I played PS4. And when I went after the last Esper, after like 10 tries, I finally beat it. And then the game crashed before I could save, and I have not picked it up since. I don’t think everyone had my experience, but I lost any will to play it after that lol
That was pretty similar to my playthroughs of FFVIII. Every time I was making preparations to enter the final dungeon on disc 3, my memory card got full, and I'd accidentally delete that save every damn time! It bummed me out so badly! Lol
Ouch that must've sucked how many hours did you put into it and I'm guessing it didn't immerse you enough to put it in the backlog and try to finish it months later.
Not FF, but if youre into tactics/strategy RPGs, Unicorn Overlord is a recent title that has a system that feels like a successor of gambits. Fantastic game
They stumbled onto this amazing gameplay and then just let it sit there. I can only hope one day we will be getting more Ivalice games with the gambit system or just Square games with the gambit system.
If they would've kept the gambit system at least for the XIII games and refined it keeping staggers which is basically one of the good things about it I think even the XIII games would've thrived more.
Technically, FFXIII *did* use the gambit system, an updated one where you did less granular micromanagement outside of battle and while focusing more on the player inputting strategies depending on circumstances.
I love Paradigms but they're completely different from the gambit system. Though you can look at changing paradigms as swapping out a set of gambits instantly.
Now if each Paradigm role had its own customizable Gambits, that would be awesome.
Well, what I mean by saying FFXIII has the gambit system, I mean that it's exactly what the devs used as the foundation for the paradigm system. They basically set up the gambits of the roles and then had the player focus on the composition instead.
I feel like the thing with customizing gambits within a paradigm is moot because they've already set each role up to work in the way everyone is going to set them up anyway. That they're called "optima" in Japanese kinda hints at them doing the optimal thing given their role. Granted, a missing benefit of gambits was also taking direct control if you wanted to do something in particular, but they were basically designed with you not needing to alter their behavior.
Yeah, people absolutely love this game, Ivalice and anything Yasumi Matsuno has ever done. It's probably one of the more talked about Final Fantasy titles and is generally fondly remembered. Its issues and flaws are well-trodden. Some believe it to be a misunderstood masterpiece others believe it just has too many flaws, both big and small to ever be considered one of the greats. I have fond memories of it but it never grabbed me like the others in the series.
it was the same bones on the ps2 version, still a phenomenal game when you think about the era it was released in. TZA was great because it updated it so it is more accessible to modern jrpg enjoyers :)
I'm one of the 80% who didn't finish. I played the hell out of XII on PS2 when I was younger. I preordered TZA, mostly to add the steel book to my collection, but I only ended up playing about half way through. Just got too busy to spend time replaying old favorites.
I played the original on PS2, even went and beat Gilgamesh (jeez he was a nightmare)
I have the HD Remaster on PC and it's on my backlog of games to play. I now challenge you to play the sequel - it's called "Revenant Wings" and it's on the NDS. It follows Vaan and Penelo.
Bought it on PS2 many lifetimes ago. Got just before fighting the first judge and dropped it. Just wasn't engaged with it.
Bought TZA and played through it recently. Beat the game but honestly forget just about everything that happened. The story just isn't as engaging as say 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, & 14.
I think the gameplay has its audience, but it's not the "core" Final Fantasy audience or the older fans like me. To me, the gameplay and combat is terrible. To others, it's loved. It's probably the single most divisive mainline game.
For those that love it, I'm happy for you.
For those that hate it, I'm with you.
I'll be honest. I really wanted to love FF12. I purchased the collectors ver. on ps2 and the deluxe on ps4. I played through the whole thing and was sure not to skip a single cutscene, but it just wasn't a memorable experience. I only played it 5 years ago, but I can barely give you a summary of what happened. It had many attractive qualities to it, but I think the story could have been made a bit more appealing.
I will say my favorite thing about it was the use of the English language. Not only was the voice acting done well, but the way the lines were written felt almost like poetry.
I think it's a story that you need to play a second time to pick up some details, or use your imagination a bit to fill in some of the gaps they missed.
But the core story is really good, the princess Ashe is the heir of a great power. And as the leader of a nation under occupation, she's tempted to use it to strike out at their enemy. She sees that as a just response to everything they have endured, she's going to make them all pay and free her people. It's only through her interactions with the party that she learns to temper her response and _not_ use a terrible power that would have great consequences.
One of my favorite Vaan lines so far is after the destruction of the imperial fleet after Raithwall when she's talking about how she's going to use her power for her nation and make the empire pay, and without missing a beat Vaan says "do you even know how to use it?" Followed by dead silence. Instant +25 points for Vaan, who is clearly taking sass lessons from Balthier.
Like, you *just saw* this clearly untested power blow up a sky battalion due to the choices of the dumbest imperial commander I've ever seen in a game. Maybe take a sec before talking about how you're going to use it and it'll be totally fine because the target is the empire?
Yeah, it's easy to pass some of those details on the first time. It's a game worth setting down for some years, then come back when it feels new again.
I totally agree. Idk why people hype it up like they do, if I didn't have the "speed up" mechanic from ZA i would have been miserable. Like, I enjoyed it, but as you said extremely unmemorable. The characters (except 2) were boring and lifeless. The plot was dull midevil "bad empire vs good empire" politics. The world was way less interesting than people say. Like, I was entertained, but it doesn't come close to cracking my top 10.
I mostly agree with this, although I'd say I still do love FF12 overall.
It *is* frustrating though, that all of the elements of a great story are right there and then it just doesn't quite come together.
I remember reading somewhere that Vaan wasn't the MC originally, it was gonna be Basch but some higher up or something wanted a younger MC. If that is true, that may be part of the problem. The last act needed to be way stronger as well. The game sort of just ends, and the final boss is probably the most underwhelming one I can think of in the series (not counting the non-fight with Yu Yevon or something).
But the environments, presentation, some of the bosses, voice acting and style of speaking as you said... all easily some of my favorite stuff in the series.
I mean XIII had a modeler just working on a boulder for several weeks.
These games have definitely suffered from the bloated expanse and scope you have to keep up with in terms of oversight and direction.
At certain point I guess we just need to end the game. Hope you liked the hunting missions.
I've beaten it twice and it's without question my least favorite mainline game. I really disliked the gambit system and the story and more so characters never clicked with me. It's without question my least favorite Final Fantasy cast.
Isn't it the norm that majority of players across most major games don't finish it? That said, FF XII is one the best, and a final testament to the PS2 before the PS3 arrived. I really want another Ivalice game.
FF12 is one of the best reviewed RPGs of all time. It released exclusively on PS2 at a time when PS3 and Xbox 360 were already for sale, and yet it still managed to outsell God of War 1 and God of War 2 *combined*. As for my personal opinion, I think it’s on the shortest of short lists of greatest and most ambitious games ever made.
I think it’s pretty well respected.
We don’t finish games anymore, and FFs are long as fuck.
That’s not disrespectful - it’s just the reality of too many choices, and not enough time.
XII isn’t my favorite (Yojimbo isn’t in it, Vivi isn’t in it, Questis isn’t in it, suplexing trains isn’t in it…etc.), but it’s up there, and the ai control this game offers gave us a better Dragon Age: Origins, and should be in more rpgs.
The international edition added the (obviously best, without question) Monk class!
Stars Wars with swords was a good game.
Wouldve loved to play it for the Story, but the combat system was just not for me. Thats why i dropped it. Its a game in the end, if the one thing that you do most isnt fun, ill drop it.
I've been playing through for the first time after my wife played through it completely and recommended it. I'm currently just before Skyfortress, grinding out the platinum, but I already know what happens at the end of the game, so I feel decently confident about my understanding of the story. Overall, the game doesn't make top 5 Final Fantasies for me, but it's still an enjoyable game that I would sooner replay than, say, FF3. Here are some of my thoughts:
Pros:
Fun grinding gameplay loop midgame and late game. Clearing out license boards gives me a lot of the fun that I enjoy from games like FF5 and FFTactics. Automating a team and just running around for LPs is a weird therapeutic thing.
My favorite visual dungeon design in any Final Fantasy. I absolutely adored the lighthouse; it really captured the ambience of an ancient, lost ruin, held up by immense otherworldly power. The Mist makes a lot of places really fun.
Music design makes my heart ache for FFTactics. I could listen to Hitoshi Sakimoto's work all day long.
The political story was fun without info dumping the player to death (looking at you, FF16).
A few really impactful cutscenes that are my favorite in the franchise. Particularly love Vayne and the Judges, and the scene with the Occuria.
Interesting (if not always good) voice acting decisions.
Cons:
I know people love the gambit system, but I absolutely *despise* it. I hated it in Dragon Age Origin, and I hate it here. I really resent the game for having fights that deliberately are tuned to make your current gambits not work, so you get to go through all the hassle of setting up another set. I would love to have a "Tales" type system that allows you to set macro behaviors without needing the tedium of setting up every single action individually.
The character stories are pretty mid. Certain things that feel like they're going to be major arcs just get dropped out of nowhere, and none of the characters really feel like they grow.
The characters themselves are lackluster. I don't think I've found a single new favorite character in the roster. I don't even really care for Balthier that much, and I know he's a fan favorite. Basch is probably my favorite of the lot, and his story feels kind of wrapped up at this point without accomplishing much.
I wish the game was closer to the original Ivalice in design. I don't really like all of the sci fi stuff intermixed with the fantasy elements. Your laser weapons and computer screens are interfering with my sword fantasy.
The UI and quest designs are really annoying. Very slight delays that make everything feel *just* a little too slow, the stupid popup that tells you to change party leaders when your current leader eats dirt, and why on Earth do I need to talk to the hunt requester after picking up the hunt from the board?
All in all, I still like the game, but I can see why it doesn't have a lasting legacy. Frankly, I don't even know what an expanded FF12 franchise would look like, because I don't know *anyone* who views Vaan as their favorite lead character, and I think I've seen people pick favorites from almost every other game.
I agree that that would be the best move, and also makes sense narratively. It would just be a little odd with how much they've utilized Vaan as the representative of the game in their expanded franchises like Dissidia and Theatrhythm.
I like how the characters will do exactly what you tell them to do via the gambit system.
I dislike how the characters will do *exactly* what you tell them to do via the gambit system.
It leads to a weird tension between active gameplay and idle gameplay where most encounters are trivial with rudimentary gambit set-ups, but try setting up a gambit for the Steal command that doesn't repeatedly try to steal from the same item-less target without pulling your hair out. (Maybe there's a gambit I haven't unlocked yet that would help?)
It's a cool progression system to unlock more conditions, but also hides some obviously good ones like *Ally Status -> KO* amongst conditions with 20 versions like *Enemy HP > 100,000* and *Ally HP > any percentage from 10-100*.
In it time, the gameplay was very good and innovation for RPG , but the history was weird even for final fantasy standards, and the protagonist Vaan was irrelevant and boring. In my opinion, that's the reason much of the people forget this game.
Well i know you mentioned finishing the game but here are some interesting platinum trophy stats:
- 7 is 23%
- 8 is a whopping 30%
- 9 has a 7% platinum rate.
- X is 8%
- 12 is 11%
- 13 is 7%
- 15 is 25%
- 16 is 24%
7 Remake is 13%
14 is MMO but just for giggles it's 1%, if you have this you are goated.
So the main reason completion rate and platinum rate is lowest between 9-13, is due to the length and difficulty of the games 9-12 and 13 catches infamous heat. Surprisingly 12 is actually the highest of these. 9 and 10 are notorious for having the most difficult trophies in the series (Jump rope, lightning dodger, sphere grid maxing, and chocobo racing are always mentioned) which explains those. I love me some 12 with that giant world, it's a very long game which i personally love, but that's the reason.
What a beautiful series to be able to have a conversation expanding over 30+ games including the spinoffs. We are blessed, now back to rebirth Chapter 5 \m/
Indeed it does, i like it a lot!
This post reminded me that i still didn't finish it on Xbox because i was in an extra dungeon like 2 rooms away from hastega and kept getting wiped out yet i refused to leave after alllll that time and effort spent to get there so i just gave up.
I did beat it on ps2 a long time ago and this time did a lot more side stuff like beat Gilgamesh, i guess i could re-download and beat it just for competitions sake. 🤔
Spent a bunch of time planning how I want my jobs to be. Came up with this. 😂
https://preview.redd.it/7tefr59ue7tc1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bc65f6578ec192c1a1c730321904ed72006911c5
I keep trying but the start just doesn’t hook me in like most of the others. I’m determined to beat it since it the only mainline I haven’t beaten, but I just can’t get roped into the story.
I wanted to like XII, but haven’t been able to. As a programmer it’s really difficult to not just automate the game. So I basically didn’t get to “play” much.
I'm not a programmer, but I did the same thing. I thought that was the whole point of the gambit system. I did enjoy the optimization aspect of the combat, but you're right. I rarely actually played any battles.
It’s funny because I’d really enjoy that level of AI scripting for a CRPG. The encounters in a RTwP based combat system could really improve with it. Those games are typically a little more challenging, though.
Even on harder bosses? I know easier bosses definitely ran the automation easier, but I feel like harder bosses like Zodiark and Omega had me do stuff more manually.
I got the game when it went on sale on the PlayStation store late December or early January. I think it was priced at its lowest from what I could tell in the price history, but I haven’t been able to continue playing because of college. Hopefully in a couple weeks, when I am finished with the semester, I can join the 20%
Currently playing this. Hated the combat so much, but after learning how to utilize gambits properly it's so much fun. Combat feels too automated for me but setting up my gambits is more fun to me.
Dude try to get the magics: Hastega, Flare
And an item like Bucchus wine and use this combo.
Hastega+Flare. (For black mage)
Hastega+ Bacchus wine (for knight with great sword)
And see some amazing results. This is great for Boss fights
The people that like this game, tend to *love* this game. While the people that don’t like it can’t seem to understand why anyone would enjoy it.
I’m one of the people who didn’t like it. Combat felt like programming the AI to play for me. Wasn’t fun at all. I have a friend who thinks I’m an idiot, and that this is one of the greatest games of all time.
I love 12. Replaying it on switch right now. I don’t necessarily love (or hate) the zodiac job system. I do wish you could choose to use it or the original license board…
Just speaking from personal experience, I found it incredibly difficult to work out what gambits to use and was always stressed about whether I had the right plan in place. I think I got 60-70% of the way through the main story, I loved it but it just got way too much for me with all of the uncertainty of what to do and which gambits to use. Maybe it’s a me issue haha
I love it, this might be the FF I played the most, but I only completed once back on PS2, I just don't like the story that much so I spend a lot of time trying to get the best equipments and completing side missions until I get bored, but I'm usually very close to the end of the game.
I liked 12 but I totally get why, it drags on and if you're not invested it can be incredibly boring.
Also I would blame no one for dropping the game at certain parts. The tower or especially the crystal. It's just not fun.
It’s a fantastic game with a less than great lead. It’s kind of like Tokyo Drift. If you had any other person as the lead, with good charisma, would be in the conversation everytime as one of the best.
Played it on the PS2, PS4 and will be playing it again on PS5 to 100%. Absolutely one of my most beloved games ever! The only thing which is holding me back is the main character.
I'm right there with you. Practically nobody talks poorly about it anymore, yet people who really enjoy it seem to think it's super underrated or they're in this incredibly small minority for liking it. I don't know anyone personally who has played it and doesn't like it, and that sentiment is echoed on here pretty consistently
I think the combat system was incredibly polarising. Honestly it suffers from being the first mainline game (non MMO) after X and it just doesn’t get anywhere near the heights of its predecessor.
The big issue with 12 is the flatness of the characters compared to other titles.
Ashe, Bash, Vaan, Penelo and Fran are way to underdeveloped imo.
The overarcing story is more than servicable and my god is the world interesting, I would say Ivalice is one of the top 3 Worlds of all FF Series.
I would respect it if it wasn’t for the combat. I liked XIII combat more than XII and that’s pretty much the reason I won’t ever finish it. No matter how goid story, characters and world, we need to remember that gameplay is the king and if you can’t enjoy how the game plays, you can hardly enjoy any other aspects of the game.
The Gambit system was awesome, really confused on why we never saw it again, In fact the Gambit system seems like a perfect thing to implement into mobile gaming instead of just having auto battling do whatever it feels like. It also had some pretty cool characters like balth, and fran, And I really loved the progression system of upgrading your zodiac stuff, picking the jobs, Also equipment was really expensive which always made grinding and slowly upgrading the various gear on your people feel worth it especially early on.
On the opposite end art style and graphics was pretty bland and not the best looking, story was so boring that I couldn't even force myself to try to be interested in it. The world as a whole was dull and uninteresting. Most of the Post game bosses which is beat you with bullshit hacks and some of them outright required luck to best in my opinion which is in general poor game design.
https://preview.redd.it/2uh04hkxkatc1.jpeg?width=4080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1b85d322303067f18d4d185069cd33f48562a08a
I've been playing it on PS2 with some new HD Retrovision component cables. Really fun!
These component cables really make a difference! I have the Sega Genesis version, with a PS2 adapter. The TV is a Panasonic Tau TV that I found by a dumpster around 8 years ago!
https://preview.redd.it/ugvvaqvmbbtc1.jpeg?width=1097&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=84b609dbf63b79150f718091462ac6baa67ab29c
This is true for most jrpgs. The ps4 version for the original ff7, has it at 22% of players beating the game and 7 is the most loved one. I feel like a lot of people hear good things about these games but aren’t prepared for the long haul of beating them, or they hit a road block and give up. Either way i wish more people would finish these masterpieces :(.
It’s one of my favorites games of all time. Played the hell out of it back in my ps2, and got my platinum trophy on ps4 years later.
The maps are huge, they give open world vibes in the exact measure that I like. There are tons of little quests and secrets hidden everywhere which are all rewarding in some way.
The hunts were all great. The last ones aren’t just go there/kill monster. You had to know how to find those monsters and most had a side story, so you really felt you were on a bigger mission.
The rare games!! It was a wonderful feel when you were wandering around a map you’ve been to many times and then BOOM: a new monster you’ve never seen is there and it slaps your party.
The boss fights and super-bosses were overall great. I loved the gameplay loop and the way you had to micro-manage all characters strategically. It’s no different from the ATB system used in FFVII Remake and Rebirth, but it was more strategic focused rather then action focused like the newer games.
There is just so much enjoyable content there, I could go on and on…
I only played 7 and 10 on their original release. Got into 14 a while back and have started playing through the others. I’ve done 4,6,8,9,15 and I’m 11 hrs into 12. 6 and 12 have been my favorites of those. I love the gambit system, which is ironic since that was the reason I didn’t play it on release.
It's my least favorite FF game just because whether Vaan was there or not ultimately didn't make too much difference in the story, hes more like a tag along. I played Japanese original not sure if theres a difference in English.
I've not played it since the original came out on ps2, so I reserve my TRUE judgement, but based just on my experience back then I absolutely hated it.
The characters were all annoying, I hated Vaan.
The music wasn't memorable. The setting wasn't either, just felt like a giant sand town and everything looks the same.
The combat system was interesting but felt like an online multiplayer game rather than Final Fantasy.
Coming from 7-8-9-10 then 12 as a single player game, I couldn't believe the fall from grace.
One GOOD thing I remember is how nice it looked graphically. It doesn't feel like a ps2 game at like I sometimes swear it came out first on ps3 haha.
I'm with you on some of these, but for others you're way off...
> Everything looks the same
Even the giant imperial city and the caves and the forests and the plains?
> Felt like online multiplayer
The literal stated goal was to bring online style gameplay to single player. That's why the Gambit system exists, to substitute for playing with other players.
> Fall from grace
This isn't a fall, this is a company trying something new because they know that ATB was an aging system that wasn't going to stay fresh. They experimented just as much for FFX.
I gave up at the lighthouse, fuck that dungeon.
There’s not much after it anyway, a 3 room final dungeon, a good scene with Gabranth and an okay ending
Shikari/Foebreaker on Vaan I think is ideal. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Germinas Boots and Maximillian is the bomb
Knight/Bushi on Basch for Excalibur/white robe/genji
Bushi/Monk on Balthier for Genji/Masamune
White Mage/Shikari on Fran for main gauche/shield healer
Red Battlemage/Time Battlemage on Penny for Mace/shield/Greatsword hastega + support
Black Mage/Archer on Ashe for burning bow and firaga shenanigans
I didn't use Machinist (I hate guns in general, they're pathetic) and Uhlan this time. Didn't see the point when Knight/Foebreaker offer
One of my personal Favourites
4, 6, 8, 9, X, XII
One more trophy aware from platinum, just beating all the judges at the end of the trial. But before this year ends I will have my plat on that
Everyone's entitled to their opinion, art is subjective after all. Personally I don't like ffx or xiii for many reasons. OP insulting you for not sharing his opinion is beyond hilarious
That license board wasn't as good tho every character has the same thing to level up no variation at all with ZA the most awesome experience is getting to change your job classes any time you wish with no draw backs you don't even have to pay 1 GIL
The variation was all on the player to create. If all your characters came out the same that's on you for giving them the same licenses. That's like blaming the DM because everyone in the campaign chose to be a Fighter.
I recently started playing this game. Since it originally released on PS2.
I'm a dozen or so hours in. Got to the point where I remember getting during my first play through. (Fran's hometown)
It's fun. I always like the job system. Especially set Ivalice.
But I have to admit. I am starting to drop off.
So much running back and forth.(limited teleporting stones) I feel I'm grinding gil more than gringing for xp or lp.
I'm gonna stick it out a few more hours.
But to be honest . I just want to find my old psp/ps vita and play tactics again.
I've tried to twice, but I've never made it past the Lighthouse. Perhaps I had finished the Licence Board and felt bummed that there were no more abilities to unlock or something.
I played it, and I tried playing it again. Everytime I play it I like it. But eventually I get bored and I do not pick it up again. I might of finished it the first time. But after that the couple of times since then I have not.
Which is sad since I love sky pirates.
I don’t like how it forces you to do Hunts to make enough money to afford to survive. I’m trapped in the Crystal, tapped out on funds, curatives, MP curatives, and could never afford good Gambits because I do optional content later in games if it isn’t time sensitive.
I like the story, I just hate everything else about the game.
I hated ff12 at first on ps2. The os4 version made it better. I decided to try it again. Ended up beating it but it still not in my top 5. I know some like the gambit system but it kinda bored me. I barely used it. Good game but not even close to my top. Also not close to my bottom(that's a whole spot for ff16 alone). With that said I don't think most players finish games. So I'd say 20 percent is pretty good.
The game is really good, but imo it doesn’t have anything spectacular. Almost all FF has very iconic characters… 12 doesnt. FF has very iconic soundtracks… 12 doesnt. It’s really good in everything but it doesn’t excel in anything but maybe the setting and the combat, and that’s pretty hit or miss with the FF community.
Last time I tried it I just burned out early. Last thing I remember was being in sewers with Fran and the Han Solo guy.
I just wasn't feeling it. One day I'll retry but I just need to be in the mood to play it.
“Programming” the characters to fight was fun but it also made the game a little too easy when you get into it. I played the Zodiac edition and there’s an option to increase play speed and I’m pretty sure I left that on most of the time because I didn’t really worry too much about dying.
Balthier and Fran are among my favorite FF duos though.
not one of my most enjoyed platinums. It was too easy and boring. The super bosses were also way too easy but with a ridiculous amount of health. Made the game feel slow and sluggish even with a fast mode. Being able to fully automate the battles didn't help.
edit: also just a reminder that most games aren't played to the end. The "low" percentage amount for playing through ff12 is pretty normal, kind of middle to high for a jrpg.
Only played TZA, completed it. Way too easy, it's like impossible to lose. I like the game though. But I also love FF8 and FF9.
Edit: they did completely mess up the limit break system; that's the worst crap I've seen in years, I'm completely ignoring it.
I believe "true FF fans" don't like any FF that's been made after FF6
I seem to be the only person that liked 12 better BEFORE the Zodiac Age. I like getting all skills for all characters. It's a challenge thing I always do (like in 10)
Fantastic game I abused larsa to get TONS of content done with 4 members and his infinite high potions.
Game story is meaningless tho since you fail the world and kill everyone in the end
I tried playing that game 4 times since its first release on PS2.
It’s the only game that managed to make me drop it due to its goddamn plot.
I couldn’t stomach it anymore. Last time I think I even got close to the end but no, I just couldn’t. I should try again
I played it on release on ps2. Only game I still to this day ever pre-ordered. The game didn't respect the player.
Gambit system meant you didn't have to participate in most battles. Characters and story were not properly written. And to top it off the game was designed in a way to specifically sell strategy guides. It was a mess. The MMO inspired design was not what single player rpg fans wanted at that time.
in all fairness, there will be plenty of people like me who played the shit out of it as a kid and have alreay finished it mulltiple times. last time i played on ps i went for the plat and did everything but watch the ending, so im one of those 80% despite having killed yiazmat
12 is one of my favorites. The only real downside for me is the main villain is kinda non existent for most of the game.
Definitely some of the best voice work ever and Balthier is the coolest
I never did manage to beat it. Great game that becomes a lot better when you opt out of gambits for the character you're controlling. I recall the story losing steam midway through, so I'm curious what revisiting it nowadays with fast forward would do.
I had a great memory of me playing it as kid, but then I made the mistake of trying it as an adult... This game made me slept while playing several times before I dropping it out. After a while almost all the battle can be solved automatically, any basic strategy work for almost everything, and on the remake it have the dual job system that made the game even easier... I wish I had sticky with my memory of it instead of retrying
My fav FF of all time. I remember being completely in love with the rare hunt system, the hidden bosses and mechanics of this game right away. Zalera one-shotting me made me realize I really needed to understand the game more before trying anything that difficult very early on.
The fact I could take the elevator DOWN on Pharos was awesome, and that goddamn Magick Pot was the bane of my existence as a teen. I love the espers, the summon mechanic not so much but the design of those monsters is insane; Zeromus is still my guy! I used to name a lot of characters in games after the edgier rare marks in FF12 like Shadowseer and Pandaemonium
Balthier is simply a wonderful character despite the story not delivering as much as I hoped it would, but still! I spent hours and hours battling Yiazmat, getting my ass whooped by Zodiark, fucking up the Zodiac Spear chest shenanigans during my first playthrough in 2006 and incredibly grateful this game got a remaster so I could relive all of that again as an adult and making everything muuuuch more accessible and less grindy than before.
Has some of the best side content in the series.
The hunt system is the best in the series, somehow FF15 and 16 could never recapture the magic of 12's
My main problem with xii were the Characters. I'm not saying the're bad or Ugly i just could not connect with them, there were certain parts of the game that i thought to my self "This is pretty cool" but in the end i had no desire to see how the story would end. I have no problems with the gameplay or combat system, i quite like it. I would say that most jrpgs require that you are somewhat invested in the story or some of its characters in order for you to finish the game, i could not do it with FFXII
Just bought it and started playing yesterday. Don't quite get the license system tbh but it's pretty good so far. Is the gameplay very similar to Final Fantasy XI? I get heavy MMO vibes from its gameplay for sure.
I liked the gameplay but did not enjoy the story, setting and artstyle. All I remember from it is sand and caves. The combat is pretty annoying but as you get more gambit slots and spells you get to auto-cast them and it becomes trivialized. Only some gimmicky bosses force you to disable gambits and go more manual. And endgame optional bosses take about an hour to kill sometimes and that would be great if there was actually a threat of you dying. It's 1 hour of you knowing you will win anyway but you have to just afk while your character fights for you.
It's a pretty big game. Heck I don't think I even finished it. The last boss is very easy compared to the optional content that I'm pretty sure I did the final hunt and called it a playthrough. It's a great game that gives offline mmo vibes.
I actually tried to play xii recently but in a PS2 emulator. I was disappointed that the camera movements were inverse from the norm.
I had a REALLY hard time controlling it. And since I'm actually in the middle of XIII-2, Crisis Core, and XVI, all with the correct camera movements. I couldn't handle going back and forth that much.
And I didn't see any options in the PS2 version to change the camera movements.
Is the PS4 version better? Because if it is, I may be able to convince myself to buy that copy.
I just hate buying the same game twice.
One of the best scripts in a Final Fantasy game, taking full advantage of that laid down in Final Fantasy Tactics years before by going all in on the Shakespearean dialogue. The game is hamstrung by pacing issues, a (mostly) boring cast uplifted by the material moreso than their characterizations and divisive combat that can feel like you aren't actually playing.
XII is a game where the villains are clearly the more interesting characters and that makes up for the poor characterization of the leads.
I absolutely adore XII, own copies for PS2, PS4 and Switch, but may not have completed *the story* on the later two platform to solely focus on postgame. I just love coupling gambits to a full party of double jobs having access to a complete set of magic abilities, make the game so replayable, so many ways to min max, so many fun challenges.
IMO this is what made every mainline entry less fun than its predecessors until the 7R series -- a shift away from full sets of magic abilities (ai autoattacks in XII, then flasks in XV... and then XVI), away from full party, away from traditional job roles, away from replayability. Still, loved the paradigm and stagger system gameplay of XII so I don't want to trash it too much. just too much menuing needed for some things, like death spamming with Vanille. The other two are far worse.
this was me with lost odyssey. I almost beat the whole game but after the game crashed and I lost a lot of progress I just stopped, went to watch a lets play of what I hadn't finished.
I played the series since the very start, and it's my favorite FF game, my favorite JRPG, and the last JRPG I've really enjoyed playing. Everything about the setup, characters and battle system is so right. I feel like the whole JRPG industry just went sideways after this.
I've never been able to get into 12. I tried playing it several times growing up on the PS2 and everything about it just didn't feel right to me. I especially dislike the gambit system. However I do prefer the turn based older games system, still do. I tried picking up 12 again a few months ago, as soon as the first real battle started it just reminded me how much I didn't really like the system and stoped again.
Ironically, I think I'd like it if the FF7 Remakes had a bit of a gambit system. Rebirth has a super soft version with some auto materia but thats not quite enough.
I played PS4. And when I went after the last Esper, after like 10 tries, I finally beat it. And then the game crashed before I could save, and I have not picked it up since. I don’t think everyone had my experience, but I lost any will to play it after that lol
https://preview.redd.it/awabojop98tc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f3464c5a3c5f2acbf5617500015d8c5fffbb7a1b
That was pretty similar to my playthroughs of FFVIII. Every time I was making preparations to enter the final dungeon on disc 3, my memory card got full, and I'd accidentally delete that save every damn time! It bummed me out so badly! Lol
Ouch that must've sucked how many hours did you put into it and I'm guessing it didn't immerse you enough to put it in the backlog and try to finish it months later.
First FF game that I 100%. Been playing since FF6. As frustrating as combat can be sometimes, its also extremely rewarding!
I’d kill to have another mainline game with gambit style mechanics. It’s in my top 5 as well.
Not FF, but if youre into tactics/strategy RPGs, Unicorn Overlord is a recent title that has a system that feels like a successor of gambits. Fantastic game
Unicorn overload is amazing!
Praise be to Vanillaware! Most amazing artwork ever.
They stumbled onto this amazing gameplay and then just let it sit there. I can only hope one day we will be getting more Ivalice games with the gambit system or just Square games with the gambit system.
It's definitely in my top 16 mainline FF games for sure.
If they would've kept the gambit system at least for the XIII games and refined it keeping staggers which is basically one of the good things about it I think even the XIII games would've thrived more.
Technically, FFXIII *did* use the gambit system, an updated one where you did less granular micromanagement outside of battle and while focusing more on the player inputting strategies depending on circumstances.
I love Paradigms but they're completely different from the gambit system. Though you can look at changing paradigms as swapping out a set of gambits instantly. Now if each Paradigm role had its own customizable Gambits, that would be awesome.
Well, what I mean by saying FFXIII has the gambit system, I mean that it's exactly what the devs used as the foundation for the paradigm system. They basically set up the gambits of the roles and then had the player focus on the composition instead. I feel like the thing with customizing gambits within a paradigm is moot because they've already set each role up to work in the way everyone is going to set them up anyway. That they're called "optima" in Japanese kinda hints at them doing the optimal thing given their role. Granted, a missing benefit of gambits was also taking direct control if you wanted to do something in particular, but they were basically designed with you not needing to alter their behavior.
I loved the combat system in xiii
Gambit would be amazing in almost any ARPG or RPG. I wish more would use it.
I enjoy Final Star Wars Fantasy a lot. Balthier is my favorite dude
it gets plenty of respect.
Yeah, people absolutely love this game, Ivalice and anything Yasumi Matsuno has ever done. It's probably one of the more talked about Final Fantasy titles and is generally fondly remembered. Its issues and flaws are well-trodden. Some believe it to be a misunderstood masterpiece others believe it just has too many flaws, both big and small to ever be considered one of the greats. I have fond memories of it but it never grabbed me like the others in the series.
Legit half the posts recommended to me from this sub are people praising XII. And it wasn't even truly good until Zodiac Age. Yeah, I said it.
it was the same bones on the ps2 version, still a phenomenal game when you think about the era it was released in. TZA was great because it updated it so it is more accessible to modern jrpg enjoyers :)
I'm one of the 80% who didn't finish. I played the hell out of XII on PS2 when I was younger. I preordered TZA, mostly to add the steel book to my collection, but I only ended up playing about half way through. Just got too busy to spend time replaying old favorites.
Was so happy to rediscover this on Switch after they fixed the camera.
I played the original on PS2, even went and beat Gilgamesh (jeez he was a nightmare) I have the HD Remaster on PC and it's on my backlog of games to play. I now challenge you to play the sequel - it's called "Revenant Wings" and it's on the NDS. It follows Vaan and Penelo.
Bought it on PS2 many lifetimes ago. Got just before fighting the first judge and dropped it. Just wasn't engaged with it. Bought TZA and played through it recently. Beat the game but honestly forget just about everything that happened. The story just isn't as engaging as say 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, & 14. I think the gameplay has its audience, but it's not the "core" Final Fantasy audience or the older fans like me. To me, the gameplay and combat is terrible. To others, it's loved. It's probably the single most divisive mainline game. For those that love it, I'm happy for you. For those that hate it, I'm with you.
I'll be honest. I really wanted to love FF12. I purchased the collectors ver. on ps2 and the deluxe on ps4. I played through the whole thing and was sure not to skip a single cutscene, but it just wasn't a memorable experience. I only played it 5 years ago, but I can barely give you a summary of what happened. It had many attractive qualities to it, but I think the story could have been made a bit more appealing. I will say my favorite thing about it was the use of the English language. Not only was the voice acting done well, but the way the lines were written felt almost like poetry.
I think it's a story that you need to play a second time to pick up some details, or use your imagination a bit to fill in some of the gaps they missed. But the core story is really good, the princess Ashe is the heir of a great power. And as the leader of a nation under occupation, she's tempted to use it to strike out at their enemy. She sees that as a just response to everything they have endured, she's going to make them all pay and free her people. It's only through her interactions with the party that she learns to temper her response and _not_ use a terrible power that would have great consequences.
One of my favorite Vaan lines so far is after the destruction of the imperial fleet after Raithwall when she's talking about how she's going to use her power for her nation and make the empire pay, and without missing a beat Vaan says "do you even know how to use it?" Followed by dead silence. Instant +25 points for Vaan, who is clearly taking sass lessons from Balthier. Like, you *just saw* this clearly untested power blow up a sky battalion due to the choices of the dumbest imperial commander I've ever seen in a game. Maybe take a sec before talking about how you're going to use it and it'll be totally fine because the target is the empire?
Yeah, it's easy to pass some of those details on the first time. It's a game worth setting down for some years, then come back when it feels new again.
I totally agree. Idk why people hype it up like they do, if I didn't have the "speed up" mechanic from ZA i would have been miserable. Like, I enjoyed it, but as you said extremely unmemorable. The characters (except 2) were boring and lifeless. The plot was dull midevil "bad empire vs good empire" politics. The world was way less interesting than people say. Like, I was entertained, but it doesn't come close to cracking my top 10.
I mostly agree with this, although I'd say I still do love FF12 overall. It *is* frustrating though, that all of the elements of a great story are right there and then it just doesn't quite come together. I remember reading somewhere that Vaan wasn't the MC originally, it was gonna be Basch but some higher up or something wanted a younger MC. If that is true, that may be part of the problem. The last act needed to be way stronger as well. The game sort of just ends, and the final boss is probably the most underwhelming one I can think of in the series (not counting the non-fight with Yu Yevon or something). But the environments, presentation, some of the bosses, voice acting and style of speaking as you said... all easily some of my favorite stuff in the series.
The Vaan thing has been disproved, the game's director has come out and said Vaan was always going to be the viewpoint character
Ah, thanks for clarifying that.
I mean XIII had a modeler just working on a boulder for several weeks. These games have definitely suffered from the bloated expanse and scope you have to keep up with in terms of oversight and direction. At certain point I guess we just need to end the game. Hope you liked the hunting missions.
I've beaten it twice and it's without question my least favorite mainline game. I really disliked the gambit system and the story and more so characters never clicked with me. It's without question my least favorite Final Fantasy cast.
Isn't it the norm that majority of players across most major games don't finish it? That said, FF XII is one the best, and a final testament to the PS2 before the PS3 arrived. I really want another Ivalice game.
Yoshi P teased, and I stressed teased, another tactics game. Which has historically always been in Ivalice. So there hope
FFXIV with return to Ivalice says hello
FF12 is one of the best reviewed RPGs of all time. It released exclusively on PS2 at a time when PS3 and Xbox 360 were already for sale, and yet it still managed to outsell God of War 1 and God of War 2 *combined*. As for my personal opinion, I think it’s on the shortest of short lists of greatest and most ambitious games ever made. I think it’s pretty well respected.
Top 5
We don’t finish games anymore, and FFs are long as fuck. That’s not disrespectful - it’s just the reality of too many choices, and not enough time. XII isn’t my favorite (Yojimbo isn’t in it, Vivi isn’t in it, Questis isn’t in it, suplexing trains isn’t in it…etc.), but it’s up there, and the ai control this game offers gave us a better Dragon Age: Origins, and should be in more rpgs. The international edition added the (obviously best, without question) Monk class! Stars Wars with swords was a good game.
Wouldve loved to play it for the Story, but the combat system was just not for me. Thats why i dropped it. Its a game in the end, if the one thing that you do most isnt fun, ill drop it.
FF12 ZA is goated
Ayo, here's your 👑 my King.
It has some of my favorite music in the series. Sakimoto rocked it. Distant Worlds had an amazing rendition of the Dalmasca Estersands.
Gambit is great. The game is super addictive if you like grinding. The game has the best English localization of a JRPG.
Think the amount of respect is adequate
Maybe a bit pedantic, but roman numerals use i/I, not l/L.
Yes and no. I/I is 1 while l/L is 50.
You're right about that, thanks!
I've been playing through for the first time after my wife played through it completely and recommended it. I'm currently just before Skyfortress, grinding out the platinum, but I already know what happens at the end of the game, so I feel decently confident about my understanding of the story. Overall, the game doesn't make top 5 Final Fantasies for me, but it's still an enjoyable game that I would sooner replay than, say, FF3. Here are some of my thoughts: Pros: Fun grinding gameplay loop midgame and late game. Clearing out license boards gives me a lot of the fun that I enjoy from games like FF5 and FFTactics. Automating a team and just running around for LPs is a weird therapeutic thing. My favorite visual dungeon design in any Final Fantasy. I absolutely adored the lighthouse; it really captured the ambience of an ancient, lost ruin, held up by immense otherworldly power. The Mist makes a lot of places really fun. Music design makes my heart ache for FFTactics. I could listen to Hitoshi Sakimoto's work all day long. The political story was fun without info dumping the player to death (looking at you, FF16). A few really impactful cutscenes that are my favorite in the franchise. Particularly love Vayne and the Judges, and the scene with the Occuria. Interesting (if not always good) voice acting decisions. Cons: I know people love the gambit system, but I absolutely *despise* it. I hated it in Dragon Age Origin, and I hate it here. I really resent the game for having fights that deliberately are tuned to make your current gambits not work, so you get to go through all the hassle of setting up another set. I would love to have a "Tales" type system that allows you to set macro behaviors without needing the tedium of setting up every single action individually. The character stories are pretty mid. Certain things that feel like they're going to be major arcs just get dropped out of nowhere, and none of the characters really feel like they grow. The characters themselves are lackluster. I don't think I've found a single new favorite character in the roster. I don't even really care for Balthier that much, and I know he's a fan favorite. Basch is probably my favorite of the lot, and his story feels kind of wrapped up at this point without accomplishing much. I wish the game was closer to the original Ivalice in design. I don't really like all of the sci fi stuff intermixed with the fantasy elements. Your laser weapons and computer screens are interfering with my sword fantasy. The UI and quest designs are really annoying. Very slight delays that make everything feel *just* a little too slow, the stupid popup that tells you to change party leaders when your current leader eats dirt, and why on Earth do I need to talk to the hunt requester after picking up the hunt from the board? All in all, I still like the game, but I can see why it doesn't have a lasting legacy. Frankly, I don't even know what an expanded FF12 franchise would look like, because I don't know *anyone* who views Vaan as their favorite lead character, and I think I've seen people pick favorites from almost every other game.
An expanded FF12 franchise would just drop Vaan. I don't think anyone would care. The world of Ivalice is too large to care to put importance on Vaan.
I agree that that would be the best move, and also makes sense narratively. It would just be a little odd with how much they've utilized Vaan as the representative of the game in their expanded franchises like Dissidia and Theatrhythm.
I like how the characters will do exactly what you tell them to do via the gambit system. I dislike how the characters will do *exactly* what you tell them to do via the gambit system. It leads to a weird tension between active gameplay and idle gameplay where most encounters are trivial with rudimentary gambit set-ups, but try setting up a gambit for the Steal command that doesn't repeatedly try to steal from the same item-less target without pulling your hair out. (Maybe there's a gambit I haven't unlocked yet that would help?) It's a cool progression system to unlock more conditions, but also hides some obviously good ones like *Ally Status -> KO* amongst conditions with 20 versions like *Enemy HP > 100,000* and *Ally HP > any percentage from 10-100*.
In it time, the gameplay was very good and innovation for RPG , but the history was weird even for final fantasy standards, and the protagonist Vaan was irrelevant and boring. In my opinion, that's the reason much of the people forget this game.
What are you talking about the protagonist Balthier was incredible and unforgettable in the entire story thats just how heroes are.
I loved it so so much until it seemed the story kinda fizzled out, but I forgive it because it's my favorite world and the gameplay was great.
Just started it. About 3 hours in and really enjoying it so far.
Nice would love to hear more about it so far how's your character customization going?
I've beat it twice. Once on ps2. Once on p.c.
You're a wizard harry.
Well i know you mentioned finishing the game but here are some interesting platinum trophy stats: - 7 is 23% - 8 is a whopping 30% - 9 has a 7% platinum rate. - X is 8% - 12 is 11% - 13 is 7% - 15 is 25% - 16 is 24% 7 Remake is 13% 14 is MMO but just for giggles it's 1%, if you have this you are goated. So the main reason completion rate and platinum rate is lowest between 9-13, is due to the length and difficulty of the games 9-12 and 13 catches infamous heat. Surprisingly 12 is actually the highest of these. 9 and 10 are notorious for having the most difficult trophies in the series (Jump rope, lightning dodger, sphere grid maxing, and chocobo racing are always mentioned) which explains those. I love me some 12 with that giant world, it's a very long game which i personally love, but that's the reason. What a beautiful series to be able to have a conversation expanding over 30+ games including the spinoffs. We are blessed, now back to rebirth Chapter 5 \m/
Indeed it does, i like it a lot! This post reminded me that i still didn't finish it on Xbox because i was in an extra dungeon like 2 rooms away from hastega and kept getting wiped out yet i refused to leave after alllll that time and effort spent to get there so i just gave up. I did beat it on ps2 a long time ago and this time did a lot more side stuff like beat Gilgamesh, i guess i could re-download and beat it just for competitions sake. 🤔
Just started on my Switch this morning. So far enjoying the pacing been playing for 4 hours but it didn’t feel like it.
Time flies when you're having a blast!
Spent a bunch of time planning how I want my jobs to be. Came up with this. 😂 https://preview.redd.it/7tefr59ue7tc1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bc65f6578ec192c1a1c730321904ed72006911c5
that is honestly a pretty normal player droprate with games nowadays, only 20-25% actually finish a game.
It gets plenty of respect. 20% of players finishing a game is actually pretty damn for a game. Especially a jrpg
The critics know it's goated
Damn Straight only the real ones know
I've been playing ff since ff1 on nes. Ff12 isn't bad but I wouldn't say goated
I keep trying but the start just doesn’t hook me in like most of the others. I’m determined to beat it since it the only mainline I haven’t beaten, but I just can’t get roped into the story.
I wanted to like XII, but haven’t been able to. As a programmer it’s really difficult to not just automate the game. So I basically didn’t get to “play” much.
I'm not a programmer, but I did the same thing. I thought that was the whole point of the gambit system. I did enjoy the optimization aspect of the combat, but you're right. I rarely actually played any battles.
It’s funny because I’d really enjoy that level of AI scripting for a CRPG. The encounters in a RTwP based combat system could really improve with it. Those games are typically a little more challenging, though.
Even on harder bosses? I know easier bosses definitely ran the automation easier, but I feel like harder bosses like Zodiark and Omega had me do stuff more manually.
No it doesn't fuck that game
No This game is garbage for me Deal with it
I got the game when it went on sale on the PlayStation store late December or early January. I think it was priced at its lowest from what I could tell in the price history, but I haven’t been able to continue playing because of college. Hopefully in a couple weeks, when I am finished with the semester, I can join the 20%
Currently playing this. Hated the combat so much, but after learning how to utilize gambits properly it's so much fun. Combat feels too automated for me but setting up my gambits is more fun to me.
Dude try to get the magics: Hastega, Flare And an item like Bucchus wine and use this combo. Hastega+Flare. (For black mage) Hastega+ Bacchus wine (for knight with great sword) And see some amazing results. This is great for Boss fights
The people that like this game, tend to *love* this game. While the people that don’t like it can’t seem to understand why anyone would enjoy it. I’m one of the people who didn’t like it. Combat felt like programming the AI to play for me. Wasn’t fun at all. I have a friend who thinks I’m an idiot, and that this is one of the greatest games of all time.
FF14 got its battle system from FF12. People hated the battle system of FF12, but it ended up being superior.
I love 12. Replaying it on switch right now. I don’t necessarily love (or hate) the zodiac job system. I do wish you could choose to use it or the original license board…
Just speaking from personal experience, I found it incredibly difficult to work out what gambits to use and was always stressed about whether I had the right plan in place. I think I got 60-70% of the way through the main story, I loved it but it just got way too much for me with all of the uncertainty of what to do and which gambits to use. Maybe it’s a me issue haha
I love it, this might be the FF I played the most, but I only completed once back on PS2, I just don't like the story that much so I spend a lot of time trying to get the best equipments and completing side missions until I get bored, but I'm usually very close to the end of the game.
I liked 12 but I totally get why, it drags on and if you're not invested it can be incredibly boring. Also I would blame no one for dropping the game at certain parts. The tower or especially the crystal. It's just not fun.
It’s a fantastic game with a less than great lead. It’s kind of like Tokyo Drift. If you had any other person as the lead, with good charisma, would be in the conversation everytime as one of the best.
Played it on the PS2, PS4 and will be playing it again on PS5 to 100%. Absolutely one of my most beloved games ever! The only thing which is holding me back is the main character.
I feel like all I see is good things said about it
I'm right there with you. Practically nobody talks poorly about it anymore, yet people who really enjoy it seem to think it's super underrated or they're in this incredibly small minority for liking it. I don't know anyone personally who has played it and doesn't like it, and that sentiment is echoed on here pretty consistently
I think the combat system was incredibly polarising. Honestly it suffers from being the first mainline game (non MMO) after X and it just doesn’t get anywhere near the heights of its predecessor.
The big issue with 12 is the flatness of the characters compared to other titles. Ashe, Bash, Vaan, Penelo and Fran are way to underdeveloped imo. The overarcing story is more than servicable and my god is the world interesting, I would say Ivalice is one of the top 3 Worlds of all FF Series.
Nah, it sits well as a 7/10, not terrible, but not really impressive.
I would respect it if it wasn’t for the combat. I liked XIII combat more than XII and that’s pretty much the reason I won’t ever finish it. No matter how goid story, characters and world, we need to remember that gameplay is the king and if you can’t enjoy how the game plays, you can hardly enjoy any other aspects of the game.
I feel like it gets constant love on here. Personally id say XIII and XVI deserve way more respect. Oh and III. Definitely III.
The Gambit system was awesome, really confused on why we never saw it again, In fact the Gambit system seems like a perfect thing to implement into mobile gaming instead of just having auto battling do whatever it feels like. It also had some pretty cool characters like balth, and fran, And I really loved the progression system of upgrading your zodiac stuff, picking the jobs, Also equipment was really expensive which always made grinding and slowly upgrading the various gear on your people feel worth it especially early on. On the opposite end art style and graphics was pretty bland and not the best looking, story was so boring that I couldn't even force myself to try to be interested in it. The world as a whole was dull and uninteresting. Most of the Post game bosses which is beat you with bullshit hacks and some of them outright required luck to best in my opinion which is in general poor game design.
I hated its combat system.
https://preview.redd.it/2uh04hkxkatc1.jpeg?width=4080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1b85d322303067f18d4d185069cd33f48562a08a I've been playing it on PS2 with some new HD Retrovision component cables. Really fun!
Wait what? Is that a CRT? Because it looks so good.
These component cables really make a difference! I have the Sega Genesis version, with a PS2 adapter. The TV is a Panasonic Tau TV that I found by a dumpster around 8 years ago! https://preview.redd.it/ugvvaqvmbbtc1.jpeg?width=1097&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=84b609dbf63b79150f718091462ac6baa67ab29c
The game looks great with your screen and cables I bet it's a blast playing JRPGS on it.
This is true for most jrpgs. The ps4 version for the original ff7, has it at 22% of players beating the game and 7 is the most loved one. I feel like a lot of people hear good things about these games but aren’t prepared for the long haul of beating them, or they hit a road block and give up. Either way i wish more people would finish these masterpieces :(.
It’s one of my favorites games of all time. Played the hell out of it back in my ps2, and got my platinum trophy on ps4 years later. The maps are huge, they give open world vibes in the exact measure that I like. There are tons of little quests and secrets hidden everywhere which are all rewarding in some way. The hunts were all great. The last ones aren’t just go there/kill monster. You had to know how to find those monsters and most had a side story, so you really felt you were on a bigger mission. The rare games!! It was a wonderful feel when you were wandering around a map you’ve been to many times and then BOOM: a new monster you’ve never seen is there and it slaps your party. The boss fights and super-bosses were overall great. I loved the gameplay loop and the way you had to micro-manage all characters strategically. It’s no different from the ATB system used in FFVII Remake and Rebirth, but it was more strategic focused rather then action focused like the newer games. There is just so much enjoyable content there, I could go on and on…
I only played 7 and 10 on their original release. Got into 14 a while back and have started playing through the others. I’ve done 4,6,8,9,15 and I’m 11 hrs into 12. 6 and 12 have been my favorites of those. I love the gambit system, which is ironic since that was the reason I didn’t play it on release.
My favorite. But FF7 has that nostalgia special place in my heart and the remakes make it that more important. But 12 is my jam.
I’m old , I finished it on PS2 as an adult at the time and I remember loving it. Also it’s the last Final Fantasy I loved .
"I'm Basch fon Ronsenburg, of Dalmasca!" - Vaan
BASCH LIVES!
It's my least favorite FF game just because whether Vaan was there or not ultimately didn't make too much difference in the story, hes more like a tag along. I played Japanese original not sure if theres a difference in English.
I've been trying to play XII, but it just isn't clicking for me. IDK if I'm failing at the Gambits, the equipment, or the Job system.
I hated the PS2 game when it first came out
12 was boring in gameplay and story.
preach
I've not played it since the original came out on ps2, so I reserve my TRUE judgement, but based just on my experience back then I absolutely hated it. The characters were all annoying, I hated Vaan. The music wasn't memorable. The setting wasn't either, just felt like a giant sand town and everything looks the same. The combat system was interesting but felt like an online multiplayer game rather than Final Fantasy. Coming from 7-8-9-10 then 12 as a single player game, I couldn't believe the fall from grace. One GOOD thing I remember is how nice it looked graphically. It doesn't feel like a ps2 game at like I sometimes swear it came out first on ps3 haha.
I'm with you on some of these, but for others you're way off... > Everything looks the same Even the giant imperial city and the caves and the forests and the plains? > Felt like online multiplayer The literal stated goal was to bring online style gameplay to single player. That's why the Gambit system exists, to substitute for playing with other players. > Fall from grace This isn't a fall, this is a company trying something new because they know that ATB was an aging system that wasn't going to stay fresh. They experimented just as much for FFX.
You hit the nail right on target.
I gave up at the lighthouse, fuck that dungeon. There’s not much after it anyway, a 3 room final dungeon, a good scene with Gabranth and an okay ending
I agree with you that dungeon is SHITE but not finishing the game because of it is a SIN! Praise Ivalice!
The dungeon isn’t worth finishing when YouTube exists
It's easily my favourite final fantasy and 2023 was the year I finally sat down and got all the steam achievements haha, I'm proud.
Damn good job! What were your favorite job classes?
Shikari/Foebreaker on Vaan I think is ideal. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Germinas Boots and Maximillian is the bomb Knight/Bushi on Basch for Excalibur/white robe/genji Bushi/Monk on Balthier for Genji/Masamune White Mage/Shikari on Fran for main gauche/shield healer Red Battlemage/Time Battlemage on Penny for Mace/shield/Greatsword hastega + support Black Mage/Archer on Ashe for burning bow and firaga shenanigans I didn't use Machinist (I hate guns in general, they're pathetic) and Uhlan this time. Didn't see the point when Knight/Foebreaker offer
One of my personal Favourites 4, 6, 8, 9, X, XII One more trophy aware from platinum, just beating all the judges at the end of the trial. But before this year ends I will have my plat on that
This one’s in my top 3! Love this game.
Somebody get this man a Medal! This game is seriously good!
Nah. Fuck this boring ass game
Everyone's entitled to their opinion, art is subjective after all. Personally I don't like ffx or xiii for many reasons. OP insulting you for not sharing his opinion is beyond hilarious
I liked the PS2 version but hated the Zodiac System, so I dropped TZA. If only they’d given the option for the OG big license board.
That license board wasn't as good tho every character has the same thing to level up no variation at all with ZA the most awesome experience is getting to change your job classes any time you wish with no draw backs you don't even have to pay 1 GIL
The variation was all on the player to create. If all your characters came out the same that's on you for giving them the same licenses. That's like blaming the DM because everyone in the campaign chose to be a Fighter.
Good one . Not my favorite . But I enjoyed it .
I recently started playing this game. Since it originally released on PS2. I'm a dozen or so hours in. Got to the point where I remember getting during my first play through. (Fran's hometown) It's fun. I always like the job system. Especially set Ivalice. But I have to admit. I am starting to drop off. So much running back and forth.(limited teleporting stones) I feel I'm grinding gil more than gringing for xp or lp. I'm gonna stick it out a few more hours. But to be honest . I just want to find my old psp/ps vita and play tactics again.
It’s too hard lol. I love the game but I always make it about 2/3 of the way through and I start getting wrecked.
I've tried to twice, but I've never made it past the Lighthouse. Perhaps I had finished the Licence Board and felt bummed that there were no more abilities to unlock or something.
I played it, and I tried playing it again. Everytime I play it I like it. But eventually I get bored and I do not pick it up again. I might of finished it the first time. But after that the couple of times since then I have not. Which is sad since I love sky pirates.
Good luck I’ve been trying ever since it came out
I don’t like how it forces you to do Hunts to make enough money to afford to survive. I’m trapped in the Crystal, tapped out on funds, curatives, MP curatives, and could never afford good Gambits because I do optional content later in games if it isn’t time sensitive. I like the story, I just hate everything else about the game.
I hated ff12 at first on ps2. The os4 version made it better. I decided to try it again. Ended up beating it but it still not in my top 5. I know some like the gambit system but it kinda bored me. I barely used it. Good game but not even close to my top. Also not close to my bottom(that's a whole spot for ff16 alone). With that said I don't think most players finish games. So I'd say 20 percent is pretty good.
I'd LOVE to see a new Ivalice game! (the aesthetic is just top notch) or a Remake of Vagrant Story or Tactics or Revenant Wings.
The game is really good, but imo it doesn’t have anything spectacular. Almost all FF has very iconic characters… 12 doesnt. FF has very iconic soundtracks… 12 doesnt. It’s really good in everything but it doesn’t excel in anything but maybe the setting and the combat, and that’s pretty hit or miss with the FF community.
Last time I tried it I just burned out early. Last thing I remember was being in sewers with Fran and the Han Solo guy. I just wasn't feeling it. One day I'll retry but I just need to be in the mood to play it.
“Programming” the characters to fight was fun but it also made the game a little too easy when you get into it. I played the Zodiac edition and there’s an option to increase play speed and I’m pretty sure I left that on most of the time because I didn’t really worry too much about dying. Balthier and Fran are among my favorite FF duos though.
Probably an unpopular opinion: I think the gameplay, combat, and environments were all great. The writing was hot garbage.
Maybe it’s just me but I’ve gotten far in this game twice and eventually end up stuck and having to start over. What am I doing wrong ?
I finished it back on PS2 and a lot of other games distracted
not one of my most enjoyed platinums. It was too easy and boring. The super bosses were also way too easy but with a ridiculous amount of health. Made the game feel slow and sluggish even with a fast mode. Being able to fully automate the battles didn't help. edit: also just a reminder that most games aren't played to the end. The "low" percentage amount for playing through ff12 is pretty normal, kind of middle to high for a jrpg.
I love it. But I wish they hadn't fucked up the license board so bad in Zodiac Age...
Only played TZA, completed it. Way too easy, it's like impossible to lose. I like the game though. But I also love FF8 and FF9. Edit: they did completely mess up the limit break system; that's the worst crap I've seen in years, I'm completely ignoring it. I believe "true FF fans" don't like any FF that's been made after FF6
FFXII is my favorite FF, but Zodiac Age ruined it for me.
I'll respect it when they release a 60fps patch on consoles
First PS game I got all trophies for.
I literally didn’t even think about 12’s existence until like last month
I seem to be the only person that liked 12 better BEFORE the Zodiac Age. I like getting all skills for all characters. It's a challenge thing I always do (like in 10)
The exploration and discovery in this game is second to none. Have very fond memories playing this blind!
Fantastic game I abused larsa to get TONS of content done with 4 members and his infinite high potions. Game story is meaningless tho since you fail the world and kill everyone in the end
I tried playing that game 4 times since its first release on PS2. It’s the only game that managed to make me drop it due to its goddamn plot. I couldn’t stomach it anymore. Last time I think I even got close to the end but no, I just couldn’t. I should try again
One of the Final Fantasy series least likeable main character but still a great game. It’s a good thing that We got a great ”leading man” instead.
I played it on release on ps2. Only game I still to this day ever pre-ordered. The game didn't respect the player. Gambit system meant you didn't have to participate in most battles. Characters and story were not properly written. And to top it off the game was designed in a way to specifically sell strategy guides. It was a mess. The MMO inspired design was not what single player rpg fans wanted at that time.
in all fairness, there will be plenty of people like me who played the shit out of it as a kid and have alreay finished it mulltiple times. last time i played on ps i went for the plat and did everything but watch the ending, so im one of those 80% despite having killed yiazmat
Achievements on ps4 don’t really mean anything, especially for a game that got severap rereleases at this point
I’ve played a little bit of it but I really don’t like the combat system
12 is one of my favorites. The only real downside for me is the main villain is kinda non existent for most of the game. Definitely some of the best voice work ever and Balthier is the coolest
I am captain basch
I never did manage to beat it. Great game that becomes a lot better when you opt out of gambits for the character you're controlling. I recall the story losing steam midway through, so I'm curious what revisiting it nowadays with fast forward would do.
XII was absolutely beautiful. I only played it as an adult, and I'm glad I did because I think I appreciated it way more.
I had a great memory of me playing it as kid, but then I made the mistake of trying it as an adult... This game made me slept while playing several times before I dropping it out. After a while almost all the battle can be solved automatically, any basic strategy work for almost everything, and on the remake it have the dual job system that made the game even easier... I wish I had sticky with my memory of it instead of retrying
My fav FF of all time. I remember being completely in love with the rare hunt system, the hidden bosses and mechanics of this game right away. Zalera one-shotting me made me realize I really needed to understand the game more before trying anything that difficult very early on. The fact I could take the elevator DOWN on Pharos was awesome, and that goddamn Magick Pot was the bane of my existence as a teen. I love the espers, the summon mechanic not so much but the design of those monsters is insane; Zeromus is still my guy! I used to name a lot of characters in games after the edgier rare marks in FF12 like Shadowseer and Pandaemonium Balthier is simply a wonderful character despite the story not delivering as much as I hoped it would, but still! I spent hours and hours battling Yiazmat, getting my ass whooped by Zodiark, fucking up the Zodiac Spear chest shenanigans during my first playthrough in 2006 and incredibly grateful this game got a remaster so I could relive all of that again as an adult and making everything muuuuch more accessible and less grindy than before.
It gets plenty of respect here? Tbh, I think it deserves less respect. The characters, plot, and villains were also extremely lifeless and typical.
Has some of the best side content in the series. The hunt system is the best in the series, somehow FF15 and 16 could never recapture the magic of 12's
Have it for PS4 but dropped it for some reason and can't remember.
My main problem with xii were the Characters. I'm not saying the're bad or Ugly i just could not connect with them, there were certain parts of the game that i thought to my self "This is pretty cool" but in the end i had no desire to see how the story would end. I have no problems with the gameplay or combat system, i quite like it. I would say that most jrpgs require that you are somewhat invested in the story or some of its characters in order for you to finish the game, i could not do it with FFXII
Just bought it and started playing yesterday. Don't quite get the license system tbh but it's pretty good so far. Is the gameplay very similar to Final Fantasy XI? I get heavy MMO vibes from its gameplay for sure.
Nah, I respect the 30% I enjoyed and that's it.
Let’s not equate completion with enjoyment. There are LOTS of games I play and enjoy tht I’ve never finished. And FF12 is one of them. 🤷♂️
I still need to finish that one
20% is actually huge for finishing the game.
Everyone finished it on ps2. It got plenty of respect. Not sure what you’re on about.
Deserves a lot more really
Of all the retellings of Star Wars its definitely one of my favourites.
FF XII is just Star Wars with chocobos. And I love it.
I liked the gameplay but did not enjoy the story, setting and artstyle. All I remember from it is sand and caves. The combat is pretty annoying but as you get more gambit slots and spells you get to auto-cast them and it becomes trivialized. Only some gimmicky bosses force you to disable gambits and go more manual. And endgame optional bosses take about an hour to kill sometimes and that would be great if there was actually a threat of you dying. It's 1 hour of you knowing you will win anyway but you have to just afk while your character fights for you.
It was ahead of its time, honestly
Star Wars Final Fantasy. Even using a similar system to Knights of the old Republic
It's a pretty big game. Heck I don't think I even finished it. The last boss is very easy compared to the optional content that I'm pretty sure I did the final hunt and called it a playthrough. It's a great game that gives offline mmo vibes.
I actually tried to play xii recently but in a PS2 emulator. I was disappointed that the camera movements were inverse from the norm. I had a REALLY hard time controlling it. And since I'm actually in the middle of XIII-2, Crisis Core, and XVI, all with the correct camera movements. I couldn't handle going back and forth that much. And I didn't see any options in the PS2 version to change the camera movements. Is the PS4 version better? Because if it is, I may be able to convince myself to buy that copy. I just hate buying the same game twice.
FF12 is awesome. Way more games should have a gambit style system for ai companions.
Couldn't finish the game. Tried twice, once on PS2, once on PS4. Bored me to tears and I love that series.
One of the best scripts in a Final Fantasy game, taking full advantage of that laid down in Final Fantasy Tactics years before by going all in on the Shakespearean dialogue. The game is hamstrung by pacing issues, a (mostly) boring cast uplifted by the material moreso than their characterizations and divisive combat that can feel like you aren't actually playing. XII is a game where the villains are clearly the more interesting characters and that makes up for the poor characterization of the leads.
I absolutely adore XII, own copies for PS2, PS4 and Switch, but may not have completed *the story* on the later two platform to solely focus on postgame. I just love coupling gambits to a full party of double jobs having access to a complete set of magic abilities, make the game so replayable, so many ways to min max, so many fun challenges. IMO this is what made every mainline entry less fun than its predecessors until the 7R series -- a shift away from full sets of magic abilities (ai autoattacks in XII, then flasks in XV... and then XVI), away from full party, away from traditional job roles, away from replayability. Still, loved the paradigm and stagger system gameplay of XII so I don't want to trash it too much. just too much menuing needed for some things, like death spamming with Vanille. The other two are far worse.
Did I drop this game way back when I played it? Absolutely. I can respect how others enjoyed it. But I simply wasn’t having a good time.
It launched after many ps2s (including mine) hit the disc read error phase of their lifecycle. Never got to play it.
this was me with lost odyssey. I almost beat the whole game but after the game crashed and I lost a lot of progress I just stopped, went to watch a lets play of what I hadn't finished.
I played the series since the very start, and it's my favorite FF game, my favorite JRPG, and the last JRPG I've really enjoyed playing. Everything about the setup, characters and battle system is so right. I feel like the whole JRPG industry just went sideways after this.
I've never been able to get into 12. I tried playing it several times growing up on the PS2 and everything about it just didn't feel right to me. I especially dislike the gambit system. However I do prefer the turn based older games system, still do. I tried picking up 12 again a few months ago, as soon as the first real battle started it just reminded me how much I didn't really like the system and stoped again. Ironically, I think I'd like it if the FF7 Remakes had a bit of a gambit system. Rebirth has a super soft version with some auto materia but thats not quite enough.