Final Fantasy Tactics/Fanfic Recs: Difference between revisions

* Notably, all the stories are written with a great deal of quality, and every one of them is fully completed.

* Cinereous: I will second this recommendation. Another bonus is that one can see how the writer improves with each story, considering the stories were written in that order and progressively become more and more complex. "Heart of Gold" is largely a novelization told through a first-person perspective. "Save the Queen" is a post-game [[Slice of Life]] story. Finally, "Iceman," being a [[Darker and Edgier]] [[Alternate Universe]] story, is arguably the most thematically challenging story, where almost all the events of the original game's plot still happen but in a fundamentally different way.

* Recommended by [[Pessimist By Nature]], lanky, [[Obsidian Dawn]]

* ''Comments'': The attention to [[Gameplay and Story Integration|gameplay mechanics]] is only enhanced by how smoothly those elements are used. For hardcore fans of the original series, the fight scenes are [[Shown Their Work|stuffed with references to abilities and job classes]], but linked together so smoothly that they never get in the way. Ramza in particular is monstrous, showcasing just what it would be like to fight someone that has gamed the [[Job System]] and crossed the border from the [[Jack of All Stats]] to [[Lightning Bruiser]]. The characterization is to be commended, managing to insert a lot of personality in characters that didn't get many lines of dialogue in the original without making anything feel out of place.

** I'll add a hearty second to this rec. The fight scenes alone could steal the show, with Gaming Ikari very successfully weaving the job class system into the narrative without feeling videogamey. While some might call Ramza overpowered, the author correctly points out that Ramza has had to deal with a lot of ludicrously powerful enemies and hey, he HAS survived. TG Cid quickly develops into a [[Trickster Mentor]], which is another point by itself which makes the story worth the price of admission.

** [[Caellach Tiger Eye]]: Thirded. With strong characterisation, good description of battle sequences and fighting style, and a nice flow, this story is quite professionally written. I thoroughly enjoy TG Cid's character, who is a combination of comic relief, [[Noble Bigot with a Badge]] (surprisingly effectively, since I normally dislike sexism yet appreciate his personality presented here), and a [[Trickster Mentor]] as pointed out above. Meliadoul's personality and character is well-written, with some insight into her history that fleshes her out even more. Ramza actually makes the stereotypical hero archetype ''fun'', and the other characters are all well-used - particularly Agrias, Lavian and Alicia in their sequences together. Definitely deserves a readthrough.

** Now complete. And while I feel that the story is good, the ending feels a little weak. Still worth the read.

** [[Obsidian Dawn]]: This is one of my favorite FFT Fics to date, and the expansion on the Characters was very well done. Cid is particularly interesting, as well as the internal struggle that Ramza has to deal with as he battles his way through this retelling. The combat scenes depicted often made me jealous, as they were done with finesse and managed to add some realism to a concept (Tactical RPG Battles) that is very, very difficult to pull off. It remains a source of inspiration for me as I write.

* ''Comments'': Arguably, the story starts off a bit like Heart of Gold, and had limited text in the earlier chapters, but it quickly [[Growing the Beard|grew a beard]] that shows just as much gameplay mechanics as Purity Amidst Madness did. It feels satisfying how Agrias and the knights are baffled by many of Ramza's hidden skills, from [[Elemental Powers|Geomancy]] to [[In a Single Bound|jumping]] to [[Cool Teacher|even having knowledge in how to become a]] [[Samurai]]. It isn't shy on sexual tension, either, with implied past rape and already showing a sex scene. Highly recommended.

* Recommended by Kishou, Cinereous

* ''Comments'': A story that starts out slow but really picks up after the first few chapters. The romance is sweet and slow building, the action is intense and worthy of Ramza's heroic caliber, the team build-up is vastly different from the game, and the changes in here are clever and awesome. For example, Ramza learns to become a [[Dark Is Not Evil|Dark Knight]].

** This is another [[Alternate Universe]] story where a simple change results in the game's canon events occurring in a completely different manner, but without the heavy drama and atmosphere of angst and hopelessness that [http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4693901/1/Iceman Iceman] had. Indeed, the story is already set to go beyond the scope of where the game ended: 14 chapters in and the siege of Ft. Bethla is over, and the author admits he is only 1/3 of the way done. The romance is subtle and almost nonexistent at first yet it develops so well that by the time our enterprising couple reaches their [[Relationship Upgrade]], it feels like they belonged together all along. Plus, [[Bonus Points]] for utilizing the less-common but apparently [[Fan-Preferred Couple|popular]] Alma/Izlude pairing, as well as a [[Crack Pairing]] that might not actually be as crazy as it sounds.

* Recommended by [[Caellach Tiger Eye]], lanky, Kishou, [[Obsidian Dawn]]

* ''Comments'': Unashamedly [[Lighter and Softer]] than canon, this story is an excellent balance of good characterisation, humour and plot, evident even from the first chapter - and although there are only two chapters as I write this review, the second is proof that the story gets better. Gaming Ikari takes his signature, effective style and trasfers it here to make a unique take on the FFT story which is as entertaining as it is thrilling. Granted, the plot hasn't really started rolling yet, but even with the stage still being set, this fic shows great promise. This fic may turn out to be better than "Purity Amidst Madness", and ''that'' is saying something. Definite promise despite being in the early stages - ''and'' it's based off an idea presented in the FFT WMG Page. Heartily recommended.

** Seconded. The writing is standard fare for Gaming Ikari, which is to say short and sweet. Each chapter weighs in around the 2,000 - 3,000 word mark. However much like the rest of his work, he picks and chooses which scenes he needs to expand very carefully and glosses over the unimportant bits while still maintaining a brisk, exciting pace which moves the plot along nicely instead of stagnating on a single plot point across multiple chapters. In four chapters, significant ground has been covered and each chapter provides a strong focus or advancement in the plot.

*** Kishou: Thirded. A twist of Balbanes living is worthy of a story in itself, but is merely a key component in what makes something like this possible. Ikari knows his stuff and can make what little characterization is shown in a war setting and implant it in the more calmly [[Ranma ½]] setting. For example, in the war, Alma came only as marginally manipulative, just to travel with Ramza. Take that away and she's pretty much as manipulative as Delita. Oh, and [[The Scrappy|Algus]] is still an nonredeemable douche.

**** [[Obsidian Dawn]]: Fourth...-ded? The entire idea is awesome, and I'm reserve much of my opinion until the story is further along. Thus far I've enjoyed it to the point of checking back every day or so just to see if it has been updated. Definitely look forward to seeing who ends up fawning over Ramza.

* ''Comments'': This is, as far as I know, the first [[Final Fantasy Tactics]] [[Peggy Sue]] fic, and it certainly shows the wounderful potential this genre has. Character-wise, Ramza's [[Time Travel Tense Trouble|past/future]] skills seem to have bled over with the dreams, and, in the most recent chapter, has begun undertaking early Holy Knight training after apparently showing himself to be something of a combat prodigy (a forgotten 20 levels of skill would do that). For those worried that the protagonists have a massive advantage, {{spoiler|[[Word of God|According to the author]], Ajora also got flash-backed in a subconcious, but has a more understandable motivation than 'bwhahaha-I'm-evil'.}}

* Recommended by [[Sa Rness]]

* ''Comments'': Although a bit lengthy and only two parts long (possibly dead), this 3rd person fanfic ''really'' helps you get inside Delita's very thick head, and even explains how Delita ended up joining the Shrine Knights to begin with. They do a fairly decent job with the [[Purple Prose]], litter every paragraph with excellent detail, and it is so strikingly accurate and moving it almost seems like it came from the canon developers themselves; not to mention the Ramza/Delita/Ovelia love triangle is approached very nicely. This fic is not only very good for the shippers, but mostly very good for those in wonder as to how Delita did so much of what he, well, did--and ''justifies it while doing it''. One problem I had though was that, oddly enough, the fanfiction is filed under mature, and although that was done probably just for safety, it's seems much more for older teen, especially because the sex is only implied and there is only one close-call; but YMMV on that subject. Either way, I ''highly HIGHLY'' recommend this fanfiction, regardless if you cruise on this ship like I do, or not.

[[Category:Fan Fic Recommendations]]