If a lot of that description sounds acquainted to fashionable politics and tradition, Matsuno would agree. The conclusion of his publish reads: “Now in 2025—a time when inequality and division are nonetheless deeply rooted in our society—I supply this story as soon as once more.”
We Can Rebuild It
The Ivalice Chronicles could preserve the look of the unique recreation, nevertheless it’s a re-creation builders needed to full from the bottom up. The grasp knowledge information and the supply code don’t exist anymore; it didn’t change into widespread observe in recreation improvement to carry on to these assets till later, which means its group needed to rebuild these core items. Maehiro says the group listed out the methods the primary recreation felt “somewhat clunky or much less intuitive,” then reconstructed these parts with enchancment in thoughts. A part of that features tweaks to the best way battles play out, like a transparent fight timeline for gamers to see whose flip is subsequent.
The director says that the group thought-about alternative ways to modernize Closing Fantasy Techniques, together with following within the footsteps of Sq. Enix’s huge, multiyear remake of the unique Closing Fantasy VII. “It was an possibility on the desk that we thought-about—to present [Final Fantasy Tactics] a full remake, as we did for FFVII,” he says. It’s one solution to successfully revive an outdated recreation, he says, and it made sense to reinvent FFVII because it exists right now. As soon as a single recreation with an bold plot, the expertise has been damaged out into three particular person titles to do the unique story service. Its blocky, PS1-era forged has been remodeled into high-fidelity characters roaming an enormous world. The primary recreation, Closing Fantasy VII Remake, for instance, takes place fully in Midgar—a metropolis gamers the place spent solely a few hours within the authentic.
For The Ivalice Chronicles, nonetheless, Maehiro vetoed that concept. A part of the attract of the unique he says, was “the very charming pixel model paintings, in addition to the 3D isometric maps you’re on for battles. I felt these had been issues that gave Closing Fantasy Techniques its id.” Maehiro didn’t wish to lose that.
Different variations of Closing Fantasy Techniques have been ported over or made for older consoles. That features Closing Fantasy Techniques: Battle of the Lions, a 2007 title made particularly for the PlayStation Moveable. Notably, it added new jobs and further playable characters, resembling Balthier from Closing Fantasy XII. As a result of these options weren’t a part of the unique recreation, Maehiro and his group opted to depart them out.
“Our in the beginning aim right here actually was to recreate the unique recreation,” Maehiro says. That being stated, he is aware of followers need options launched in Battle of the Lions. Maehiro says that whereas he “can not make any guarantees,” there’s a risk the group will discover including further content material if the sport does nicely.
Greater than that, Maehiro says, it might result in extra video games down the road. “If [The Ivalice Chronicles] had been to change into a hit,” he says, “I do really feel that that might then result in discussions round probably bringing out sequels, for instance, or newer tactical RPGs.”
