It’s unclear precisely how huge the viewers is for an exceedingly trustworthy remaster of an RPG spin-off that got here out over 25 years in the past, even when it does have Last Fantasy within the identify and is without doubt one of the finest video games ever made. However those that fell in love with Last Fantasy Ways as soon as they found it and have been obsessing about it ever since care very a lot concerning the upcoming Ivalice Chronicles remaster, particularly what it can or gained’t change concerning the unique, and what it would imply for a possible sequel all these years later.
You will discover my thoughts on what I played of Last Fantasy Ways – The Ivalice Chronicles not too long ago behind closed doorways at PAX West 2025, however a latest barrage of interviews with the event group has offered some extra clues about what followers can count on from the overhaul. The sport isn’t out till September 30, however the director of the venture has already been tipping his hand about some huge questions I’ve had, together with how the remaster approaches Last Fantasy Ways‘ most broken characters.
Orlandeau Thunder God Cid will still be OP
Every Final Fantasy has a Cid, and Final Fantasy Tactics‘ is by far the most broken. He joins your party late into the game and comes with a full suite of magic sword abilities with no charge time that do incredible damage. He also arrives equipped with Excalibur, which auto-casts Haste on the user. He’s a wrecking ball that trivializes each combat, which is why I’ve a strict rule in opposition to ever utilizing him.
If we remaster it, what do you consider whether or not it’s higher to weaken ” The Thunder God Cid”, who was accused of destroying the steadiness ?
— 松野泰己🐈⬛ (@YasumiMatsuno) June 1, 2023
It feels like he’ll nonetheless be that approach. “We haven’t made any changes to characters that were powerful,” director Kazutoyo Maehiro told Gamesradar. “And similarly, not just for the unique characters, but for jobs such as the arithmetician, we haven’t made any major changes.” Whereas some lessons like Archer have been buffed, the group needed to keep away from gamers experiencing any moments of “your favorite job got nerfed.”
FF7‘s Cloud won’t suck a lot if you first get him
The Last Fantasy VII protagonist has an uncommon cameo in Ways, the place he not solely seems on this planet however may be recruited and utilized in battle. I gained’t get into the story particulars that designate Cloud’s arrival, however within the unique sport he’s form of a ache to make use of, at the very least till you end his aspect quest. That’s altering for The Ivalice Chronicles.
“We’ve made it so that his stats are adjusted a little bit. On top of that, he will come equipped with the Materia Blade when he joins your party initially,” Maehiro told Inverse. “So in terms of usability of him as a character, it will be much more approachable than it was in the original.” Gamers will even be capable of recruit him earlier within the remaster, beginning in chapter 4. It stays to be seen if the charging time and assault energy on his Restrict command will get the buffs they deserve.
The Wiegraf boss combat isn’t simpler, but it surely gained’t break your save file
Wiegraf is considered one of Last Fantasy Ways‘ most tragic characters and most difficult enemies. Most first-time players are completely unprepared for the unique one-on-one fight with the ex-revolutionary that the game throws them into without warning about halfway through. Worse still, in the original game, the encounter happens inside a castle, wedged between two other encounters with no opportunity to go grind on the world map if you’re having hassle. With out a backup save, a playthrough can grind to an entire halt this manner.
The Ivalice Chronicles doesn’t make Wiegraf simpler, but it surely does supply a brand new choice to again out of the combat in case you’re having hassle. “We have the ability to retry battle, or when you’re doing consecutive battles, you can actually back out to the world map,” Maehiro told Inverse. “We have those types of features for accessibility and ease of play.” Gamers may also change to the simple mode in the event that they’re having an excessive amount of hassle, or they’ll exploit one of many many methods followers have provide you with over time to make simple work of Wiegraf and his OP holy sword assaults (together with a glitch that’s still in the new version).
Genji armor stealing is again in a day-one patch resulting from in style demand
One other huge combat in Last Fantasy Ways is in opposition to Marquis Elmdore within the Limberry Citadel. One of many issues that’s distinctive about it’s that Elmdore has a full set of Genji samurai gear that seems nowhere else within the sport. Diligent gamers can spend the complete battle attempting to steal it from him but it surely’s very troublesome as a result of, amongst different issues, Elmdore has a capability that reduces the success charge under 20 p.c until you spend numerous time debuffing him.
Stealing the armor was solely potential within the U.S. model of the unique sport, not the Japanese model or the later Struggle of the Lions port that was based mostly on it. The choice is coming again for The Ivalice Chronicles, although. “In interviews when the sport was introduced, we acquired numerous suggestions from followers each in Japan and abroad saying, ‘I wish we could steal Genji equipment,’” Maehiro told Famitsu. “Matsuno, the director of the original version, also mentioned the same thing, so we decided to make it possible to steal in the Enhanced Version. This will be reflected in a patch on the release date, so please connect online and apply the patch.”
The Time Mage’s omnipotent Teleport ability now prices 3,000 JP to unlock
This one cuts me to my core. Teleport is without doubt one of the finest abilities within the sport, and you’ll have a personality be taught it very early so long as you grind for job factors to unlock it in a few battles. It lets a personality attempt to transfer anyplace on the battlefield, however the farther the sq. is from their present location, the decrease the likelihood of success. On ranges divided by fort partitions or different troublesome terrain, nevertheless, it makes it simple to dominate the battlefield.
Within the unique sport, the ability solely prices 600 JP. It’s a steal. Not so within the remaster. As pointed out by RPGFan, the ability now prices 3,000 JP to unlock. That’s going to be a complete lot of characters standing round attacking each other earlier than a battle ends to grind for factors. A minimum of this manner, lastly acquiring the ability will really feel rather less easy-mode.
Last Fantasy Ways might nonetheless get (one other) sequel
Last Fantasy Ways is way from the one technique RPG Sq. Enix has launched, even in recent times. There have been two spin-offs on Recreation Boy Advance again within the 2000s and extra not too long ago, the religious successor, Triangle Technique, which is to Ways what Octopath Traveler is to Last Fantasy VI. However for some followers, none of those video games ever hit the best way the unique did and so they’re nonetheless pining for some cosmic convergence that captures tactical-RPG lightning in a bottle a second time.
“Our first and foremost goal here really was to recreate the original game,” Maehiro told Wired. Although he can’t make any guarantees, there’s apparently a risk The Ivalice Chronicles might get extra new content material in a future replace if the sport sells nicely sufficient. “If [The Ivalice Chronicles] were to become a success,” he continued, “I do feel that that would then lead to discussions around potentially bringing out sequels, for example, or newer tactical RPGs.”
