Final Fantasy Tactics Advance

[Twelve]

Hopefully, this game has come into my little Swiss shop today.

Who's played it? I would like to hear people's impressions.

So far, I've heard that it's rather dumbed down compared to the original FFT.

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[Renzatic Gear]

A friend of mine got it the day it came out, he's a huge fan of the original so he knows the differences between the 2 games.

From what he told me the actual gameplay is more indepth and complicated than what was in FFT, but the plotline is far more simplistic. Right now he's about 11 hours into the game and so far he's had nothing but good things to say about it.

[Gadfly2317]

I never got around to playing the earlier incarnation of this game on PS1. I really liked Advanced Wars, so was looking for another tactics style game, but wanted to give the advance wars series some space, so I picked this up.

It was really odd at first, didn't quite get it, and I hadn't played a roll FF game since VII. Set it aside for a few days, picked up it yesterday (saturday) and I have been this game's ***** ever since. The story is trite--but it hardly matters; the strategy and combat system are deep, and the gameplay is fun. The music and graphics and gameplay elemets all come together to create a near perfect pace. There aren't many games I've sat and played for hours and hours in recent years (both busy and short attention span.) This game has ruled my attention span in ways that F-Zero, Return to Castle Wolfenstein, and Mario Golf did not (and those games were all much more breath taking, and also excellent.) I haven't tried this game on my GBA, but I'm guessing it might be hard to see; there are so many tiny things, like the menus for instance. Even on the TV they are small; this is a lot of visual information to put onto the little GBA screen.

I hadn't really been playing GBA games for awhile because I started to find the thing cramped my hands too much (back around Metroid Fusion). But since I got the GBA player to play these little games on my TV, I'm starting to see why GBA is outselling everything else, and how true the statement is gameplay is WAY more important than graphics. I liked my GC before, but the GBA player has made it so much more essential.

I can't wait for Sword of Mana.

[Renzatic Gear]

Hey Gadfly..did you ever play the original Final Fantasy Adventure?

[Gadfly2317]

<div class=\"smallfont\">Hey Gadfly..did you ever play the original Final Fantasy Adventure?</div>


Nope. I actually think (but am not sure) that III and VII are the only final fantasy games I've played. I don't really like turn based role playing games which is why Zelda, Mana, and Gaia are my favorite games that are fantasy themed. But somehow, something like Tactics, where it is nothing but turned based combat doesn't bother me at all--it seems like chess with lots of extra variables. I think with the regular FF games, the mix of gameplay that is suddenly interrupted by random battles irritates me.

[Renzatic Gear]

Actually Sword of Mana is a remake of Final Fantasy Adventure. It was cool as hell, too, that's why I'm looking forward to it so much.

I've always thought that the Mana games and Xenogears were the best games that Square put out. I used to like the straight up Final Fantasys alright back in the day, but like you I started getting annoyed with the random battles. The only reason I put up with em in XG was because the plot and setting was so great.

[Twelve]

I'm hooked as well. Wow. This game is brilliant...a perfect mixture of flare, strategy, addiction, gameplay, story....

Luckily, the story IS dumbed down compared to the original...especially since nobody understood the original.

And Disgaea...though I love the game, it isn't as controlled as FFTA. Disgaea was made by kids...FFTA was made by adults.

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[Static_Fred]

<div class=\"smallfont\">Hopefully, this game has come into my little Swiss shop today.

Who's played it? I would like to hear people's impressions.

So far, I've heard that it's rather dumbed down compared to the original FFT.

12</div>

I wanted this game so badly i had to go buy a GBA SP on release day.
I've heard others say that they felt that the game was dumbed down, but i dont' think so. The story is definitely not as involved as the first, but the races and job professions exceed the first for sure. I'm 10 hours into the game, and it's been a nice ride. But i feel that the game isn't story driven, but instead driven by my will to build up my character skills.

[Twelve]

I'm about 10 hours into the game too, and I can't seem to find enough time to play it as much as I want.

As for the story, it seems to be something that moves along according to the rate you want it to. I mean, you can take many different missions before getting to a chapter that leads to the story. The interesting thing is, from what I can tell, there is no way to tell the difference between a mission that will lead to a story, and one that will not lead to one.

Soooo many classes...too many. And with cool abilities too! I may have to play this game 3 times to be satisfied...hehe

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[Static_Fred]

I know what you mean about the number of classes, there are so many!
I want to experiment with all the classes, but it's just too much work!

[Aylmer]

I'm going to write a review of this game, once I can find it's page in the GBA section. I have about 38 hours in it so far. It is an amazing bit of work. I did not play the PSX version, but I can tell you that this game is so addictive it's amazing.

One cool thing is that it has 3 built in color display schemes, one for a regular GBA, one for the SP, and one for use with the GB Player (if you have a GC). I do have one and that is what I play it on the most.

It is fiendishly addictive. Fans of PSO on the DC, the XBox, and the GC will love this game. It's character development system is astounding, in fact, the deepest I've ever encountered. Much deeper that Tactics Ogre Knight of Lodis. Much more involved in other ways too.

It's so good, that I'm contemplating buying another copy. You see, to get all the items and open all the shops, you have to link up with another player and do trades and stuff.

The only other game I've played in the last week is Bombastic on the PS2, which is an action puzzle game par excellence. But like the guy wrote way up above, I have been this game's slave. Supposedly, there are over 300 missions, and I've done about 50 of them, and whn I do them all, it will be worthwhile to play it again. All the battles and rules are randomly generated every time you play, so even tho the missions can be done again if you replay the game, they will not turn out the same.

[Twelve]

<div class=\"smallfont\">



It's so good, that I'm contemplating buying another copy. You see, to get all the items and open all the shops, you have to link up with another player and do trades and stuff.

</div>

All of what you say is very, very true.

As for this linking stuff...woah, is it THAT important? Well, luckily, I'm going to a friends house this Thursday and I'm going to see what's up...

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[Ramza]

I havebeen waitin for Final Fantasy Tactics Advanced for over 2 years, an this game doesn't dissapoint. Now, there is a huge difference between FFTA and the original Final Fantasy Tacticts, but are still very similar. some differences include learning abilities from items, rather than in the original, where you could learn them depending on what job class you are. But, they are the same, well, all FF games are the same, by the items. All the items in this game can be found in all of the other FF games, for example, the Buster Sword can be found in FF7.
But anyways, the game is very addicting, I, myself, have spent about 57 hours in this game, and im stuck on the very last battle. If any of you have any tips, e-mail me

[Twelve]

You have the configuration set so that you don't allow emails, so I PMed you.

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[Ramza]

according to my underground sorces, once you beat the main story line, Ritz joins your party. Is this true? I also heard once you beat all 300 missions, Judgemaster Cid will join your clan as well. I'm not really sure if this is true. anyone know?

[Twelve]

It's all true. MANY characters from the storyline can join your team if you allow space on your squad.

Shara, Ritz, Babus, Ezel, AND Cid can all be a part of your team if you leave room for them on your squad.

I have 298/300 missions finished...

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[Ramza]

damn, that's awesome. aight thanks, i wasn't really sure if that was true or not. but, when you get Cid, does he still have the chocobo he rides?

[Twelve]

I don't know...I hope so. I miss chocobos in FF Tactics. Problem is, I can't seem to get these LAST TWO MISSIONS!!

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[Ramza]

last two missions? for which tactics? i can probably help you out, i beat them both

[Twelve]

I'm referring to FFTA. You did ALL 300 missions in FFTA??

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[Ramza]

i have beaten the main story line of FFTA, but no, not all 300 missions. I have, however, completed about 230 of them