Created for the PsOne back in 1998, the original Final Fantasy Tactics gave gamers a new, refreshing twist in the FF series by providing hours upon hours of Strategy/RPG type gameplay. It was within the strategy and turn-based battles that both new and old fans alike fell in love with, rightfully earning a place in the genre (along with other games like Tactics Ogre and Vandal Hearts). Combined with an epic and dark story line featuring political intrigue and religious conspiracy, Tactics arguably arose to be one of the best games available to Sony's first console. And now, after nearly a 6-year absence, the Tactics legacy continues on- but this time, on your Game Boy Advance.

Following much like its predecessor in gameplay, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance tells the story of Marche, Ritz, Mewt, and another as-of-yet-unknown character (the one in the wheelchair), who get mystically sucked into the fantasy world of Ivalice- though, it just so happens to be a much more surreal version of the modern Ivalice they had lived in. However, the world has long since changed than what they used to know it before, as judges and so-called "clans" now roam the battlefields. In essence, the player must also form their own clan, up to a maximum of 24 characters, in which they can seize territory of their own; all along trying to abide by certain sets of rules that can vary accordingly from region to region.

By far, the most interesting feature of the game is the new Judgment system, where depending on the severity of the law a character breaks, can give you either a yellow [concerning itself with lesser or basic penalties like status decreases] or red card [the one you don't want to get, as it directly throws a character in jail along with some various punishments]. But there's a reward for those who respect the Judge's authority: the distribution of Judge Points (JP) which characters, when enough is accumulated, can perform special attacks and combos, including the ability to summon various guardians of the crystals called Totemas. So it would be best for one to conserve their JP, as skills like summoning can subtract a hefty amount from your total.

As far as battle is concerned, the gameplay seems to have been perfectly intact, with the exception of the laws and points mentioned above. Players navigate their characters through chess-board-like environments or fields that can have an array of obstacles or heights, depending on the area. Utilizing these features can be key strategic moves against the enemy, as they can attack you from behind or on the side- the most vulnerable points of a character's body. Since only a limited number of spaces (or squares) can be moved by any given character, the player must adapt accordingly to the situation, or may find him or herself trapped between an armada of enemies. Likewise, one must be caution especially toward White/Black Mages and Summoners, as their attacks tend to take quite awhile to be executed, so strategically placing them beforehand can prevent them from missing an enemy within the field of contact. Ultimately though, it's pretty much up to the player to decide what means of strategy they will take in battle.

Without a doubt, Tactics just wouldn't be Tactics if it were lacking the numerous yet complex job classes within the game. Tactics Advance continues the tradition with a few familiar jobs and maybe a couple of unrecognizable ones as well. Despite this inclusion however, only certain races may have access to a particular type of job; thus making it exclusive to that race, which can only be attained by mastering some basic job types first. The five different classes of races you'll find and recruit in the game are: Humans (obviously)- usually, the more well-rounded race with good performance in practically any sort of job like a Knight or Mage; Moogles- we all know who they are, and are particularly useful for healing and the like; Bangas- a new race in the FF universe, having some reptilian ancestry to them and excel in both sheer power and defense; N'Mou- creatures much more adept at magic than all the rest; and Viera- a female-only race whose speed makes them ideal for jobs like archers . And for those who have played the first game, you can expect the same endless options of customizing the power and variation of your characters. Using the right combination of races and skills in your clan will be the road to victory in Tactics Advance.

Currently slated for a September 9^th release, there is but little time to wait for this Tactics incarnation. Be sure to check out this preview again from time to time, as it will be updated with new info soon enough.