Final Fantasy Tactics Packaging Art
This is the packaging art for the game “Final Fantasy Tactics,” released June 20th, 1997 by SquareSoft. It is the first and main installment in the spin-off “Tactics” series that focused more on political intrigue, tactical battles, and a grounded narrative that feels akin to a historical epic. This is in contrast to the mainline “Final Fantasy” series that focused more on exploring themes of technology, futurism, and fantasy on a grand scale.
This change in focus is reflected in the stylistic differences in the art and typeface of the packaging. The artist responsible, Akihiko Yoshida, employed a more naturalistic way of rendering through the use of watercolor to reflect how the storyline and world within the game would be more grounded in realism and human drama.
It is also reflected in the typography used for the series. The typeface for “Final Fantasy Tactics” has exaggerated barbs, beaks and serifs, decorative Ts and Fs that are stretched and changed to resemble a blade or a sword, and a higher contrast in its weight. Through just its typeface alone, one would be able to infer what types of themes the game would be exploring. Part of the reason why “Final Fantasy Tactics” is often regarded as one of the best video games of all time is its willingness to integrate the game’s visual design with its gameplay to create a more immersive and engaging experience. Not only was the design of its packaging very consistent with the themes of the game, but so was the designs of its user interfaces which included using colors and textures to emulate parchment paper for menus and a serif typeface that was very different from the usual sans-serif typeface used in the mainline series. Thus, this game serves as an excellent case study of how visual design can elevate the quality of a video game.
The design of “Final Fantasy Tactics” and its holistic approach to its visual identity would go on to influence later installments in the mainline series with the inclusion of artist Akihiko Yoshida.
Resources:
Channpy, Nilda. “Final Fantasy Tactics: Interface Design Analysis.” The Picky Champy, 10 Oct. 2019, champicky.com/2019/10/10/final-fantasy-tactics-interface-design-analysis/.
Famicon Tsuushin Magazine. “Final Fantasy Tactics – 1997 Developer Interview.” Shmuplations, June 2016, shmuplations.com/fft/.
Fordham, Joseph. "Leaving in the Past: The Role History Plays in Video Games." Electronic Theses and Dissertations, Georgia Southern University, 2012, digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1003&context=etd.
Kasvin, Greg. “The Greatest Games of All Time: If Shakespeare Made a Game.” GameSpot, 2004, https://web.archive.org/web/20121103183917/www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/greatestgames/p-16.html
Sarver, Eric. "The Impact of Art Style on Video Games." Honors Undergraduate Theses, no. 875, University of Central Florida, 2021, stars.library.ucf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1947&context=honorstheses.
