Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift goes all out when it comes to presentation. The game still retains the "cute" anime look of the GBA prequel, yet it has just enough charm that is should be able to win over just about anyone. Character animations are pretty basic, though their appearances change based on their jobs and equipped weapon, which is a nice touch. Each level is incredibly detailed and offers numerous strategic possibilities based on what type of troops are battling the area. The only downside is that the camera is fixed. This isn't a major problem, though it gets frustrating when you're trying to position troops in a cluttered area or behind trees or rocks.

The musical score is excellent and features several songs from other games that take place in Ivalice. Sound effects never go beyond a few basic battle sounds, but are more than appropriate. Besides, any more sounds would only drown out the music.

Final Fantast Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift opens just as the final school bell is about to ring, signaling the start of summer. Just as Luso Clemens is about to head out the door, his teacher asks him to clean up the library, presumably because he's a bit of a troublemaker. While in the library, Luso finds a dusty book with a cryptic inscription on the first page asking for the name of a champion. Never one to pass up the opportunity to deface school property, Luso writes his name in the book and is magically transported to the world of Ivalice where he becomes involved with a clan that promises to help him find a way back home. Eventually, Luso discovers that the only way home is by filling the book, which makes up the rest of the game's weak premise.

Unlike other games, Grimoire flips the usual relationship between Story and Side Missions by building most of the game around side missions. Of the nearly 400 missions available, which involve everything from simple fetch quests to full-on competitions with other clans, very few have any involvement with the story. While this doesn't make for a great story, it builds in a whole lot of gameplay.

Although the genre has seen a few changes over the last few years, Grimoire ignores these and is a fairly straightforward, grid-based strategy RPG. A few quests require you to simply visit a location, though most usually result in a battle. Missions aren't short, and depending on your party can take upwards of an hour to complete. This works to the game's detriment, especially since few of the missions push the narrative, so at times it can feel like you're just spinning your wheels instead of moving forward.

You're given the option to send a small party to complete some missions. However, these are rarely successful unless you send your "A-Team", leaving you to cope with the "B-Team" until the other guys get back. You can always try and level up the low-rung guys, but by time you assemble a large enough team, it isn't worth it.

Outside of battles, most of your time is spent managing your clan. You begin with a small clan of about six, but as your clan gains prominence, you'll begin to attract new recruits. Your clan can also compete with others clans for control of areas using the Auction House. Once your clan is in control of an area of the world map, they'll earn team bonuses like cheaper quests or bonus items. You can also take on Clan Trials that raise your clan's skills, which unlocks new quests and clan bonuses that are activated during battles.

Square Enix threw in a few surprises for long-time fans. A new clan ability is unlocked if Final Fantasy Tactics Advance (FFTA) is inserted into the DS's GBA slot and three characters from Final Fantasy XII can be unlocked.

The Judge system from FFTA has been reworked so it isn't as harsh. Judges are knights who watch each battle and impose a rule that must be adhered to during battle. Most of the rules are simple to follow, though some are outright absurd and relate to things that are completely out of your control. For example, one rule forbids the use of attacks that knock back an opponent, only you have little control over whether or not an attack will knock an opponent back. There is also an alarming number of enemies with some sort of character-controlling ability, so it is usually a fair bet that controlled characters will break the law. At the very worst, you'll lose your clan bonus and the ability to revive fallen characters, which is much more forgiving that FFTA's penalty, though it can feel like a bit of a cheap shot when it costs you a quest.

Beyond a few mishaps with the Judges, Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift is incredibly forgiving. Most missions are level capped, so you'll rarely get into a situation that is over your clan's head unless you take the wrong guys for the job into battle. If you happen to fail a quest, it is recycled back into the pile and will become available a few days later.

Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift includes both D-pad and stylus support. Of the two, the D-pad is the more accurate since the grid squares are small. Selecting certain commands also becomes a problem because of the size of the words. Grimoire makes excellent use of the top screen. It isn't visually appealing, though it offers a wealth of information including a reminder about which law is governing the battle and the battle order.

Characters earn Ability Points for taking part in battles, which allows them to learn skills from their equipment. Like the Judges, the process has been streamlined. Characters who sit out of battles still gain Ability Points, removing the arduous process of having to level up a bunch of new recruits in battles they probably couldn't handle. The big hitch to the system is that you need to have the right equipment to learn the jobs you want, which isn't always possible.

Equipment is unlocked by trading certain combinations of ranked loot at the Bazaar. Loot drops are random, so there isn't a guarantee that you'll be able to find the right combination when it comes up on the Bazaar. Most of the time you'll find just enough equipment to hold on to a certain job, though it isn't uncommon to end up playing as the most convenient class while the one you really want becomes a "side job" for when you get the right equipment.

Although the shallow story and loose quest progression is a bit of a put off, the gameplay makes the game a deep and engaging experience for Strategy RPG fans.