Last Fantasy Ways is nice. Some even say it is nice, magnificent, spectacular, or go so far as to say “genre-defining”. I discover my very own opinion sitting comfortably in direction of the latter finish of that spectrum, however for a very long time, it hasn’t been the best title for brand spanking new gamers to check out or veterans to revisit. Amongst Sq. Enix’s intensive backlog of masterpieces, a remaster for Ways is one which has been most clamored for, and in the end, they’re delivering with Last Fantasy Ways – The Ivalice Chronicles. Throughout PAX West, we had the chance to take a seat down for an hour-long demo, trying out the very begin of the sport and one of many pivotal encounters of the story. Temporary although it might have been, I am much more excited to get my arms on the ultimate recreation than I used to be going into the demo.
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The Ivalice Chronicles adopts a model new UI that appears great and goes a good distance in making one of many largest hurdles of fight – the connection between cost occasions of expertise and switch order – virtually a non-issue altogether. Alongside merely wanting typically clear and completely included into the aesthetic of the present recreation and world, the factor that I recognize essentially the most is the inclusion of a turn-order bar on the facet of the display screen, to not dissimilar to the one present in Last Fantasy X. Everytime you spotlight an motion chances are you’ll doubtlessly need a character to tackle their flip, you will notice the place that can place them within the flip order. For the standard assault, transfer, or ready character flip, whereas it’s good to know when they’ll act subsequent, this bar is very useful in terms of spells, summons, and different talents that work on a casting/cost time.
The brand new UI removes any thriller surrounding when that assault will go off, what enemies could presumably transfer out of the way in which, or act earlier than the power goes off. To this present day, determining the components for precisely predicting the cost occasions and what character will go subsequent eludes me. No extra crossing my fingers that the dastardly boss I am focusing on with my Firaga spell will wander right into a cluster of my allies, inflicting all of them to get hit by the huge fireball, too. It is outstanding how the addition of a single bar on the facet of the display screen could make a recreation a lot extra approachable and user-friendly.
One new characteristic that Ivalice Chronicles has is the power to view the map from a straight-down birds-eye view, much like what was achieved in 2022’s Tactics Ogre remaster. Nonetheless, disappointingly, you are not capable of transfer your models on this view, that means that whereas it might give a great lay of the land, unhindered by buildings or terrain heights blocking the view of the battlefield, you’ll nonetheless should cope with these when transferring your troops round. If I had one hope for the sport earlier than launch, it is that the group provides within the skill to command models from this unobstructed view (and to allow you to toggle between the view as a substitute of urgent and holding a button, which is the way it was dealt with within the demo).
Whereas not impacting the direct moment-to-moment gameplay, I could argue that the inclusion of spoken strains of dialogue has achieved extra for Last Fantasy Ways: The Ivalice Chronicles than the rest. Although my time with the sport was comparatively transient, I am unable to understate simply how a lot gravitas and emotion even these few strains I heard add to this recreation. Tender moments equivalent to the ultimate phrases of Ramza’s father to his sons and even the annoyed quips of the thieves the ackademy recruits are despatched to take care of all hit a lot extra right here. Greater than the rest, I feel I am most excited to listen to memorable strains spoken for the primary time.
For Ben Starr followers (and truthfully, who is not at this level, the person is a rattling treasure), had I not recognized who he voiced previous to enjoying the demo, I might not have positioned him. His supply is decidedly extra delicate right here, and understanding what’s to return, I am unable to wait to listen to his supply.
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As a lot as I like the brand new voiced dialogue, what left me most baffled – and that I hadn’t given a lot thought to or actually put collectively – was that this new remaster lacks a redone soundtrack. For an organization that has given followers among the most epic redone and rerecorded soundtracks like the gorgeous orchestral Dragon Quest III HD-2D tracks, Romancing SaGa‘s redone works, and naturally, the Last Fantasy VII Remake venture’s OSTs that I’ll fortunately blare at max quantity any likelihood I get, Last Fantasy Ways has oddly not obtained the identical remedy. What exists remains to be pretty, and the remastered model sounds uncompressed, however that is Sq. Enix we’re speaking about. The place are my orchestral performances of tracks like “Underneath the Stars” or “Trisection”? It feels bizarre to me.
It is not lengthy now earlier than followers of TRPGs can as soon as once more go to the lands of Ivalice and struggle by way of the dramatic battles of the Zodiac Courageous Story. I could not have been capable of check out the unique model of Last Fantasy Ways that can also be included on this launch, however what I performed of the refined and modernized model left me much more desirous to play it than I used to be entering into. I am unable to wait to re-experience this timeless story and listen to it for the primary time.
Last Fantasy Ways: The Ivalice Chronicles releases on September 30, 2025, for Nintendo Swap, Switch2, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Collection S/X, and Steam.