Final Fantasy Tactics Remake: Why Returning to the Original Is Sparking Debate Among Fans
Final Fantasy Tactics is back! Square Enix surprised everyone by announcing Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles—a remake that’s stirring up the community for all the right (and wrong) reasons. The game’s director, Kazutoyo Maehiro, has some bold ideas, and not everyone is happy. But maybe, just maybe, these changes are exactly what the series needs.
- Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles is a remake of the original 1997 classic
- Director Kazutoyo Maehiro focuses on the original version, not the PSP’s War of the Lions
- Some fan-favorite features are missing, sparking debate
- The remake aims to introduce the game to a new generation
Back to the Roots, But Not for Everyone
The news about Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles dropped without warning (I saw the signs though). After the success of Final Fantasy VII Remake, it was only a matter of time before other classics got their turn. Still, no one expected the remake to be so… faithful. In a recent interview (source here), Maehiro shared what inspired his team: a desire to let new players experience the original magic.
What’s Missing and Why Fans Care
The original Final Fantasy Tactics, released on PlayStation in 1997, is a legend among JRPG fans. It stood out with its political intrigue, complex characters like Ramza, and a narrative that went deeper than most Final Fantasy titles. Fast forward ten years, and the PSP’s The War of the Lions added even more: new jobs, updated translation, and guest characters like Balthier from Final Fantasy XII. Many fans consider that version the definitive edition.
But here’s the twist: The Ivalice Chronicles is based strictly on the 1997 original. That means all the cool extras from The War of the Lions—gone. The remake brings improved character sprites, a fresh UI, and even full voice acting for Ramza, but skips the PSP content entirely. For some, that’s a dealbreaker.
Fans are divided (see the discussion). Some wanted a big, expanded remake like Final Fantasy VII Remake. Others just wanted the classic, untouched. Now, Square Enix has picked a side, and not everyone is cheering.
Why Go Back to Basics?
Kazutoyo Maehiro sees the original as a complete experience, even before The War of the Lions. And he’s got a point—the game was already a cult classic. His main goal? To make sure a new generation gets to play it. As he said in the interview: “I really wanted the younger generation of players who didn’t get to experience the original release to be able to play this incredible game. That’s why we started developing this title.”
It’s a classic debate: should remakes stick to the original, or reinvent everything for modern fans? Final Fantasy VII Remake went wild with changes and got flak for it. Now, Tactics is going the opposite way, and people still aren’t happy. But one thing’s for sure: The Ivalice Chronicles will keep the story of Ivalice, Ramza, and the War of the Lions alive for years to come—even if it’s not exactly what every fan had in mind.
