Final Fantasy XII
The most controversial Final Fantasy since the last one
Tags: Final Fantasy XII Categories: PS2 Reviews, Reviews
Posted by Jake McNeill on Nov 24th, 2006
| Title | Players | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Final Fantasy XII (title page) | 1 | ||
| Developer | Publisher | Genre | Online |
| Role-Playing | No | ||
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I was about to start writing this review by saying that Final Fantasy XII was destined to be the most controversial game in the series, but now that I think about it, the series has kinda’ always had controversy in one area or another. There was the controversy about Final Fantasy II, III and V not coming to America until their Playstation remakes were released, the controversy about Final Fantasy IV and VI being renamed Final Fantasy II and III, the controversy about the numbering scheme going back to the Japanese scheme with Final Fantasy VII. In addition, Final Fantasy VII was the source of heated debate about the change in platform, what constitutes a spoiler (by the way, Aeris dies), as well as debate about whether it really deserves all its hype. Final Fantasy VIII wrought controversy by taking the series much farther into the realm of sci-fi, not to mention the summon animations that made you wait long enough that you could take a trip to the bathroom and still have time to spare before you needed to pick up the controller again. Final Fantasy IX was a series tribute that many accused of retreading old ground. Final Fantasy X abandoned the series’ trademark ATB battle system (which resulted in what is possibly the finest battle system in the series proper). Final Fantasy XI is an MMO, and many still steadfastly refuse to consider it the eleventh installment in the series. And this isn’t even going into all the spinoffs, ventures into other mediums, and in the case of Final Fantasy X-2, direct sequels. And even though they won’t be released for years to come, the multiple Final Fantasy XIII titles are already the source of a good deal of controversy.
So, if Final Fantasy XII is controversial, it’s in good company.
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At this point, I suppose we should come to expect the unexpected where Square Enix’s flagship series is involved. In this respect, Final Fantasy XII delivers in spades, and as with every other game in the series, it’s bound to piss some people off. This is understandable, because for the first time in the history of the series, the game was designed by a completely new development team. In light of Hironobu Sakaguchi’s departure from Square, development was passed on to Yasumi Matsuno, best known for Final Fantasy Tactics and Vagrant Story, who in turn employed a team consisting of people who had worked on those two games. There’s also additional chapters of the tale where Matsuno is driven insane by the pressure and the role of producer is passed on to Akitoshi Kawazu of the SaGa series at the last minute, but that’s a tale for another time.
With a new team working on the game, one might expect some changes, but Final Fantasy XII turns things upside-down in virtually every area, from the gameplay to the presentation. And while the game still retains enough of a connection to the series’ core themes to still be deserving of the Final Fantasy name (unlike, say, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within), to many this will seem like a completely different kind of game.
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The main change that everyone’s been talking about is the battle system. For the first time (unless you count Final Fantasy XI), battles take place in real-time. What’s more, one of the core gameplay systems, the gambit system, has been designed to automate much of the process, allowing you to customize your own macros for each of the characters so you don’t have to constantly tell them what to do (although you can always jump in and take over if you want one of them to do something different). Many have already bemoaned that this system is akin to “programming the game to play itself for you”, and to be fair, there are times when that’s exactly what it seems like. However, most of the time you’ll find yourself mixing this predetermined automation with your own tactics, and generally the battles you leave on autopilot are the less interesting ones anyways (which however raise the question “wouldn’t it just be better for them to excise the boring battles completely?”). It’s an inventive system and, while not perfect, you will find yourself becoming accustomed to it.
The other major gameplay system, the license system, doesn’t fare quite so well. In theory, this system of progression works much like Final Fantasy X’s excellent sphere grid system, with players moving their character through a chart according to their personal tastes. In practice, the fact that only abilities on adjacent squares are revealed means there will be a lot of guesswork – is there an awesome new ability in the next square after that boring increase in the effectiveness of remedies, or is it just another ability you won’t use? And while you can see what general field of use a square is in, that doesn’t help much when you want to know which of the fifty weapon squares supports that awesome sword you just got.
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Oh, and that’s another thing. Unlike FFX’s sphere grid system, FFXII’s license system requires that you both earn the ability on the board and obtain it in the game. This makes for frustrating situations where you’ve earned spells like raise or esuna on the board, yet haven’t found anyone who sells them yet. Worse still, this is a requirement for every last thing in the game – you can’t so much as wear a hat you’ve bought without earning a license for it first. Even aside from the general absurdity of this, it’s just plain tedious and frustrating, and you often feel like you’re working so your characters can do things they should be able to do automatically.
There are other gripes to be had with the gameplay as well. The fact that all of the characters have nearly the same placement on the license board means that they all play effectively the same unless for some reason you opt to have them venture in different directions (which is more time-consuming and resource-intensive). The game’s summons and mist abilities (FFXII’s version of limit breaks) cost far too much – requiring a full magic gauge and draining it completely. And finally, there’s still a bit too much need for grinding.
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Don’t get me wrong, the fresh new battle system makes things interesting enough to keep battles fairly engaging, even though there are still many complaints to be had. It’s especially challenging because you’ll work out a gambit layout that seems to be completely reliable, only to have it completely demolished by a new enemy with a spell that devastates your dynamic (never before in a Final Fantasy game has the sleep spell given me so much trouble), or a boss that plays by a different set of rules, such as one that must be defeated quickly, or another with seemingly no delay between attacks, constantly dealing damage to one of your characters. In situations like these, the gambit system’s hidden depths make the gameplay of Final Fantasy XII some of the most involved in the series, and it’s a shame that the license system doesn’t have the same kind of success.
In the graphics department, Final Fantasy XII is, as one expects with any final Fantasy game, one of the most gorgeous games to grace its platform. The PS2’s limits have undoubtedly been stretched to nearly the breaking point to display tremendously huge environments with tremendous detail, as well as exquisitely detailed and well-animated characters full of variety. In fact, at times, the PS2’s limitations are laid bare, with some occasions of pop-up and even a little slowdown that are understandable considering what the game is demanding of the console. However, even though Final Fantasy XII fails to take the “best PS2 graphics” crown away from Metal Gear Solid 3, it still makes for a truly impressive spectacle of a game.
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Just as impressive as the graphics is the sound, as Square Enix has found a group of actors that not only does an excellent job of portraying the characters they’re voicing, but also manages to infuse them with a great amount of style and grace. Unfortunately, the quality of the recording isn’t always fantastic, and the soundtrack is sadly not quite as memorable as people have come to expect from the series. Also, the mispronunciation of some words is made more conspicuous by the otherwise perfect execution of the script (Marquis is NOT pronounced “Mar-kwiss”). Still, you’ll generally find your ears fully satisfied with what’s on offer here.
Finally, the game’s story is possibly the high point of the experience. As expected from the team that created FF Tactics and Vagrant Story, the plot is filled with backstabbing and political intrigue, and in many ways FFXII’s story is the most mature, involving and well-written the series has ever had. I should warn you that after an absolutely thrilling opening (completely spoiled in my preview), the first few hours of the game are a bit boring and feature the least interesting characters in the game. However, that all changes with the introduction of Balthier and Fran, who are in my opinion the two best characters to have ever graced the series. Balthier’s charm and style are backed by some of the best writing any videogame character has ever had, period. And conversely, Fran’s solemn silence is occasionally broken by speech that’s vaguely mystical and even a bit enigmatic. Seperately they’re amazing characters, but in their unlikely pairing together they add a whole new layer to already engrossing personalities.
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It is at this point that the game’s protagonist Vaan actually becomes interesting; his generic youthful street urchin demeanor suddenly becoming conflicted, torn between his lack of trust in Balthier and his great desire to be everything the man represents. Soon after, the return of disgraced captain Basch and dethroned princess Ashe do a fine job of rounding out the group, and by this point even Vaan’s adoptive sister/potential love interest Penelo has risen to meet the standard of quality set by the others, with a personality that goes deeper than the standard big sister/mother hen mentality she seems to have in the beginning.
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In addition to this, the game actually has a strong supporting cast, from Vaan and Penelo’s employer and father figure Migelo, to Vaan’s elderly friend Dallan, Ashe’s trusted but pessimistic knight Vossler, and Larsa, one of two young princes to the throne of the antagonist nation of Archadia, itself teeming with numerous opposing factions vying for control. It’s to the game’s credit that while the nation of Archadia remains the clear enemy right from the beginning, you’re kept guessing as to who is the real menace at power guiding the actions of that nation – Is the elderly and dying emperor guilty of war mongering in pursuit of a stable empire for his heirs? Is his pretty-boy son Vayne ruthlessly vying for power? Is this situation being caused by the mysterious senate, manipulating events from behind the scenes? Or perhaps the seemingly benevolent prince Larsa is not what he seems. Or maybe it’s a little bit of everything…
In the end, Final Fantasy XII is an excellent installment in the series, and a completely new approach to the genre. While it’s full of reasons for controversy, and even has a few features that are heavily flawed, that doesn’t change the fact that it is still a fantastic RPG, and a must-have for fans of the genre, with enough original content to keep you entertained until the next controversial Final Fantasy rolls around.
| What Works | Score |
|---|---|
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+ Inventive and original gambit system + Amazing graphics + Fantastic voice acting + Some of the best characters ever to grace an RPG + Amazing story |
9.2 |
| What Doesn't | |
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- License system is tedious, frustrating, and flawed in numerous ways - Some pop-up and slowdown mar an otherwise superb graphical presentation - “Mar-kwiss” - Forgettable soundtrack - After the introduction, the first few hours are a bit slow and boring |
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| Under the Shrink-wrap | |
| Final Fantasy XII is flawed, and has all sorts of features seemingly designed to polarize fans. However, it is also a must-have RPG, and one of the best games of the year. | |
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Tags: Final Fantasy XII
Posted by Jake McNeill on Nov 24th, 2006 and is filed under PS2 Reviews, Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can post a comment, or trackback from your own site.
