n terms of basic design, turn-based strategy games don’t differ much from each other. Players tell their units where to move and who to attack, and then watch the enemy numbers dwindle. What really separates the good games from the bad in this genre are the underlying rules, balance, and mechanics. Final Fantasy Tactics A2 succeeds in all these categories.

Players once again assume the role of a boy magically transported to Ivalice. The rest of the story is lame (a noticeable step down from FFTA), but the game wastes no time throwing you into the fray. There are many details to address when creating a battle system, and I love this game’s solutions. No automatic counterattacks, no perma-death, and a variety of unique abilities make each battle interesting without being unforgiving. It is similar to its GBA predecessor, but with many of that game’s faults ironed out or made less intrusive. It puts the challenge squarely where it ought to be: the strategy.

The addition of two tribes and several jobs give you plenty of new options to ­consider. A unit’s advancement in a job class is based on skills you learn through weapons, which eventually allow you to unlock new jobs. The system took me a long time to warm up to, since it makes you spend some time in garbage jobs and use non-optimal equipment, but isn’t nearly as frustrating as it sounds. It even begins to figure into your tactical decisions as you advance.

While the game nails most of the major points, there are still some annoyances to stumble through. The unit limit for most battles is low, the shop’s interface is cumbersome, and the new MP system (starting units at 0 MP for every fight) doesn’t make any sense.  But for every one of these problems, something else falls right into place. When it all clicks, Final Fantasy Tactics A2 is a well-oiled adventure combining good design and fun gameplay that any strategy/RPG fan will appreciate.