Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions

 PSP
User Score
9.0

Universal acclaim- based on 441 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 382 out of 441
  2. Mixed: 33 out of 441
  3. Negative: 26 out of 441
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  1. CharlieM
    Oct 4, 2009
    10
    Let us see, I have sunk 190 hours into and I am still finding things to do, the replayability borders into the insane, The main story will take about 30 or so hours to complete, then level your party to 99 takes quite a bit of time. Finally getting Mastered Dark Knight is one of the greater feats of this game. A level 8 Onion Knight is the other. A master of magics with an ArithimaticsLet us see, I have sunk 190 hours into and I am still finding things to do, the replayability borders into the insane, The main story will take about 30 or so hours to complete, then level your party to 99 takes quite a bit of time. Finally getting Mastered Dark Knight is one of the greater feats of this game. A level 8 Onion Knight is the other. A master of magics with an Arithimatics special ability.There is just so much to do after you beat the game, there is even an added dungeon called Midlight's Deep where you can learn the fabled Zodiarc summon. A new multiplayer mode with hundreds of great items, some exclusive. Grab a friend and play, or for the extremely hardcore, just get a second psp, maybe you need an upgrade anyways? If you are a completionist this game will keep your plate full for a long long time. Anyone who gives this game an actual zero is just plain ignorant, especially if they claim this game was their favorite game. This was one of my favorite games from the Psone and I welcomed the new victorian english dialogue, it made the playthrough more interesting, instead of guessing every line. I enjoyed 12 as well, props to putting in *Spoilers* Balthier! *Spoilers* Anyways if you give it anything less then like a 4 you are just plain donkey and an attention who.re trying to purposely bring one of the greatests games of all times rating down just because you can.… Expand
  2. Taylor
    Oct 30, 2007
    10
    Amazing addictive game with heaps of replay value, Final fantasy tactics is one of the best games in the PSP library and is a worthy remake of an already great game.
  3. adamsomerville
    Aug 14, 2008
    10
    all you guys with low votes get over yourselves.
    the game quality, sure, its slightly off, but not as blurry as you guys say. And you guys who dont like the "ye olde tongue" it actually fits.
    i love this game ive played all the way through and mastered all the jobs on all my characters....And i think i'll go do it again :D
  4. DenverH
    Sep 19, 2014
    10
    Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions hearkens back to a golden age of video game design where a game had to stand largely on the merits of its gameplay, and the mechanics of this turn-based strategy opus stand the test of time. Not content to simply port a classic title to a newer, portable platform, Square Enix has added beautifully animated, watercolor-style cutscenes completeFinal Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions hearkens back to a golden age of video game design where a game had to stand largely on the merits of its gameplay, and the mechanics of this turn-based strategy opus stand the test of time. Not content to simply port a classic title to a newer, portable platform, Square Enix has added beautifully animated, watercolor-style cutscenes complete with fantastic voice acting. These help convey a tale that is complex, dark, and strikingly human in nature. If you're a fan of strategy games and/or good stories, this is a must-play.… Expand
  5. GautamMahajan
    Apr 22, 2009
    8
    Ok...So I finally finished playing the entire story in under 30 hrs..without the bonuses and secrets....and yes it was a fantastic game...the first srpg i completed and just very very deep and addictive.But more than a fair share of problems popped up.firstly the graphics are truly dated considering the power of the PSP and there is still a lot of slowdown during spells.The story arc wentOk...So I finally finished playing the entire story in under 30 hrs..without the bonuses and secrets....and yes it was a fantastic game...the first srpg i completed and just very very deep and addictive.But more than a fair share of problems popped up.firstly the graphics are truly dated considering the power of the PSP and there is still a lot of slowdown during spells.The story arc went to very infantile in the last few hours and i found the story very difficult to follow because of the sheer number of characters and events.But to be fair,there is a neat chronicle section that can help you rewatch all the awesome new cutscenes and storyline.I also felt the difficulty arc was a joke.the first 8-10 hours i felt like i was going through some sick sadist's idea of a joke.it was THAT hard.i remember having to level grind 8-9 levels more to beat a certain boss character somewhere in the middle of the story line.but after i got a couple of storyline characters and after all the powerlevelling the ending felt like a joke.I beat the final boss in less than 10 minutes counting both forms.Inspite of all this,i still felt it was compelling and very very well made albeit they could have definitely improved it a LOT more in 2007.recommendation for all srpg fans.for people new to srpgs play jeanne d'arc or even ffta first to get the hang of the genre and then come back to fft.… Expand
  6. ImUnavailable
    Mar 18, 2011
    10
    I missed this game when it came out on PS1 but I'm glad i finally had the chance to experience this game. The story is incredible and engrossing as the veil is slowly lifted on the corrupt face of Ivalice. The job system works well and combat is always a challenge. The sprite animation is charming and the cut scenes are beautiful. The camera can be a bit unwieldy but this doesn't take awayI missed this game when it came out on PS1 but I'm glad i finally had the chance to experience this game. The story is incredible and engrossing as the veil is slowly lifted on the corrupt face of Ivalice. The job system works well and combat is always a challenge. The sprite animation is charming and the cut scenes are beautiful. The camera can be a bit unwieldy but this doesn't take away from the gameplay. This is an unmissable game for RPG enthusiasts.… Expand
  7. CalebW
    Oct 15, 2009
    10
    This game is amazing i have the ps1 game and i dont have a ps1 memory card so i could never save it i never new this game existed when i tried to look up the ps1 game and found this i ordered it and am very impressed it is an almost exact copy (exactly what i wanted it to be) and is great in every way imaginable i dont really like the way they make them talk different but that dosentThis game is amazing i have the ps1 game and i dont have a ps1 memory card so i could never save it i never new this game existed when i tried to look up the ps1 game and found this i ordered it and am very impressed it is an almost exact copy (exactly what i wanted it to be) and is great in every way imaginable i dont really like the way they make them talk different but that dosent change how great the game is. BEST GAME EVER!… Expand
  8. Osidius
    Jul 7, 2012
    3
    This game has no value in the modern SRPG field. Issues include:

    1) The worst thing about this game is the AI. You often have guests - friendly AI controlled characters - on your team that screw up everything. For instance, one of them ran into a doorway, behind which was almost the entire enemy army. He was a strong fighter, so I positioned my White Mage behind him to heal why he    This game has no value in the modern SRPG field. Issues include:

    1) The worst thing about this game is the AI. You often have guests - friendly AI controlled characters - on your team that screw up everything. For instance, one of them ran into a doorway, behind which was almost the entire enemy army. He was a strong fighter, so I positioned my White Mage behind him to heal why he fought. I healed him, it came to his turn...and he used a potion on himself (to restore about 15 of his 78 hit points) and ran away, leaving the enemy army against my White Mage. Horrendous.

    2) You place your characters on grey square tiles before you even get to see the map. Random enemy placement often results in team members being in less than ideal positions.

    3) The camera is horrible. It works off the four angles of the board, so if an enemy is in between walls in the middle of the map you usually can't see them. Worse, you generally have to exit the command menu to actually control the camera.

    4) There's no easy way to check the turn list or AOE on enemies attacks. You have to exit the command menu, bring up another menu, find the character you want and click on them. This really slows games down, as enemies will often charge a spell within two seconds, so you're checking every move to see where you can and can't move and wondering whether they've locked the attack to the unit or tile. The enemy always knows what you've done, but there's no way for you to know.

    5) It's impossible to keep your team alive. Phoenix Downs restore a random amount of health, which is always less than a single hit from an enemy. Trying to restore an ally to health usually results in the death of your healer.

    6) Enemies rank off your highest level character. The game's tutorial suggests you keep a balanced team, but it's impossible when in one mission your entire army dies. You go to town, hire new warriors, find a random battle, and then die instantly because the enemies are 8 levels higher than you.

    I honestly have no idea how this was ever considered any good when it was released, but it certainly isn't any good now. All the Fire Emblem games are basically the same gameplay wise, but they are infinitely better than this. The same goes for Jeanne D'Arc, the Disgaea games and Tactics Ogre.

    I would never recommend this game to anyone. My biggest regret is assuming it would be good and buying it off the PSN, since I can't return it.    … Expand
  9. GlennG.
    Oct 11, 2007
    3
    Only people who had never played Jeanne D'Arc on the PSP would give this a high score. The controls suck. You can't position the playing field to easily see the players. Everything is too small, including the text and the figures. The game should have been redone, not just ported to PSP code. I think a lot of people played the game on the previous platform and are giving it a Only people who had never played Jeanne D'Arc on the PSP would give this a high score. The controls suck. You can't position the playing field to easily see the players. Everything is too small, including the text and the figures. The game should have been redone, not just ported to PSP code. I think a lot of people played the game on the previous platform and are giving it a 'nostalgia' boost in scores for the PSP version. Stick with Jeanne D'Arc and you'll be inifinitely happier, if you like TRPG's.… Expand
  10. SebasP.
    Oct 2, 2007
    5
    I didn't gave it 0 but i could. First i hate the "Strategy tactics" Games! I played the game for about 10 minutes until i get to the first battle. BORING! The battle is just too long and BORING! I'll resume you what is it: Move Attack , wait , wait ,wait ,wait ,wait ,wait ,wait ,wait ,wait,wait,wait and WAIT AGAIN! I don't understand why Square enix didn't remake ff7 I didn't gave it 0 but i could. First i hate the "Strategy tactics" Games! I played the game for about 10 minutes until i get to the first battle. BORING! The battle is just too long and BORING! I'll resume you what is it: Move Attack , wait , wait ,wait ,wait ,wait ,wait ,wait ,wait ,wait,wait,wait and WAIT AGAIN! I don't understand why Square enix didn't remake ff7 instead of this boring one:( Well the music is good and the graphics are so so ! The story ... i don't really care about story!… Expand
  11. H.P.
    Dec 3, 2007
    0
    Final Fantasy Tactics was my favorite PSOne game of all time. I spent a year looking forward to this game coming out. Here is how my first day witht he game went: -Went to BestBuy to get game. -Unwrapped game and put it into PSP. -Giggled like a little girl -Turned on PSP, watched cutscene, Great Stuff, (what's with the different dialogue?) -Started first level (Wow the graphics are Final Fantasy Tactics was my favorite PSOne game of all time. I spent a year looking forward to this game coming out. Here is how my first day witht he game went: -Went to BestBuy to get game. -Unwrapped game and put it into PSP. -Giggled like a little girl -Turned on PSP, watched cutscene, Great Stuff, (what's with the different dialogue?) -Started first level (Wow the graphics are worse than the PSOne, everything is stretched out, rather that it being turned into true widescreen it was just stretched horizontally) -Put in my FFT copy inot PSOne just to make sure I wasn't imagining things (I wasn't) -Beat first level, went on to next cutscene and the first bandit battle (Wow the dialogue is completely different and now has weird pseudo-Elde-Englishe tone) -Cringed -Took game out of PSP, put back into case. -Put up for sale on Amazon.com Auctions.… Expand
  12. AlexisD.
    Oct 21, 2007
    3
    I played the psone version on my psp for around 5 hours, but when I heard that they were making a UMD port for this game I stopped playing and thought I'll just wait for the UMD port. When I got my hands on the UMD, I was so dissapointed to learn that the UMD version of the game looked exactly like the psone version. They didn't change anything!! I was hoping it will be more I played the psone version on my psp for around 5 hours, but when I heard that they were making a UMD port for this game I stopped playing and thought I'll just wait for the UMD port. When I got my hands on the UMD, I was so dissapointed to learn that the UMD version of the game looked exactly like the psone version. They didn't change anything!! I was hoping it will be more colorful and suited for the psp but i was wrong. They just changed the cut scenes which is a real shame. This is a real waste of money. I wouldn't call this a remake. I was really expecting that they'll re- done the whole game but they just ported it straight from psone.… Expand
  13. DanP.
    Jan 20, 2008
    4
    This game hurts my eyes. I mean that literally. My eyes hurt after playing it for more than a few minutes. The reason is simple: the entire screen is blurry! For some unknown reason they apparently render the screen slightly smaller than the PSP's resolution and then scale it up. The end effect is that my eyes hurt after playing. Add in the ridiculously slow effect animations and the This game hurts my eyes. I mean that literally. My eyes hurt after playing it for more than a few minutes. The reason is simple: the entire screen is blurry! For some unknown reason they apparently render the screen slightly smaller than the PSP's resolution and then scale it up. The end effect is that my eyes hurt after playing. Add in the ridiculously slow effect animations and the complete lack of improvement to the game UI, and you're lefting wondering if Square-Enix did anything beyond recompiling the code for the PSP. Along with the poor video quality comes poor sound quality - things like thunder claps and roaring wind instead sound like high pitched squeals. It almost seems that no one at Square Enix ever tested this game on a real PSP, assuming they tested it at all.… Expand
  14. Fel
    May 19, 2008
    10
    People can say the Psone version of this game was better, or is better Disgaea, but this are the things, people who played the first and later want to play this new one of course will say the game is bad, is because YOU ARE PLAYING THE SAME GAME, and prefer games similar but recent ones, i have to say Disgaea for example is a great game too, but this one is epic, thats all.
  15. RhodyTobin
    Oct 10, 2009
    1
    This game has absolutely no polish. It seriously feels like nobody bothered to give it a quick play through before releasing it. The old problems (bafflingly terrible camera, convoluted mess of a story, complete lack of difficulty balancing, broken jobs and characters like the Calculator and TG Cid) combine with whole new ones (lack of quicksave in a handheld game, immense amounts ofThis game has absolutely no polish. It seriously feels like nobody bothered to give it a quick play through before releasing it. The old problems (bafflingly terrible camera, convoluted mess of a story, complete lack of difficulty balancing, broken jobs and characters like the Calculator and TG Cid) combine with whole new ones (lack of quicksave in a handheld game, immense amounts of slowdown during every single move that isn't a basic attack) to bring this terrible old game down to a whole new level. Don't let your nostalgia fool you. This game is unforgivably broken.… Expand
  16. HosenmangelWerner
    Sep 29, 2007
    0
    This game is too hard without cheats!
  17. SteveM
    Apr 18, 2008
    10
    I just bought this game. Didn't even play it yet. I'm sure I'll love it. I'm giving it a 10 because I tend to be forgiving to the flaws of a game and really enjoy the good parts. And the whole reason I am leaving a comment is because some of these low scoring reviews by other users are unthoughtful, uneducated and unfounded opinions that reflect the absoluteI just bought this game. Didn't even play it yet. I'm sure I'll love it. I'm giving it a 10 because I tend to be forgiving to the flaws of a game and really enjoy the good parts. And the whole reason I am leaving a comment is because some of these low scoring reviews by other users are unthoughtful, uneducated and unfounded opinions that reflect the absolute embarrassing fact that all they know how to do is seek out unhappiness. Or in short, they are part of the ever growing group of gamers who seem to hate games. I don't get it, but I see it every day. Sorry this post is hardly relevant.… Expand
  18. okamimiyazaki
    Jun 23, 2014
    10
    I'm giving it a 10 because FF Tactics deserves no less. HOWEVER, I really do not like this remake. They did a better job with the Tactics Ogre remake. I would rather play the PS One Classic than this. Some sound quality issues are present and can be noticed when compared to playing the original (e.g. on Vita).

    I don't like the writing style at all. Whoever they hired to write the new    I'm giving it a 10 because FF Tactics deserves no less. HOWEVER, I really do not like this remake. They did a better job with the Tactics Ogre remake. I would rather play the PS One Classic than this. Some sound quality issues are present and can be noticed when compared to playing the original (e.g. on Vita).

    I don't like the writing style at all. Whoever they hired to write the new translation needs to never write dialogue again. I actually prefer the Engrish of the original game to this verbose crap that they call good dialogue. I get what they were going for (medieval feel) but it's annoying, confusing and feels corny.

    Still, same game with same plot, music and mechanics, so I have to give it a 10, because FFT is still amazing.    … Expand
  19. Caerleon
    Mar 19, 2017
    8
    Despite the age of this epic game, I still return to it.
    Even after 10 years of release, it still looks nice and pleases the eye. The musical accompaniment of battles is on the heights. The same variety of character development can not boast of modern games.
    A few words about the plot. It's gorgeous. A huge number of plot twists. Only at the end of the game will we know who the true    Despite the age of this epic game, I still return to it.
    Even after 10 years of release, it still looks nice and pleases the eye. The musical accompaniment of battles is on the heights. The same variety of character development can not boast of modern games.

    A few words about the plot. It's gorgeous. A huge number of plot twists. Only at the end of the game will we know who the true friend is, and who is the traitor.    … Expand
  20. BarelyLewd
    Mar 15, 2019
    9
    Another amazing title, many people say this game is there favorite FF, and i don't blame them, this game is amazing, story is crazy good, the characters, battle system, classes, maps, and weapon and armor are all top notch, if you love FF games, or tactic games, or even just good games in general then pick up this classic.
  21. Sean
    Oct 10, 2007
    9
    Well Final Fantasy Tactics is pretty much the BEST game ever made. Although I was expecting a little more in the multiplayer and extras department, I still love it. The best PSP game yet in my opinion.
  22. CharlesT.
    Oct 9, 2007
    10
    Best innovation since sliced bread.
  23. TimF.
    Oct 10, 2007
    10
    You must play this game at least once, theres a good chance you'll never put it down.
  24. MattS.
    Oct 4, 2007
    7
    I played FFT on the PS1 way back when, and Square Enix has basically ported over the exact same game, with a tweaked script and some cool new anime cut-scenes. If you liked the original game, then you'll enjoy this just as much (I'm guessing that the review scores are reflecting lots of nostalgia for the old release). The bad? The game hasn't changed. The graphics, after I played FFT on the PS1 way back when, and Square Enix has basically ported over the exact same game, with a tweaked script and some cool new anime cut-scenes. If you liked the original game, then you'll enjoy this just as much (I'm guessing that the review scores are reflecting lots of nostalgia for the old release). The bad? The game hasn't changed. The graphics, after the fantastic JEANNE D'ARC, look positively SNES-- The text is tiny and hard to read, the battle stages are small, and the characters have no personality. OK, I freely admit that JDA was my favorite game so far this year, and for me, this simple re-release of FFT just pales in comparison. Your mileage may vary.… Expand
  25. RobFreeland
    Feb 26, 2008
    8
    A good but flawed game. Battles are small and involve too few characters. Squares are sometimes impossible to see from any direction because of trees/buildings. Based on its merits/gameplay alone rather than nostagia of a beloved FF title, it just doesn't hold up against similar titles like Disgaea that have improved on the basic concept. It's a good game but not nearly asA good but flawed game. Battles are small and involve too few characters. Squares are sometimes impossible to see from any direction because of trees/buildings. Based on its merits/gameplay alone rather than nostagia of a beloved FF title, it just doesn't hold up against similar titles like Disgaea that have improved on the basic concept. It's a good game but not nearly as perfect as nostalgic reviews make it seem.… Expand
  26. Adam
    Nov 4, 2007
    9
    This game is addicting, and well worth your money. This game will annoy some games with it's supreme difficulty. If you don't mind challenge, pick this gameup for the PSP.
  27. JonC.
    Oct 15, 2007
    10
    A great remake for those who has yet to play the original Tactics on PS1 and is a fan of Strategy/tactical RPG titles like Disgaea. Giving the game '0' because it is too hard or '5' because you hate the genre is pointless.
  28. JeremyK.
    Oct 15, 2007
    6
    The slowdown during magic/special attacks is utterly heartbreaking. I don't understand how this could have happened. Did Square Enix even playtest this? This slowdown made it through QA? They put all the work into this updated version, new jobs, new cutscenes... and they didn't fix this?!? This is a slap in the face to fans of the game and everyone who paid $40 for what should The slowdown during magic/special attacks is utterly heartbreaking. I don't understand how this could have happened. Did Square Enix even playtest this? This slowdown made it through QA? They put all the work into this updated version, new jobs, new cutscenes... and they didn't fix this?!? This is a slap in the face to fans of the game and everyone who paid $40 for what should have been FFT heaven. Baffling, infuriating, disappointing.… Expand
  29. JohnnyT.
    Oct 5, 2007
    10
    Your best choice for a tactical rpg on any platform even after 10 years.
  30. PeterY.
    Oct 9, 2007
    9
    Just an excellent game overall. I was a huge fan of the PSone original, so I couldn't wait for this one. I tried Jeanne Darc first, and although it's a very good game, FFT's story and job system is much better in my opinion. The only reason I didn't give it a 10 is because they didn't do as much as they could've with this port. Two new jobs, new anime Just an excellent game overall. I was a huge fan of the PSone original, so I couldn't wait for this one. I tried Jeanne Darc first, and although it's a very good game, FFT's story and job system is much better in my opinion. The only reason I didn't give it a 10 is because they didn't do as much as they could've with this port. Two new jobs, new anime cutscenes, a couple of new story battles and story sequences, and multiplayer. I wished they could've redrawn the graphics for the PSP's hires screen, and they could've taken cared of the loading times of special attacks and out of sync sounds.… Expand
  31. ExodusC.
    Oct 15, 2007
    10
    This is an epic re-mastering of an incredible game.
  32. ChrisG.
    Oct 17, 2007
    10
    Ive played Jeanne d' Arc an it doesnt hold up in tearms of deep rich gameplay. i had never played fftactics before. within the first 2 days i played over 16 hours its very addicting, lots of jobs, weapons, the sprites look better than anyother tactics game ive played. Jeanne d arc is a great game but tactics just goes miles further by adding hidden charecters from other Final Fantasy Ive played Jeanne d' Arc an it doesnt hold up in tearms of deep rich gameplay. i had never played fftactics before. within the first 2 days i played over 16 hours its very addicting, lots of jobs, weapons, the sprites look better than anyother tactics game ive played. Jeanne d arc is a great game but tactics just goes miles further by adding hidden charecters from other Final Fantasy games and having deaper costimazation.… Expand
  33. Ben
    Oct 24, 2007
    7
    The new mission, job class, scripts, and cut scenes are welcoming. The extremely slow down during gameplay, small and dull graphics, and out of syn audio is very disaapointing. This game looks like an emulation than actual PSP game. This game SHOULD NOT be tag at $40+.
  34. IsaacM
    May 21, 2008
    9
    Immensely enjoyable as it was the first time I played FFT on the PSone all those years ago. Unfortunately I don't have a copy of the PSone version as I borrowed it from a friend when I first played it and it was never officially released in Australia. But I love the new anime cutscenes, a brilliant concept and really captures the feel of FFT and draws you into the game. I don't Immensely enjoyable as it was the first time I played FFT on the PSone all those years ago. Unfortunately I don't have a copy of the PSone version as I borrowed it from a friend when I first played it and it was never officially released in Australia. But I love the new anime cutscenes, a brilliant concept and really captures the feel of FFT and draws you into the game. I don't know why some reviewers have said its too hard, its very difficult yes but enjoyably difficult never frustratingly so. A real faithful remake of the classic, I'm so glad the developers employed a 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' attitude to the game while still adding loads of enjoyable new content. My only gripe with it was finding a copy of it, its been flying off the shelves faster than it can be restocked. Well I guess that tells you something about the quality of the game!!… Expand
  35. JakeF-A
    Nov 5, 2007
    8
    The original was favorite game ever when it came out ten years ago and I've been addicted to Tactical RPG ever since. However, alot of great TRPGs have come out in those ten years and I'm not sure if it's still tops. I just finished Jeanne D'Arc before playing this and I have to say the graphics there are much more impressive. The job system here is great, and the The original was favorite game ever when it came out ten years ago and I've been addicted to Tactical RPG ever since. However, alot of great TRPGs have come out in those ten years and I'm not sure if it's still tops. I just finished Jeanne D'Arc before playing this and I have to say the graphics there are much more impressive. The job system here is great, and the level of challenge is fantastic (hard) which is what we like. However the game does seem slow and it's so frustrating how hard it is to see what you are doing in the battles! The game really feels a little rushed, or maybe there saving the smoother interface for FFT 2 which comes out soon. Overall I would say great for anyone who hasn't played it, but maybe hold off if you played the original. There's little new here. Also, it must be noted that Disagea and the other NIS games really re-wrote the genre.… Expand
  36. GautamM
    Oct 14, 2008
    9
    Ok i have played a whole lotta srpgs...disgaea,jda,ffta...i tried playing fft for the the 1st time and it just irritated me...the graphics werent half as good as disgaea or jdc,the gameplay seemed too tedious blah blah blah..i actually gave it a chance for a long long LONG time...i would have quit most other games a long time ago..but when i finally got the hang of it...i cudnt put it Ok i have played a whole lotta srpgs...disgaea,jda,ffta...i tried playing fft for the the 1st time and it just irritated me...the graphics werent half as good as disgaea or jdc,the gameplay seemed too tedious blah blah blah..i actually gave it a chance for a long long LONG time...i would have quit most other games a long time ago..but when i finally got the hang of it...i cudnt put it down...the job system,the storyline and com to think of it..even the watered down graphics seemed to charm me in ways i didnt think it cud...love this game...very hard and yet very addictive...could have been more streamlined and made up to date with maybe better graphics but i live it all the same.… Expand
  37. MaxC.
    Jan 22, 2008
    5
    Why is this game getting such great scores? Because it has Final Fantasy in the title, thats why. This game was decent at best on the ps1 and now it really shows how dated the game is. If you want a great turn-based, grid-based strategy game, pick up Disgaea or Jeanne 'D Arc. Those games have great stories and graphics, and are actually FUN.
  38. StevenPyram
    Dec 3, 2008
    9
    This game is a remake of a classic, but fails to majorly improve upon anything. There are slowdowns that shouldn't happen in a 2d game, and is full of glitches and exploits (It is possible to level up to 99 in a single day in Mandalia plain using an exploit).

    That said, I love this game
  39. Motion_NYC
    Jun 21, 2011
    10
    One of the greatest games of all time and THE best game on the PSP hands down. The story is like no other, it grabs you from start to finish and the endearing characters make you cling to their every move. 10/10
  40. Caestus
    Aug 23, 2013
    8
    Great story with a nice ending. The gameplay let you have various possibilities. But the PSP Remake seems to be done without much effort, having slowdowns during every special attack and magick sequence.
  41. Aodecim
    Jul 30, 2011
    10
    Simply an amazing portable system game with an interesting story mixed with a fantastic class system. This game takes you to many places and presents itself with a very fine-tuned cinematic sequence. In response to GlennG.'s review, I must say I completely disagree as I have played Jeanne D'Arc and find WotL to be a much more enjoyable experience.
  42. tdunster
    Jul 10, 2015
    8
    It's not perfect by any means due to the text being blurry and hard to read. However, what you do get is a portable FF game that's totally addictive and very hard to put down once you overcome the text / graphics limitations.

    Being 2015 things have come along way graphically on portables but I still think this one is worth owning
  43. mafon2
    Feb 2, 2017
    9
    Story is a mess, tactics are a mess too. If you like micromanagment it's a treat for ya. So many classes with so many abilities and the catch is that you can change classes and choose from the previously learned abilities, so you can have knights with magic and etc. It's insane and it requires tons of time.

    Some parts of story are Nintendo hard, several times I was stuck for a year or    Story is a mess, tactics are a mess too. If you like micromanagment it's a treat for ya. So many classes with so many abilities and the catch is that you can change classes and choose from the previously learned abilities, so you can have knights with magic and etc. It's insane and it requires tons of time.

    Some parts of story are Nintendo hard, several times I was stuck for a year or even more... and sometimes you just keep dying... and dying.. and cursing... But you still return. My advice: have multiple save files!!!

    And it''s long. I'm playing it for several years now and don't see the light of the end credits. Must up all the skills and catch all the beatiful monsters.    … Expand
  44. Trunks252
    Oct 18, 2014
    9
    FF: Tactics is not a game for the faint of heart. The difficulty is ruthless, whether it be Dark Knights hitting like a truck and healing that same amount, chocobos casting meteor to one-shot your weaker units, or setting up a seemingly impossible battle...However, this is what makes the game so rewarding. Grinding is useful, but nothing can get you to the end of the game except a spot onFF: Tactics is not a game for the faint of heart. The difficulty is ruthless, whether it be Dark Knights hitting like a truck and healing that same amount, chocobos casting meteor to one-shot your weaker units, or setting up a seemingly impossible battle...However, this is what makes the game so rewarding. Grinding is useful, but nothing can get you to the end of the game except a spot on strategy. That is what this genre should be about, and FF: T nails it.

    This added to a wonderful skill learning system, jobs galore, and a satisfying progression makes this game simply one of the best strategy games out there, if not the best. While it may not be my absolute favorite, I can easily understand why many people still cite this as the best of the best.

    This game is not without its faults though. The story undoubtedly has a lot of depth and quality, but it has never interested me. Maybe the writing is not to my liking, or simply that I cannot wait to get back into the battle. I won't subtract points for this however, as the majority of people do thoroughly enjoy it. However I have never been able to finish the game due to poor pacing in the middle, something that can't be forgiven. I should be enticed to finish the game, not have it feel like a chore.

    There are other problems that I can't forgive. The game has several technical problems. For one, major slowdown plagues many of the actions, mostly spells. The camera is also horrid, as there are not a lot of options for it and many times you won't be able to see all the units no matter which angle you point it.

    Another weird problem that has arisen more times than it should have is the randomness of abilities sometimes seems skewed in the enemies favor. This will happen occasionally, and it seems like the game won't let me succeed in my actions while the opponents hit or crit every time. I've not lost to this phenomena, and it doesn't happen often, but it can get annoying when it happens.

    On top of this, the difficulty might not be for everyone. Some especially might not like the perma-death to units that don't get revived in time. I enjoy it, though. It is a nice change from the easiness of modern gaming. Overall this is a very high quality game and is worth playing for EVERY strategy fan. 9/10    … Expand
  45. Markus1395
    Feb 18, 2014
    10
    I honestly don't feel like giving a huge review tonight, but let me just say that I firmly believe this is the greatest game of all time. From the masterfully crafted story (holy s**t, a Final Fantasy story that makes SENSE?) to the beautiful sprites, to the impeccable job system, to the amazing characters (some call them "boring", I say they are very realistic. I named my dog Agrias afterI honestly don't feel like giving a huge review tonight, but let me just say that I firmly believe this is the greatest game of all time. From the masterfully crafted story (holy s**t, a Final Fantasy story that makes SENSE?) to the beautiful sprites, to the impeccable job system, to the amazing characters (some call them "boring", I say they are very realistic. I named my dog Agrias after one of the characters, for f***s sake), to the punishing but fair difficulty (that can be decimated with psychotic levels of grinding- and I love it)- everything comes together to make this my most beloved game. I'm confident enough to say that it'll never be topped, either. I've played uncountable amounts of Tactical RPGs, and I think only 3 are really worth extended playtime- and this one is on the top of the heap. Also, don't listen to the guy above me, he apparently can't play TRPGs worth a s**t if he's having THAT much trouble.… Expand
  46. yeap
    Mar 29, 2022
    10
    An amazing game that improves on an already incredible game. The cutscenes and voice acting really take the game up another notch and the additional jobs and content are great as well.
  47. Kai82
    Aug 25, 2021
    10
    The improved version of the best Final Fantasy spin off if not even Final Fantasy game. It was overhauled and improved. There are new characters, 2 new jobs and an expanded the rooster of 24 characters (very welcome for me) a top of more changes I wont summarize here. Of cause it has the same strengths as before the remarkable deep and engaging story full of plots, opposing factions,The improved version of the best Final Fantasy spin off if not even Final Fantasy game. It was overhauled and improved. There are new characters, 2 new jobs and an expanded the rooster of 24 characters (very welcome for me) a top of more changes I wont summarize here. Of cause it has the same strengths as before the remarkable deep and engaging story full of plots, opposing factions, twists, betrayals and character development. Machiavelli would see them as good students. Atop of that the turn based RPG gameplay works really well. The story actually starts far in the future and is told by historian Arazlam Durai. Your hero Ramza is actually viewed by history as a failure as the last disgraceful member of a high respected noble family while the antagonist Delita the best friend of him is one of the greatest heroes of this age. However the historian has uncovered the truth and you will see how things really happened. The story takes place shortly after the end of the 50 years war where the country of Ivalice has repelled an invasion in a hard and costly war. Now there is the problem that there are more soldier than needed for peace times and it is bad to have this many people who are just good at fighting. Later the event which will be called “The War of the Lions” starts (Both factions leaders have a lion in their crest). This is unfold when the king of Ivalice dies and his heir is just a child (4 years old if I remember correctly). So a Regent has to be picked and this draws a lot of attention by the nobles as who ever becomes regent can rule like a King without interference for a long time. Two factions start to gain momentum and each is supported by many nobles and their armies. This is the start of the story and it works magnificent as our protagonist is drawn into this. There are a lot of schemes, groups and organizations involved and twists. It has a lot of depth, lovable characters, growth and progression. For me and many others it is a masterpiece and often on the list of best plots in RPGs. The characters were also excellent. Ramza is a true hero in a world which eats heroes. He will struggle a lot as his worldviews will be shattered. Delita is one of the most interesting characters I have encountered in games. It ends not there as Orlandu, Melladoul, Argath and others all have interesting stories and character development. All the antagonist work well and some are intimidating. So the characters and story are truly good but it would not matter that much if the gameplay was awful. Luckily the gameplay works even better than before but I should warn you that the game is a bit difficult at the begining. It uses the job system that was introduced in Final Fantasy 5 but with adaptations. Each character has a job class (that can be changed). These have abilities you can unlock with job points. Each action rewards you with some job points and you level up the job level too. This unlocks other jobs if you meet the conditions. There are the usual Knight, Black Mage, Priest and Summoner but also Arithmetic, Samurai, Ninja and more. Some characters have unique jobs that cant be learned. Abilities are divided into categories. You have 2 slots for usable abilities, a move ability, a support ability and a reaction ability. A lot of fun comes from combinations of different abilities and some combos are impressively efficient. I give some advice: Squires JP up ability is immensely useful. You get more job points for each action. Monks have some great abilities. Critical Restore HP heals you when in critical condition and this can be annoying for your enemies and there is a preemptive counter. It worked well for me but I read that others evaluated those as barley working. Possibly because for physical abilities you need a high brave value and for magic high faith (Beware too high faith and characters leave). Back to the advice. Ninjas have an ability to use 2 weapons and Dragons can ignore heights. I end this here. Of cause there are more like heights, terrain, speed, brave, faith, class restrictions and more. It has a lot of depth as you have to learn a lot of the mechanics but it is rewarding. I recommend a guide as some things are hard to figure out. Of cause there are side quests, hidden characters, hidden items, secret abilities, recruitable monsters and poaching. While I view it as 10/10 game it has a few weaknesses. Firstly there is a battle which is nearly unwinnable if you do not know it is coming at Riovanes Castle. Many used 1 save file and their playthrough ended there. With the right abilities it is really easy but you will not have those and cant leave. Not all jobs are equally good. Like I said the beginning is a bit hard. The presentation is excellent and I would buy an artbook. The soundtrack is one of the best I encountered in gaming. Overall this is an improved masterpiece and should belong to the library of each RPG lover. A classic made even better.… Expand
  48. txemanovelo
    Sep 6, 2015
    10
    One of Square Enix masterpieces. No other RPG besides Tactics Ogre, had such a complex and deep story. One of the most complex games ever made in terms of classes, abilities, equipment and real time tactics. A full exploitation of the Final Fantasy Universe, but with the most sanguinary, greedy and power seeking story posible ever written on any RPG. A must, a jewel and a visionary videoOne of Square Enix masterpieces. No other RPG besides Tactics Ogre, had such a complex and deep story. One of the most complex games ever made in terms of classes, abilities, equipment and real time tactics. A full exploitation of the Final Fantasy Universe, but with the most sanguinary, greedy and power seeking story posible ever written on any RPG. A must, a jewel and a visionary video game. I still cannot believe why a sequel to the WOTL have never been consider, and its a true deception the way Square Enix has developed since that era, when this game and FF VII ruled the world.… Expand
  49. 22446688Bb
    Aug 6, 2019
    10
    The best game planning ever world and the story of beautiful characters breathtaking gameplay more like my constant, simple and wonderful tactic
  50. MazrimTaim14
    Oct 7, 2019
    10
    Played the original around 10 times. So what would entice me to play this again? Lots and lots of new features and quality of life.

    Orig is around a 9 for me but this, this is a great example of a remaster. pushes it to 10. Loved balthier in this too.

    Game is a masterpiece. Story, graphics, and grinding. This makes grinding so bearable unlike other games.
  51. Shmouton
    Nov 19, 2020
    9
    If I could describe this game by renaming it it would be, "Final Fantasy: Game of Thrones".

    The ever-changing story of Tactics is an absolute roller-coaster that keeps you on the edge of your seat at all times. Being a huge Final Fantasy fan, this game gave me an adventure that I was not used to. I loved the battle system with a huge amount of jobs to explore. And exploring and grinding    If I could describe this game by renaming it it would be, "Final Fantasy: Game of Thrones".

    The ever-changing story of Tactics is an absolute roller-coaster that keeps you on the edge of your seat at all times. Being a huge Final Fantasy fan, this game gave me an adventure that I was not used to. I loved the battle system with a huge amount of jobs to explore. And exploring and grinding I did as this game is probably one of the hardest Final Fantasy games ever until you have leveled up enough, understood how the mechanics work and tried the many jobs this game offers.

    The game takes place in the beautiful world of Ivalice with an Art style that aged very well. The characters and their connections were very deep and complicated but very human. This is a must play for any JRPG fan.    … Expand
  52. HowdyPardner76
    Nov 19, 2019
    10
    One of the best games I've played in my life. Spent over 500 hours on it and it is still a game that keeps getting better with the years. There will never be a story as well told as this one in the history of Final Fantasy
  53. Addposer
    Jun 23, 2020
    10
    That game... is a nice story, with the option that insted you read the battles you get to play them. If you dont spoil your gameplay with overpowering your chars you have a lot of fun.
  54. Memitus
    Jun 26, 2020
    10
    Un juego muy original y táctico. Con una historia muy bien desarrollada y con una banda sonora que encaja muy bien con las batallas. Además presenta una gran versatilidad en el desarrollo de tus personajes para acabar el juego de diferentes maneras.
  55. LGueza
    Sep 23, 2020
    10
    Surpreendente do início ao fim, melhor história em um jogo.
    Pode ficar fácil após o domínio das mecânicas do jogo, mas nada que comprometa a experiência incrível que é jogar este RPG tático.
  56. In-between
    Jan 13, 2022
    2
    This stuff aged poorly. Clunky menus, terrible (truly terrible) AI, confusing class system (they did SO WELL in FFTA) and the story is indeed old by now.

    I was searching for another fft games aside from ffta and ffta2, but this one got me bored in like maybe 2 or 3 hours. Terrible.
  57. KyleChaos
    Jul 24, 2021
    10
    This game is amazing. Every negative review is garbage, I've read every single one of them and those reviews are trash. Do yourself a favor and play this game now.
  58. SaberHazari
    Jun 29, 2021
    10
    Final Fantasy Tactics is the best Final Fantasy game in my opinion(with Final Fantasy 6 and 4 being 2nd and 3rd respectively).
  59. Skinny1982
    Aug 12, 2022
    9
    This was an excellent game and I HIGHLY recommend this game to not only Final Fantasy fans but to all SRPG fans

Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best PSP Game of 2007
1
#1 Most Discussed PSP Game of 2007
2
#2 Most Shared PSP Game of 2007

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
88

Generally favorable reviews - based on 41 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 39 out of 41
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 41
  3. Negative: 0 out of 41
  1. games(TM)
    80
    As for consolidation and logical expansion, Final Fantasy Tactics: War Of The Lions achieves more for SRPGs than recent efforts from other studios. [Aug 2007, p.108]
  2. Pelit (Finland)
    92
    Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions has a brilliant storyline and addictively deep battle mechanics. The game is pure gold from the beginning to the very end. [Sept 2007]
  3. Electronic Gaming Monthly
    83
    But Tactics is still engrossing, time-consuming fun. [Nov 2007, p.116]
See all critic reviews »