Never before have I been so wrapped up in such a quaint little game.
Graphics -
Full of bright and vibrant colors, FFTA shows off some of the best graphics on the GBA. Some of the summons are amazing, however when the screen gets a little crowded things can slow down a little bit. The sprites are small and cute, and make you want to customize them all you can.
Gameplay -
FFTA's battle system is the same as every other TBS: you choose a skill, you use a skill, the enemy chooses a skill and uses a skill, repeat. It is the skill and job system that set it apart. In order to learn a skill, you must equip a certain weapon. Once you earn so much Skill Points with that weapon, you learn the skill. This system can get very addicting, for when you want to get your character to learn all the skills for his class, you need to find all the weapons in the game that his class can wield.
FFTA's job/class system is much like the original Final Fantasy Tactics. You start as a certain job, and then learn a certain amount of skills with that job until you can be the next job all the way up to the most powerful job in the game. This can be highly addicting when you want to become one of the most powerful classes, as they usually require several skills for several lower jobs.
The difficulty in the game isn't that hard, but there are some missions that will have you training for a little while before attempting them. If you are expecting FFT type difficulty, you're going to be disappointed. Go in expecting something fun, not hard.
Story -
This is the only place where FFTA is lacking. Yes, there is a story. No, it isn't all that great. You're pretty much a kid, Ramza, who has been teleported to the fantasy world of Ivalice. Ramza wants to go back to the real world, story commences. Nothing special, but it does keep you going.
Replay Value -
Tons and tons and tons of replay value on FFTA. There are over 300 missions to complete, and only about 20 of those are core story missions. There are also random clans that travel around the map, and if you have an itch to just fight or need to level up your characters, you can fight them. I've clocked hundreds of hours into this game since I got it years ago, and have no intention of stopping.
If you're a fan of TBS, get this game. If you're a fan of RPG, get this game. Hell, just get this game no matter what, you'll enjoy it.
Final Verdict -
Graphics......................A
Gameplay....................A+
Story.............................B+
Replay Value..............A+
Overall..........................A