I by no means owned a PS1 myself, however an in depth good friend down the road did have one, and that’s the place I first performed each Ultimate Fantasy 7 and fewer than a yr later, Ultimate Fantasy Ways. To say that I used to be smitten with each is an understatement, but it surely was the problem, story and customizability of the latter that caught with me for years. Whereas I loved them, Ultimate Fantasy Ways Advance and A2 didn’t fairly hit in the identical manner, and so I’ve eagerly awaited a brand new incarnation of the sequence. Extra than simply one other within the lengthy line of Sq. Enix remakes and remasters, Ultimate Fantasy Ways – The Ivalice Chronicles looks like a worthwhile launch for this basic turn-based RPG, which hopefully conjures up a real sequel someday down the street.
Throughout PAX West 2025, I had the chance to demo a handful of upcoming Sq. Enix RPGs, the primary of which was The Ivalice Chronicles. When the sport was first revealed, my preliminary impression was one among slight disappointment; I had hoped for a extra full makeover for the virtually 30-year-old title. Having an opportunity to go hands-on with it pressured me to vary my tune fairly rapidly. For one factor, the added voice performing imbues the gravitas of the principle story and its particular person character moments with a good higher depth and resonance. An early instance of this was the scene involving Ramza’s father on his deathbed, the place the voice actors actually accentuated the drama and grief of the second. One other standout from the demo was the work of Paul Panting within the function of Gaffgarion. I’m excited to see this compelling narrative delivered to life by the efforts of its succesful voice forged.
The improved, fashionable model of Ultimate Fantasy Ways that’s included within the bundle seems to supply a trustworthy however polished expertise. Whereas it doesn’t embrace the Battle of the Lions content material, there’s added aptitude and presentation components that shall be welcome to each newcomers and veterans. A small introduction scene performs at any time when a visitor character joins your social gathering, and one thing comparable occurs when an ally turns traitor, which was enjoyable to see. The menus, world map, and fight environments are all simpler to navigate when it comes to controls and look. A brand new fast-forward mechanic makes it simple to hurry by character dialogue and extra importantly the battles with maybe foregone conclusions, just like the random encounters that may pop up when touring between map factors. On condition that I’ve performed by the sport a number of instances, together with on PS1 and by way of the PSP model on Vita, I’m pleasantly stunned that this 2025 launch manages to really feel contemporary and modern inside a way more crowded tactical-RPG style.
I recall with frustration the lag and slowdown that plagued The Battle of the Lions launch on PSP, and so it’s already a fairly large win to see how easily Ultimate Fantasy Ways runs on fashionable platforms. My demo included time with the PS5 model and the Swap 2 model in handheld mode, and the expertise was completely comparable on each, notably when it comes to efficiency. I’m anticipating that Swap 2 homeowners received’t must make any main sacrifice in the event that they wish to take the sport on the go.
I didn’t have time to take a look at the Traditional Mode included with The Ivalice Chronicles, which makes use of the mechanics and graphics of the unique 1997 launch however with The Battle of the Lions script and an added auto-save function. Nevertheless, what I might play of the Enhanced Mode has completely pushed Ultimate Fantasy Ways – The Ivalice Chronicles larger up on my record of fall and winter games-to-play. It jogs my memory of taking your favourite blanket out of the dryer on a chilly day; it’s comfy, heat, and acquainted, but it surely additionally manages to really feel like new. Better of all, we don’t have lengthy to attend earlier than we are able to get our turn-based, job class swapping repair. The Ivalice Chronicles launches on September thirtieth on Nintendo Swap and Swap 2.
