Created by Yasumi Matsuno, the world of Ivalice unites several Square Enix games, mostly Final Fantasy titles as their setting, though at varying points in time. First introduced in Final Fantasy Tactics as a Renaissance-era Europe style setting, later games set in the Golden Age of Ivalice are heavily inspired by Mediterranean cultures. While the initial plan was not to have a unified world setting, eventually, the Ivalice Alliance was created to unite several different games, even retconning Vagrant Story into Ivalice.
There are seven main titles set in Ivalice and four side titles. To make matters a bit more confusing, only four titles are official Ivalice Alliance games, while the rest are just set in Ivalice.
Final Fantasy 12
Final Fantasy 12 is the first mainline Final Fantasy title to be set in Ivalice and is the first game when looking at the chronological order of all games set in there. FF12 introduces three continents, Ordallia, Valendia, and Kerwon. These three continents are united as part of the Galtean Alliance. There are other lands mentioned in the game, but rarely, and with vague descriptions. At this point, the technology in Ivalice is similar to magitek in Final Fantasy 6 but a bit more medieval.
Originally Final Fantasy 12 was not an official part of the Ivalice Alliance. It was brought into the project with the release of Final Fantasy 12 International Zodiac Job System, the international release of FF12 for the PlayStation 2, making it the fourth and final official game in the project.
Final Fantasy 12: Revenant Wings
A spin-off of Final Fantasy 12, Revenant Wings is chronologically the second game set in Ivalice and introduces the sky continent, Lemures . Revenant Wings is technically the first game in the Ivalice Alliance project.
Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift
FFT A2: Grimoire of the Rift is both the third and last game set in Ivalice's chronology and introduces the region of Jylland. Jylland is composed of the Loar continent and the western half of Ordallia. The game begins in St. Ivalice, the future state of the world of Ivalice, and fins its main character, Luso, transported to Ivalice in the past through a mysterious grimoire. Many aspects of Final Fantasy 12 and Final Fantasy Tactics Advance run through the entire game. FFT A2 is the third official game in the Ivalice Alliance.
Final Fantasy Tactics
The original and arguably best game in Ivalice, Final Fantasy Tactics, takes place after a cataclysmic event reshapes Ivalice, burying much of its past culture and technology. In the game, Ivalice is a kingdom neighbored by Ordallia and Romanda. Instead of the Mediterranean styling of pre-cataclysm Ivalice, this Ivalice is more of a feudal society similar to medieval times and Renaissance-era Europe. Originally released on the PlayStation 1, Final Fantasy Tactics would eventually be slightly enhanced for the PSP and mobile devices under the name Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions, the second official game of the Ivalice Alliance.
Vagrant Story
Vagrant Story was not originally set in Ivalice but was designed by Yasumi Matsuno and later retconned into the world through conventions in Final Fantasy 12, one of the main ones being that it takes place in the kingdom of Valendia. The Kilitia region also appears in both games, while FF12 also uses the Old Valendian Calendar. The only connections inside Vagrant Story are a few easter eggs in the game for Final Fantasy Tactics fans.
Final Fantasy Tactics Advance
The last official game in the chronological timeline of Ivalice is Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, a game that would introduce a world and themes that would heavily carry over into Final Fantasy 12. This Ivalice is dreamed up by a boy named Mewt, and is heavily inspired by classic Middle Eastern cultures, featuring arabesque style in everything from its architecture and character designs. It mainly falls toward the end of the timeline due to the main characters originating in St. Ivalice, similar to Ludo in the prologue and epilogue of FFT A2.
Final Fantasy 14
The Final Fantasy 14: Stormblood expansion for the popular MMORPG introduced an alliance raid titled "Return to Ivalice," with Yasumi Matsuno coming on board as guest creator. Borrowing heavily from the lore of Final Fantasy Tactics, Ivalice is not a world in FF14, but an ancient region set in the world of Hydaelyn.
Mobile and Flash Games
Three other games take place in the world of Ivalice, none of which are canon:
- Dive II Hunt: The Adventures of Sorbet (Flash) -Â A simple Flash game playable in web browsers featuring Sorbet the moodle collecting treasures underwater.
- Crystal Defenders (iOS, Android, Xbox Live, Wiiware, PSN) -Â A tower defense game with a job system based on Final Fantasy Tactics A2.
- Final Fantasy Tactics S (iOs, Android) -Â A very simple and stripped-down tactics game where players were tasked to create a party of characters with different job classes to complete quests. Battles were non-interactive and played out on their own.
Final Fantasy 16 is in development for PS5.