Square Enix releases Final Fantasy Tactics

Square Enix has released the latest iOS remake in its Final Fantasy franchise, Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions. Essentially a port from the earlier GBA and PSP versions, Final Fantasy Tactics is a turn-based tactical RPG set in the Final Fantasy universe, placing players in the fictional kingdom of Ivalice where they take on the role of a highborn cadet in the middle of a war for the throne. The iPhone and iPod touch version of Final Fantasy Tactics adds intuitive touchscreen controls for the control of units by tapping directly on the units and on-screen menus and users can now rotate, move and change the size of maps using standard swipe and pinch gestures. Final Fantasy Tactics is an iPhone and iPod touch application requiring iOS 4.0 or later and is available from the App Store for $16. An iPad version is expected to be released later this year; based on Square’s earlier release of Final Fantasy III, users should expect the iPad version of Final Fantasy Tactics to be a separate app sold in the same price range, and iPad users may therefore wish to hold off on the purchase of the iPhone version—perhaps even to wait for either a sharp price decrease or a proper universal release.