Final Fantasy Tactics Review: By Chris Gregory

	Well, with Resident Evil 2, Alundra, and a lot of other cool 
games out now, one great game seems to have gone unnoticed. (At least 
where I live...) That game, would be Final Fantasy Tactics.  Does it 
live up to the Final Fantasy name? In my opinion, yes.   Here is why...

Graphics:	8.5

	The graphics, while not breathtaking  like Final Fantasy 7, fit 
the game excellently.  The polygons in the battle sequences are very 
sharp, and look MUCH better than the battles in Vandal Hearts.  The 2-D 
characters blend in well, and do not look out of place on the 
battlefields.  The spells are really spiff looking.  (Holy is the 
coolest! =)  Now, the reason the graphics did not get a nine or a ten 
is because, while cool, itıs nothing new, and that the summons were 
disappointing.  Donıt get me wrong, some of them look great, but others 
are just Œokayı.

Sound:	9

	The music is nice to listen to, and motivational,  without not 
being so repetitious it gets stuck in your head.  Anyone whoıs played a 
more recent Final Fantasy game knows what Iım talking about.

Control & Interface:	9.5

	Itıs an SRPG. It controls like other SRPGs. End of story. The 
interface however, is great!  Iıve heard some people complain about the 
interface for gaining class abilities, and the battle interface being 
overly complex. I disagree. The interface is not overly complex.  In 
about two hours of game play, you should get used to it. (Two hours may 
seem like a long time, but it goes QUICK. This game is a major  
consumer of your time.) If you donıt get it, thereıs an in game 
tutorial to teach you how. What else can you ask for? If you just spend 
a little time, youıll be hooked...

Story: 7.5

	The story is too complex.  They try to make up for this in three 
ways: (1) by making the game very linear, that way even if you donıt 
get it, you can move on to the next battle,  (2)  an option to watch 
cut scenes again whenever you want to, and (3) a lit of all the people 
in the game.
	Sometimes, that helps, but other times, I wonder, with that long 
list of people and a cut scene viewing option, why didnıt they include 
a brief story recap?  It gets a 7.5 though, because except for a few 
confusing moments, the story is very good. The dialogue was great too.  
I started to really hate some people.  (*coughAlguscough* I hate having 
him in your party. Heıs such a jerk. =P)


Gameplay & Replay Value:	9.5

	This is where the game REALLY shines.  With a ton of classes and 
abilities, and an excellent battle system, the game draws you in, and 
doesnıt let you go. (Iım only writing this review because someone else 
is using the TV! Grrr... =) Gaining levels is FUN in the game, not 
repetitive. (This is because the enemies are always on the same exp. 
level as you.)  You will jump for joy when you find a new  class. 
(Dancers are da bomb! Nameless Dance rules the world!) With many 
different strategic possibilities, a plethora of hidden items, and near 
endless job combinations this is a game that will last you quite a 
while.

Overall: 9

Now go buy the game!!!

E-Mail me at cj@kansas.net with your comments.