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

The game, originally released in 1997, is shaping up to be the best version of the cult classic yet

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles remaster is coming to PlayStation 5 on September 30. Photo: Square Enix

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.