What's new in the Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles remaster coming to PlayStation 5?

During Wednesday's PlayStation State of Play showcase, Square Enix announced that Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles, a remaster of the popular tactical role-playing game, will release on September 30 for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4.

Set in the richly imagined world of Ivalice, the game follows the story of Ramza Beoulve and Delita Heiral, childhood friends caught in the political and religious strife of the War of the Lions. First released in Japan on June 20, 1997, for the Sony PlayStation, it marked Square Enix's first game in the tactical role-playing genre. Arriving in North America in January 1998, the game was both a critical and commercial success.

In Japan, it sold about 1.24 million copies by the end of 1997, making it the fifth best-selling home video game in the country that year. By August 2011, global sales surpassed 2.4 million copies.

Here are all the additions and changes fans can expect from the new remaster when it arrives in September.

What’s being added?

An auto-save feature is coming to Final Fantasy Tactics for the first time. Photo Square Enix

An auto-save feature will be introduced for the first time in the game’s history. This addition fixes one of the long-standing frustrations of the original, which is the risk of losing progress due to difficult battles or forgetting to save the game.

The new system automatically saves progress at key moments, such as before and after missions, giving player a more forgiving and modern experience. While maintaining the challenge famous in tactical RPG games, auto-save gives players more accessibility and convenience, especially for newcomers or those revisiting Ivalice on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.

Have graphics been updated?

The remastered Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles will feature significant graphical enhancements that give a new look to the classic game. Character models and environments are updated with high-definition visuals, showing details and vibrant colours.

Battle animations have also been refined, offering smoother and more dynamic combat sequences. Spell effects and environmental elements, such as weather phenomena, have been improved to provide a more immersive experience. The user interface has been optimised for modern platforms, ensuring easy navigation and accessibility.

Will the story be the same?

The remaster offers the option to use either the original or improved translations of the game. Photo: Square Enix

The remastered game will retain the popular improved translation from the 2007 War of the Lions release, which offers a refined narrative experience. This translation adopts a more formal, medieval-inspired tone, aligning with the game's setting and themes.

While some fans have voiced appreciation for the elevated language, which enhances the game's atmosphere, others prefer the original's straightforward approach. The remaster allows players to choose between the enhanced version with fully voiced dialogue and updated visuals, and the classic version that preserves the original gameplay alongside the War of the Lions translation.

Which consoles will it be playable on?

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles is scheduled for release on September 30 and will be available on multiple platforms, including PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X/S and Windows PCs.

Previous versions of the game were only playable on the original PlayStation, as well as improved ports of the game on PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable and PlayStation Vita.

How the bonus system works

The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.

The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.

There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).

All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.

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Expert advice

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Empty Words

By Mario Levrero

(Coffee House Press)

RESULT

Huddersfield Town 2 Manchester United 1
Huddersfield: Mooy (28'), Depoitre (33')
Manchester United: Rashford (78')

Man of the Match: Aaron Mooy (Huddersfield Town)

Quick pearls of wisdom

Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”

Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”

How to donate

Text the following numbers:

2289 - Dh10

6025 - Dh 20

2252 - Dh 50

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*numbers work for both Etisalat and du

MATCH INFO

Mumbai Indians 186-6 (20 ovs)
Kings XI Punjab 183-5 (20 ovs)

Mumbai Indians won by three runs

Desert Warrior

Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley

Director: Rupert Wyatt

Rating: 3/5

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COMPANY PROFILE

Company name: Happy Tenant

Started: January 2019

Co-founders: Joe Moufarrej and Umar Rana

Based: Dubai

Sector: Technology, real-estate

Initial investment: Dh2.5 million

Investors: Self-funded

Total customers: 4,000

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