http://www.greatgamesexperiment.com/games/popular/month/rpg/Playstation/tactical/?utm_source=feed&utm_medium=rss ]]> This Month's Most Popular Games Tagged 'rpg, Playstation, tactical' on The Great Games Experiment http://www.greatgamesexperiment.com/css/logo.jpg http://www.greatgamesexperiment.com/games/popular/month/rpg/Playstation/tactical/?utm_source=feed&utm_medium=rss ]]> en-us Final Fantasy Tactics (often abbreviated as FFT) is a tactical role-playing video game developed by Squaresoft for the Sony PlayStation. It was distributed in Japan by Square, and in North America by Sony Computer Entertainment America. It was not released in Europe.

Combining thematic elements of the Final Fantasy series with a game engine and battle system unlike anything previously seen in the franchise, Final Fantasy Tactics is Square's answer to Quest's successful Ogre Battle / Tactics Ogre series, with which it shares a number of key conceptual and stylistic elements. This is due, in part, to the presence of former Quest staff members in its development crew, including director Yasumi Matsuno, character designer Akihiko Yoshida, art director Hiroshi Minagawa and composer Hitoshi Sakimoto, all of whom had left Quest to work with Square. In stark contrast to other 32-bit era Final Fantasy titles, Final Fantasy Tactics uses a 3D, isometric, rotatable playing field, with bitmap sprite characters.

A spinoff was created in 2003, called Final Fantasy Tactics Advance for the Game Boy Advance, and in 2006, a stand-alone title for the Playstation 2 called Final Fantasy XII was released. All three games take place in a world called Ivalice.

It has been announced that a reworked version of Final Fantasy Tactics with widescreen support, updated graphics, new jobs, and cel-shaded FMV will appear on the PlayStation Portable under the title Final Fantasy Tactics Shishi SensÅ

]]> 08 Feb 2007 09:34:10 Vandal Hearts is an original IP developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Nagoya. The game is a turn-based tactical RPG similar to "Shining Force" and "Final Fantasy Tactics". It was released for the original Sony Playstation and the Sega Saturn.


Story Synopsis:


"Thousands of years ago, the holy man known to history as Toroah the Messiah traveled far and wide across the continent of Sostegaria, spreading his teachings throughout the land. After his death, his descendants and heirs assumed absolute political power over the region, forming the basis of the Holy Ashah Dynasty and ruling through a combination of religious doctrine and military power for millennia. The kings and queens of the Holy Ashah Dynasty, however, did not always rule wisely or justly, and, as time passed, the citizenry began to resent the power of their leaders.

Fifteen years ago, this growing discontent found its ultimate expression in the person of Arris the Sage, who united the disparate anti-royal factions throughout Sostegaria and shaped them into a powerful guerrilla army. Under the cunning leadership of Arris, this Liberation Army managed to outwit and outmaneuver the Royal Army, and finally smashed through to the palace of the Ashah Dynasty itself, and burnt it to the ground.

With the monarchy dissolved, the rebels establish a ruling council founded on the principles of democracy and popular sovereignty. From the ashes of the Holy Ashah Empire emerges the Republic of Ishtaria. The leaders of the revolution naturally assumed leadership positions within the new republic: all, that is, except for Arris himself, who, the battle having been won, quietly slipped into the shadows and disappeared.

Today, the fledgling republic is in increasingly dire straits: the autocratic Minister of Defense, Hel Spites, and his elite anti-terrorism squad, the Crimson Guard, are using ever-increasing force to stamp out the last vestiges of resistance to Ishtarian rule, while they allow outlaws to roam the countryside and pirates to sail the seas. Meanwhile, Ash Lambert and his colleagues at the third battalion of the Ishtarian Security Forces begin to suspect a conspiracy at the highest levels of government. Ash's attempts to draw attention to the situation, though, only draw the ire of the conspirators themselves, leaving only Ash and his allies to foil the their plans and restore order to the nation."



Battles take place between two sides on three-dimensional maps viewed through a camera of which the player has complete control. Somewhat resembling the game of Chess the player moves their characters (think pieces) within the allowed movement squares on each turn. Once all the players characters have finished moving or have used an action - such as attacking, using potions or casting spells, the opposing side then takes the next turn until they have exhausted all movement opportunities, and so forth. Experience Points are earned by defeating enemies and casting spells, leading to characters levelling up and becoming more powerful.

The RPG element takes form in the aforementioned Experience Points system and between battles when the player is able to talk to NPC's, buy merchandise from stores, upgrade weapons and armour and even upgrade individuals within the party to a higher class of warrior.

The game spawned a sequel titled Vandal Hearts II: Heavenly Gate, which was only released on the Playstation. There is also a new Vandal Hearts game in development for the Nintendo DS.

]]> 26 Feb 2007 11:18:15 Vandal Hearts II: Heavenly Gate is the sequel to the Konami developed Turn-Based Tactical RPG "Vandal Hearts", also for the Sony Playstation.


"Aided by the power of a sacred sword, Nirbath led the blessed. The last of its powers used, the sword shattered into a thousand pieces, each of which is said to have become the first of every weapon known to mankind"


The story follows the life of the main character of the game, Joshua. The game begins in the country of Natra when Joshua, but a child is orphaned at a young age. His uncle, a lowly farmer, steps up for the boy and takes him to the village called Polata, where he now lives. Due to the progressive education system of Polatas Mayor Kossimo, Joshua is now able to be schooled amongst nobles. This is when he meets Adele, the niece of Kossimo, and they eventually form a close although mostly unspoken bond. As the game progresses Joshua is tricked into killing Kossimo. Realising the gravity of the situation he runs away, thus ending the prologue.

The next part of the game takes place many years later during a state of civil war when Joshua is the leader of the notorious and highly skilled bandit group called the "Red Wolves". This is when he meets Baron Pratue, and the dangerous journey to save the country begins.

The game had a similar feel to the first game despite having nothing to do with each other story wise. The combat system has changed somewhat in that it now features a Dual-Turn System, splitting the screen and allowing the player and opposition to move at the same time.

]]> 27 Feb 2007 06:53:36