The game is structured into "Tales," which are individual character-focused chapters that can be played in any order before they converge into a massive final dungeon.

Released as a direct sequel to the 1991 classic, Final Fantasy IV: The After Years takes place 17 years after the original game's conclusion. Originally a mobile-exclusive episodic title in Japan, it later gained international reach on the WiiWare service, Steam, and as part of the Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection on PSP.

While maintaining the traditional Active Time Battle (ATB) system, The After Years introduces two unique mechanics: