Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift (Nintendo DS) Second Opinion Review

Grimoire of the Rift is built on an isometric, grid-based interpretation of Ivalice (the home of Final Fantasy XII and its spin-offs). Unlike other Final Fantasy titles, it does not feature an explorable overworld, but rather a map system which allows players to freely move between areas at will. Each area features a number of battle locations and, more often than not, a town. The latter isn't explorable either, so the game forces player to choose between visiting the Pub (used to undertake new quests), the Shop (used to buy and sell items/loot), or, eventually, the Auction House (used to claim control over areas in order to receive bonuses when attempting quests based therein) before they enter. It can all feel a little restrictive at times, particularly given that all Pubs and Shops look much the same, but it's ultimately a functional way to lay out necessary destinations without resorting to unnecessary real-time movement sections.

Also unlike its titular peers is A2's negligible reliance on story development. As the game begins players are treated to a brief introductory cut-scene which explains that the game's main protagonist, Luso Clemens, is a young boy who lived in the 'real world' before being transported to Ivalice by way of a musty old book. Upon arriving in Ivalice, Luso runs into Cid, the leader of Clan Gully. The two become acquainted and Luso eventually decides to join the clan so that he can increase the likelihood of uncovering what happened to him. From here on in the game does provide occasional plot-advancing quests, but they are vastly outnumbered by side-quests (which make up the bulk of the game), and carry little weight given Luso's lack of motivation to return home. A reluctance which is ultimately understandable given his sudden acquirement of sword-fighting skills and fantasy garb. After all, who would want to return to a mundane life of school and homework after that?

Despite being the leader of Clan Gully, Cid is actually a non-playable Guest character who doesn't appear in most battles. This leaves Luso, and by extension the player, in charger of the Clan, the quests it undertakes, and the members it lets in. Clan Gully consists of six members at the game's outset, but it is possible to employ up to twenty four over the course of the game. Each clan member belongs to a certain race (be it Hume, Viera, Moogle, etc.) which dictates the jobs (of which there are more than fifty to chose from!) they can dedicate themselves too. Once a character has chosen a job they can then equip certain weapons associated with it. In turn, weapons will often provide the character in question with an ability to use on the battlefield. Each successful quest earns the clan Ability Points, which eventually allow characters to use the aforementioned abilities even when the relevant weapon is not equipped. It's a relatively simple system, but it offers an almost unthinkable amount of combinations and strategic options that should keep players experimenting well into the latter stages of the game.

Of course, all the customisation options under the sun aren't going to be of much use without a solid battle system, and, thankfully, Final Fantasy Tactics A2 definitely delivers in that department. Battles begin with the placement of a set number of clan members and the introduction of a Law for that battle. Laws are handed down by Judges (a staple of Ivalice-centric titles) and must be obeyed in order to receive special bonuses such as: attribute modifiers for that battle, the ability to resurrect fallen allies, and the right to receive bonus loot upon a quest's completion. Failure to comply with a rule (examples include: 'don't use attacks that target multiple opponents', and 'don't use abilities that restore MP', etc.) instantly nullifies these bonuses, and occasionally causes the quest to be failed altogether. It's an interesting system that can help to add another layer of strategy to certain battles, but it's not without its irritations. Most notably the inclusion of arbitrary rules that are almost entirely out of the player's hands, for example 'don't miss with an attack'.

Strategic options within battles come in a number of different forms. Beyond picking clan members with appropriate jobs (it's possible, if slightly cumbersome, to save before starting a quest, check out the opponents you'll be facing, and then restart said quest with more suitable characters) it's a good idea to be aware of each and every character's position. Doing so allows friendly characters (particularly weaker, support characters like White Mages) to stay out of harms way, and is useful for making decisions about long-range attacks (magic attacks, for example), which can damage multiple opponents who are in close proximity to one another. It's also important to be aware of which direction characters are facing, because attacks from behind do more damage than attacks from the side, which in turn to more damage than head-on attacks. The battles themselves, while enjoyable, can be extremely long-winded and not particularly rewarding at times. A large majority of quests are likely to require 20-40 minutes to complete, which, when you consider that there are somewhere in the region of 400 quests in total, is no mean feat.