Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift review (DS)

In this humble reviewer’s opinion, strategy role-playing games are at home on a handheld console.

The turn-based structure and statistical management nature of the gameplay makes them ideal for gaming on the move; environmental distractions don’t affect the game.

It’s really a shame that there aren’t more high quality titles like this one for handheld gamers to enjoy.

This particular franchise came into its own with Final Fantasy Tactics Advance on the Gameboy Advance, and, at first glance, not a lot seems to have changed in this current iteration.

The same isometric battlefield view is in play, as are the inventory management interfaces and map screen.

The touchscreen interface is usable (a new addition to the UK version) but is largely superfluous. I found myself quickly adopting the buttons again after a quick dabble with the touchscreen.

As for the story, it is strong, well written and, most importantly, excellently translated. Interestingly, the dialogue even throws colloquialisms and British accents into the mix, with some surprising phrases and words cropping up every now and then. For example, you obtain quests from a pub, amusingly.

You play as Lupo, a human who, due to a strange accident in his school library, ends up in Ivalice and discovers his actions being recorded into the Grimoire as they occur. Before he can return home, he must finish his story.

The core of the game is the strategy. As Lupo, you must organise everything from the quests you take, the order you do them in, the clan members you recruit, their jobs, weapons, equipment and so on.

Then there are the battles themselves – the game has over 300 missions and side-quests and, consequently, an estimated seventy hours or so of play.

In fact, it’s not until around the 15 hour mark you begin to appreciate the scope of this huge game stretching out before you, which is remarkable considering the often limited nature of most handheld titles.

It might seem a daunting task, but the improvements made to this version make it one you are happy to take on.

The progression of the game, the difficulty curve and general revelation of game elements are expertly delivered - another of the many reminders that you are experiencing a creation of a very skilled and experience development team.

New jobs have been added, as well as new weapons and spells, making much of the game about just earning and trying out all the methods of destruction available to you.

Additional game elements include an ingenious ‘bazaar’, which is essentially an excuse to let you collect rewards and use them to unlock new weapons and kit.

Even this is well disguised enough to keep you within the game world and keep you thinking strategically – do you use that rare item in the bazaar now or hold out until you have three of them and you can get that kick-ass sword? Ah, choices…

It’s only the addition of the auctions that disappoints slightly. It’s not made particularly clear what their purpose is and how they help you.

In the auctions themselves, it seems only a matter of seeing them out, rather than playing any kind of strategic game.

In all though, Grimoire of the Rift is a great experience and fantastic value for money. It’s a game that many others can learn from, as well as a call for more genre entries of the same calibre.

8/10

Paul North