During Wednesday's PlayStation State of Play showcase, Square Enix announced that Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles, a remaster of the popular tactical role-playing game, will release on September 30 for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4.
Set in the richly imagined world of Ivalice, the game follows the story of Ramza Beoulve and Delita Heiral, childhood friends caught in the political and religious strife of the War of the Lions. First released in Japan on June 20, 1997, for the Sony PlayStation, it marked Square Enix's first game in the tactical role-playing genre. Arriving in North America in January 1998, the game was both a critical and commercial success.
In Japan, it sold about 1.24 million copies by the end of 1997, making it the fifth best-selling home video game in the country that year. By August 2011, global sales surpassed 2.4 million copies.
Here are all the additions and changes fans can expect from the new remaster when it arrives in September.
What’s being added?
An auto-save feature will be introduced for the first time in the game’s history. This addition fixes one of the long-standing frustrations of the original, which is the risk of losing progress due to difficult battles or forgetting to save the game.
The new system automatically saves progress at key moments, such as before and after missions, giving player a more forgiving and modern experience. While maintaining the challenge famous in tactical RPG games, auto-save gives players more accessibility and convenience, especially for newcomers or those revisiting Ivalice on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.
Have graphics been updated?
The remastered Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles will feature significant graphical enhancements that give a new look to the classic game. Character models and environments are updated with high-definition visuals, showing details and vibrant colours.
Battle animations have also been refined, offering smoother and more dynamic combat sequences. Spell effects and environmental elements, such as weather phenomena, have been improved to provide a more immersive experience. The user interface has been optimised for modern platforms, ensuring easy navigation and accessibility.
Will the story be the same?
The remastered game will retain the popular improved translation from the 2007 War of the Lions release, which offers a refined narrative experience. This translation adopts a more formal, medieval-inspired tone, aligning with the game's setting and themes.
While some fans have voiced appreciation for the elevated language, which enhances the game's atmosphere, others prefer the original's straightforward approach. The remaster allows players to choose between the enhanced version with fully voiced dialogue and updated visuals, and the classic version that preserves the original gameplay alongside the War of the Lions translation.
Which consoles will it be playable on?
Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles is scheduled for release on September 30 and will be available on multiple platforms, including PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X/S and Windows PCs.
Previous versions of the game were only playable on the original PlayStation, as well as improved ports of the game on PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable and PlayStation Vita.
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
THE BIO
Bio Box
Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul
Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader
Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet
Favorite food: seafood
Favorite place to travel: Lebanon
Favorite movie: Braveheart
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Final results:
Open men
Australia 94 (4) beat New Zealand 48 (0)
Plate men
England 85 (3) beat India 81 (1)
Open women
Australia 121 (4) beat South Africa 52 (0)
Under 22 men
Australia 68 (2) beat New Zealand 66 (2)
Under 22 women
Australia 92 (3) beat New Zealand 54 (1)
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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more from Janine di Giovanni
Fixtures
Opening day Premier League fixtures for August 9-11
August 9
Liverpool v Norwich 11pm
August 10
West Ham v Man City 3.30pm
Bournemouth v Sheffield Utd 6pm
Burnley v Southampton 6pm
C Palace v Everton 6pm
Leicester v Wolves 6pm
Watford v Brighton 6pm
Tottenham v Aston Villa 8.30pm
August 11
Newcastle v Arsenal 5pm
Man United v Chelsea 7.30pm
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
MATCH INFO
Delhi Daredevils 174-4 (20 ovs)
Mumbai Indians 163 (19.3 ovs)
Delhi won the match by 11 runs
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000
Engine 3.6L V6
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm
Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Day 1 results:
Open Men (bonus points in brackets)
New Zealand 125 (1) beat UAE 111 (3)
India 111 (4) beat Singapore 75 (0)
South Africa 66 (2) beat Sri Lanka 57 (2)
Australia 126 (4) beat Malaysia -16 (0)
Open Women
New Zealand 64 (2) beat South Africa 57 (2)
England 69 (3) beat UAE 63 (1)
Australia 124 (4) beat UAE 23 (0)
New Zealand 74 (2) beat England 55 (2)
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
The biog
Name: Mohammed Imtiaz
From: Gujranwala, Pakistan
Arrived in the UAE: 1976
Favourite clothes to make: Suit
Cost of a hand-made suit: From Dh550