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Final Fantasy Tactics

Synopsis

In most RPGs, you spend most of the game travelling from location to location to uncover pieces of information, participating in minigames, and fighting boss battles that further the game's story line. Occasionally, your party is drawn into random battles as it moves between towns, but the real focus is on character interaction.

Final Fantasy Tactics, however, focuses on the game's tactical aspects. You still build up your characters and learn new skills and actions, but the real emphasis is on the battle strategies themselves.

The greatest distinction between this game and its Final Fantasy predecessors is the game's 3-D battle system. You wage the game's battles on isometric-view 3-D maps (as large as 16 x 16 tiles) where terrain, height, and other elements become factors in the battles. Even though the game is turn-based, you must plan your strategies carefully before you commit units to battle.

In previous Final Fantasy games, the battle system incorporated the "Active Time Battle" (ATB) system. In Final Fantasy Tactics, Square has updated the ATB system to the "Charge Time Battle" (CTB) system. Each unit has a Charge Time (CT) meter that starts out empty and fills as time passes. When a unit's CT gauge reaches 100, the player can input a command for that unit to move, attack, cast a spell, and so on. The enemy units have CT gauges as well; both friendly and enemy characters can act, with their speed level determining sequence.

Source: Prima's Official Strategy Guide - Final Fantasy Tactics