After The World Ends With You drops in late April, Square Enix’s game lineup for the remainder of 2008 is still a bit of a mystery. Today, though, we at least know of one game to look forward to playing amidst the hot summer months with Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift officially penciled in for a June 24th date with North American retail. Sequel to 2003’s GBA hit Final Fantasy Tactics Advance and the third entry in the Ivalice Alliance series, Final Fantasy Tactics A2 brings the FFT franchise to the DS for the first time with new stylus-based control mechanics and plenty of added content like new classes, jobs and characters, including a few favorites from Final Fantasy XII.
“FINAL FANTASY TACTICS A2: Grimoire of the Rift makes the tactical RPG genre accessible to fans who may be unfamiliar with the grid-based battle system,” said Director Yuichi Murasawa. “While maintaining the classic functionality of the much-loved gameplay, this newest release boasts upgrades that enable a more engrossing and fulfilling tactical RPG experience.”
Hit the jump for a story overview, features list and a few screens.
STORY:
School is out for the summer, but mischievous Luso Clemens must first face detention to make up for his misbehavior. Alone in the library, he stumbles upon an ancient book with magical powers that summons him to the mystical land of Ivalice. Warped into the middle of a battlefield, Luso joins Cid and his clan to set off on an adventurous journey looking for a way home.
FEATURES:
* Explore the fantastic world of Ivalice and join forces with famous heroes from FINAL FANTASY® XII – Vaan, Penelo and Al-Cid
* All-new content and enhancements, including polished game mechanics, new jobs, new classes, and a new clan system that enrich the Ivalice experience for fans and newcomers alike
* The North American release will allow players to command characters in battle and navigate through menus all with a tap of the stylus
* Witness vibrant and colorful visuals in dual-screen presentation, made possible by Nintendo DS
* Increased replay value with up to 400 available quests, allowing players to immerse themselves in a multi-faceted storyline
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Matt landed his first gig in the video game review business writing for the now-defunct website BonusStage.com. After the sad and untimely close of BonusStage, the former staff went on to found VGBlogger.com. After a short stint as US Site Manager for AceGamez, Matt assumed full ownership over VGBlogger, and to this day he is dedicated to making it one of the top video game blogs in all the blogosphere.
Matt is a fair-minded reviewer and lover of games of all platforms and types, big or small, hyped or niche, big-budget or indie. But that doesn't mean he will let poor games slide without a good thrashing when necessary! 
