Final Fantasy Tactics Had the Best Writing in the Franchise

[@ResonantArc]

gud gaem

[@saltymedic85]

😊

[@StewNWT]

And the story is bolstered by one of the greatest soundtracks in gaming history - arguably the best in the FF series and definitely top 10 all time of any time. The drama, the use of bells, the complex emotions and ominous tones used throughout. It is undeniable the most coherent of all the FF soundtracks. And I say this as a major Uematsu and FFIV stan.

[@EZog58]

One thing that isn't mentioned here, but is essential to Ramza's character, is that he and his little sister are bastards born to a commoner who their lord father fell in love with later in life. Their father treated them well for the rest of his life, as he loved their late mother, but this caused Ramza's older brothers to look down on him more than if he were their full-blooded brother. Ramza was born with his feet in both worlds from the very beginning, so his easy friendship with Delita and willingness to look at conflicts from all sides was inherent to him from the beginning of his life. His father told him on his death bed that he would be the greatest knight in their family, and I agree that the story vindicated Ramza's righteous actions, even if history did not.

[@MonkeyHero]

Nice write up.

[@TheDJman248]

What's even better is that history DID ultimately vindicate Ramza, even if it was waaaaaay afterwards.

[@trasher2692]

Where do you people get this "Ramza was a bastard" thing? I've seen it being brought up many times whenever FFT is mentioned but not once do I remember his noble status be questioned in the game, not even by Algus the "commoners aren't humans" guy, and his mother, while a commoner, is said to be his second wife, not his mistress.

[@EZog58]

@trasher2692 It's stated in the game a few times. Keep in mind my knowledge comes from playing War of the Lions, not the original, so perhaps that is where the disconnect is coming from. She is stated to have been a concubine and at the very least had Ramza before marrying his father. Here is a direct quote from the Cardinal regarding Ramza's birth: "I see Gaffgarion's sword was no match for his words. Then again, perhaps the fault lies with his adversary. Beoulve blood is not given to spill easily. Even when thinned with that of a courtesan, it would seem." In the in-game Chronicles, Ramza is also referred to as "the issue of his father's paramour". I do think these things highly suggest what I stated, but am open to being proven wrong.

[@trasher2692]

@@EZog58 If you're talking about Delacroix calling Ramza's mom a courtesan that means nothing he was already in enmity and about to turn into a demon, Algus also insulted Delitas's mom in the same way suggesting she was a prostitute.

[@Sena_ttv]

"what are you, enemy or ally?" "human, just like you."

[@misterious5217]

Love that quote

[@mad0gre]

Rapha - “And you fight these men, when fighting them means you must be labeled a heretic? Surely you must realize your efforts will earn you no thanks.” Ramza - “I do not fight for gratitude. I am a Beoulve. I fight for the honor of my name.” Rapha - “I'd not believe that for a moment. You strike me not as the sort of man to fight for things so trite. No, you see evil and injustice before your eyes and cannot turn away. You do not even think to seek reward.” Ramza - - “You mistake me for a better man.”

[@paulman34340]

And that part was what REALLY made me LOVE Ramza character, and any character SIMILAR to him in Many Tactics RPG I've played where I feel the character is similar (Like Ike from Fire Emblem) Ramza does the right thing REGARDLESS of the cost to himself, he is HUMBLE in that he ACKNOWLEDGES he's no Hero! It's like Solid Snake from Metal Gear whenever anyone calls him a "Hero" as he has to make clear "I'm no Hero, Never Was, Never would be!" MAN did the PS1 had some BANGERS I'll never forget for the rest of my life.

[@wiegraf-FNC]

yes that line always gave me chills.

[@SoysauceML]

@@paulman34340 So, like.... "I never cared about justice, and I don't recall ever calling myself a hero... I have always only fought for the people I believe in. I won't hesitate... if an enemy appears in front of me, I will terminate it..."

[@paulman34340]

​@@SoysauceML Yep Lines and character like that is why I like him. It's pretty humble and shows him as one who will do what he must! They are not straight up heroes! Ike is still the BEST of the Lords in FE because he starts from scratch with nothing but the family he knows and earns his recognition. His first game was about establishing his legend, and his second is about affirming it! And I love how there is no "Secret Origin" I mean Greil/Gawain Nobility has no bearings other then the fact that makes Ike and Mist "outlaws" as far as their "birth kingdom is concern" since his parents DID desert. Hell his dad trained him but never finished his training before his death, so he had to EARN his strength and skill. Even his LEGENDARY "Falchion" (what I call the Legendary Weapon in a Fire Emblem only the Protagonist can use) Ragnell is something he EARNED the right to will! No magic ritual or anything. It's his simply because he was bad ass enough to earn it (I love Legendries the Protagonist has to earn and isn't birthright tied they have to earn over "It's a family Heirloom) Plus sans Ultima pointing him out as the descendant of the "Judas" that first betrayed her! I like when the Hero is just a dude who just ended up involved in events and had to fight to survive and solve then "because destiny said so!" cause Ramza killing the suppose "Invincible demons" is just awesome and shows the Demons aren't AS unbeatable as originally thought

[@zeliardforty-two4692]

Ramza will always be one of my favourite characters. In the face of all the power struggle happening around him he kept his morality in check. He never even sought power or to clear him name. He was faced with doing the right thing even if it meant going against everything, even someone who he had once called brother. In a world that seemed built on the old Greek philosophy “a man should obtain power by any means” I think that is very commendable! I do also understand Delita’s view. Sure his actions were morally questionable, but he was doing what he thought was the best way to change the world around him. Instead of being a pawn he became a major player. Completely embodying the Greek philosophy fully. Eventually falling just like many Greek heroes

[@DanielFalca0]

Heavy lies the crown

[@anonimoalfin]

Never better said. And also in real life.

[@mad0gre]

The most interesting aspect about Ramza and his moral choices, is that in the game it unfolds organically. He doesn't set out as the chosen one, as the hero meant for greatness. He is portrayed as a young man seeking truth, in a world where all truth is doctored and manipulated by those in power. And when he got to the core of it, there was no victory, no glory. There was no mountain of gold, no princess in his castle. And that makes his sacrifice all the more meaningful. He fought for truth, and truth was his only reward.

[@anonimoalfin]

@@mad0gre beautifully put, tragic and true.

[@NESLO-e8c]

@@mad0gre Although Ramza is technically more moral, and it would be great if everyone in the world is like him, ultimately, it is a very naive and unrealistic mindset. Only naive and ignorant people believe that it is undeniably more moral to justify the means first than using the ends the justify the means. As horrible as it is to reward evil and punish good, do you truly believe that the ends never justify the means? If killing an innocent person will save 2 other innocent people is immoral because you must never punish innocence, will you still hold that belief when killing an innocent person will save 2 billion other people? Is not killing the innocent person, who would survive as long as you don't kill them, still the more moral choice? People tend to think that not doing evil actions is moral. Only evil actions will bring about consequences, but the truth is that idling can come with its own consequences. Let's say Delita doesn't exist and Ramza gets to do everything his way. He slowly finds the good people left in order to fight the good fight. No innocents sacrificed and only evil punished. Such methods aren't efficient and aren't guaranteed to work because it requires a lot of waiting. While Ramza is slowly waiting for the system to change, numerous innocent people will be crushed and sacrificed to the unchanged system. How is that more moral? In the end both Delita's methods and Ramza's methods require sacrifice, the only difference being that one method allows you to abstain from bloodying your own hands. Isn't it more moral to sacrifice one's own innocence in order to save more people and more immoral to let more people suffer just so you don't? In the end it is impossible to tell which is more moral because it would require you to be an omniscient being that knows exactly which methods create less suffering.

[@akiinmoonlight79]

One of the best games of all time - it deserves a remaster ❤

[@viceverse11]

💯

[@neetscholar4149]

Too bad Square Enix can't be trusted to remake a paper bag these days! >.

[@akiinmoonlight79]

@@neetscholar4149 nah they can pull it of i believe if they stay faithful to the original with additional content it will be perfect

[@Fleshlight_Reviewer]

They are gonna mess it up. Psp version is the best

[@neetscholar4149]

@@akiinmoonlight79 I guess you slept through the whole FF7 Remake-Rebirth thing. Good luck with that, I would rather keep my expectations around minus-ten.

[@Suikojunkie]

Mister Derrat i came here to tell you that you are a man of culture. It’s not a coincidence if Tactics Ogre is Sagakuchi’s favorite game of all time. Matsuno is special and Square should’ve never let him go.

[@Loreweavver]

Tactics Ogre is incredibly overlooked. The story and gameplay are phenomenal. It was probably one of the games I had that I actually replayed most often because of the many different paths and the different characters you can find.

[@lunar_arcus]

Yes. I like Ogre Battle 64 more but tactics ogre is also incredible.

[@tropezando]

This is by far my favorite game! I used to speedrun it in high school (early 2000s, really showing my age here lol). I even made my own handwritten guides for each story fight and move/find item. I spent hours stealing equipment from enemies and modifying my brave/faith. I discovered the page up/down glitch on my own too. I know the newer translation is technically better, but I will always hold the original PlayStation janky version close to my heart - "This is the way!" I am so glad to see someone covering this game and showing it some love, you have no idea!

[@mikeoakeshart3823]

Delita is a character where everyone could be, and Ramza is a character where everyone should strive to be.

[@SeventhheavenDK]

Well said.

[@prestonleebenjamin]

Eh, I don't know I think it's a lot deeper (and better) than that. Delita is a representation of people who got dealt all the wrong cards growing up while Ramza, while a bastard had a lot of privilege born into nobility. Don't get me wrong, I love Ramza as a character, but Delita was my favorite character growing up because he was the only character who said 'fuck the system' and made it on his own, in spite of what every other character in the story told him. If Delita 'strived' to be Ramza he would be dead way earlier in the game, especially considering he was a commoner. IIRC Delita started out as a saint, always following the rules and having faith that things will get better believing the nobles that raised him (Ramza's family) would protect him and his sister. Delita's family is a representation of what happens when you aren't born into privilege and you blindly follow what people say, which is what gives Delita his revelation to 'break the system' after the events of Tetra play out (trying to remain spoiler free); Ramza has it nowhere near as hard as Delita, and by the end let's just say Alma is way luckier than Tetra... Point here being, to say that "Ramza is the character everyone should strive to be" I take as saying "just be lucky and born into nobility and be the main character with tons of plot armor," Delita I'd argue was the character who had to go through the world without plot armor while Ramza had all the plot armor due to his nobility. Not at all saying this is bad writing, but just pointing out Delita turned out that way BECAUSE he had no nobility plot armor, while Ramza had the luxury to be empathetic because of his privileges. All in All, I'd say they're both masterfully written characters, since both characters teach very valuable lessons in life to different types of people.

[@heiral7773]

Fk that. King Delita ftw

[@MidlifeCrisisJoe]

Well put.

[@misterious5217]

Great analysis

[@IDoubleJ]

Max dramatically improved his comedic timing and delivery

[@Visionary1002]

The class struggle is also a highlight of this game at times. The Corpse Brigade storyline is one of my favorite, because it really made you wonder if you were fighting for the correct side.

[@karlklein2263]

12 year old me had no idea how dense this story really is

[@TGCid01]

Seriously. Seeing this video just taught me so many things

[@MG-po6jc]

My dad gave me $ to buy just a single game at the store for my 11th birthday. I chose this game. Best life choice i've ever made.

[@huvang8329]

@@MG-po6jc I was given enough money to buy one game and at the time my cousin was raving about final fantasy so I bought this game. Little did I know then he was talking about ff7. But I fell in love with the game, and a year later when I play ff7, I still feel I made the better purchase.

[@brodude7194]

19y old me was blown away

[@wolffden08]

I'm of the opinion that Delita did not succeed in defeating the "evil system that controlled Ivalice" but rather became a part of it. That is the tragedy of his character. Ovelia had the same observation seeing how he disdainfully treated Ramza and the others as pawns to discard at a whim just so he could further his own ambition. Walking the path of vengeance blinded him to the fact that he was now inflicting the same injustice he experienced against others. Delita ultimately forgot the lessons of the past and became that which he sought to destroy.

[@Thetiredpotato11]

Tbf canonically delita's rule was a prosperous one that was kind to the common man in ways heretofore unseen He's a really complex character and it's hard to say if everything he did was justified

[@derekz5724]

Holy shit the "this game is the Dark Souls of Final Fantasy" gag made me burst out laughing at work 😂😂😂

[@Mondoness]

If you don't recruit Cid, he shows up with Oran in the cemetery at the end.

[@burstofsanity]

The story in Final Fantasy Tactics is definitely one of my favorites. I only played original and somehow missed that Ovelia stabs Delita in that final scene and saw it instead as him having a breakdown from the actions he had taken to get where he was stabbing her unprovoked; or perhaps a deliberate action to remove the final shred of the former system that remained by destroying the royal bloodline completely.

[@WhoIsJohnblack]

Try war of lions its fun

[@TheSlammurai]

To be fair Ovelia was not royal blood at all, as was stated by Folmarv. Delita was present for that conversation so he knows she's a commoner pretending to be a dead Princess.

[@timslack7568]

hopefully this goes viral so that Square will see it and finally give us a remaster. Not a remake, just a good old fashioned remaster that is available to be played without having to have an emulator. It is by far my favorite Final Fantasy game and my experience goes all the way back to beating the original when it was released and is my favorite franchise going on 35 years now

[@SaltyChickenDip]

The war of the Lion version is available on mobile

[@timslack7568]

@@SaltyChickenDip but then it has to be played on mobile which is garbage. Ive tried it, mobile gaming isnt for me

[@Mageman17]

Fr Square Enix needs to let Matsuno use the kitchen and cook. I think Yoko Taro’s been in the kitchen too long.

[@Thetiredpotato11]

I'd like it if a remake added more dialogue from party members post recruitment, but frankly I wouldn't trust modern writers with tactics

[@Loreweavver]

Don't blame me. Blame yourself or God.

[@askiia8713]

_Human, just like you!_

[@Spyderfarmerman]

Blame David Blane

[@LeonardoGarcia-qt6lf]

- "If the penalty for a crime is a fine, then that law only exists for the lower class” - Wiegraf

[@LeonardoGarcia-qt6lf]

@@Loreweavver Stupid game made me a moral absolutist and an anarchist in the same move.

[@Fenrisson]

I barely spoke any english at all at the time, but this line stuck with me.

[@mountainoise]

Final Fantasy Tactics is my favorite game of all time and no other media has ever made me feel the same way as I did when experiencing it for the first time. The OST is truly fantastic and adds so much to the world building. I am always especially moved when thinking about Ovelia and her role in everything. Glad to see you cover this, Max.

[@BeakerSte]

One of my favourite games of all time. I search "FFT remake" at least once a week in the hope that it's finally announced officially

[@MonkeyHero]

Right there with you

[@giovanniprovost]

It will come, they have to do it.

[@o7i-q4r]

リメイクを求める消費者が新しい名作を生み出す創造を阻害してる 安易なリメイクは禁断の果実みたいなもん 消費者も反省したほうがいい 素晴らしい作品は良き思い出として、次の名作を生む創造をしたほうがいい 消費者の声は当てになら無いことはままある 名作は作り直さなくてもいつまでも名作。何回も時間が経ってもやり直せるのがゲームのいいところ。

[@BeakerSte]

I agree with you to an extent. Unfortunately, the modern gaming landscape has been extremely poor... ​@@o7i-q4r

[@kilmorecombine0]

​@user-xp4zf1hd1o and what of the younger generations? They would never be able to taste the fruit of that master piece. They can't even play it, if the console no longer exists.

[@Drifter2025]

I always wanted to read an anime based on the 50-year war and find out how Cid became the legendary man.

[@paulofaquin]

It's easy to know how Cid got legendary, just bring him solo with his Excalibur to a battle and see for yourself, now imagine how every battle he was present went, that's it.

[@Drifter2025]

@@paulofaquin touchè

[@Thiago_Alves_Souza]

Ramza is very similar to Solid Snake. He never bent in the face of sheer adversity and even when the most soul crushing truths were dropped on him. Not that they didn't have moments of weakness but like Proverbs says, the just may fall 7 times but he will stand 8.

[@Loreweavver]

I was thinking while watching this video that there are a lot of Metal Gear parallels.

[@anonimoalfin]

One of my greatest heroes as a child, but still today!

[@WhatIsMisophonia]

Ramza: "I'm Batman."

[@gingerkingds7804]

This game reshaped my young mind and opened my eyes to the coruption of the church and the government. I've been an avid fan since 1997, and still somehow leearned something new from your video 😮 great job, and thank you!

[@TomSeliman99]

Now without the church western society falls apart morally. We need the church

[@detpistonsff7]

My 2 first Final Fantasy games being FFVII and FF Tactics... What a time to be alive. Both are GOATs. I am still pissed that the only Tactics games we received afterwards were those Advance abominations... going from peak Game of Thrones to some Ferngully style fantasy. The whiplash in tone and setting was insane..

[@MonkeyHero]

SAME. It was, quite assuredly, THE Golden Age of JRPG's. Quality did not necessarily get higher than this era did for RPG's as time went on- regardless of technology upgrades to modern gaming.

[@the13thjoker]

FFT advance isn't abomination. The gameplay and class system are better than in FFT. Sure the story is more generic and childish but I don't see it as bad but different. FFTA 2 however...

[@SeventhheavenDK]

I liked both FFTAs too, of course, original FFT is the best.

[@TheAalen]

Mine was around 5-7 years old I played ff8 and ff tactics first. My older brother always kept ff7 and legends of dragoon and chrono cross with him,played them all by now!

[@harmlessanimeposter3379]

You were really cooking in the back half of the video! I think the dynamic the game was trying to establish was Delita = the hero (in the political/folklore sense) but obviously, many historical heroes made their legends/names at the expense of others, while Ramza chose the difficult path of martyrdom -- in the truest sense of the word, and sometimes martyrs might be above heroes.

[@WhatIsMisophonia]

Ramza was not the hero Ivalace wanted, but the one it needed.

[@chimerawizard5639]

trying to get me to replay Tactics after 20 years? GDI I'm in! [Tidus] "T- T~ that guy"

[@wiegraf-FNC]

When I was around 12-15 years old. back in the 90s. This was the game I went to for comfort. This was the game I spent more than 3 thousand hours playing in PS1. Despite the poor translation and english not being my main language and struggling to understand certain parts. This was the game that made me the person I am today. all thanks to the philosophy and story and the way everthing was framed. good vs evil. the shades of grey. there being no heroes or villains but people with their own agendas. this took me down the path to go on to the college of journalism and advertising. Up to date. my nickname in most online games, IRC, and many social medias is Wiegraf. The one who fought tooth and nail before Ramza could understand the reality of the world.

[@nicklaserbeam]

Love seeing you cover this game so well. Easily one of my favorite games of all time!

[@AbyShure]

Woooow. I remember that when I started watching your videos I made this recommendation to you. Now after around 3 years I see this video and it is like a wish came true. This is awesome. Have you ever read about Vagrant Story? As far as I know, many people worked in the development of both games. And both are really something. Hopefully one day you come to play it too. I send you my best regards from Tlaxcallan. Mexico. I really enjoy all your videos.

[@BB-pn2qv]

Vagrant story is on par

[@SeventhheavenDK]

Vagrant Story sux.

[@BB-pn2qv]

@@SeventhheavenDK I politely disagree

[@Euph0rical]

Wow 🤩 I was definitely NOT expecting this web of storylines in a Final Fantasy ‘Tactics’ game. Amazing video as always Max!

[@deviancepurplehaze6045]

The community of this gem is still very active. There are mods that make the game better or even change the entire story. "Tis your birth and faith that wronged you, not I."

[@Khwerz]

Gross. That quote completely changes the meaning of the original.

[@Xalmuster]

@@KhwerzNo it doesn’t, it’s what Delita was *actually* saying. He was telling the princess that she should blame her abduction on her royal blood (“yourself”) or the church (“God”) as she is important to both noble and clergy alike as an important piece in their schemes, whether to use her or dispose of her. The PS1 line means absolutely nothing, it feels iconic but it’s meaningless and just sounds edgy.

[@MrVariant]

​@@Xalmusterit's better like battle quotes WOTL took out. Shame psp had slowdown the mobile version fixed, though that lacks multiplayer and makes postgame onion knight a badass with he onion gear (use a fixed damage elemental gun instead of all the work to master for the sword to do damage let alone movement is limited outside chocobo or accessories).

[@michs7451]

If you liked Matsuno’s writing in Final Fantasy Tactics, you should really check out Tactics Ogre. It’s very similar to FFT, but I personally like it much more because it has a more political narrative and its narrative changes according to player choice.

[@ZX-Gear]

Yep. Whereas FF Tactics is based off the War of The Roses,Tactics Ogre is based off the Rwandan Genocide.

[@michs7451]

@@ZX-Gear That’s not true. Matsuno adapted FF Tactics from Umberto Eco’s “The Name of the Rose,” and Tactics Ogre was not so much devoted to examining a single conflict but how and why people enter into conflict with each other.

[@ZX-Gear]

@michs7451 I knew it was something Rose. I must have got it confused with Duelist of Roses.

[@Enharmony1625]

Ok, if you haven't played Vagrant Story, you need to play Vagrant Story! It genuinely has a lot of that Souls DNA, and came out 9 years before Demon's Souls. It features writing that is easily on par (I would say even surpasses) Final Fantasy Tactics, and is a true unique gem from the PS1 days. It's also PS1's most technically brilliant game, beyond even Metal Gear Solid and FF7-9.

[@theflashgordon193]

Glad to see some love for vagrant story

[@SeventhheavenDK]

Mere exaggeration about Vagrant Story. All of it.

[@neetscholar4149]

One thing important to point out is that in the American versions, some characters in the PS1 original and the PSP remakes got slightly different names. Possibly due to translation. And another is that in the original PS1 game, what actually happened at the end between Delita and Ovelia was extremely unclear. I spent years wondering exactly whom did what. And another is that in comparison, none of the other Final Fantasy Tactics sequels ever got a story as amazing as the first one and it's remake got. Nothing even close.

[@st.haborym]

Quite a few of the names where just straight up wrong. Cú Chulainn got mistranslated to Queklain. There's a reason why the tvtropes page for this game has a blind idiot translation entry. Hell they translated fire/ice/thunder breath as BRACELET ffs. How do you even manage to mistranslate something that obvious, so poorly?

[@zerosuitfalcon]

There’s a lot of issues with the translation but he’ll always be Queklain to me. At least until someone can help me comprehend what an Irish legend and a giant blob monster have in common.

[@Tohlemiach]

@@st.haborym pretty easily actually. In Japanese bracelet is ブレスレット (buresuretto) and is often abbreviated as ブレス (buresu). "Breath" is also romanized the exact same way, that is, ブレス (buresu). Probably what happened is that someone was just given a list of terms and asked to translate them with no context. If the translator had been able to see an animation of the attack, they probably would have put two and two together, so that's why my guess is that they just had zero idea what they were translating. As for Cú Chulainn, that's an interesting one. In the original PS1 title, in Japanese his name was キュクレイン (kyukurein) so "Queklain" is a pretty fair interpretation if you had no idea what the original is meant to refer to. Now if you take Cú Chulainn and you have zero clue how it's pronounced, something like "koo koo lane" might seem to make sense, or in the case the original Japanese, "Kyoo koo lane." Nowadays, though, if you look up Cú Chulainn on any Japanese dictionary it will give you クー・フーリン (kuu-fuurin) which is a more accurate attempt to recreate the proper pronunciation that you might imagine as something like "kuh-HULL-inn." Back in the late 90's, I don't really think there was a very large media presence for the figure of Cú Chulainn, so I'm not surprised that not even the Japanese writers knew how his name was pronounced. Since then he's been in a number of media, more prominently in Smite, and his name is pronounced by the announcer in that game whenever you pick him, so a lot of people are getting used to that pronunciation now. The whole thing was a shitshow in all likelihood. Probably a skeleton crew with no budget just translating a list of words and a script with zero reference to what they're talking about all the while some of the original Japanese terms aren't even correct.

[@st.haborym]

@@Tohlemiach Dude, it's a dragon breathing fucking fire. You'd have to be literally retarded to translate that wrong.

[@Prinygod]

@@zerosuitfalcon It might have to do with the literal demonetization of "Pagan" beliefs. In the dark ages the church would often create demons named after Pagan to make it easier to persecute their followers as devil worshipers. Its possible that St. Ajora/Ultima did the same thing, corrupting, or naming his demons after rival religion. Then again Japanese writers love to use the names from other religions so i may be overthinking it.

[@APDaneGL]

I haven't played every game ever, but of the ones I did play, this is my favorite. Mainly, because of its story. ❤ Edit: and the soundtrack ❤

[@FELIXWYNN23]

Barely started the video, so glad you made this! One of the greatest FF games in the franchise

[@windingtwilight]

I’m not sure how else to put it into words but, the writing in final fantasy tactics is what I would imagine any game under the terms “Final Fantasy” umbrella would play like and I’m happy it exists

[@reenchanted]

I’m so glad you enjoyed this, Max!

[@greatlust]

subbed! I have loved this game since the first time i fought the Great Filter: Wiergraf at Riovanes. I fell n love harder when i found out the port to mobile was a remaster with corrected grammar and text. I will never stop.

[@Thetiredpotato11]

Something to note about the ending that was clarified by matsuno in a few interviews, ramza survives and travels to a different country where he lived in relative peace with alma, and iirc the stabbing scene takes place a few years into delita's rule, and ovelia survives but is sent to live in another monastery until she passes, further muddying delita's ethics

[@tslfrontman]

Genuinely so happy to see this story and it's arcs get the adoration it deserves. It truly is a phenomenal experience that forever shaped an entire genre of gaming.

[@stoicraziel6272]

There's a raid series in Final Fantasy 14 that continues the story of Tactics in a way, written by the original story writer. I recommend looking into that one too.

[@SeventhheavenDK]

Yeah, but it's also important to point out that the writer himself said that those raids are NOT canon to the story of FFT. It was just a collaboration and nothing more.

[@shayoko6]

Play the PSP version 100% improves EVERYTHING there is apparently a remake/remaster in development right now. 6,7 and tactics all have a good story. hard to pick 1! amazing 6 even competes since it was on such limited hardware. An RPG to check out (not on PC sadly) Unicorn Overlord

[@EmissaryOfSmeagol]

You've got some bangers in the background music

[@kennethchia4194]

Well-timed, since I'm playing through this again on my phone right now. This is a classic not just for its gameplay but its immense story.

[@sagenerd419]

I'm proud of you for how you did this video. This is my absolute favorite game and the scene where Ramza's father emplores him to show his brothers what a true knight is is everything to me Also, story wise, this game has maybe the best opening in video games

[@anightdragonscreativity1074]

A truly legendary game. Influenced many greats in the genre such as the Disgaea series. I didn't see it mentioned in the comments but the world of Ivalice spans across many games. Its called the Ivalice Alliance series. I believe the chronology is FFXII, then its sequel FFXII: Revenant Wings, Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift, the original Final Fatasy Tactics, Vagrant Story, and Finally Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. FFT A2 is a strange one story wise because the main game takes place after Revenant Wings but before the original tactics while its prologue and epilogue are after its predecessor FFT A1. Quality varies but I usually only recommend people go that far in the games if they want to deep dive. Another bit of interesting lore is within FFXIV which had its own Return to Ivalice storyline within one of its raid series. Great story there and the fights are fun and difficult to this day. It's not canon to the main story but more of a reinterpretation for FFXIV to tie both universes together. I'd only recommend that if you play the mmo already because its at the end of the third expansion. You can look up the cutscenes on KZbin though. They are really good. Great video!

[@jplayer073]

Still in my top 3 games even today. The music, the setting, the lore, the writing, the gameplay. It's an incredibly put together experience.

[@JorgeXY]

Ramza VS Folmarv is the Jon Snow VS Nightking we never got.

[@kaseywahl]

I've been playing through Final Fantasy Tactics: Advance lately for the first time in like 15 years. One of the first things I noticed as I've replayed this game is how good the writing is, and how well the writing is woven into the game's mechanics and characterization. It's a more innocent version of Final Fantasy Tactics, but its still phenomenal, and the gameplay is deep (for a GBA game). When I'm done working on my current indie project, I might have to ride a wave of inspiration into a tactics-style game.

[@SuperSanjuro]

Wow, Max! Great video! I say that knowing that your work always reaches a high standard of quality!

[@adiksaff]

It all makes sense now. You have highlighted how formative this game really was for my childhood. Thank you Mr Derrat! - A deontological

[@bli2z4rd]

Maybe I'm just bias because I love final fantasy, but I think this is one of your best videos of all time. The story is a huge reason why, you truly got me hooked from beginning to end, I loved hearing more about this story through this video!

[@stephenlanuto5993]

It was my first Playstation game, it was so hard but so good, amazing soundtrack too

[@royflowers99]

The WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT surprised me and genuinely made me laugh out loud. Hope you’re doing well Max.

[@bondrewdthenovel3598]

Why FF Tactics is the GOAT? Because of Yasumi Matsuno, the God of Tactical RPGs

[@felldoh9271]

I love and respect this game so much. When it gets ported or remade if it has online multiplayer (cooperative missions and versus mode) that shiz is gonna be wild. Online matches. I’m there. Yasumi Matsuno is the Kentaro Miura and Yoshihiro Togashi of the video game industry. That man needs to be given full financial backing to give us more games set in Ivalice.

[@emmiranda2]

I played this game when I was 10 years old, didn’t know English but only basic terms like magic and attack and so on. I played 3 files of 100 hours each. I have the battle music in my mind to this day. Gameplay is great (although I don’t know if today as adult I would have the patience for it). What I am trying to say is that this game is great at many things, and here we have a 30 min video talking its story and saying nothing about its game design or gameplay or music. Truly an ambitious game. Great vid!

[@ryanhoekstra6000]

Thanks for the video! This game is filled with plot point that i completely did not understand or missed all together on earlier playthroughs. Such a deep and dense story. I would recommend a new player to use a pen and paper to write down names and factions to keep everything clear. I finally did that on my like 3rd playthrough which made it much more enjoyable! Cheers

[@Davlavi]

Informative as always.

[@Mr.Despair.]

I'm so glad you covered this game! It's been my favorite since I was a kid. I love that there's way more details to the story on top of everything you covered in this video. If you're reading this and haven't experienced this game, or maybe you think it's ruined now that you've watched this video or that you think you know everything about FFT after watching it? You're very wrong and should still play it!

[@braulhiu]

Max, what a wonderful video, as always. Masterclass from both you and FF tactics.

[@Thennecan]

I always struggle between FFVII and Tactics between which one is my favorite, FFT is definitely a masterpiece. Thanks for this video!

[@sollywoods7554]

FFT is my favourite game of all time. I've been playing it regularly ever since it came out. Once a year maybe. It never gets old. I love the gameplay, the characters, the story, the music. It is a masterpiece.

[@partofthetribe3277]

So glad you're making a video about this I've always said that this one had the best story.

[@captindo]

Haven’t played this awesome game in decades. Still waiting for it to come to Xbox. You know, it would only be a short 200 years later that the new world was found and settled on. Wish more rpgs took place in settings like Vagrant Story around the turn of the 18-19 century.

[@TGCid01]

I remember being maybe 9 or 10, picking this game up as a blind buy after seeing it in the Greatest Hits section of Target. Little did I know that my intuition would lead me to purchase one of my favorite games of all-time.

[@ItalianAvalanche]

I love the sound track. I heard bangers from Xenogears and Dragon’s Dogma. Great video.

[@leviathanlives4847]

When I was in high school my family signed up to have a foreign exchange student from Switzerland stay with us. Man we pumped so much time into this game.

[@zoiwill123]

FINALLY SOMEONE SAID IT!

[@Jcarroz]

Very excited to hear your comments on this masterpiece of storytelling. Great work as always 👍

[@TheTacticalRPGOdyssey]

Greatest of all time! Glad you enjoyed it Mr. Derrat. Beautiful write up and now I look forward to your Tactics Ogre journey lol.

[@meegz149]

The War of the Lions at least. One of the best works of fiction I've experienced. A tale about a young man who has to live up to his name ,Beoulve noble among nobles, while trying to do what's right in an absolutely cynical world, which never felt forced, including his brothers. The juxtaposition of the haves and have nots its so stark and well done. To top it off, it has Hitoshi Sakimoto-sama's wonderful hand in creating its soundtrack.

[@jorgesantiagojr]

What a great video on one of the best games ever made! Yasumi Matsuno is a genius, and where I see that most is in Wiegraf Folles. Wiegraf and Delita's stories coincide in a lot of ways, except that Wiegraf never had the benefit of rich family friends, and he is definitely the best example of what Delita could and would end up becoming at the end: a monster with no love for anything but power.

[@SuperLumianaire]

My favorite way of breaking the game, is literally breaking. Break speed first on any strong enenies, then their power or magic. Steal anything they have on them. I do not rename Ramza. I name the mercs. The one I call myself, Luminaire ends up being a breaking dragoon with a Holy Lance.

[@hawkenloob8590]

Very under appreciated game during its time but phenomenal experience. Glad you had the opportunity to enjoy it

[@johnmccombe6342]

On of my all time favorite games. Great story, great system. Can't wait for the remaster to come out.

[@TerryHesticles87]

My favorite game of all time...Ramza's morality definitely had an effect on me as a kid. This game rocked my world, and I replay it once a year usually. Thanks for covering this.

[@Densetsu13]

This is my all time favourite game and you have done it justice. Bravo! 👏🏾

[@brandonwaller94]

Good god I have never laughed so hard on a segment transition before so early into a video like this, omg I wasn't expecting that at all and it fuggin GOT ME GOOD! ROTFLMAO XD Also it's a real treat seeing one of my fave KZbinrs come to the same conclusion I did about FFT's writing, still hands down my all-time favorite FF game, not to mention it's "the" FF game that actually got me into the franchise to begin with. PS: While I don't remember for certain if it's in both versions or if I'm just misremembering entirely, iirc in-game if you keep constantly topping of Delita's health during the entire first chapter up until the end chapter you'll actually get alternative dialogue where Delita actually ignores part of Argath's little viper-tongue exchange and actually still shows faith in Ramza specifically with kinder dialogue towards him. Sadly I do not have my original copy to test this out and got a bit too much on my plate too look into it directly at this point in time. Also If you're starting to enjoy games like FF Tactics, then I definitely recommend getting into either the Fire Emblem series, or looking into Super Robot Wars OG Saga. though I admit the latter in particular you might be languishing in translation hell since most of the games are still Japan only, plus the GBA versions of the first two games having been made obsolete by the PS2 remake which is the current OG Saga canon.

[@itsasecrettoeverybody]

I don't remember this game being difficult. It had some difficult battles, but it never felt like a difficult game to master.

[@MrVariant]

A lot of people don't know the exploits I had a playlist for. In chapter 1, you can easily win doing black magic fire for everyone, and defense boost from the oracle for Ramza is a war of attrition, let alone invigoration life drains to 4 shot lucavi bosses. If you don't maximize bravery with ramza's steel/shout to always react to attacks, and do high monk damage, you're gonna struggle. Dual wield and iaido are nice, but you spend a ton of time as a thief/monk to unlock, and archer without aim is better as its slow and swiftness doesn't work, which also sucks if you spam holy that is fast enough. Better off using a time mage for graviga to 2 shot lucavi, or teleport to make archers OP as they're untouchable and have longer range on high ground. Just add items or white magic raise as life insurance, maybe with concentration to make ranged rend weapon useful (rend speed is more accurate and stops bosses like mimic darlavon sleep does for humans). And don't use Mustadio/Agrias as you lose whatever crossover buildup you had from chapter 1 (balthier is great due to having monk/geomancer unlocked upon recruiting and his better speed/equipment). An orator can recruit overpowered stuff like the blue dragon or dark behemoth (Luso battle in remake).

[@WhatIsMisophonia]

Summoners equipped with the Time Mage's fast AP support ability basically break the game, as if the later characters you can get like T.G. Cid don't do that anyway. Hell, you could roll over the enemies with a team full of Monks too. It's kinda one of those games where if you really want to increase the difficulty, you have to self impose challenges, like beating the game with only squires and chemists.

[@jstratton1981]

To me this is the big touble in little china of video games. Like we play as ramza, who is like jack burton, the sidekick while acting like the main character, while delita is the real hero who is treated as a sidekick. I always like that about this game.

[@PhilosophersCallingToManga]

I really appreciate you and the fans here, thanks.

[@matarax]

Excellent video, as usual, man. I would love to hear your analysis of Vagrant Story since it was also written by Yasumi Matsuno. That is one of my favorite stories (no pun intended) in all of media.

[@BEHEMONAUT]

Great video. You made a great point early on about the difficulty. I only ever stuck with this game because my brother liked it a lot initially. The Machiavellian plot was always really admirable, though i definitely did not understand the vast majority of it at the age of like 16-18. Even given that it was complicated narratively, still much better that Chrono Cross. Tactics, as far as gameplay, looking back, i can see an influence from Live a Live and collector games in a sense. I remember thinking as a younger teenager how awesome the ideas behind gameplay like Gau's rage ability were (personally i hated Gau back then, using the veldt as a means of powering up seemed really stupid compared to all the other stuff you could do,) and where games might go from there. Megaten was already a thing and pokemon either was as well or wasn't far out, i don't remember well, but the ideas that were popping up shaped the tastes for what was to come.

[@ValeVin]

For the longest time, this game was tied for my favorite. Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together had a slightly better story, Final Fantasy Tactics had cooperative multiplayer (and who doesn't love Chocobo Defense?). I think the release of Tactics Ogre: Reborn has made Ogre the clear winner now, knocking War of the Lions down a notch, but I could see a Final Fantasy Tactics remake putting it back into the running for my favorite game. Anyways, this was a fun watch =] It's great to hear someone gush over a classic and be reminded all over again how amazing it was.

[@KIL0]

I played this on ps1 back in the day. It ALMOST beat ME . . I didn't really know what I was doing, play this job, play that job, whatever. Then . . I had to rescue the Marquis. And some Demon spawns in a massive boss fight. I was TOO weak. I was under level. I didn't have the proper job skills equipped. I just went in blind playing for fun. The game saves as you go, and I was STUCK at the boss fight I couldn't win. There was simply no way. I had to chose:: Quit, or, restart a New Game, grind, and be better prepared for the boss fight once I returned. I'm no quitter. I started over. I maxed jobs, unlocked all the skills, and by the time I came back, I was a dual wielding sword knight. This was my favorite FF game. Until I played the MMO, FXXI. FFXI is still, to this day, the best videogame I ever played. Dropped 15,000 hours on that one. And I swore to myself I would quit at 10,000 hours. Well, I'm not a quitter. Arcadius from Asura Server.

[@lgstanton96]

why are you writing like that?

[@KIL0]

@@lgstanton96 Because, unlike you I have Style

[@gringles]

It’s been my favorite FF and one of my favorite RPGs for a long time. Got it on release as kid, right before moving across the country.

[@Void84276]

One of my favorite games! Thanks.

[@zealous944]

lol there is a reason I chose this as my handle. I don't think that being idealistic is being naive. In a perfect world that wouldn't be the case. Just because an ideal is unobtainable, is not an excuse to not strive for it. "the world isn't fair" and whose fault is that? With thinking like this it never will be. "you cant have your cake and eat it too" said the guy who wants your cake. Don't compromise your own truth just because the world and the people in it are content to languish in lies. And on the topic of whether Ramza will ever get the recognition he deserves. Heroism, to me, isn't the parade and the page in an almanac. If you are doing something with the intention of being remembered then I question your intentions. You do something because it's the right thing to do. Whether someone pats you on the ass for it is irrelevant. So before I rant any further lol, I unironically like Ramza more than Delita and think he got his just deserts in the end.

[@nickmoran8417]

Well said 👏

[@andrewkline]

Been touting the legend that this game is for about 25 years, personally. Timeless.

[@thetrueyuiop]

YEEEEEESSSSSS YOU DID IT!!!!! I’M SO HAPPY!!!! I’VE BEEN HOPING FOR YOU TO PLAY THIS FOR SO LONG!!! I KNEW YOU’D LOVE IT!!!

[@Sir.Endipity]

I agree! Has he played Suikoden II? I always wish he would experience that story too!

[@thetrueyuiop]

@@Sir.Endipity I don’t think he has, yet.

[@dafire9634]

16:21 i totally missed that Balthier was a character in FFTactics as well, thats cool Also thanks as always for the videos max!

[@rd-um4sp]

added later in WotL version. In the original you can get Cloud and have a special cameo by Aerith

[@TheMemesofDestruction]

Final Fantasy Tactics is Legendary! ^.^

[@apocratos0174]

You know a game is one of the greatest when its widely spoken and loved, even decades after its release

[@FantasyYeet]

Tactics is in my top 5 game of all time. The story, music, characters, battle system, upgrade system. Perfect. I dont think its 10/10, but its 9.5/10. Close enough. The only issue I have with the game is that some of the classes were useless compares to other classes. Tactics still holds up to this day.

[@franimal86]

Yes, that and Calculators were so OP but also made battles a menuing nightmare for people with OCD (like me) looking for the best possible move hahah

[@jayrobitaille2402]

This is one of the most legendary strategy JRPGs, up there with Shining Force I/II/III/CD, Tactics Ogre (which is made by the same team as FFT), Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance (+ other notable FE series entries), Disgaea (+other early NIS titles), Growlanser II-IV, Langrisser and Arc The Lad II. The story is riveting but I will always remember how I found an exploit build where you combine the Ninja's ability to dual wield, a skill called Monkey Grip (which I believe is a Fighter passive) that allows two handers to be wielded in one hand and the Samurai's awesome exclusive two-handers.

[@Nextliar]

I played this game so any times, but now im getting some things of the game I didn't catch well with this video. lol

[@anonimoalfin]

A superb video, deep, well documented, but above all fair and accurate, to such a point that I have been forced to log in just to give it a Like, Subscribe, and even leave a comment (all of which I have done only exceptionally, very rarely, in many years). [ 2:45 ] "Sublime" is the correct adjective for FFT, which far surpasses most TRPGs to stand as a true work of art. Played it for the first time in 1997 on the PS1, and it made an indelible impression on me to this day: despite having played, studied and loved all sorts of games since I was born, very few managed to envelop me and move me so much, as only art is capable of doing. However [ 3:12 ] claiming that the game has some of the best writing in all of gaming medium is an understatement: it has without a doubt some of the best writing in all of entertainment media (one that shines even brighter in these dark times, where we have aberrations like Netflix's Witcher, Amazon's Rings of Power, or David Benioff and D.B.Weiss...). It's funny that since GoT came out FFT has been compared to the show because of [ 3:40 ] "...its epic scale, reminiscent, even if not equal to Game of Thrones". But I believe the opposite is true: the rightly abhorred David Benioff and D. B. Weiss would have done well to learn from Master Sensei Yasumi Matsuno (and not just about writing, but also about being at least humans). With infinitely less budget, manpower and privilege than the imbecile "writers" at HBO but with infinitely greater challenges, difficulties and pressures, Matsuno and his team managed to create a profound work of art, cohesive and epic from start to finish, where all the arts (visuals, music, writing, game design) come together in perfect harmony and virtuosity, surpassing the technical limits of the time, to present a reflection that is both poetic [ 4:21 ] and philosophical [ 21:46 ] of life and death, power and religion, geopolitics and justice, the human condition, good and evil, and how humans position themselves in relation to them. Finally I have to thank you, Max, because your vid helped me solve an enigma that occupied me 27 years, and made me understand myself better: after countless videos and documentaries about FFT, after so many discussions and fights in forums, I finally understand why even as a child Delita seemed to me to be the most nefarious, despicable being, while I naturally identified with noble Ramza Beoulve, one of my favorite tragic heroes ever, which resonated so much as a kid. And it is because I was raised and educated in the same deontological values ​​as Ramza, where actions follow principles regardless of the consequences for oneself, and even in spite of oneself. It was called "Honor". By contrast, Delita (plucked from the trash by the noble Beoulves and adopted as another son) hates and resents them instead of thanking them, and makes his way through life by deceiving, scheming, kidnapping, and murdering because he is a Machiavellian utilitarian, a relativist, a consequentialist who (like so many genocide sociopaths in history and today) wouldn't hesitate to murder even his own brother "for the greater good." Oh, how accurate and REAL this epic tale is, when one thinks about world geopolitics and plain everyday life today, "when the only morality that exists in this corrupt world is one based on power" [ 20:20 ]!!!

[@Goodpizzaa]

it is absolutely criminal your channel only has 413k subs. Been watching you a while and love your videos. The FMA videos were my favorite. Thanks Max.