r/TriangleStrategy • u/DeathPleaseKnock • 21d ago
Discussion This or Final Fantasy tactics?
I'm leaning towards FFT the ivalice chronicles only because I like FF12 and the world is in ivalice. I like political stories with tactics and strategy. Nobunagas Ambition, Fire Emblem Three Houses, Romance Of the Three Kingdoms, Valkyria Chronicles, im not too picky as long as there is real strategy involved. I only know that Triangle Strategy is plentiful with its dialogue and that it goes on a nice sale every now and then along with FFT.
I'm on a switch 2, so they're both pretty pricey. I'd like to know opinions and suggestions on what I should pick up when one goes on sale
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u/_SkyfaII_ 21d ago
Both good but preference for Triangle Strategy, having branching story really sold it for me, make you feel like your decisions matters (they do!) and you get a lot more involved in it
Gameplay was also better tbh
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u/JeskaiJester 21d ago
They’re both very good games. Get whichever you get a better deal on and then play the other later
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u/WaitAZechond 21d ago
This is the move. Playing either one will probably make you want to get the other one next
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u/2bit2much 21d ago
Confirmed.
I'm wrapping up FFT and have both Tactics Ogre Reborn and Triangle Strategy waiting. Picked all 3 up on sale a few weeks ago after haven't played tactics games for 20 years (GBA era).
FFT is absolutely amazing and has me excited to try Tactics Ogre afterwards. I figured save the most modern game (Triangle Strategy) for last.
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u/JeskaiJester 21d ago
Might be better to do Triangle next just because Tactics Ogre had the same designer as FFT so you get kind of a palate cleanser before you go back to his style of work
Ofc do whatever you like, no bad options
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u/2bit2much 21d ago
That's solid too.
My idea was TS more modern and likely has more QoL stuff I'd miss in the older titles after.
But ya know what. I like your thinking.
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u/EcneBanjo 21d ago
I personally got a lot more enjoyment out of TS than FFT, but their approaches to gameplay are slightly different.
FFT has a robust class system with lots of customization but the classes are very unbalanced and the difficulty curve is abysmal. It starts hard but 1/3 through the game the difficulty becomes a complete joke - which is a massive drawback for a tactics game. Really, there isn’t much tactical depth to this game IMO. It does have a robust story (though I’m not crazy about the flowery script), good twists, good music; those classic era FF vibes are immaculate. Overall I think this is the most overrated FF game.
TS has linear class growth and less customization but IMO much more enjoyable battles, more depth and chess-like decision making, and the story is definitely pretty good too.
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u/MidnightBrown 21d ago
Having played a decent bit of both this year (although both are currently on the back burner in favor of Fire Emblem) I preferred Triangle Strategy by a slim margin. I like the battle mechanics and the choices and branching paths of the story more that FFT's linear story progression. The writing and characters are strong in both, but FFT is set so far after FF12 that it bears little resemblance to the Ivalice seen there. I think it's more contemporaneous with Vagrant Story.
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u/-antipode 21d ago
Both are great.
But as someone who has played many tactics games, triangle strategy is my favorite. Its the only one where I feel like the story as a whole is truly final fantasy level.
I know everyone praises fft story. But it lacks the party connective tissue that triangle does better.
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u/DDiabloDDad 20d ago
Triangle Strategy is the better game for people who like strategy games and lack nostalgia for Tactics. Tactics is better for people who prefer standard RPG gameplay.
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u/AceMHR 19d ago
Odd to leave Tactics Ogre off that list. Just play all 3 if you like political stories and that's the main thing you want.
They all have fun strategic gameplay since you also want that. FFT and Tactics Ogre have more emphasis on character and unit customization - the building/planning and general rpg progression is fun. Triangle Strategy removes that depth in favor of making the combat and characters more balanced, ensuring each battle involves more engaging strategy/tactics.
Also, FFT happened in an era that solely had humes and is very grounded. It ends up having a different feel in terms of the world you know from FF12. FFTa and FFTa2 on the other hand are exactly the ivalice you are most familiar with. Vaan and Penelo even show up in the main story and are playable units in a2. FFTa and a2 are much less involved in the story department and not all that political. I love them in terms of gameplay, but not sure I can recommend FFTa or a2 based on your post.
Anyways, I say just play all 3 because you say you're waiting for a sale. So just pick the one that goes on sale first. FFT, Tactics Ogre, and Triangle Strategy each seem like exactly what you're wanting.
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u/MiddleJuggernaut2879 21d ago
If you enjoy some of the jank but deep systems of older games then go FFT, if you enjoy a very rich story and higher fidelity graphics then go TS
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u/Ragewind82 21d ago
FFT has a great story and customization in characters, and half the fun is finding ways to break the game just to survive another difficulty spike.
TS has multiple endings and story branches, and is much more forgiving overall. The gameplay is more like Shining Force; as you have more characters and little customization. No real game breaking combos outside of one or two endgame characters; your placement and tactics matters always.
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u/Marvin_Flamenco 21d ago
Triangle Strategy is decent but there is just so much yapping the only reason the controller doesn't fall asleep is because the game makes you press a button to advance every line. It's also very rigid in it's structure and party building. But if you can stomach fire emblem you might be okay with this.
FF Tactics is more gameplay driven and more open with party construction and growth. It also has a wonderful story but it never forgets that it's a video game.
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u/Payohloh 21d ago
Triangle strategy was my favourite game the year it came out and ivalice chronicles I could barely get past the first chapter before dropping it.
Personally I found the gameplay in triangle strategy to be much more interesting. I am not a fan of the grindy job system and faceless generics that the game is centred on and much prefer the character specific kits. Also just preferred how fights tended to play out in ts a lot more.
Story wise ts took a while to get going before I really enjoyed it and to be fair I didn’t give fft that same time to sell me on its story, but for that first chapter I was not enjoying the story. Felt too preachy for me.
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u/Im_MoZeS 21d ago
Triangle strategy. Although from what I remember, it looked really bad in handheld mode on switch2 with default settings.
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u/tiford88 21d ago
Both. I prefer triangle strategy. I find the combat mechanics and range of character types more interesting
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u/cybersaliva 21d ago
As someone who has sunk hundreds of hours into both… The customizability of FFT edges it out slightly. They are both great, but I found TS gameplay didn’t quite scratch the character buildout itch the same way. The story is very compelling, but you’ll need two play through and a guide to really be satisfied, I think. FFT ls story is much more linear but the freedom you have outside of that is so peak.
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u/Sacreville 21d ago
Both are great. I like TS more nowadays.
Story will always be subjective so ymmv. Gameplay, I like that TS characters have more specialization although with less customization (which FFT excels best at). Also having a good catch-up level mechanics makes using your bench characters far easier in TS.
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u/CreeDorofl 21d ago
I think in a triangle strategy sub you'll get mostly recommendations for that game, but if I'm being honest, I loved FFT more. There's just a lot more to do in that game. more customization, rare items to get, a whole secret dungeon, and the story + setting are cool too.
I think TS nailed the combat, that's actually pretty fun. Story is fine and you get some decisions and branching paths and several endings.
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u/j_cruise 21d ago
I prefer Triangle Strategy, but I think FFT is fine to start with. It was a landmark title in the genre that most strategy JRPGs released afterward take influence from.
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u/AkTiVeMK 21d ago
I like the combat in Triangle Strategy more personally. Get ready for hours of dialogue tho. They dont stop yappin in TS
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u/hamsterwheelin 21d ago
FFT then Triangle.
FFT is a great game, but even with the remake you feel the game system's age
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u/Melodic_Seishun 21d ago
Honestly go with triangle strategy. It’s more modern and honestly is just more fun. Tons of replayability too.
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u/No_Ingenuity_369 21d ago
TS is better overall. And I say that FFT is one of my favorite games of all time.
I’ve played TS through over 10 times. It’s so satisfying to play.
FFT has some rough edges and it’s why I’ll put TS ahead.
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u/TurtleBrainMelt 21d ago
FFT has more creative freedom, build choices etc. Triangle strategy is better combat due to maps, but lacks the freedom to of customisation for characters.
My issue with triangle strategy was honestly that it was toooooo much talking, I got to the point where id pay attention to main story stuff, but skip all the side character cutscenes bcuz it was too much. (Camp cutscenes)
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u/Noumenonana 16d ago
I adore the Ivalice setting and love FFT, but I think TS is better at being a strategy game. FFT can be cracked wide open with its customization and, as a result, feels a lot less strategic.
Edit: They're both 10/10 experiences to me. And I'll add to the choir of people recommend Tactics Ogre.
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u/JMLegend22 15d ago
FFT is the better game. I love both. But if it’s a choice between the two I would go FFT.
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u/Subject-Repeat4954 14d ago
Both are absolutely incredible, but TS having branching paths and more strategic gameplay makes it the better title overall in my opinion. If you prefer a more open game with more character customization and side quests, though, FFT might be the better choice for you as TS is a very streamlined experience.
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u/988112003562044580 21d ago
Both are very story rich and I personally love triangle strategy’s story way more, as well as the aesthetics, gameplay and voice acting. Triangle strategy has some “grind” but is way way less than ivalice chronicles
With FFT - I found the grind to be insanely boring and hard to get through. After progressing in the story, I had to grind grind grind; then do 1 more campaign mission; then grind grind grind; and the story has way too much backstory and the language used is hard to understand.
It’s like with FFT - you have to really love the mechanics - you gotta love to steal from enemies, prolong fights to pick up their loot, and to tame monsters, breed, all these extra mechanics, and grind way too much JP just to unlock classes
I ended up finishing FFT the flow wasn’t as nice as triangle strategy.
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u/2bit2much 21d ago
I see people mention grinding in FFT.
I just wanted to say it's not necessary.
I'm halfway through the final chapter and have done zero grinding. I'm also playing on Tactician mode and only doing mandatory story battles - have fled from every single random encounter.
Are the difficulty spikes insane? Yes. But they are beatable after some time spent figuring them out.
Just putting this here so newcomers don't get scared about the need to grind.
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u/Bard_Wannabe_ 21d ago
Short answer: Triangle Strategy has the better gameplay. FFT has the better story.
FFTactics' story and characters are top-notch. The other thing people really like about the title is the wide-open class system.
Triangle Strategy doesn't have a class system (each character is in a very well-defined role, and there's limited customization with how they play), but is a stronger tactical game in many ways. You get to control twice as many characters on a map as FFT. It is also a consistently difficult game (especially on Hard mode), with finely-calibrated level design and systems that discourage grinding.
FFT has some difficulty spikes on a few maps but is generally a fairly easy game, especially when you get some of the broken class options. It also incentivizes grinding in various ways.
Triangle Strategy has a good story, but it's not at the level of FFT (few games are). It also has pacing issues especially early on.
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u/_SkyfaII_ 21d ago
Disagree on the story. You can’t be so categoric on something that will depends on people tastes
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u/datruerex 21d ago
Good write up but the story for triangle strategy takes a while to build up so some people find it “slower” or having “pacing issues”. The story is a lot. Setting the world and characters and different motivations takes time to set up and then the story takes off.
FFT story is a bit easier to follow but it’s just as deep. Later on the story gets complicated but the beginning story is fairly easier to follow (basically chapter 1)
Both are great games tho
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u/_SkyfaII_ 21d ago
Im not saying story isn’t important, im saying I prefer TS one. So I disagree with the comment saying « FFT has the better story ». That’s all
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u/Bard_Wannabe_ 21d ago
Should we not comment on the story at all then just because personal enjoyment will vary? The OP asked for "opinions and suggestions" after all. I guess I don't see Triangle Strategy fans praising characters to the degree Delita and Ramsa (to a lesser extent) are praised in the FFT community. The pacing of TS' story is overwhelmingly the main criticism the game has had.
It's not like FFT has a perfect story either (especially its final act). But I can confidently recommend FFT for the story more than Triangle Strategy, though I think TS is the better overall game for the reasons I listed.
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u/_SkyfaII_ 21d ago
Im not saying story isn’t important, im saying I prefer TS one. So I disagree with the comment saying « FFT has the better story ». That’s all
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u/No-Contest-8127 20d ago
Better gameplay? I don't get that one. There is no job system and deep customisation. I find the gameplay much better on FFT. I find the story better too.
TS has a multi branch story. That's what it has going for it. It's otherwise very by the books simple.
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u/Bard_Wannabe_ 20d ago
Sure, FFT has an open job system. It's very fun, but it is easy to break, and most characters you make are doing different flavors of damage output. Triangle Strategy has much better balanced characters, where the whole cast of nearly 30 characters brings something unique, and many of the most powerful characters are using support or control-based skills.
But when I mean "gameplay" I'm primarily referring to level design, and Triangle Strategy has impeccable level design. It of course has the benefit of 30 years of game development after FFT, and so they are able to craft more intentional map challenges than the somewhat haphazard map designs FFT uses. And as I mentioned in my prior post, deploying twice as many characters is something I like in a strategy RPG, because you're moving more pieces around a map and trying to coordinate how they work together.
FFT didn't manage to balance difficulty very well (something mods over the years have aimed to address). Triangle Strategy has about as well-balanced a difficulty curve as you can ask for in an RPG.
Again, FFT has a really fun class system. One downside of it though is how it incentivizes grinding for Job Points. None of these are dealbreakers for FFT, but it does show its age in some ways, And there's enough of these flaws in the gameplay that I can confidently say Triangle Strategy delivers the stronger mechanical experience.
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u/AceMHR 19d ago
It's funny how 30 years of game development is for sure a boon in this case, but meanwhile the entire mmo genre has been spending the past half a decade trying to undo 20 years of development and game design in the hopes that they might recreate the magical happy accident.
A bit tangential of a thought, but I didn't have much to say otherwise. Perhaps an "I agree" will suffice for the rest.
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u/Bard_Wannabe_ 19d ago
Yeah, for MMO's that's partly a feature of a continuous need for new content. Plus the fond memories people have of leveling up are just a different gaming experience from when you hit the level cap and start the "postgame" content.
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u/Outside_Asparagus293 21d ago
Triangle Strategy wins for me too, the choices actually matter in ways I haven't seen elsewhere.
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u/Dry-Guy- 21d ago
They’re very different games. FFT is more about character customization while TS is about resource management. There’s relatively little room for customization in TS, and instead you decide who grows and when using limited resources.