Final Fantasy XII involves gamers in the makings of what next-generation gaming truly needs- good AI.
2 hours into, and all those prior occurrences suddenly looked like a palpable lie, making that perfect score Famitsu awarded to the game conceivably so. Fears dissipated, it’d be hard not to be allured by the charm of the game. FF XII looked, played and felt good, all sugarcoating notwithstanding.
Fans of the conventional bemoan! Embracers of novelty rejoice! Amongst the rest of the series, FF XII stood out like a sore in the thumb- different and unapologetic for it. The modeled outlook of adjoining turn-based battles to anything that spelt role-playing is reshaped, random encounters are eradicated; and in replacement is what is known as the gambit system. It is what a delight is to some, or what a crude joke is to others. There are no gray areas over this- either you like it, or you don’t.
What gambits are to Vaan and co is what Artificial Intelligence is to the rest of us. FF XII allows players to take over the helm of customizing the AI, painting an illustrious picture of infinite possibility, yet withheld by a wall of invisible strings. Enemies are spotted on the field, and battles are dished out in real-time. Players have a choice of leaving any 3 controlled characters in either the manual or the gambit mode. The former greets players with layers and layers of menus, truly exhibiting the full-blown effects of micromanagement in gaming. The latter is forcefully useful, especially when battles become chaotic and difficult. Besides, people don’t enter a theatre just so to enjoy the comfortable chairs, do they?
Gambits are basically sets of instructions in arranged priorities where commands are acted out by order of precedence. Fancy Fran to be a healer- prioritize her healing commands over her offensive ones. Fancy Basch to be your main attacker- do the opposite. Greater intricacies are also offered. For example, characters can be customized to heal only when their hit points drop below a certain percentage; or forced to target enemies who are weak to a certain element first. Players would be spoilt for choice at times, but feel strangely handicapped during others, with the latter being a consequence of the former.
A common misconception about the gambit system is that the game would play itself out, rendering any player interaction nonexistent. That is not true. While most of the ‘actions’ are carried out even before any battle ensues- customizing the gambits, player intervention is still largely irreplaceable. Unforeseen circumstances strike frequently, and the limited number of gambits available means that there are still grounds uncovered. Gambits are better seen as facilitators rather than replacements to physical actions. Moreover, seeing how the automated characters act out according to your wishes is a different kind of satisfaction altogether; one that is as good as, if not more so than the mere pressing of right buttons at the right time.
There is an unexpected casualty, though. Freedom in customization leaves little space for character association; an issue rose by the absence of the trademark job system that players have grown to expect of Final Fantasy games. Players would be hard-pressed to identify with any of the characters, as anyone can be everyone, and everyone seems to be anyone. Leaving players in customizing each character, and in this event of complete entirety, steers FF XII from the rest of the series, but it’s not necessary that bad to speak of. It forces players to pay attention to the story instead, one that is told in the limbo of what is between subtlety and extravagance.
The world of Ivalice is in turmoil. Wars have left Dalmasca in a state of unrest, and the newly crowned prince was massacred by the relentless pursuit of the Empire. The sole survivor of the royalty was Princess Ashe, who vowed to avenge for her kingdom. By the power of a jewel left by her late emperor, and with the help of several others, she embarked on a journey with a thirst of blood. The supposed main character, Vaan, whose investigation of the murder behind his brother’s death weaved his fate with the rest; was left to play the pesky role of a tag-along, which is a nice break from the larger-than-life heroes usually affixed in modern RPGs.
FF XII demonstrates the importance of translation in telling a story effectively. The dialogues are masterpieces, perfected only by the impeccable voice acting. While the politically driven story may prove too heavy for younger players, the refreshing plot provides new insights to the genre. It proves that even without an extravagant display of good versus bad, the enjoyment of a RPG is still very much intact. Cut scenes no longer serve as a medium for flaunting technical prowess, preferring to peek itself only in cases of absolute necessity. And music, while lacking the lavishness of Uematsu, exudes a melody of perpetual relevance. Music is best when it is least noticed, and that seems to be the case in FF XII.
The dogmatic ruling of Judges has left much of Ivalice suppressed. Players are made to feel likewise, with the inclusion of the License Board in game play. Nothing is to be taken granted of; for any character to use anything at all, weapons and magicks inclusive, they would have to obtain the License in doing so first. The License Board attempts to mimic the Sphere Grid of FF X, but all it did is to create a false sense of distinctiveness between each character. The complete freedom and ease in getting these Licenses undermines the very purpose of it, and players can be forgiven to feel that it is but another gimmick that seems to accompany with each Final Fantasy release. More noteworthy is how FF XII managed to capture elements that are usually associated with online games into this console offering. Clans and Side-quests take a more active meaning here. Vaan and crew are part of an emerging Clan heralded by the patriarchic Montblanc, a moogle whose last role was a leading character in FF Tactics Advance. Active participation in the clan is encouraged, but not forced. Players have a choice of taking up requests by the denizens of Ivalice, all of which relevant to killing unique monsters whose power easily outweigh most of the mandatory bosses’. While the bulk of customizing AI is left in the hands of players, FF XII did a good job in tidying up the rest. Despite having 3 or more characters roaming in huge maps most of the time, movement of the AI controlled characters is swift and accurate. Enemies are outrageously intelligent, often capable of a few strategic moves themselves. Players are challenged at a medium that avoided the path of using cheap and make-belief difficulty. The manifestations of strategies and tactics into physical forms- gambits, also allows players to temper with them in a more literal manner. Expecting FF XII to be what it is not to be is like watching sequels of great movies- you are often left disappointed. The RPG genre is given a brave make-over, exhibiting the fact that the interpretation of which is never a closed issue. And while most modern games are more intent on putting up beautiful empty shells, FF XII did a rare move of paying greater tributes to story, game play, sound and AI. This is a feat in gaming these days, if not mockingly so.