FF XII presents some new ideas and a unique combat system to create an RPG that some will hate and others will embrace
The Bad: Different combat and upgrade systems take some getting used too; story isn't very interesting, and the main character, Vaan, has no specific role but to tag along; some may not appreciate the new combat system altogether; some of the music is put in the wrong places
Final Fantasy is a franchise that has been running for years. Giving us classic games like Final Fantasy X and VII, you can't expect a bad game from such a fruitful collection. Final Fantasy XII had been one of the most anticipated games of 2006. Is this reworked game in the franchise another winner, or a letdown?
The story is a bit confusing, but I'll do my best to break it down for you. Dalmasca is the main nation in this game. Two empires have waged war against eachother. Although Dalmasca is not part of this war, they're getting caught in the crossfire. An orphan named Vaan (the main character), eventually gets caught up in the resistance, where he, and a bunch of different characters, try to stop the war by stopping a new leader named Vayne. Vayne is planning to use an illegal substance called nethicite to win the war, but Vaan and the resistance plan to stop him before this happens to save Dalmasca from getting destroyed in the battle. Since the game focuses on cities, empires and nations, the characters don't seem all that important. This is a letdown, because one of the main reasons that people love Final Fantasy games is for their characters. Players build an emotional bond to each one, causing many memorable experiences throughout their many adventures. However, these characters are much more underdeveloped than in previous installments, and, try as you might, it's hard to have feelings for them the way you did in previous entries.
Now onto the controversial battle system. The game involves the use of menus, like previous installments. However, instead of having random battles that pop up out of no where and almost give you a heart attack, Final Fantasy XII has an open world to run around in, with monsters scattered in them. You can now avoid battles by not getting too close. However, since monsters are spread throughout, some of them might be a bit tougher than you. Throughout the levels, there are some monsters whom you can't do any damage to, yet they're so high leveled that their attacks will instantly take your team out. You have to be cautious when roaming or traversing the wastelands.
Anyway, about the menu. When roaming this open world, you can press the "X" button when a target is nearby. You can then pick from a variety of options including attack, items, magic and so on. With attack, you simply select attack and choose your target. A long, arched, blue line will then connect to your target, and a meter by your character's name will fill up. This is your attack meter. When it fills up completely, you can approach your enemy and attack. The meter will then reset and start filling up again. Magic and items are a bit different. Once you pick them on the menu, you choose your spell or item and then your target. The meter is also used for this. In fact, most everything you do on the battlefield incorporates the meter somehow. Battles may seem slower at first, but once you upgrade your character enough, the meter will fill up quicker and quicker.
The new upgrade system involves a system called licenes. In order to get a new weapon or magic ability, you need to buy it at a store, shop or vendor. Before you do that however, you have to buy that license on the license board. The license board is...well, a giant board with a bunch of different squares (licenses) on it. Each square (license) has a set number of abilities, spells, or weapons on them that you can use if you buy it. To buy a license, you have to take out a bunch of monsters. Depending on how tough the monsters are, you get license points to spend on the license board. Depending on how effective a spell or weapon is, the license will be expensive or cheap. Once you buy a license for a weapon, you can go buy, and equip it to any character who has its license. It's confusing to explain, but it's very easy to use. It's like asking permission to get something before using it.
The battle system, while unique and interesting, is not without its faults. First off, there doesn't seem to be a lot of strategy to it. The strategy is basically knowing when to heal and when to attack. Speaking of attack, another disappointment is the excessive melee combat. It's surprising that magic is hardly used in Final Fantasy XII, even though it's been one of the series most unique aspects. You do have magic abilities, but they seem awkward and out of place. Even though they're projectiles, you have to get close to your opponent to initiate a magic attack. Don't get me wrong, melee combat works well, but besides the spell Cure, magic is hardly ever used.
Quickenings are the new overdrives. With Quickenings you'll be able to do a ton of damage to your opponent provided you use the correct button combinations to power it up. Quickenings can also be used as summons. The bad thing about Quickenings is that they take up your entire magic supply. Once your magic is at its peak on the magic meter, you can initiate a Quickening. This is useful, but it should only be used in very, very serious situations.
Now, onto the gambits. Gambits are commands that are given to your allies to fulfill certain conditions. For example, you can assign one gambit telling your ally to attack the enemy your targeting, or to heal you when your health gets below thirty percent. Gambits work well, but there are always some commands that don't go the way you'd hope. However, the gambit system is a solid addition, and with a few tweaks here and there, it can be perfected.
Onto the graphics. Where as most Final Fantasies broke the graphical barrier for each system, Final Fantasy XII is simply good. It doesn't do anything that hasn't been seen before, but the graphics on display here are quite impressive. The in game character models have been upgraded from Final Fantasy X, which is also a nice little addition.
When it comes to voice acting, Final Fantasy XII does a great job. The characters are expressive and their voices sound good. Since this is imported from Japan, you'll see a lot of lip movement not matching the voices...however, the game does a great job of covering this up by matching the dialogue closing to the way each character's mouths are moving.
The music in Final Fantasy XII rivals that of Final Fantasy X. It sounds amazing. Orchestral pieces pop up everywhere, and some really help you get into the vibe of each battle. The music sounds great, but my only complaint about it was its placement. There were some areas where the music, simply, did not fit. Here's an example: (this example does not appear in the game) Imagine being in a dark scary cavern, and hearing lively, upbeat music....that's how some of the music is. Amazing music is put into the wrong places to the point where the environments and the music start to mesh together in unsatisfying ways. This appears in a only a few places, but is still a minor annoyance.
The game is extremely long, thanks to tons of side quests, tons of monsters, and a lot of traveling. You'll be on this game for a long time if you enjoy it.
Some may enjoy Final Fantasy XII, and some may not. It's rare to see a controversial Final Fantasy, but that's what happens when you rework the formula. Though there are better entries in the series, Final Fantasy XII is able to take something new and integrate it into a massive adventure that many dedicated fans can sink their teeth into.