Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions
Encyclopedia
is a tactical role-playing game
developed and published by Square Enix
for the Sony
PlayStation Portable
and iOS
. The game is an updated version of Final Fantasy Tactics
for the PlayStation
video game console
.
The War of the Lions is the second announced game in the "Ivalice Alliance" campaign, a promotion of video games set in the Ivalice
fictional world. The first is Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings
, a sequel to Final Fantasy XII
, for the Nintendo DS
, and the third is Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift
.
Following the trend of Final Fantasy
video games on PlayStation
systems, The War of the Lions features full motion video
during certain scenes. These videos are rendered using cel-shading
, a technique giving the illusion of hand drawn animation. Because of the PlayStation Portable
's screen size, the game features a 16:9 aspect ratio
, as opposed to the previous 4:3. The developers added sequences with visual arts illustrated by Akihiko Yoshida, and the game is complete with new episodes and cutscenes that were not in the original title. Developers wanted the game to suit both new players and players that have experienced the original title.
The game adds two new character classes; the Onion Knight, taken from Final Fantasy III
, and the Dark Knight, which was previously only available to one character, Gaffgarion. The Dark Knight in this game has added abilities and thus the original Dark Knight class was renamed to "Fell Knight". The Fell Knight class is still unique to Gaffgarion. In addition, The War of the Lions contains new characters, including Balthier
from Final Fantasy XII
. Balthier is said to have an "important role", branded as a heretic in search of the "Cache of Glabados". He joins Ramza, the protagonist while he searches for his sister. Another new character, a monster hunter named Luso from Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift
also joins Ramza.
Another addition to the game is a wireless multiplayer mode, both for co-operative and competitive play. In competitive play, opposing teams may place traps onto the battlefield, and these traps are hidden from the opponent. To ease identification, teams are assigned colors. The battle ends after a set number of rounds, and the team with the most remaining HP is declared the winner. The winner may then receive an item randomly generated from treasure chests.
Other additions include new items and equipment and an increased character party limit, as well as new scenes that flesh out the backstory of existing characters and explaining more events beyond what the player sees through Ramza's eyes.
Two new unlockable characters include Balthier from Final Fantasy XII
, and Luso from Final Fantasy Tactics A2
.
of a historian, Arazlam Durai, who is seeking to shed light on an era of Ivalice's history: specifically, the War of the Lions, and King Delita Heiral's rise to power. It is his contention that another man, Ramza Beoulve, is the true hero of the era. To prove it, the game flashes back
to Ramza's day, finding him a mercenary
employed as a bodyguard to Princess Ovelia as she prepares to leave Orbonne Monastery. Though Ramza and his companions defend the monastery against an apparent attack by Goltanna's knights, a rogue kidnapper sneaks in the back and makes off with the princess: none other than Delita Heiral, future king and Ramza's former best friend.
The game's first chapter depicts the past friendship between the noble-born Ramza and Delita, a commoner. Both are squire-cadets enrolled in the Order of the Northern Sky's Akademy, burdened by moral conflict as the Order (under the command of Ramza's brothers Dycedarg and Zalbaag, as well as Duke Larg) seeks to eradicate a brigade of disenfranchised peasant-soldiers. Successive battles against Millueda and Wiegraf Folles of this so-called Corpse Brigade further erode Ramza and Delita's faith in their purpose as aspiring cadets. The harsh reality of their world's social stratification is finally made obvious when Delita's sister, Tietra, is sacrified by Zalbaag to quell the remaining element of the peasant uprising. Ramza and Delita both turn against their Order and their former comrade Argath, with Delita swearing to direct his wrath at Ramza and 'all' the nobles of Ivalice once immediate vengeance is satisfied. For turning against his family and birthright, a disillusioned Ramza is stripped of the Beouvle name, while Delita is seemingly killed in the fiery aftermath of the Order's purge.
The second chapter opens outside Orbonne immediately after Ovelia's kidnapping. Ramza, together with his mercenary captain Gaffgarion and Ovelia's personal bodyguard Agrias catch up to Delita as he is beset by the Order of the Northern Sky, helping save the princess. Gaffgarion betrays Ramza and Agrias, revealing he was ultimately hired by Dycedarg and Larg to facilitate her assassination, removing the only obstacle to Larg's declaration as regent. Ramza and Agrias agree to escort Ovelia to Cardinal Delacroix of Lionel, a province of Ivalice controlled by the powerful Church of Glabados - the one authority neither the White nor Black Lions will dare offend. En route they encounter Mustadio Bunansa, who is on the run from the Baert Trading Company; Mustadio is in possession of a mystical artifact known as auracite. Eventually reaching the Cardinal in Lionel's capital, Delacroix explains that this auracite is one of the Zodiac Stones, relics from an ancient Ivalician tale: that of the Zodiac Braves, heroes who once defeated a demon summoned to Ivalice by a king with more ambition than sense. Though Delacroix promises to put an end to Baert, it transpires that he is actually part of a faction within the Glabados Church that is trying to collect the Zodiac Stones for their own purposes. This faction is also manipulating and motivating the entire war, secretly provoking Dukes Larg and Goltanna in an effort to destroy both men and cripple their knightly Orders. Misled by Delacroix after witnessing Baert still active in the Clockwork City of Goug, Ramza and Mustadio encounter Agrias under pursuit from the Cardinal's forces. She informs the pair that Ovelia is due to be executed; rushing to intervene, Ramza is instead led into a trap laid by Gaffgarion. Though his former captain escapes, Ramza finally puts an end to him at Delacroix's stronghold before confronting the Cardinal himself. Delacroix then invokes the auracite's true power, merging with the demonic Lucavi known as Cúchulainn. Though Ramza defeats the abomination, Glabados brands him a heretic.
Various cut scenes depict the worsening war and Delita's rise to power by means of manipulation. In chapter three, Ramza seeks answers and help first from his estranged family in the Ivalician capital of Lesalia; there he is rebuked by Zalbaag, though his sister, Alma, believes his tales of deeper corruption and accompanies him, citing the wisdom of the hermetic priest Simon Penn-Lachishat Orbonne Monastery. Before departing, Ramza and Alma are accosted by Confessor Zalmour and his charges of heresy, but is driven off. At Orbonne, the pair are surprised to discover the Knights Templar, the militant wing of Glabados, sacking and plundering its own monastery. Within, Ramza first confronts Isilud as he makes off with yet another piece of auracite recovered from the bowels of Orbonne's labyrinthine library. In pursuit, Wiegraf Folles (now himself a Templar) challenges Ramza to avenge the death of Milleuda, but is to cut down. Crawling limply from the steps of the monastery, his Zodiac Stone activates, transforming Wiegraf into another Lucavi, Belias. Choosing not to fight, Belias departs, leaving Ramza clutching the dying Simon, who turns over the one thing that can thwart the church's ambitions to manipulate The War of the Lions: the ancient Scriptures of Germonique, a truthful biography of the life of St. Ajora Glabados. Within the text Ramza discovers the legend of the Zodiac Braves is a falsehood, and Ajora's supposedly divine nature nothing less than a fabrication. Ramza is shortly thereafter confronted by an agent of Grand Duke Barrington, claiming possession of Alma, whom Isilud had kidnapped upon fleeing Orbonne. Pursuing his sister, Ramza is first beset by Marach and Rapha, mage assassins in the Duke's employ - Rapha defects to Ramza, and as they travel, Barrington meets with Folmarv, commander of the Templars, presenting his captured son, Isilud, and relaying Glabados' entire plan, threatening to expose the church and elevate himself to the throne, to which Folmarv merely transforms into a Lucavi and sets about slaughtering the castle's inhabitants. Ramza arrives after this devastation, confronted by Belias once more, whom he defeats. It is on the castle's roof that Ramza protects Rapha from the demonically-possessed Marquis Elmdore, after Elmdore's assassins have dispatched Barrington. Afterwards, Rapha appeals to the auracite much as Wiegraf had, though this succeeds in resurrecting her fallen brother rather than manifesting another demon. The three question whether auracite is a gateway to an infernal realm, or merely a window into the human heart.
The final chapter of the game involves Ramza's fight against the Knights Templar's leadership, revealed as the orchestrators of every conspiracy behind The War of the Lions, having even deluded the priesthood of Glabados. This faction is controlled by the Lucavi and is attempting to resurrect Ajora Glabados, the chosen host Lucavi's leader, the High Seraph Ultima. Ramza traverses across all of Ivalice in pursuit of Folmarv and his lieutenants Cleitienne and Woffrey. As the Templar's agenda becomes more overt, they cause increasing chaos, as Ultima's resurrection requires the sacrifice of an incomprehensible magnitude of bloodshed. Among the slain are Dukes Larg and Goltanna after the battle of Fort Besselat, as well as Dycedarg and Zalbaag Beoulve. Ramza's sister Alma is retained by Folmarv in anticipation of a more insidious fate: it will be her body that substitutes for Ajora's as a container for Ultima. After the death of the Glabados Church's high priest, Marcel Funebris, Ramza and his party travel to the long-sunken Necrohol of Mullonde, where they save Alma and defeat Ultima, saving Ivalice from destruction.
The epilogue reveals that neither Ramza nor his compatriots were ever confirmed to have survived the battle. In this same epilogue, Orran Durai sees both Ramza and Alma riding off on Chocobos, though it is never confirmed that they were truly there. He later compiles records of the Church's deceit, preparing to publish the tale. However, captured and burned at the stake as a heretic, his records, the "Durai Papers," lay unheeded for more than four centuries until their release from the Church and dissemination by Orran's descendant: the game's narrator, Arazlam Durai. In the final scene, Ovelia accuses Delita of having manipulated her as he does everyone and stabs him in anger. Delita kills her, and then staggers backwards, questioning whether his pursuits yielded the end he truly desired.
magazine as a PlayStation Portable
port
of Final Fantasy Tactics
. The magazine stated additions of cel-shaded full motion video
s, and extra job classes among other new features.
The title was originally made for the PlayStation console in 1997. Takamasa Shiba, the current game's producer, said that Square Enix decided to "re-envision the game a decade later". Because of the extensive gameplay and deep storyline, the PlayStation version would compel players to spend hours playing it. Shiba cited this as one of the main reasons why Square chose to develop it for the PSP, and because of its portability. The subtitle of The War of the Lions was chosen as it illustrates "the backdrop for the story of the two main characters Ramza and Delita", as well as illustrating the multiplayer gameplay.
The North American localization of The War of the Lions has full audio voice acting for the video sequences in the game. The slowdown and sound downgrade, though acknowledged by the localizers, was not a priority for them to fix, being stated as "out of their hands." Various reviewers have differing opinions about how the slowdown issue has been addressed; one of the previews of the North American version claims that the slowdown has been reduced, stating that "now the technical issues are about on par with the minor slowdown exhibited in the PS1 release and are no longer distracting", while others stated that the slowdowns still "occur when performing attacks or spells in battle".
A PlayStation Network version was released on March 9, 2011 in Japan, and in North America in July 18, 2011.
The War of the Lions was released for iOS
in 2011, with the iPhone
version released on August 4, 2011, and an iPad
version scheduled for later this year. The iOS version does not include the multiplayer feature.
magazine.
As of December 18, 2007, The War of the Lions has a score of 88/100 at the aggregate review site Metacritic
based on 39 reviews, 88.3% at GameRankings based on 47 reviews, and 9.0/10 at GameStats based on 36 reviews. In comparison, the original Final Fantasy Tactics scored 83 from 12 reviews at Metacritic.
The War of the Lions has been criticized for slowdowns during battles and decreased audio quality, most notably casting spells or using special abilities that require different lighting effects. Despite the move from disc-only to the option of playing via PlayStation Network download, the slowdown remains, as confirmed by PlayStation LifeStyle's review .
Tactical role-playing game
A tactical role-playing game is a type of video game which incorporates elements of traditional role-playing video games and strategy games. In Japan these games are known as , a designation which might seem peculiar to native English speakers...
developed and published by Square Enix
Square Enix
is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its console role-playing game franchises, which include the Final Fantasy series, the Dragon Quest series, and the action-RPG Kingdom Hearts series...
for the Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
and iOS
IOS
iOS is an operating system for iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, and Apple TV.IOS may also refer to:-Companies and organisations:* Illinois Ornithological Society, American state-based bird club...
. The game is an updated version of Final Fantasy Tactics
Final Fantasy Tactics
is a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Square for the Sony PlayStation video game console. It is the first game of the Final Fantasy Tactics series and was released in Japan in June 1997 and in the United States in January 1998...
for the PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
video game console
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
.
The War of the Lions is the second announced game in the "Ivalice Alliance" campaign, a promotion of video games set in the Ivalice
Ivalice
is a fictional location in the Final Fantasy XII, Final Fantasy Tactics, and Vagrant Story universe. The world was conceived by Yasumi Matsuno when he joined Square Co. in 1995, and has since been expanded upon by several games, with more yet due with the Ivalice Alliance series...
fictional world. The first is Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings
Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings
is a real-time strategy RPG developed by Think & Feel and published by Square Enix for the Nintendo DS. It is a sequel to the best-selling 2006 PlayStation 2 role-playing game Final Fantasy XII....
, a sequel to Final Fantasy XII
Final Fantasy XII
is a console role-playing video game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 2. Released in 2006, it is the twelfth title in the Final Fantasy series and the last in the series to be released exclusively on the PlayStation platform...
, for the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
, and the third is Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift
Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift
is a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix for the Nintendo DS handheld game console.Grimoire of the Rift is the sequel to Final Fantasy Tactics Advance as well as an iteration in the Ivalice Alliance.- Gameplay :...
.
Gameplay
Final Fantasy
is a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and is developed and owned by Square Enix . The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and science-fantasy role-playing video games , but includes motion pictures, anime, printed media, and other merchandise...
video games on PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
systems, The War of the Lions features full motion video
Full motion video
Full motion video based games are video games that rely upon pre-recorded TV-quality movie or animation rather than sprites, vectors, or 3D models to display action in the game. In the early 1990s a diverse set of games utilized this format...
during certain scenes. These videos are rendered using cel-shading
Cel-shaded animation
Cel-shaded animation is a type of non-photorealistic rendering designed to make computer graphics appear to be hand-drawn. Cel-shading is often used to mimic the style of a comic book or cartoon. It is a somewhat recent addition to computer graphics, most commonly turning up in video games...
, a technique giving the illusion of hand drawn animation. Because of the PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
's screen size, the game features a 16:9 aspect ratio
Aspect ratio (image)
The aspect ratio of an image is the ratio of the width of the image to its height, expressed as two numbers separated by a colon. That is, for an x:y aspect ratio, no matter how big or small the image is, if the width is divided into x units of equal length and the height is measured using this...
, as opposed to the previous 4:3. The developers added sequences with visual arts illustrated by Akihiko Yoshida, and the game is complete with new episodes and cutscenes that were not in the original title. Developers wanted the game to suit both new players and players that have experienced the original title.
The game adds two new character classes; the Onion Knight, taken from Final Fantasy III
Final Fantasy III
is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square in for the Family Computer as the third installment in the Final Fantasy series. It is the first numbered Final Fantasy game to feature the job-change system....
, and the Dark Knight, which was previously only available to one character, Gaffgarion. The Dark Knight in this game has added abilities and thus the original Dark Knight class was renamed to "Fell Knight". The Fell Knight class is still unique to Gaffgarion. In addition, The War of the Lions contains new characters, including Balthier
Balthier
Balthier, known as in the original Japanese language version, is a 22-year-old fictional character in the Final Fantasy series, and a protagonist in Final Fantasy XII. He was designed by Akihiko Yoshida, and voiced by Gideon Emery and Hiroaki Hirata in the English and Japanese versions respectively...
from Final Fantasy XII
Final Fantasy XII
is a console role-playing video game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 2. Released in 2006, it is the twelfth title in the Final Fantasy series and the last in the series to be released exclusively on the PlayStation platform...
. Balthier is said to have an "important role", branded as a heretic in search of the "Cache of Glabados". He joins Ramza, the protagonist while he searches for his sister. Another new character, a monster hunter named Luso from Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift
Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift
is a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix for the Nintendo DS handheld game console.Grimoire of the Rift is the sequel to Final Fantasy Tactics Advance as well as an iteration in the Ivalice Alliance.- Gameplay :...
also joins Ramza.
Another addition to the game is a wireless multiplayer mode, both for co-operative and competitive play. In competitive play, opposing teams may place traps onto the battlefield, and these traps are hidden from the opponent. To ease identification, teams are assigned colors. The battle ends after a set number of rounds, and the team with the most remaining HP is declared the winner. The winner may then receive an item randomly generated from treasure chests.
Other additions include new items and equipment and an increased character party limit, as well as new scenes that flesh out the backstory of existing characters and explaining more events beyond what the player sees through Ramza's eyes.
Setting
The War of the Lions retains the setting of the PlayStation version, in which the fictional kingdom of Ivalice has just ended a lengthy conflict (dubbed the Fifty Years' War) with its neighbor, Ordalia. In the PSP version, a complete retranslation changed various location and character names in addition to the overall tone of the dialogue and plot. The game revolves around the War of the Lions, a conflict occurring due to the death of the Ivalician monarch, King Ondoria. The heir to the throne, Prince Orinus, is but an infant - a regent must therefore be selected to rule in the prince's stead. Loyalists of the crown choose Duke Larg as their candidate to serve in conjunction with the power-hungry Queen Louveria, while the nobles' council backs Duke Goltanna and the ascension of Princess Ovelia. Each of these men served as distinguished generals in the Fifty Years' War under the banner of the White Lion and Black Lion respectively.Characters
As with the PlayStation version, The War of the Lions possesses the same large cast supporting a deep, complex story. With the unfolding political drama between Larg and Goltanna serving as the backdrop, the game follows the story of two friends: Ramza, the youngest scion of the noble house Beoulve, and Delita Heiral, the son of a commoner-farmer. Though they have been companions since childhood, the eventual treachery of Delita's sister's death creates a lasting rift between the two that leads them along different paths through the myriad of conspiracies surrounding the nobles' conflict. Among the names afforded a new translation are Delita's sister Teta becoming Tietra, Olan becoming Orran, Zalbag becoming Zalbaag, and Orlandu changing to Orlandeau.Two new unlockable characters include Balthier from Final Fantasy XII
Final Fantasy XII
is a console role-playing video game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 2. Released in 2006, it is the twelfth title in the Final Fantasy series and the last in the series to be released exclusively on the PlayStation platform...
, and Luso from Final Fantasy Tactics A2
Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift
is a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix for the Nintendo DS handheld game console.Grimoire of the Rift is the sequel to Final Fantasy Tactics Advance as well as an iteration in the Ivalice Alliance.- Gameplay :...
.
Story
War of the Lions has retained much of the original storyline from Final Fantasy Tactics. The game is told through the framing deviceFraming device
The term framing device refers to the usage of the same single action, scene, event, setting, or any element of significance at both the beginning and end of an artistic, musical, or literary work. The repeated element thus creates a ‘frame’ within which the main body of work can develop.The...
of a historian, Arazlam Durai, who is seeking to shed light on an era of Ivalice's history: specifically, the War of the Lions, and King Delita Heiral's rise to power. It is his contention that another man, Ramza Beoulve, is the true hero of the era. To prove it, the game flashes back
Flashback (narrative)
Flashback is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point the story has reached. Flashbacks are often used to recount events that happened before the story’s primary sequence of events or to fill in crucial backstory...
to Ramza's day, finding him a mercenary
Mercenary
A mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
employed as a bodyguard to Princess Ovelia as she prepares to leave Orbonne Monastery. Though Ramza and his companions defend the monastery against an apparent attack by Goltanna's knights, a rogue kidnapper sneaks in the back and makes off with the princess: none other than Delita Heiral, future king and Ramza's former best friend.
The game's first chapter depicts the past friendship between the noble-born Ramza and Delita, a commoner. Both are squire-cadets enrolled in the Order of the Northern Sky's Akademy, burdened by moral conflict as the Order (under the command of Ramza's brothers Dycedarg and Zalbaag, as well as Duke Larg) seeks to eradicate a brigade of disenfranchised peasant-soldiers. Successive battles against Millueda and Wiegraf Folles of this so-called Corpse Brigade further erode Ramza and Delita's faith in their purpose as aspiring cadets. The harsh reality of their world's social stratification is finally made obvious when Delita's sister, Tietra, is sacrified by Zalbaag to quell the remaining element of the peasant uprising. Ramza and Delita both turn against their Order and their former comrade Argath, with Delita swearing to direct his wrath at Ramza and 'all' the nobles of Ivalice once immediate vengeance is satisfied. For turning against his family and birthright, a disillusioned Ramza is stripped of the Beouvle name, while Delita is seemingly killed in the fiery aftermath of the Order's purge.
The second chapter opens outside Orbonne immediately after Ovelia's kidnapping. Ramza, together with his mercenary captain Gaffgarion and Ovelia's personal bodyguard Agrias catch up to Delita as he is beset by the Order of the Northern Sky, helping save the princess. Gaffgarion betrays Ramza and Agrias, revealing he was ultimately hired by Dycedarg and Larg to facilitate her assassination, removing the only obstacle to Larg's declaration as regent. Ramza and Agrias agree to escort Ovelia to Cardinal Delacroix of Lionel, a province of Ivalice controlled by the powerful Church of Glabados - the one authority neither the White nor Black Lions will dare offend. En route they encounter Mustadio Bunansa, who is on the run from the Baert Trading Company; Mustadio is in possession of a mystical artifact known as auracite. Eventually reaching the Cardinal in Lionel's capital, Delacroix explains that this auracite is one of the Zodiac Stones, relics from an ancient Ivalician tale: that of the Zodiac Braves, heroes who once defeated a demon summoned to Ivalice by a king with more ambition than sense. Though Delacroix promises to put an end to Baert, it transpires that he is actually part of a faction within the Glabados Church that is trying to collect the Zodiac Stones for their own purposes. This faction is also manipulating and motivating the entire war, secretly provoking Dukes Larg and Goltanna in an effort to destroy both men and cripple their knightly Orders. Misled by Delacroix after witnessing Baert still active in the Clockwork City of Goug, Ramza and Mustadio encounter Agrias under pursuit from the Cardinal's forces. She informs the pair that Ovelia is due to be executed; rushing to intervene, Ramza is instead led into a trap laid by Gaffgarion. Though his former captain escapes, Ramza finally puts an end to him at Delacroix's stronghold before confronting the Cardinal himself. Delacroix then invokes the auracite's true power, merging with the demonic Lucavi known as Cúchulainn. Though Ramza defeats the abomination, Glabados brands him a heretic.
Various cut scenes depict the worsening war and Delita's rise to power by means of manipulation. In chapter three, Ramza seeks answers and help first from his estranged family in the Ivalician capital of Lesalia; there he is rebuked by Zalbaag, though his sister, Alma, believes his tales of deeper corruption and accompanies him, citing the wisdom of the hermetic priest Simon Penn-Lachishat Orbonne Monastery. Before departing, Ramza and Alma are accosted by Confessor Zalmour and his charges of heresy, but is driven off. At Orbonne, the pair are surprised to discover the Knights Templar, the militant wing of Glabados, sacking and plundering its own monastery. Within, Ramza first confronts Isilud as he makes off with yet another piece of auracite recovered from the bowels of Orbonne's labyrinthine library. In pursuit, Wiegraf Folles (now himself a Templar) challenges Ramza to avenge the death of Milleuda, but is to cut down. Crawling limply from the steps of the monastery, his Zodiac Stone activates, transforming Wiegraf into another Lucavi, Belias. Choosing not to fight, Belias departs, leaving Ramza clutching the dying Simon, who turns over the one thing that can thwart the church's ambitions to manipulate The War of the Lions: the ancient Scriptures of Germonique, a truthful biography of the life of St. Ajora Glabados. Within the text Ramza discovers the legend of the Zodiac Braves is a falsehood, and Ajora's supposedly divine nature nothing less than a fabrication. Ramza is shortly thereafter confronted by an agent of Grand Duke Barrington, claiming possession of Alma, whom Isilud had kidnapped upon fleeing Orbonne. Pursuing his sister, Ramza is first beset by Marach and Rapha, mage assassins in the Duke's employ - Rapha defects to Ramza, and as they travel, Barrington meets with Folmarv, commander of the Templars, presenting his captured son, Isilud, and relaying Glabados' entire plan, threatening to expose the church and elevate himself to the throne, to which Folmarv merely transforms into a Lucavi and sets about slaughtering the castle's inhabitants. Ramza arrives after this devastation, confronted by Belias once more, whom he defeats. It is on the castle's roof that Ramza protects Rapha from the demonically-possessed Marquis Elmdore, after Elmdore's assassins have dispatched Barrington. Afterwards, Rapha appeals to the auracite much as Wiegraf had, though this succeeds in resurrecting her fallen brother rather than manifesting another demon. The three question whether auracite is a gateway to an infernal realm, or merely a window into the human heart.
The final chapter of the game involves Ramza's fight against the Knights Templar's leadership, revealed as the orchestrators of every conspiracy behind The War of the Lions, having even deluded the priesthood of Glabados. This faction is controlled by the Lucavi and is attempting to resurrect Ajora Glabados, the chosen host Lucavi's leader, the High Seraph Ultima. Ramza traverses across all of Ivalice in pursuit of Folmarv and his lieutenants Cleitienne and Woffrey. As the Templar's agenda becomes more overt, they cause increasing chaos, as Ultima's resurrection requires the sacrifice of an incomprehensible magnitude of bloodshed. Among the slain are Dukes Larg and Goltanna after the battle of Fort Besselat, as well as Dycedarg and Zalbaag Beoulve. Ramza's sister Alma is retained by Folmarv in anticipation of a more insidious fate: it will be her body that substitutes for Ajora's as a container for Ultima. After the death of the Glabados Church's high priest, Marcel Funebris, Ramza and his party travel to the long-sunken Necrohol of Mullonde, where they save Alma and defeat Ultima, saving Ivalice from destruction.
The epilogue reveals that neither Ramza nor his compatriots were ever confirmed to have survived the battle. In this same epilogue, Orran Durai sees both Ramza and Alma riding off on Chocobos, though it is never confirmed that they were truly there. He later compiles records of the Church's deceit, preparing to publish the tale. However, captured and burned at the stake as a heretic, his records, the "Durai Papers," lay unheeded for more than four centuries until their release from the Church and dissemination by Orran's descendant: the game's narrator, Arazlam Durai. In the final scene, Ovelia accuses Delita of having manipulated her as he does everyone and stabs him in anger. Delita kills her, and then staggers backwards, questioning whether his pursuits yielded the end he truly desired.
Development
Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions was revealed on December 13, 2006 in the Weekly Shonen JumpWeekly Shonen Jump
is a weekly shōnen manga anthology published in Japan by Shueisha under the Jump line of magazines. The first issue was released with a cover date of July 2, 1968, and it is still circulating. One of the longest-running manga magazines in Japan, it has a circulation of 2.8 million copies...
magazine as a PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
port
Porting
In computer science, porting is the process of adapting software so that an executable program can be created for a computing environment that is different from the one for which it was originally designed...
of Final Fantasy Tactics
Final Fantasy Tactics
is a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Square for the Sony PlayStation video game console. It is the first game of the Final Fantasy Tactics series and was released in Japan in June 1997 and in the United States in January 1998...
. The magazine stated additions of cel-shaded full motion video
Full motion video
Full motion video based games are video games that rely upon pre-recorded TV-quality movie or animation rather than sprites, vectors, or 3D models to display action in the game. In the early 1990s a diverse set of games utilized this format...
s, and extra job classes among other new features.
The title was originally made for the PlayStation console in 1997. Takamasa Shiba, the current game's producer, said that Square Enix decided to "re-envision the game a decade later". Because of the extensive gameplay and deep storyline, the PlayStation version would compel players to spend hours playing it. Shiba cited this as one of the main reasons why Square chose to develop it for the PSP, and because of its portability. The subtitle of The War of the Lions was chosen as it illustrates "the backdrop for the story of the two main characters Ramza and Delita", as well as illustrating the multiplayer gameplay.
The North American localization of The War of the Lions has full audio voice acting for the video sequences in the game. The slowdown and sound downgrade, though acknowledged by the localizers, was not a priority for them to fix, being stated as "out of their hands." Various reviewers have differing opinions about how the slowdown issue has been addressed; one of the previews of the North American version claims that the slowdown has been reduced, stating that "now the technical issues are about on par with the minor slowdown exhibited in the PS1 release and are no longer distracting", while others stated that the slowdowns still "occur when performing attacks or spells in battle".
A PlayStation Network version was released on March 9, 2011 in Japan, and in North America in July 18, 2011.
The War of the Lions was released for iOS
IOS
iOS is an operating system for iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, and Apple TV.IOS may also refer to:-Companies and organisations:* Illinois Ornithological Society, American state-based bird club...
in 2011, with the iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
version released on August 4, 2011, and an iPad
IPad
The iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs. Its size and...
version scheduled for later this year. The iOS version does not include the multiplayer feature.
Reception
The War of the Lions reached the top of Japanese gaming charts, and sold 100,000 copies in the first month of release in the United States. The game was the 53rd best-selling game of 2007 in Japan at 301,796 copies according to FamitsuFamitsu
is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Enterbrain, Inc. and Tokuma. Currently, there are five Famitsū magazines: Shūkan Famitsū, Famitsū PS3 + PSP, Famitsū Xbox 360, Famitsū Wii+DS, and Famitsū Wave DVD...
magazine.
As of December 18, 2007, The War of the Lions has a score of 88/100 at the aggregate review site Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
based on 39 reviews, 88.3% at GameRankings based on 47 reviews, and 9.0/10 at GameStats based on 36 reviews. In comparison, the original Final Fantasy Tactics scored 83 from 12 reviews at Metacritic.
The War of the Lions has been criticized for slowdowns during battles and decreased audio quality, most notably casting spells or using special abilities that require different lighting effects. Despite the move from disc-only to the option of playing via PlayStation Network download, the slowdown remains, as confirmed by PlayStation LifeStyle's review .