I have heard neverending good things about this game and want to play it as my first SRPG, especially after loving Final Fantasy so much, but honestly have no idea where to start. There are so many versions out there and I basically just want to get the definitive one. I have a Vita and there is a version of it on there (the PSP one) called War of the Lions for 10 Euros. Is that a good deal and is that the one I should be getting? Is the original PS1 version better, or GBA, etc., and why?

I've only played the original, but I hear the PSP translation is easier to understand/better.

War of the Lions is a great FFT version, its the one game I've never deleted from my Vita memory card! And I felt like Vita was a good place to play it. Definitely worth getting! And if it doesn't satisfy your SRPG needs, the PsP version of Tactics Ogre plays great on Vita too!

I liked the GBA version a lot, but i can provide you with no comparison and i doubt a lot of people will have picked it up on 2 or 3 systems to make that comparison.

I think The War of The Lions is better in nearly every way. They added some really beautiful cut scenes for key moments throughout the game, and they did a fantastic retranslation of the poor ps1 script, there's also a couple of extra classes, and they added Balthier as a recruitable character. The only trade off is that The War of The Lions has awful load times.

Speaking as someone whose favorite game of all time is Final Fantasy Tactics, I say go with War of the Lions. It's a better version from top-to-bottom. The translation is stronger and there is additional content in the form of a few characters, classes, and missions. Also I find that turn-based TRPG's are one of the best genres to experience on a handheld.

Final Fantasy Tactics Advance on GBA is a different game altogether, although it is a pseudo sequel to the original Final Fantasy Tactics.

@xyzygy: I actually prefer the translation of the original PS1 FFT, but as far as a definitive version, War of the Lions on the Vita is likely the one to go for. And at that price, it's a steal.

I also prefer the PS1 translation better, but War of the Lions is still REAL good. I think it might also be available on iPad.

Anyone tried the iOS version?

I have War of the Lions on my Vita (didn't find the time to play it yet). I have played the PS1 original. It's a great game. However, if you have a PS3, I'd go with Valkyria Chronicles as an introdoction to the genre. It's just so pretty, and it is more immediately exciting due to playing it from the 3rd person perspective. More visceral than your regular SRPG.

I'm currently playing Valkria Chronicles 2 on my Vita, but I don't recommend it unless you know how awesome the franchise can be, because it has an incredibly slow start and a rather asinine story about a schoolboy and his classmates. Ten hours in the plot around a rebellion kicks in in earnest, and the gameplay gets more challenging, that's when it gets much much better though.

Or just pick up and play XCOM, for a more Western take on the genre.

I really liked the PS1 version in terms of script (read: it is probably the best script without voiceover in the history of video games), so not particularly sure how it could get better.

Just don't get the ios version, it's a mess.

PSP version hands down

I played the original a ton, then got the PSP version. The insane slowdown whenever a special effect happened, which is nearly any major attack in the late game, caused me to never finish the PSP version. Which is too bad because the added cutscenes were cool looking. If you can handle waiting two minutes while the game slowly chugs through a summon animation, then the PSP version will work out for you.

@make_me_mad: That must have been your PSP or something because I never saw any significant slowdown while playing War of The Lions

This. I've put in probably at least 1000 hours into the PS1 version, and no matter how good everything else is with WotL, I never played it again once I beat it; I even repurchased the PS1 version on PSN for when the FFT itch hits me. There is a patch for the PSP that fixes the lag, but it requires having a modded PSP.

The War of the Lions PSP version is really good. I still really love the original and don't view the War or the Lions as an out and out improvement (though it is certainly clearer).

So I'd say War of the Lions PSP, then the good old PSX version.

But yes, do play it! Best SRPG and one of the very best FF games.

@xalienxgreyx: It not only happened across multiple PSPs, but you can pretty easily google and see that it's a real problem with that version of the game. If you mod your PSP there's a patch you can get that fixes it, and I'm not sure if it's an issue on the Vita, but it's definitely not an isolated incident. The PSP version is great in a lot of ways, but that slowdown made me go back to the PS1.

@make_me_mad: Then I guess I'm the odd man out here

Awesome, thanks guys. I'm just confused as to why some people like the badly translated version. Out of humor or something? But it sounds like TWofL is what I'm looking for. :)

Well, there are some goofy bits, perhaps most infamously a Blaze Gun that shoots ice and a Glacier Gun that shoots fire, but the translation isn't actually bad. Also there's a bit of a style shift going to WotL where they start utilizing a lot of Ye Olde English sort of stuff which may not be everyone's bag. Beyond all that though, FFT is one of those beloved games from that era of gaming so a lot of people have really strong nostalgia for it, like Jeff and old Chie.

I had the original ps1 version and psp version... they are pretty much the same cept the psp version has some animated cutscenes which add a little more to it.