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Yasumi Matsuno, a visionary game director, began his illustrious career at Quest, a development company responsible for creating games across multiple platforms, including the NES and Sega Saturn. It was at Quest that Matsuno introduced the Ogre Battle series, beginning with March of the Black Queen in 1993. His creation of Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together for the PlayStation marked the next significant step in his career. The tactical strategy series continued to thrive with additional releases, even after Matsuno moved on to new opportunities.
In 1995, Matsuno left Quest to join Square, where he began developing a new title that expanded on the grid-based combat and job-leveling mechanics introduced in Ogre Battle. However, instead of continuing the story in the kingdom of Valeria, this new project was set in a world Matsuno named Ivalice. This shift led to the creation of Final Fantasy Tactics, a game that became one of the most revered titles in the Final Fantasy series.
The Creation of Final Fantasy Tactics
Released in Japan in 1997, Final Fantasy Tactics marked players’ first exploration of Ivalice, a world distinct from the settings of previous Final Fantasy games. The project was guided by Matsuno and supported by key figures such as producer Hironobu Sakaguchi and designer Hiroyuki Ito. Akihiko Yoshida, who had previously worked with Matsuno on the Ogre Battle series, designed the characters, while Masaharu Iwata and Hitoshi Sakamoto composed the game's memorable score.
The game’s story is presented through the perspective of a historian named Alisla, who sought to uncover the truth behind the events leading to the Lion War. The narrative follows Ramza Beoulve, a young aristocrat caught in the political chaos of Ivalice. After a fifty-year conflict and the death of the king, rival factions—the Black Lion Clan led by Prince Goltanna and the White Lions, headed by Prince Larg—vied for control of the throne. Amid this power struggle, Ramza embarks on a journey to rescue Princess Ovelia after her kidnapping by his childhood friend, Delita Heiral. Along the way, Ramza uncovers a web of political intrigue, religious conflict, and the supernatural power of the Zodiac Stones.
Innovative Gameplay and Tactical Depth
Final Fantasy Tactics introduced a battle system unlike any previous Final Fantasy game. While still turn-based, combat required players to consider unit placement, movement boundaries, and a charge-time meter determining attack order. The grid-based system added layers of strategy that made each battle more dynamic. Players could command parties of six or more characters, a departure from the four-character limit seen in earlier games.
The game’s job system, an evolution of the system from Final Fantasy V, allowed players to develop characters through various professions. Starting as a Squire or Chemist, characters could evolve into more specialized roles, such as Black Mage (Wizard), White Mage (Priest), Monk, and Archer. New jobs, like Oracle and Calculator, offered fresh tactical possibilities. Additionally, the game featured unique classes tied to special characters, including the Engineer Mustadio and the Holy Knight Agrias.
Ivalice Expands: Vagrant Story and Tactics Advance
Although Final Fantasy Tactics initially flew under the radar due to the overwhelming success of Final Fantasy VII, it grew in reputation, becoming one of the most beloved entries in the franchise. Players praised the deep tactical gameplay, the intricate job system, and the stunning visual design. However, the English translation was criticized for being patchy and often disconnected from the plot’s complexity.
The world of Ivalice continued to expand with the release of Vagrant Story in 2000. While it lacked the Final Fantasy name, the game was set in Valendia, a region in Ivalice's northern continent. In Vagrant Story, players follow Ashley Riot, an agent of the Valendia Knights of the Peace (VKP), as he hunts down a cult leader named Sydney Losstarot. The game’s narrative explores religious themes and immortality, intertwined with a plague called the Darkness.
Vagrant Story offered a different gameplay experience, focusing more on action and tactical brawls rather than turn-based combat. However, it still retained elements of customization, with highly customizable weapons and magic. While initially not directly compared to Final Fantasy titles, later connections to Ivalice would tie the two games together.
In 2003, Ivalice returned with Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, a spiritual successor to the original Tactics game. The plot diverged from its predecessors, following four children—Marche, Ritz, Mewt, and Doned—who stumble upon an ancient book that transports them to a fantasy version of Ivalice. This version of Ivalice introduced new races, including the reptilian Bangaa, the mystical Nu Mou, and the spiritual Viera.
The job system was expanded with race-specific jobs, and the tactical combat system returned with some changes, such as the inclusion of battlefield laws that restricted certain abilities. A new mechanic involving Judges also added complexity, as characters who broke the rules could face penalties or imprisonment.
The Culmination of Ivalice: Final Fantasy XII
The largest expansion of Ivalice came with Final Fantasy XII, released in Japan in 2006. The game, set in a world most similar to Tactics Advance's Ivalice, saw Matsuno stepping down due to health issues, with Hiroyuki Ito and Hiroshi Minagawa taking over. Akihiko Yoshida returned as the character designer, while Hitoshi Sakamoto composed the score.
Final Fantasy XII followed the story of Vaan and Princess Ashe as they sought to reclaim Ashe’s birthright and free her kingdom of Dalmasca from the Arcadian Empire. The game introduced an entirely new combat system, Active Dimension Battle, which eliminated random encounters in favor of real-time battles where enemies were visible on the map.
The game also introduced the Gambit system, which allowed players to set complex commands for party members to execute automatically during combat. The license grid, a new form of character progression, required characters to obtain licenses to unlock abilities and equipment. The introduction of Espers, powerful beings tied to the Zodiac, added another layer to the gameplay.
The Ivalice Alliance and Beyond
Square Enix solidified the connection between these titles through the Ivalice Alliance, a series of games set in Matsuno’s world. The first entry, Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings, released in 2007, continued the story of Final Fantasy XII as a real-time strategy game on the Nintendo DS. Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift followed, while a remake of the original Final Fantasy Tactics titled The War of the Lions launched on the PSP, adding new content, jobs, and cutscenes.
The Ivalice games share a deep lore and interconnected world, though the exact chronology and geographical placement remain debated by fans. Each game adds its own layer to Ivalice’s rich tapestry, from the political intrigue of Final Fantasy Tactics to the grand scope of Final Fantasy XII. Despite spanning multiple genres and gameplay styles, the Ivalice saga has become one of the most expansive and beloved settings in the Final Fantasy universe.
The Future of Ivalice
Ivalice's rich history and lore continued to resonate within the realms of Final Fantasy XIV, where it was reimagined as a land deeply woven into the fabric of Eorzea. The Ivalice Alliance in FFXIV introduced players to a narrative steeped in political intrigue and complex relationships, much like its predecessors. Quests set in the Return to Ivalice raid series allowed adventurers to encounter familiar characters and themes from the Ivalice saga, weaving a tapestry that connected the disparate threads of Matsuno’s original vision. With each iteration, Ivalice serves not only as a homage to its roots but also as an evolving landscape that invites new players to explore its storied past.
As we look to the future of the Final Fantasy franchise, it’s clear that the Ivalice saga remains a cornerstone of its identity. The connection between Tactics, Vagrant Story, Tactics Advance, and Final Fantasy XII is more than a mere chronology; it represents a profound exploration of themes such as ambition, morality, and the complexities of human nature. As the Ivalice Alliance expands with new titles and reimaginings, it stands as one of the most expansive settings ever created within the Final Fantasy universe, leaving players eager for what adventures await in this intricately woven world.
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