150°

Final Fantasy XII 9th Anniversary Review I

Eyes on FF: At the time of its release in 2006, Final Fantasy XII was probably the most innovative single player RPG of its time. Yet, it was also one of the most derivative works Square Enix ever produced. Final Fantasy XII is truly a mash-up of the original and the influenced, all set up in a nice package of political intrigue and deep mythology.

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DarkOcelet3096d ago (Edited 3096d ago )

SQUARE!

Where is my damn HD Version of this masterpiece? I need this now!

Cant wait to see Fran in HD :P

RpgSama3096d ago

This was a severely underrated game by the time, all it did with the ps2 specially as a Jrpg is mind boggling when it's put into context to where the market went.

Really great FF and more importantly a really great game all around.

DarkOcelet3096d ago

Still my favorite PS2 game and my most played game in the history and my favorite Final Fantasy game.

bangoskank3096d ago

I'm impatiently awaiting an HD version as well. This game is criminally under appreciated by many gamers. I personally think the gameplay was an evolution from the turned based battles used in past FF games. Unlike others I found the story and characters very engaging. The mob hunts were very addictive and also had me playing for several hours at a time. This was a marvel on the PS2.

DarkOcelet3096d ago

I clocked in about 1300 hours in this beauty. Seriously, i couldn't put it down for weeks. Came back from school, then put 6 to 8 hours in it everyday. It was amazing.

pivotplease3096d ago (Edited 3096d ago )

Just as it is criminally overappreciated by others. I can sit here and list why this game is one of the worst FFs in literally every way (though it did push nice graphics on the PS2 at the time BUT lacked FMVs sorely...had maybe 5 or 6?). Saying worst gameplay is subjective because some might actually prefer repetitive MMORPG combat to turn-based. The soundtrack relies heavily on an unoriginal song (from IV I believe?) and Kiss Me Goodbye was probably the cheesiest vocal song to hit the franchise minus X-2's opening song. It also had pretty much no relation to the plot since there was no death or romance at the end really. The plot and characters too. Oh god. You have cardboard characters as main (Vaan and Penello), the most shallow political struggle (seriously play tactics or X for worlds with meaningful politics and backstory), no character development outside of maybe 2 characters (Balthier and kind of Basch but barely), and a conclusion that was so mundane it needed a crescendo from the poorly thought out and nonsensical Occurio (they really blew it plot-wise here). The bad guy is just some imperialist who is like "I want power!" How generic can you get? Anyway, FF 6 through 9 are vastly superior and deserve all the remaster priority.

bangoskank3096d ago (Edited 3096d ago )

@pivotplease

"The soundtrack relies heavily on an unoriginal song from IV"? What are you talking about? You're referring to the title song at the start menu which is a staple FF theme. The rest of the soundtrack is beautifully composed by the same artists who worked on classic OST's like Final Fantasy tactics and Vagrant Story. Most villains in JRPG's are power hungry imperialists but I actually found Vayne's character to be more three-dimensional and more complex than others. I suppose all your points are subjective though. Some people, including myself, found this to be a more enoyable, more mature FF. You mention FF X as being a better game meanwhile the voice acting, dialogue, and lack of overworld map were severe flaws. The soundtrack was also nothing special except for Macalania Woods. If you had trouble following the FXII plot you can watch in all it's uninterrupted glory here: https://www.youtube.com/wat...

FF6 and 9 are my other favorites in the series but are definitely deserving and in need of remakes as they have aged poorly.

Skate-AK3096d ago

Idk about that. Final Fantasy Type-0 was pretty cool.

pivotplease3096d ago

In that case I would have said X. XII's plot is almost the same as getting a lobotomy. Maybe I'll enjoy it when I go senile?

user66660473096d ago

@Pivotplease FFX was shite. The music was ok though.

Kos-Mos3096d ago

13-3 is actually a really good game. The atmosphere is uncomparable with it's fabulous soundtrack and the learning curve/difficulty is enjoyable.
Please give it a try if you haven't with my opinion in mind.

Rod2273096d ago

The worst FF storyline ever.

DittoHefner3096d ago

Did you forget about FF1, 3, 13, and 15 (just based on what we know already it is trash)?

pivotplease3096d ago

Correct in a way. As terrible, mundane, derivative, and shallow as XII is, there are a few FFs that top it. However, I usually give FF1 a free pass for being the first as well as having a pretty deep metanarrative that is really unlike anything ever done in FF since.

MoveTheGlow3096d ago (Edited 3096d ago )

I think it was the most disappointing for sure. There was, as the author says, a lot of political intrigue and interesting characters... at first. By the ending to the actual story, you could tell they severely cut content and phoned in the final area and boss from out of nowhere.

Was it the "worst," though? No way. I love the battle system in Final Fantasy X-2, but it had a hideous story overall. Plus, the early NES games were low-budget, low-key affairs that could only do so much, and if you count the SaGa/Legend spinoffs, those are also pretty weak.

And then there's Mystic Quest, where you first enter the dangerous forest called... Foresta. LOL.

DittoHefner3096d ago

I wish I could go back 9 years. Life and games were better.

FallenAngel19843096d ago

I really want FFXII HD to happen, it's the only mainline Final Fantasy game that hasn't officially been rereleased on another platform

bangoskank3095d ago

FF IX has only been on the PS if I remember correctly.

FallenAngel19843095d ago

FFIX has already been rereleased on PSN.

bangoskank3094d ago

That doesn't count, dude.

120°

Final Fantasy 12 Has The Worst Cid, Says Ben Starr

Clive actor Ben Starr plays kiss, marry, kill with Final Fantasy characters, and decides to off Cid from Final Fantasy 12.

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thegamer.com
CrimsonWing6910d ago

I’d give it to 8, but whatevs.

mastershredder9d ago (Edited 9d ago )

Ew VO actors and their cringe core. Fiverr voice actors could out perform this chump.

150°

Final Fantasy XII Is the Perfect Final Fantasy Game to Play After XVI

Final Fantasy XVI makes big changes to the series. It has a new approach to combat and a mature story, that makes XII the perfect game to play after.

Flawlessmic305d ago

It's always a good time to play ff12. But more importantly absolutely everybody that has a ps5 should be playing ff16!!

What a game yoshi p and his team have delivered, we can only hope they have been handed the keys to next main line final fantasy and they can go back to back!!

304d ago Replies(1)
GhostScholar304d ago

He turned final fantasy into a 3rd person action game. A good one for sure, but not final
Fantasy.

Flawlessmic304d ago

What is final fantasy?

If your telling me it's turn based/party then people aren't actually final fantasy fans they are mechanic fans of turn based games not final fantasy.

I could point to 20 different reasons why this is a proper final fantasy but going off everyone opinions apparently what makes a final fantasy is the mechanics and nothing else lol.

I guess final fantasy hasn't been final fantasy since X-2.

GhostScholar304d ago

I’m not saying just the turned based aspect makes a game final fantasy or not. It’s not that it’s not turn based only. I don’t like the combat at all in 16. It’s better than 15 for sure, but it just doesn’t feel like a final fantasy game. It reminds me more of the Witcher 3 than final fantasy. The setting, the look of the world. No sci fi aspects.

Flawlessmic304d ago (Edited 304d ago )

i still have to disagree dude, final fantasy games are made up of so much more, they have a certain heart & soul to them that make them easily identifiable and this game has all that heart and soul of a FF game as well ff staples below.

- the music
- chocobos
- moogles
- summons - Super heavy influence
- a grand epic story/ ps. they have done medieveil before like with ff9
- crystals - Super heavy influence
- cid

I mean the fact this game is basically all about crystals and eikons is about as FF as it gets, throw in the rest and i get it being action game may be weird but this is FF game through and through.

in terms of Sci fi, id say your probably still very early on in the game.

This is coming from an old school FF fan.

Terry_B305d ago

I also recommend Devil May Cry 3-5 if you liked FF16 a lot.

MrNinosan304d ago

Played them all, and no... Not at all like FFXVI except parts of the combat

Gardenia303d ago

I don't know if this is serious or sarcasm, but it says a lot of what Final Fantasy has become.

lucian229304d ago

ff12 was the worst ff imo; no character was unique because of the class system, so in cutscenes no character had an assigned weapon; they were all different skins of one another; the game played itself, the main character wasn't the main character and it was just a big eh

Nacho_Z304d ago

I think I preferred 12 to 13 but I agree with your assessment. It was very bland and not much fun to play.

lucian229304d ago

i liked 13 combat wise, and i think story wise, but then i really liked the 2nd game, and lightning returns was....odd but i liked it.

MrNinosan304d ago

Sounds like you were late to FFXII and only played Zodiac edition.

FFXII is a great game, still today, and with Zodiac, it became even better.

lucian229302d ago

nope lol i got ff12 at launch

GhostScholar304d ago

Final fantasy 7 remake is better than 16 in every way

lucian229302d ago

not at all; while i love my ff7, ff16 is epic constantly; no game has epic battles the way this one does

Tapani9d ago

The Zodiac edition was absolutely superb. Top 5 final fantasies, up there with 4, 6, 7 and Tactics.

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MadLad304d ago

Still the last one I really enjoyed.
Series is just all over the place anymore and, while people like the new arpg gameplay, it doesn't do anything for me.

goldwyncq304d ago

The world is the real star of XII. I didn't care about the character nor the story but the worldbuilding was excellent.

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180°

Final Fantasy XII director shoots down 17-year rumor about the game's main character

First, the rumor itself. When Final Fantasy XII originally launched in 2006, plenty of players were left disappointed by protagonist Vaan, who many deemed to be dull and apathetic. From this, a rumor sprang forth than companion Basch was originally meant to be the protagonist of Final Fantasy XII, but was switched out of the role at the last minute.

This rumor has gained traction ever since, to the point where multiple outlets have reported it as fact, and Final Fantasy XII’s Wikipedia page (opens in new tab) even mentions it as part of the game's development. Now though, years after the rumor originated, original Final Fantasy XII director and scenario writer Yasumi Matsuno has stepped in to quash the rumor.

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Hofstaderman370d ago

I'm still convinced Vaan and Penelo were placed in the game as a last minute decision.

-Foxtrot369d ago (Edited 369d ago )

It does feel like that tbh

It's why even though the theory has been shot down I can see why people came up with and believed it.

It makes sense

Vaan was there for the younger audience and to me that seems like a last minute development decision.

gold_drake370d ago (Edited 370d ago )

ok that doesnt change the fact that Vaan is the least intresting and biggest waste of a main character in the franchise.

like Penelo and Vaan are literally just there, to be there. any other character has more purpose haha.

Becuzisaid369d ago

We all know Balthier and Fran were the mains the whole time lol.

FinalFantasyFanatic369d ago

The characters and writing for this game, just wasn't good, I have a hard time believing that there wasn't some major changes at some point (do writers just not leave notes for each other if one of them gets sick or leaves?).

SegaSaturn669369d ago

I enjoy the gameplay a lot but tend to agree, the soundtrack was not memorable to me at all, either. Which is weird because the composer also did FFT which was tremendous.

FinalFantasyFanatic368d ago

I always think of Uematsu when I think of the FF franchise, but most of his music is pretty iconic, unfortunately I didn't get to play FFT (hopefully it ends up with a Steam release in the near future).

RedDevils369d ago

Back then I like the gameplay, but I just don't like the story enough to enjoy it as X.

GoodGuy09369d ago

It was obvious Vaan was of little importance. His brother or Balthier should've been the MC. They've already told us that Vaan was chosen just so the game can appeal to younger audiences. But well that's square for ya, always trying to appeal to the masses rather than just do what they really want to do and favor core fans.

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