Final Fantasy Tactics

Final Fantasy Tactics is a game for the Sony PlayStation, which combines thematic elements of the Final Fantasy system with an original game engine style. This game uses a completely different battle system than the other games, comparable to a game of chess in many ways. This game was Squaresoft's answer to Atlus' successful Ogre Battle series, which is similar both in concept as well as plot to FF Tactics. This was due, evidently, to several of the Ogre Battle developers coming to Square to work. In stark contrast to the other PSX Final Fantasy titles, Final Fantasy Tactics used a 3D, isometric, rotatable playing field, with bitmap sprite characters (the exact opposite approach taken with Final Fantasy VII).

The plot revolves around Ramza Beoulve, the youngest son of an aristocratic nobleman, and his best friend Delita, who was taken in at a very young age by Ramza's family. Ramza and Delita are caught in the turmoil of the Lion War, a power struggle between two rival princes for control of the kingdom. Ramza must choose between his conscience and his duty, while Delita must come to grips with his family's lack of nobility, despite his upbringing by the Beoulves.

Part of the popularity of the game stemmed from its usage of most of the original character classes seen in earlier Final Fantasies, including Summoners, Black Mages, White Mages, Monks, Dragoons, and Thieves.

Final Fantasy Tactics was notorious for being one of the rarest, priciest, and most sought-after PSX games in existence, until it was re-released under Sony's "Greatest Hits" label in 2001.

In 2003, Squaresoft (now Square Enix) released Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, with the same setting and similar engine but different characters and plot, for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance.