, and I don't think it should be compared to the original FFT for the psx, because the two are just totally different despite using a similar system. So why did I like this game? Probably because the fun factor was pretty high. Managing your own little fantasy army of strange creatures while walking around in a lively world doing small quests really brought out the inner child in me. The fact that the game didn't have a normal plot didn't really bother me, because the characters itself had life in them, they were active without being overly happy-happy, (the only one I didn't like was Hurdy) not to mention the many returning side characters during quets who were also fun. And the dialogues were also well written and entertaining. It had no philosophical or whatever kind of depth to it, but I don't think that's a necessity for something to be fun.

Josh E. gave it a7:
Still pales in comparison to the original Playstation version, but an improvement over FFTA in terms of gameplay and the more tolerable, but still lame, judge system. Many of the assets were reused from FFTA, which seems pretty lazy (The music is exactly the same). It still looks good though (The portraits are all new and look great), so that makes all of the other repeat graphics and sound less annoying.

Wayne E. gave it a10:
You really get sucked into a different world.

Steve M gave it a10:
Though FFTA2 may not be perfect, the reason a game should get a 10 is not because it's perfect, but because it is simply a really, really well put together product. This game is just that...it reeks of Square Enix polish, looks great, sounds great, play great, and will last you for over a hundred hours if you're willing to invest it. I'm not much for boring, technical reviews; I prefer to express an emotional response to games...so here it is: if you love Final Fantasy, and you love strategy RPG's, and you love deep character customization, you will find yourself playing this game with a smile on your face the entire time. It will bring you much happiness and satisfaction, provided you're a patient individual. An excellent DS game.

Ken H. gave it a9:
A very forgettable story doesnt kill the excellent strategy aspects of the game. I have some minor quibbles. I wouldnt mind a fast play option that speeds up the combat animations. It takes too long for every character to walk, then hit and then the reaction after the hit. And you'll be playing for a 10 hours with your characters doing not a whole more than simple default "attack" moves. After that you get lots of interesting choices about how to build your team. I would have have been happy to miss those first 10 hours of the game.

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Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift

Game Info

Summary

Also On Metacritic

What The Critics Said

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