Final Fantasy Tactics (1997)

Developer: Square Product Development Division 4
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment, Square Enix, Square
Platforms: PlayStation 3, PlayStation, PlayStation Portable
Genres: Role-playing (RPG), Turn-based strategy (TBS), Tactical
Rating: 4.3 of 5, 192 player ratings
Main story: about 45 hours
Completionist: about 70 hours

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The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

A brooding, chess-like war epic where careful squad positioning and job mastery unfold against a backdrop of betrayal and political intrigue.

strategicdeepmethodicaldarkpolitically complexrewardingslow-burnchallenging

About

Lead epic battles in a new FINAL FANTASY world. Betrayal and darker dealings await in Squaresoft's game of war. Fight hundreds of battles across dangerous 3D terrain as an ancient blood feud awakens a deadlier foe.

What players say

A revered tactical RPG with a dark, politically sinister storyline and a deep job system that rewards mastery, though it carries a reputation for steep difficulty spikes that can frustrate newcomers. Once its systems click it feels endlessly satisfying and is treated as a genre cornerstone.

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This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.