‘My perceptions have changed’: Final Fantasy Tactics writer explains how his script differs in the remaster

The writer of Final Fantasy Tactics has explained why he’s changed the script for the upcoming remaster.

The classic 1997 tactical RPG is getting a modern remaster on PC and consoles called Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles, which is set to arrive on September 30.

In an interview with JPGames.de, Yasumi Matsuno – the original script writer, scenario writer and editor for the game – was asked about recent trailers for the remaster, which promise “story adjustments” and “additional dialogue”.

Matsuno was asked if this meant elements of the script had been changed due to changes in modern sensibilities in the 28 years since the release of the original.

“Not particularly, no,” he replied, explaining that the script had mainly been updated to account for the addition of voice acting to the game.

“The concept behind the development for this title was just 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 the updates to the script was to change it from something that the audience reads to something that the audience listens to. It’s kind of like the difference between a novel and a play. It’s the difference between text that you follow with your eyes and text that you hear with your ears.

“The former needs to be easier to read, and in Japanese, that’s partly assessed according to how pretty the characters look written down, and that includes things like the balance between hiragana and kanji. The latter leaves room for the performer and seeks to show off their talents to the greatest extent, sometimes at the expense of readability and aesthetic beauty.

“The result of this is that we have made tweaks to almost the entire script. That is to say that we shifted to a ‘listening-first’ approach in order to support the new voice acting implementation.”

Matsuno did note that some lines may have been updated to reflect his change in style and attitude over the years, but that these changes would be minor.

“In all honesty, I’ve grown older since I first wrote the script for this game, and my perceptions have changed accordingly,” he explained. “There may well be some minor changes to how certain lines are phrased that reflect this.

“If my writing technique has improved, then that’s great, but if it’s just that I’ve got older and my sense of perception has grown dull, then I’m sorry,” he laughed.

Final Fantasy: The Ivalice Chronicles will include two versions of the game, allowing players to choose between the modern enhanced version or something closer to the original.

Marketing director Francis Santos explained the differences on the PlayStation Blog earlier this month. “First, we have the enhanced version, which adds fully voiced dialogue, an optimized and updated UI, graphical improvements, and a number of other quality of life features, including the more accessible “Squire” difficulty setting makes the enhanced version an excellent starting point for first-time players,” he wrote.

“Those who wish to enjoy Final Fantasy Tactics as they remember it are welcome to play the classic version, which unites the graphics and gameplay of the original 1997 version with the renowned War of the Lions translation for a unique way to experience this beloved title. This version stays true to the original in almost every aspect, but includes some handy features such as auto save.”