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Yay!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: July 13, 2004
Author: Amazon User

An awesome game overall. If you really like RPG's that have hundreds of weapons, shields, and hundreds of attacks, and are complex and have replay value, get this game. If you're really planning on finishing the game as in getting every weapon and item, you should probably get the strategy guide. Overall, a great, fun, rather touching game.
The Plot: Marche, his friends, Ritz and Mewt, and his brother Donahue are transported to the world of Ivalice through means of a magic book. Marche can get back to the world he knew before this one, but his friends all are truly happy in this world. Ritz's hair isn't white, Mewt isn't getting teased anymore, Donahue can walk again... It seems everyone but Marche is really happy. So he goes on a quest to find the way to get back but... does he really want to get back after all?? Overall this game was great, and I still haven't completed it after all this time. So, go get this game and journey into a whole other world... the world of Ivalice.

Good game it'll occupy your time...

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: July 02, 2004
Author: Amazon User

THis isnt an RPG but more like turn based squad combat. It's fun, many different classes to toy with, lots of secret stuff to find, and the graphics are sharp. The set-up dialouge is kinda childish but hey it's a game boy advance game, what do you expect? It is worth the $$$ so buy and enjoy.

A Little Long, But Worth-While

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: August 21, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I purchased this game years ago, when it first came out. Since then, I have logged no less than 400 HOURS on this game. This is in part due to the very long story line (it should take most people around 80 or 100 hours to complete), as well as the fact that I'm what you might call a "completionist." In other words, I've completed 299 of the 300 quests in this game, and am still trying for number 300. I've maxed out every main character available, and played through the main plot twice. That aside, let me get to the point....

This game is fantastic! The battle system is complex (but not overly so), and makes you use, well, tactics to defeat your enemies. This alone makes it a good game in my opinion, but that is not all. The job system, as well as the skill/AP system is quite clever, and works well with the game. Also, the graphics are particularly good for a GBA game, and the music fits well with the gameplay. So why did I give this game a four?

This game has three problems. Firstly, judging by Final Fantasy standards, this game has a rather simple plot. As if that were not bad enough, the plot is spread thin over hours of gameplay. Secondly, the game can be ridiculously long (although I've kind of come to expect this from Final Fantasy games). But the one problem that irks me more than anything else is the system of "law cards." By itself, the law card system is rather clever and innovative, and it forces you to create new battle battle tactics and to use different characters. However, when you have to deal with constantly remembering three laws at a time, and these laws keep changing on you, it can become quite annoying.

Overall, this game has a few flaws that can be annoying at times. However, the game is so innovative, and so fun to play, that it more than compensates for the game's short-comings. I'd recommend this game to anyone with a GBA, SP, or DS who has plenty of time on their hands.

if you like fun (and you know you do), give this a try

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: December 05, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Now before you dismiss this review as a cry for attention by some fanboy just because i give it a five out of five, I'd like to first say that this is only my second Final fantasy experience (the other being FFX), and I only gave it a 5/5 because I genuinely loved playing this game. I found this game quite different from final fantasy X, first of all because it is a (somewhat) tactical game. What makes this game tactical is that battles are played on a map where you move your characters around and attack with consideration of direction, range, and properties of the land that you and your target stand on.

There are many classes of characters to choose from, each having their own moveset, which is aquired by wearing the appropriate gear and weapons . Abilities learned from gear and weapons can be mastered by gaining AP (ability points) at the end of each battle. These classes and their different play styles keep gameplay fresh and interesting, which is a good thing because battling is pretty much all you will be doing. Gameplay is overall extremely satisfying for both role-playing and strategy fans alike, and is great if played for 15-20 minute bursts each time. The ease of making this a handheld game comes from the ability to save at any time. This is all great stuff and definately worth picking up if you are into this sort of stuff. And you will definately get your money's worth, because there are aroud 300 missions, and each battle will take around 20 minutes to complete. Granted, a lot of them are dispatch missions (you dont actually fight), but the time you will spend with this game is pretty impressive.

That is not to say that this game is without faults. All complaints are minor, but story is sort of shallow and forgettable, but this is not such a bad thing if you only play a little at a time. Also, dealing with a law system is very annoying when some battles forbid the basic command of "fight". Make a wrong move and your player gets sent to jail. It is a huge annoyance and should not have been part of the game. Lastly, the menus are a little overcomplicated and difficult, especially buying and equipping items, but once you play long enough, you'll get used to it.

So this is definately a very fun game for your Gameboy advance that will keep you busy for months to come, and even though you will find some minor flaws, it is still one of the best tactical rpgs you will find, good enough in fact, to deserve a 5/5.

FFTA is one of the best GBA games available

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: November 04, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I never played the original tactics game, so for me this was a whole new experience. I was amazed at difference between this game and classic final fantasy games. But being different doesn't mean its bad. The story to this game was a bit confusing at first but it does straighten out quickly. Probably the best feature of the game is the job system. Just giving characters different jobs and mastering the multitude of skills will keep you busy for hours on end. Also, as you progress through the game, the backgrounds change drastically with each area making this one of the most beautiful GBA games I've ever played. The only real flaw with this game is that the battles do become repetetive after a while, but with the varying jobs, each battle is a little different. If you're big on RPG's then this game is a must-have.

Highly Dissappointing

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 2 / 6
Date: July 18, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I loved the original for the playstation, but this one...

Story 2.5/10: The story is about as deep as a wading pool. I thought from the start it wouldn't be great but I didn't expect it to be so bland and vapid. The story opens on a school-yard snowball fight between the munchkins of a small public school, and a clever tutorial instructs you how to play the game throughout the snow fight. Then three of the loser kids (including the protagonist) go to a house read a book, then wish they weren't losers and were in that fantasy world. Then while they sleep the world changes and then the main guy ask the other two to help him get the world back to normal but they don't want to because they're not losers there... then you go on a million missions, and the story dies with your motivation to play.

Gameplay 5/10: The battle system is pretty much the same as the first, except you have to learn skills and magic by equipting weapons that have that skill on them. This wouldn't bother me except that you often have to equip very weak weapons to learn skills you may have missed or haven't gotten to yet. The battles feel slower then its big brother and they just aren't as fun.

Graphics 5/10: I guess they're good for a GBA game but the first has much better visuals. The animations and attacks and spells almost put me to sleep, they are very simple and boring. Overall the graphics just plain lack style or any zest at all. Oh and the character clothing is outrageously bizzare!! They look incredible weird even for a FF game, in short I don;t like it.

Overall 4/10: It is, at best, an ok game. At least it's better than Final Fantasy Chrystal Chronicals ;( *shutters*

An Amazing Game that can be extremley hard at times.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 6
Date: August 28, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I found this an amazing game. I don't own it, but was introduced to it by a friend. It is aewsome, but it can be really hard at times. I am serosiually thinking about buying it.

I couldn't get into this game

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 2 / 7
Date: August 27, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I am a huge fan of the Final Fantasy series and I thoroughly enjoyed Final Fantasy Tactics for the PlayStation. This game, however, I didn't care for much. The sound and graphics were decent, but the playability was way down. In the original, you were able to rotate the camera angle to get a better view; that feature doesn't exist in this version (I suppose due to the restricted available memory). For some reason, game designers seem to think that more complicaated means more challenging. The whole 'law' system I think is a big downfall. You can make a game challenging without making complicated game mechanics.

Good, not great

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: November 01, 2003
Author: Amazon User

As someone who put many hours into the original FF Tactics game, I thought I knew what I was getting into with Tactics Advance.

Of course, I was wrong.

Longer than its predecessor, FFTA is quite the undertaking. You have to really want to beat it, especially considering the somewhat less interesting story that FFTA presents. I am a videogame "completist" - for example, I've beaten all of the Monster Arena bosses in FFX - and was willing to put the time needed into completing FFTA to its true end. That end, however, is lackluster, despite your having completed in excess of 300 missions to get there.

In fact, many of those missions must be repeated multiple times in order to complete other missions.

As a strategy game, however, you will find much to be pleased with. The variety of jobs is offset only by the fact that certain races of characters can only use certain jobs - there is little overlap. The number of abilities, weapons, and items to find and utilize is simply astounding. If you're a "completist," you'll be very satisfied with the level of custimization you are allowed.

If you aren't, you probably aren't playing the game anyway, which, like I explained before, is the only significant problem with FFTA - you really have to want to beat it.

300 missions take a lot of time. If your desire to unlock all of the game's secrets isn't enough to compel you to play, Marche and his clan's story probably won't be enough to compel you to play either.

But if you do pay attention to the story, at least it's well-translated this time around. Although, I sort of miss hearing "I got a good feeling!" Oh well.

An Honorable Addition to The New Square Enix Library

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: October 29, 2003
Author: Amazon User

When news of a sequel to Final Fantasy Tactics spread, it seemed the world became merrier, peaceful, and precious. So it is real, I may have thought, dreams can come true. Yet, as hype can sometimes turn as a spiteful enemy, journalists professed that the next installment to FF Tactics was not proper to its heir. Totally unsurprised and a wee bit infuriated, I still clung on to my gaming faith to see how Square Enix's first U.S. game fared. Its been quite a wait, and a Final Fantasy Tactics Advance is finally available. Those journalists were right though, the game doesn't truly feel as an authentic sequel. Gone are the Lion Wars, the distraught St. Aujora, the heroics of Ramza, and a considerable number of things that charted the original.

It's puzzling to assume why Square does what it does. I mean wouldn't have you gained much, much more acclaim if you were to craft a direct sequel on the next generation console? Instead they design an unrelated story and throw it on the Game Boy Advance. It was hard to climb out of my mountain of expectations, but once I accepted what the game was, I was aware that Final Fantasy Tactics Advance is an honorable addition to the Square Enix collection. Ignoring my lofty hopes of a greater predecessor, in terms of the Game Boy Advance, the latest strategy whirl on the Game Boy Advance pulls off exceedingly.

Starring Marche, a rather reticent kid, he befriends two of his classmates, and because of opening a magical tome, they all awake in the world of "Final Fantasy." Stranded there, all of them go their separate ways, living an alter life of knights, princes, fighters, wizards, and all that which delineates the realm of fantasy. Marche, intent on going back home, finds himself destroying the mythological crystals that closely connect the world of Final Fantasy. Protected by mighty guardians, he fights them without the knowledge that the crystals are the very foundation of how the world exists. To an extent, I did in fact wonder how the outcome would shape, but plenty of the story went drably by and the mere incentive to play was simply based on the enjoyment of the gameplay.

If you're reading this I assume that you already know the basic mechanics. Mirroring Tactics Ogre for the Game Boy Advance, FFTA is a traditional, Turn-Based Strategy/RPG. New races such as the moogle, man-sized reptiles who welcome a good clash make up the bangaa, and the chubby, unphysical spell-masters are the nu mou. In a nut-shell, humans usually take up most classes, moogle units are both magic oriented and brave enough to take ranks as knights, the Bangaa love to wield the sword but not that of a staff, and the nu mou are the entirely opposite of the bangaa. Its best to mix up the squadron of units because each class has their own strength and particular class to take advantage of. Races aside, the player is allowed to have the usual limit of six characters on the battlefield, plus the regular commands. Akin to the original, most of the commands are determined by the which class is chosen, as well as the secondary class.

The plot advances as the player chooses to sign up for Missions located in the pub of every town. Players must pay for the information and agree to take up a Mission to take on villains. After the battle, players are given profits and AP points. Unlike the traditional benefits of gaining levels, where abilities are mastered, FFTA works in ways of FFVII. Equipped weapons, like materia, present abilities to a character. It takes a certain amount of AP points before the character permanently attains the ability desired. Fortunately, gaining the abilities is quick, since most battles rewards players with plenty of points and EXP. Also, Pub's offer solo missions for individual characters. They can either fail or succeed, if so, they are rewarded individual AP points, gil, and items. Sharing a little from Secret of Mana on PS1, the player has the decision where to place locations on the map. An observant player would also note that specific locations can trigger a treasure to pop up for the taking.

Battle is also regulated by laws. At every battle, the player can read what action is illegal. Should a player break a law, the fully armored judge, who rides a chocobo, casts the defiant character with either a minor yellow card or a serious red card. As a rule, the cards lead up to a jail sentence for an amount of time, depending on the character's history and actions. At times a player can forget to check on the laws. What's more, there are occurrences when I had to change weapons, classes, and try different approaches to saturate the enemy in defeat. And when the essential things like items or cure spells are forbidden frustration can build up fast.

As any other Tactical RPG, FFTA is a joy to see your cast grow up as their stats increase. Buying and receiving an formidable arsenal and possessing the option to choose a myriad of classes is part of the fun. I really immersed myself into the game. Taking the role of clan to battle others was refreshing, and the clan itself, the default name of "Nutsy," having the ability to level up as well just augmented that. As the player accomplishes more and more missions, and send individual units to partake in others, the clan stats increase depending on the kind of mission. Superior to Tactics Ogre, yet another gem, FFTA maintains the Square Enix name we can usually trust. With over 300 missions to conquer and other optional quests, FFTA can strip the player's hours without him even knowing. Although, some say FFTA takes an extra step to get into, I would rebuke by saying this game is rather easy to master. I knew FFTA would be different, and it is. Despite its overall lackluster appearance, it still controls to grab the player's attention and be engrossed to the reminiscence of Final Fantasy Tactics.

FFTA is your average schmoe in the plot area. Marche is given the chance to live his wildest dreams of a hero slaying the baddies, yet he feels going home is for the best. After all he has a sick, wheel-chair ridden brother to take care of. While, the story isn't as boorish as many claim, I had quite some fun engaging the story and penned up a fanfic. So if a game can inspire a gamer to write a story behind it, then it can't be that bad can it? But then again, I usually write one after each RPG I've bought. Be the judge yourself. Just don't send me to prison. And don't throw me a red card, not the red card! Where is Ezel, the nu mou inventor of the antilaw which supercedes the unlawful actions? Where is he?

Closely parallel to Tactics Ogre's performance, FFTA on the GBA screen is full of color. The sprites are big, but do not reflect how the characters look in the actual gaming manual. Such as the moogles, they are petite, but are far too overgrown on the screen. No biggie though, its just the Game Boy Advance. Graphically, you can't demand too much, for there is no mad need for eye-candy, is there? As far as the audio goes, you can forget it to even reach as far as the original's unforgettable score. FFTA's music is just decent and repetitive. I suggest to conserve battery life, turn the music down, and just listen to your fancy of a musical genre. The only important quibble I have on the graphics are the instances when slow down bog the game down and no rotating camera. Slow down occurs when a character is moving and jumps on a higher or lower platform. Despite it, its not too much of a threat. With well over average tunes, a good look to it and distinguishable characters, the presentation is done right.

Yeah, the title is very deceptive, but I have to forgive Square Enix, because there has been a real drought of RPGs. In the wait for the more engrossing titles, you can sit back, take a load off (not literally), and get into this commendable game. Handling easily enough, playing even better, FFTA was well worth the wait, but I don't agree to the common price of $40, nor the unconnected storyline. Somehow I think I'm being cheated by the heavy price and misleading titles of late. Oh well, I guess I have to bear it all, and suck it up like a man. Gotta be thankful for all these incredible games, man.

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