Yeah, over the years there've been several strategy RPGs touted as the successor to (or better than) Final Fantasy Tactics. I've tried most of them, including the two FFT Advance games, a few of the Disgaea series, and the most recent Tactics Ogre.

The most recent Tactics Ogre comes closest, but nothing really hits all the right notes like the first FFT does. I think it's a combination of all the cool stuff about the Final Fantasy series, the awkward original translation, the level progression, the job progression, the music, and clockwork robots and vampires.