Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age’s gambit system is the greatest

One of the most controversial moves in the Final Fantasy series was the implementation of Final Fantasy XII’s Gambit system. A good many fans absolutely hated it, saying “the game played itself” or that it “took skill out of the equation.” Those people are call fools, because the Gambit system is the best combat system to come from the mainline Final Fantasy franchise, barring Final Fantasy XI.

[PhoenixUp]

FFXII is the greatest

[meatnormous]

Didnt like it that much when I originally played it, but I pre ordered it to give it another shot. Still have ps2 version with the strategy guide.

[bouzebbal]

Gambit system is so advanced and is the reason i really didn't like Ninokuni's battle system it is gambit inspired but the commands are so basic in comparison.

[Princess_Pilfer]

The story starts interesting (except for the stuff about Vahn, the single worst protagonist in the series) and then devolves into hot garbage and while the gambit system is certainly flexible enough to be good they never really stretch the players use of it by having bosses with good mechanics.

So, I'm gonna have to disagree.

Other games, both before and after FF12, have things similar to the gambit system, while also having stories that don't suck, better written villians, and gameplay/ bosses with more mechanics to really take advantage of the strategies their systems allow. Dragon Age Orgins comes to mind.

[PlebeGamer]

So you agree that gambits are awesome, but you're disagreeing with the article about gambits being awesome, because of reasons that have nothing to do with gambits? lol

Also, Vahn isn't the protagonist, he's just the player's window to experience the game, the actual protagonists are Balthier and Ashe.

[Princess_Pilfer]

I was responding to a post saying that FF12 is the greatest.

I didn't say that gambits are the greatest. I'll happily admit they're good, but they aren't perfect, and having to buy/unlock slots and targeting priorities is really aggravating.

He's a terrible character we have to suffer through for the entire game, so even if you're right it has no bearing on my point. That said, the game is the story of Vahn interacting with all those forces much bigger than him (with balthier, basche and ashe being the center of said forces,) as made evident by the special attention the game gives to Vahns vapid whin... I mean feelings on literally everything. Also his drive to deal with the events of the story is just as great as the other characters after the first couple hours and he has significant agency in that story.

[Jubez187]

"and gameplay/ bosses with more mechanics to really take advantage of the strategies their systems allow. Dragon Age Orgins comes to mind."

Yeah, DA:O did it better just cause it didn't chicken out and went full fledged MMO style. Stances, aggro system, roles, crowd control, AoE. FFXII is really basic in comparison.

[Princess_Pilfer]

Kinda going off on a tangent now, but DA:O is also proof positive that it's not the gambit system that made FF12 easy. FF12 is just easy. Have you ever tried to beat all of Dragon Age Orgins without directly controlling anyone during the fights (and without the like 2 specific invulnerable builds?) It's hard. Really, really hard. Even if I spend hours customizing the AI I still generally end up taking direct control of someone (usually a mage) and having to hold certain moves in reserve to use manually (usually a powerful CC) or the party tends to get overun because archers kill the healer or something.

[peewee11016]

I have never beat FF6 and this one so i guess i will beat ff6 then buy this one :D

[Aggesan]

Wow, those are my favorite FF's. Enjoy!

[Warshade]

Too bad the extremely lackluster and weak story really kicks the game in the balls then points and laughs.

[Princess_Pilfer]

The worst part is that this version of Ivalice is really cool and there is actually the makings of a good story in there, it just got buried by tropy shounen nonsense that doesn't really fit the tone of the game. It isn't even good tropy shounen nonsense, if it was I might have liked it anyways.

[Warshade]

There were too many problems during development. I enjoy the combat and even the world and exploration and quest system. I really felt let down by the story in this game so much that I feel no desire to play it again since that is why I play RPGs.

[Wolfgang187]

I'm Captain Bosch!