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Final Fantasy Tactics for PSP announced: multiplayer and Balthier included!


Colette Bennett \\ 03.19.2007	37 comments

Need I preface this article with my brain paralyzing love for Square? I think not. I have to say though, at GDC I played a PSP and for the first time thought I might actually want one (which is inconvenient because I can't make fun of it anymore if I buy one). With the upcoming release of titles like this and Crisis Core, it's quickly becoming a must have on my list.

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Lion War celebrates the ten-year anniversary of the original game with expanded features such as multiplayer, co-op modes and anime-style cutscenes. Final Fantasy XII players will be pleased to see that Balthier plays a role in this title (I love his cutesy anime restyle here). The Japanese release date is set for May 10th, with no specific date set for stateside release yet. Never fear, my little robots, surely it'll be here soon enough.

This info came from Square Haven, which is a superlative source for those of you who channel your adoration of SquareEnix's work through your every pore. Rather than just taking the obvious fanboy route, the editors have a variety of objective input on where Square is going, which is refreshing. We need more level heads in the game universe, rather than the usual garden variety of people we all dream of stabbing in the face.

37 COMMENTS, LATEST BY Iceciro
this is the first thing that has made me want a psp. :( - view discussion

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There are 37 comments about this post:

Topher Cantler says:
03/19/2007 02:02

O____O

Zero_ says:
03/19/2007 02:13

Multiplayer and Co-Op is just orgasmic. So glad I have a PSP.

Husky Hog says:
03/19/2007 02:31

Collette: I have no interest in the FF era, but feel the need to post a comment in your post

So there you go

wario67 says:
03/19/2007 02:56

looks good
I might get it when it comes out

Southpwnd says:
03/19/2007 03:14

hawt.. and to think i almost sold my little paper weight. :P

ohhh yeah, I went there.

Aex says:
03/19/2007 03:29

o.o wow, glad I own a psp XD Not only is my favorite Final Fantasy EVER getting a remake with additional cutscenes, events, characters, AND jobs... but it also gets co-op AND multiplayer... Life is good

Necros says:
03/19/2007 03:36

I was fairly certain this was announced a while ago, at least a few months. Of course, at the time, we just knew that it was a port with new cutscenes, but multiplayer, co-op, and Balthier...guess it's closer to a remake...of a port.

Rainbowblack says:
03/19/2007 03:44

Im buying this game on purpose alone, but hey thanks SE for making it such an awsome game. I just hope we dont have to unlock Balthier the same way we unlock cloud

85% into the game and he starts out a lowly level one

LostCrichton says:
03/19/2007 03:46

this is great...i can't wait till this comes out.

Rainbowblack says:
03/19/2007 03:47

Just saw the scans, I wonder who the last mystery playable character will be

Sheir says:
03/19/2007 05:03

This was announced a long time ago. The only new thing that was announced was multiplayer.

Sheir says:
03/19/2007 05:05

http://www.destructoid.com/five-reasons-to-own-a-psp-28978.phtml

Jecrell says:
03/19/2007 05:38

「このキャラクターは一体。。。？」
So it seems there's also another mystery character included in the game that isn't Balthier.

Winston Churchill says:
03/19/2007 06:10

I'm almost tempted to buy a PSP.

Wow.

Chibi_Zero says:
03/19/2007 07:02

I guess I need to go buy a PSP now...

MusashiX2 says:
03/19/2007 07:33

jeez... im just tired of ppl bashing the PSP. you know why its a fine little handheld? 4 words: "custom firmware" and "ISO loaders."

so now that Balthier is in the game, does that mean they took out Cloud?

cocotapioca says:
03/19/2007 07:39

mmmm this game should be on the nintendo ds, not the boring PSP ... damn now i must buy one!

Bob Arctor says:
03/19/2007 07:41

Don't worry you can still make fun of the psp for sitting in the corner for being lazy and anti social

LarkOhiya says:
03/19/2007 08:35

Better then crisis core? YOU be the judge.

BlindsideDork says:
03/19/2007 09:02

ok enough already!!! NEW story, please?!

dvddesign says:
03/19/2007 09:08

Musashi, people pick on it because we've had to wait 2+ years to get a 3rd or 4th game for the PSP. Lumines and Hot Shots Golf were the only two titles I ever played. ROMs and shit get old fast, especially when I can play 'em on a TV with a real controller.

So yeah, I sold my PSP. They had 2 years to get their crap together, meanwhile the DS had plenty of content I would rather be playing. Luckily, we both get a FFT game on both consoles.

Colette Bennett says:
03/19/2007 09:31

@BlindsideDork: This news was formally announced on the 15th.

BlindsideDork says:
03/19/2007 09:43

ok, well this morning is moving slowly for me so I was just looking for a new article to help sped the day along....

realyst says:
03/19/2007 10:35

@dvddesign

Exactly. I sold my lil brick and kept my DS(and got me a GP2X. A portable device with TV out and DivX capability is pretty nifty to have). I loved Lumines. I liked Ridge Racer. Dynasty Warriors was, well, Dynasty Warriors. And Bleach was stylish enough to not care about the shallow gameplay.

But enough was enough. A year and a half of no releases worth a damn(when GTA is the highpoint, it's a sad day indeed), and Sony's ongoing efforts to squash the homebrew that may have been worth a damn, I say, "Screw it" and sold my 1.5 firmware PSP on ebay.

pkhilson says:
03/19/2007 11:06

That does it, I'm buying a PSP next fall. The must-play exclusives are piling up fast. First there was Ultimate Ghosts N' Goblins (I'm a huge fan of the series). Then there was Metal Gear Portable Ops with online play. Then the announcement of the Rondo of Blood remake (and port of original). Then there's Crisis Core which looks wicked. And now a remake with added content to one of my favorite games EVER.

Anyone else who laughed at the PSP leaning more and more towards buying one because of great exclusives?

Is the same going to happen with the PS3?!

Elijahz says:
03/19/2007 12:05

This and Crisis Core just sold me on the PSP, good job sony. FFT- by far one of the best games ever.

Crunshii says:
03/19/2007 13:15

feeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek....

Will Sony Release the new redesigned PSP1 ;_; I dont want to get the PSP now if a newer one is coming out... or even the PSP2... guys tell me wut to do!?!!? wait, buy now, wait!?!? ; ;?

pkhilson says:
03/19/2007 13:33

I can't imagine a way they could improve it for basic fundctionality. From what I hear, the screen is great. For the games I'm interested in, the controls are fine. It plays videos, MP3s and that kind of stuff. I doubt it's heavy like the original DS (although I've never held either.)

Aside from the out-of-the-box up to date firmware updates, I don't see any problem with getting a brand new one right now if you can afford it.

Lezbro says:
03/19/2007 15:06

Listen.

There are FINALLY some good games on the PSP. However, all previews and reviews for these good games are always prefaced with "despite the awkward control mechanics of the PSP."

The device is just over-priced and half-baked. Why can't Sony just eat some crow, fix the control issues, drop the price, and roll out the PSP II? They're just taking a bath on this thing and the longer they put off the revision the more the PSP becomes entrenched in gamers' minds as the new N-Gage.

This PSP debacle is not just trashing the current model of PSP, it's putting Sony's entire future efforts at handheld gaming in jeopardy by characterizing them as incompetent and unresponsive.

pkhilson says:
03/19/2007 15:21

What's awkward about controls in a 2D game like Castlevania or in a Strategy RPG like Final Fantasy Tactics though? All you need is a D-pad and a few buttons.

Of course, I've ever even played a PSP before, so I can't really say much can I? What do you mean by bad controls? Is every game sluggish to control? Or is it more of an issue with 3D games? Metal Gear Portable Ops, I can see being a problem with a D-pad alone...

realyst says:
03/19/2007 17:33

pkhilson:

Having had both the heavy DS and the PSP, the PSP is heavier by at least half. The larger DS seems like it's more full of air then anything, but they crammed all they could into the PSP.

The PSP is also more vulnerable to travel damage due to it's less armored nature.

It also tends to seem more damaged easier due to its finish.

If you get a PSP, I would seriously suggest using a Hori brand screen protector(import or ebay) on it. Even if you get a fancy Logitech carry case for it.

And a microfiber cloth if you can't stand fingerprints on it:P

As for myself, there still isn't enough cool exclusives to justify the purchase price for me yet. Maybeif they keep this up. But a quick spell of a couple of good titles won't sell it(yet).

Magesx says:
03/19/2007 17:34

Lez, have you actually played more than one game on a PSP for more than a few minutes? You're blowing the minor at most control issue largely out of proportion.

Pkhilson, I actually have MGS:PO, and the controls are pretty much flawless, like every single other game I have for the PSP.

Of course you have to have different control mechanics. The PSP has quite a few fewer buttons than a PS2 controller, but everything I've played comes out fine.

Magesx says:
03/19/2007 17:37

I dunno, maybe my experience with the system has been abnormally good?

Niero says:
03/19/2007 18:22

I like chicken, I like liver..

realyst says:
03/19/2007 18:43

I hafta agree. I didn't really get that much of an issue with the PSP controls. The nub fell off once and the dpad stiffness makes doing a Ryu fireball a pain in the ass, but other then that, I do remember them being quite responsive.

Crunshii says:
03/19/2007 19:54

hmm... would liver make my psp controls better...