A Modern Classic
When it was announced that the twelfth installment in the Final Fantasy franchise was going to implement large changes to the series’ gameplay mechanics, many die-hard Final Fantasy fans were upset. However, after playing the game for a bit one can see that much of the changes are exceptional and are a great move forward for the series.
The new battle system in FFXII does away with the stale random encounters of yore. This time around the player can approach and engage enemies without transitioning into a separate battle screen. This also allows the player to move freely around enemies in real-time, but for the most part the way commands are issued is still similar to past Final Fantasy installments. You choose your command then a bar will fill and when it does your command will be executed (In past FFs, a bar filled and then you issued commands.). Naturally, doing this with a party of characters could quickly become tedious and somewhat aggravating, which is where the Gambit system comes in. The Gambit system can be compared to an extremely simple programming language. It allows the player to choose pre-set actions that the characters will perform if certain battle conditions are met. For instance, the player can issue one their characters to cast cure on a party member if their HP falls below 50%. Setting up the gambits is a lot easier than it sounds. Simply pull up the menu, choose a condition and then a result. Unfortunately, there is a bad side to gambits. Aside from boss battles, 90% of the games encounters can be dealt with using the two simplest gambits: auto-attack and auto-heal. This oftentimes will make the game seem too easy, but luckily the game consists of some challenging bosses. In order to teach your characters new skills (and new equipment proficiencies) in FFXII, you must defeat enemies to earn ability points. These ability points can be used on what’s called the license board (extremely similar to the sphere grid of FFX, but more open). Using the points, you move across the board, learning new skills as you go. In addition to learning the skill on the board, you must also purchase the skill from one of the game’s various merchants. You need to be very lenient with spending your Gil in FFXII though. If you overhaul your gear/skills in every town you come across, you will find your pockets empty in no time. The combat and character development of FFXII feels fresh, innovative, and is a blast to play.
The world of XII takes place in Ivalice (Yes, the very same from FF Tactics). The world of Ivalice is lush and diverse and makes for a great fantasy setting that can live up to the world’s of any previous games of the series. Some of the locales include arid deserts, snowy mountains, lush jungles, and ancient temples. This time around though, similar to Final Fantasy X, there is no world map to traverse, however it is a lot less linear than FFX. Needless to say there will be a lot of walking and exploring in FFXII, but that’s actually not a bad thing cause the world is great to look at and is filled with a variety of unique monsters. Another new addition to the franchise is a controllable camera. This leads to one of the few flaws in the game, not because a camera is a bad idea but because the controls of it are inverted. After a few hours of play it becomes second nature though.
Surprisingly, the story of XII is actually one of its low points when compared to other high profile JRPGS. Not to spoil the story, much of it focuses on the politics of Ivalice, rather than the romance and “world saving” of previous FF installments. The story is still intriguing and is well worth paying attention to. Final Fantasy XII also introduces quite a few memorable characters (both heroes and villains). From the sly sky pirate Balthier to the mad scientist Cid, Final Fantasy XII’s characters will be long remembered. It should take anywhere between 40-60 hours to complete the game the first time through. Of course the journey doesn’t have to stop there. The game consists of a multitude of side quests. The game also has many optional areas to explore, secret items to collect, and a plethora of bounty-hunting missions. Final Fantasy XII should keep even the most dedicated gamers busy for weeks on end.
Needless to say, Final Fantasy XII has a breathtaking presentation. Certainly, it lacks the “WOW” factor that FFX had when it released; however the graphics are still some of the best to ever grace the Playstation 2. The game’s art style clearly takes after Final Fantasy Tactics rather than the previous core games in the franchise. In addition, the sound effects are top-notch. Everything sounds as it should, such as swords shredding enemy flesh. The voice-over work is also some of the best ever implemented into a video game. There is never a time when the dialogue seems too awkward or cheesy. The games VO work also seems very unique due to it’s utilization of accents. Citizens from a certain territory have heavy English accents, while others have heavy Russian accents. It should come at no surprise that FFXII’s music sounds wonderful as well. A good amount of the soundtrack was recorded using a live orchestra, while other pieces were synthesized on a computer. Both types sound well. Overall, the music is very epic and fits the game accurately. The melodies that accompany each situation fit in perfectly.
After many delays (the game was set for 2004 originally) the final product has finally been released. Final Fantasy XII does away with many of the old conventions of the Final Fantasy series and introduces new ones that actually better the game experience. Combine that with a sharp and beautiful presentation, and Final Fantasy XII may just be the best JRPG to come along in years.
Summary
Pros:
-Fluid combat system
-Gorgeous graphics
-Breathtaking score
-Great lasting appeal
-Memorable characters
Cons:
-Weak story
-Bad camera controls
-Gambits can make the game to easy
Final Score: 9.0/10.0
Tags: Final Fantasy, PlayStation 2, XII