The writer of Final Fantasy Tactics explained why he changed the script for the remaster Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles.
In an interview with JPGames.de (via VGC), Yasumi Matsuno – the original writer and editor of the game – was asked about the recent trailers for the remaster, which promise “story adjustments” and “additional dialogue.”
Matsuno was asked if this meant script elements had been altered due to changing modern sensibilities over the 28 years since the original’s release. “Not particularly,” he replied, explaining the script was updated primarily to accommodate the addition of voice acting.
“The concept behind developing this title was simply to present everything that was so fun and interesting about the original 1997 PS1 game in an updated format,” he said. “The main focus of script updates was turning it from something audiences read to something audiences hear. It’s like the difference between a novel and a play—between text you follow with your eyes and text you hear with your ears.”
“The former needs to be easier to read, and in Japanese, that’s partly judged by the beauty of written characters, including aspects like the hiragana-kanji balance. The latter leaves room for performers to showcase their talents, sometimes at readability or aesthetic beauty’s expense. As a result, we adjusted nearly the entire script, adopting a ‘listening-first’ approach to support the new voice acting,” Matsuno elaborated.
Matsuno noted some lines may reflect stylistic changes in his writing over the years, but emphasized these would be minimal. “I’ve aged since writing this game’s script, and my perceptions have changed,” he explained. “Minor phrasing adjustments might reflect that. If my writing technique improved, great—but if it’s just from aging and weakened perception, I apologize,” he laughed.
It’s worth noting that Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles also offers the classic version, merging the original 1997 graphics and gameplay with War of the Lions‘ translation for a comprehensive experience.
Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles will be released on September 30 for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series, Switch, Switch 2, and PC.
