Final Fantasy Tactics Rebuilt Without Source Code, Will Not Include New Jobs or Characters, Cloud Arrives Earlier

In an interview with Famitsu, it was revealed that the concept for this updated release began in May 2018, sparked by a livestreamed playthrough of the original Final Fantasy Tactics. The stream reminded the developers how well the game was still received despite its outdated interface. Development was slow at first due to the ongoing work on Final Fantasy XVI, and full-scale production on The Ivalice Chronicles didn’t begin until XVI was completed.

One confirmed change in the enhanced version is that Cloud Strife can now be recruited earlier in the game, making him more practical to use throughout the story. He is also fully voiced, with Cody Christian officially confirmed to reprise his role as Cloud from the Final Fantasy VII remake series.

Director Kazutoyo Maehiro, a member of the original development team, spoke with Square Enix about the process of rebuilding the game for modern platforms. He explained how revisiting the original sparked his desire to reintroduce it to a new generation:

"A few years ago, certain circumstances led me to play the original Final Fantasy Tactics game."

Recognizing the lack of availability on current consoles, he emphasized the motivation behind the project.

"However, there was no way to play the game on the current generation of consoles. I really wanted the younger generation of players who didn't get to experience the original release to be able to play this incredible game. That's why we started developing this title."

The development team approached the project with respect for the original while aiming to modernize the experience. Maehiro explained their vision for the enhanced version:

"Our main focus was to keep everything that was great about the original game intact, but also working to further improve the game to adapt the game to the current era - for example, revamping the controls and UI as well as adding full voice acting to enhance player immersion.

So, rather than having the game run on an emulator, or produce a remaster or remake, the approach we took was to reinvent Final Fantasy Tactics."

Maehiro also reflected on the game’s unique place within the tactical RPG genre and why it remains beloved by fans:

"There have been lots of games released in the tactical RPG subgenre, but Final Fantasy Tactics stands as one of a kind among them- I think this harmonization is why  Final Fantasy Tactics holds a lasting place in players' hearts rather than simply being another game among many."

The team faced significant challenges during development, mainly due to the absence of original assets. Maehiro described these obstacles:

"There were a number of major challenges, but all of them stemmed from the fact that the master data and source code from the original game no longer existed."

"In those days, we didn't have the sort of robust resource-management tools that exist today, and on top of that, the production workflow for the game was such that the Japanese version was produced first, and then we would create localized versions by overwriting the data with that of other languages, including English."

"There was also no such thing as online patches or updates, so unless there was any major reason to do something different, once you'd made the game, that was it."

"So, I think it's fair to say that developing this game without any master data or source code was the biggest challenge."

To overcome this, the team undertook an extensive reconstruction process. Maehiro detailed their efforts:

"We analyzed a number of existing versions of the game and reconstructed the programming of the original, but there were also times where we played the original game and worked it out by feel alone..."

"The entire process was the result of cumulative hard work - on the one hand working to implement new features, while behind the scenes our work was similar to porting an old arcade game to the NES."

"The staff who worked on this game were real lifesavers. I can't thank them enough."

Finally, on the topic of new content, Maehiro clarified the decision to preserve the original experience rather than add new jobs or characters:

"We did of course consider the addition of new jobs, abilities, and characters - including the jobs featured in War of the Lions. However, the original version of  Final Fantasy Tactics is a very complete game both from a game design and story perspective. If we were to make major changes, it would only be a loss for not only fans of the original game, but also those new to the title.

With this in mind, our first step in reviving FINAL FANTASY TACTICS in the present was to adhere to the original and put a spotlight on the original game’s characters and jobs, as well as the original gameplay experience."

Source:

square-enix-games.com

famitsu.com

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