The Last Time Final Fantasy was Good - Final Fantasy XII Critique
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- Опубликовано: 14 июл 2024
- Rush Hour | Final Fantasy XII Review
Games aren't perfect, but that doesn't matter. Games aren't math; there's no answer to any problem that everyone can point to and say "that's correct." You can find flaws with your favorite games, but just because those issues exist doesn't mean you can't still love those games.
What's your criteria for determining your favorite game? The game with the least flaws? The highest highs? Maybe none of that matters. Maybe your favorite game is your favorite... because it is. It's just a gut feeling.
When you can overlook the flaws in a video game and still enjoy the entire experience, that's when you know you're playing something special. If there's a unique aspect that you can point to - an experience you can't find elsewhere - that alone can carry the weight of a game.
Final Fantasy XII may not be all that unique, but it's remarkable in that it's a complete package. Every aspect of game design is executed with finesse. A memorable soundtrack, gorgeous visuals that rival even modern games, meaningful optional content, an engaging story with peerless voice performances, and it's all wrapped-up with a flexible combat system that rewards both preparation and reactive decisions. It takes missteps here and there, and there's some filler, but these weak points are easy to ignore when the good parts of the game are shining so bright.
0:00 Perfection doesn't matter
1:02 A simple story told well
1:42 Vaan
3:44 Cutscene direction
4:40 Job system
7:14 Tutorial & chests
10:05 Loot & the bazaar
11:30 Filler 1
11:58 Dungeon design
13:43 Player choice
15:24 Gambits
17:36 Quickenings
18:27 Pacing issues
20:15 Filler 2
21:54 Voice acting masterclass
23:08 Kicking your crutches
24:45 Endgame highs and lows
29:28 A fan of people; not companies 
Игры
FF12 was actually one of my favorites.
The thrill of the super rare loot and of finding random elemental orbs in a sand storm that destroy me randomly early game was so cool. When an FF game isnt as easy as breathing it makes me excited. The plot was great and the voice acting hit the spot!
Not gonna lie, the Gambit System is what got me interested in coding.
That's awesome to hear. Have you tried out Unicorn Overlord? It's got a really nice take on the gambit system as well.
Most people or some may see it as lazy way or the game is just playing itself, but the gambit system is just definition of making strategies and tactics
I never got to finish the original game because of how big it is, I've a habit of exploring every corner of the map which stopped me from going to the next story point til my PS2 broke
my first final fantasy, for me 10 is the best final fantasy but 12 and 9 always have special place in my hearts.
Dude 12 is my favorite FF game, but I gotta say it's a bit disingenuous to say that Vaan is not a bad character because he's an insert like Tidus from FFX. Tidus has actual plot relevance, and you are experiencing HIS story. Vaan is merely an audience to several other stories happening around him. You can love FF12 and advocate for it while still acknowledging that the main character is absolute trash and has nothing to do with the story, moreso when the creators have gone on record saying he wasn't planned to be the MC, but they feared a negative reaction to an older MC with a more mature story.
Out of all this comments you earned my respect as final fantasy fan.
I always feel people hate vaan because characters like Penelope not only water his experience down but demoralize him.
@@kevinvu5432 astute observation
Absolutely. It was supposed to be Basch and honestly it should've been. It would've made the game 10 times better. Basch had an impactful story where when I found out about him and Gabranth it hit very different. Japan gotta stop that pretty boy nonsense they miss exceptional chances to manufacture gold
Vaan was orphaned by the war, lost his brother to it too. The overarching plot is a story happening *to* Vaan arguably more than the rest of the party, he isn't just an audience to it. Admittedly he could have been written better / more interesting / etc., but I disagree that he's as bad as the community makes him out to be (and that goes for Penelo as well). The perspective between Vaan and Basche are vastly different, you'd lose out on important thematic elements by swapping them. That isn't to say it can't work, but things would need to be conveyed very differently for the first quarter of the game.
I like FF12, especially the gameplay, but for me, the story is weak compared to its predecessors, even when compared to one of the Ivalice games (tactics). Vaan and Penelo have no bearing in the story whatsoever. At least Tidus has a role in the story, unlike Vaan. iirc, it is Tidus that stopped Yuna from becoming a sacrificial lamb to gain a temporary "calm" in Spira. And for me, his backstory is far more interesting than that of Vaan and Penelo, combined.
VAAN & PANELO were meant to be vessels for the player to imprint on which is why they're 2 dimensional - one male, one female. This is also to condition players to the fact that your main characters in MMORPG's (which is what this game was intended to train fans to get used to going forward) have no story whatsoever.
They also had a spin-off adventure together of the Nintendo DS that nobody remembers and even fewer care about. lol
Always felt like this was a bad take tbh. Compared to the rest of the party, Vaan and Penelo are the biggest losers stemming from the conflict between Rabanastre and the Empire (you know, the center point of the entire plot), so they have just as much reason if not more to be involved as the rest of the leading cast. Their perspective represents how the war affects the common folk, and it's that perspective that leads to suing for peace by the end of the game.
@@iggy9790 They were basically self-insert characters, and I hate self-insert characters lol.
Having played through FF12 fresh in the remaster recently: I don’t think double jobs makes characters overpowered. The difficulty felt pretty comfy for me, and I even got extremely bodied while going through the ridorana catoract.
My takes on the difficulty might be skewed a bit because of how many times I've played this game, but the game certainly wasn't balanced with secondary jobs in mind. Still, it's nice that the option is there for players that enjoy creating hybrid jobs.
The game has hard difficulty spikes, but that's part of the balance problem. If you're prepared for those hard areas/bosses, then you're probably prepared enough to make everything else a cakewalk. And yet if you're setting things up so the majority of the game is a moderate challenge, then the difficulty spikes can be painful.
Unfortunately the Zodiac Age, despite all its qualities, did make the game easier. They should have added a hard mode (not the low level crap, just a normal hard mode).
I agree. I remember playing the Ps2 original and thinking it was intentionally impossible
I like FF12 but I think FF7 Remake/Rebirth were pretty good too
to me FF7 remake project quality is very good
the combat and character dialogue is best since FF10
Just started to hunt for the platinum trophy a week ago (last time played this in 2017, and only the beginning because I had already beaten the original years ago), and this is still one of the best FFs. Last night almost fell asleep fighting Hell Wyrm at 1 AM, because I didn't want to stop.😅
Good luck with the plat. Idk where ur location in the game but some dongeons are pretty annoying around the end game
@@claudiegarnier4560 I've played my share of Shin Megami Tensei, so in comparison even the most annoying dungeons in this game were a breeze. (I even drew my own map with pen and paper to find Ultima and Omega Mk II in the Great Crystal, because I wanted to see if I could find them without consulting the internet.) I did actually even beat the game but reloaded the save before Skyfortress Bahamut. Now I'm doing some rare monster hunting, and with those spawning requirements I do have looked up some guidance. (Conditions like "be here with a character below 10% HP" that wouldn't normally happen at that point in the game.)😅
10:19 Don't think I ever did a run without chain grinding through that bridge. My bro did the same thing. We had no problem beating the bandits chasing you out after that. 😂
Yeah, even on my first playthrough I couldn't resist. There's something addicting about seeing those glowing loot pouches drop.
Welcome to the Bone Zone
It’s a requirement of the game for sure
100%. That bridge always becomes my temporary home for a while, hello 4x speed!
Yeah i think everyone did that. Best early game farm spot 😅
Wow!! Man, what an incredible video. Final Fantasy 12 is my single favourite video game of all time and I have no problem admitting that it’s not a perfect 10. It’s flawed and I still love it. Where it absolutely excels though is the art direction, the voice acting (which you highlighted so well) the architecture, the vibe and detail of the towns, the overall aesthetic, the music, it’s all so sophisticated. I have not felt that in a final fantasy game since. You also did a great job articulating why the Gambit system works for this particular game. I know so many people dismissed it, but it has so much depth and the game could not work without it - Otherwise it would take 1000+ hours for a single play through. Again great work with the video. I hope to see a lot more from your channel.
I couldn't cover everything I love, but yes, the art and music are top tier. Hitoshi Sakimoto's soundtrack is excellent. One of my favorite soundtracks in all of gaming. I'm really glad that Vanillaware outsources their music to his company.
Meanwhile, there's ShadowBringers being one of the best things to ever be made for this franchise.
“It’s an MMO it doesn’t count” they would say, but then FFXIV is more akin to older FF’s they love than the other new ones…
tactics would like to disagree, so would V, VI and X. depending on who you ask, Anything in XIV is not even worth due to how monotone the gameplay is.
as a side rant, the WORST aspects of XVI came from XIV being made by Yoshi P. the atrocious equipment and crafting system.
im specially pissed with all the "XIV is the best" since i just watched the backlog buster's run using knights only on FFV. and how cool the strategies are because the equipment system in that game ARENT COMPLETE USELESS SHITE.
rant over.
@@marcosdheleno so first of all, you didn’t actually provide any specific proof of what exactly you don’t like aside from the gearing, leading me to believe you’re only parroting what you’ve heard other people say, making your claims kinda meaningless to someone who actually plays the game on the regular. TBH I don’t even know if you’ve played the game yourself or how far you went.
As for non-standard challenge runs and such…have you not seen the Ultimates people have beaten using only tanks, only DPS and only healers? It’s quite intriguing.
@@raisylvaine8398 WHAT ARE YOU GOING ON ABOUT?
i already said it, i dont like the equipment in FFXVI, nor do i like the equipment in XIV.
as for xiv, i specially hate how they removed one of the best aspects it had, which was the cross class abilities.
which is what i really love in tactics and V. as i see that as the BEST system the FF franchise had to offer.
what else do i need to explain?
also, im not allowed to criticise a game because aparently that's parroting. but you defending it to the point of insult anyone who doesnt love it isnt?
@@marcosdheleno lmao cross class abilities are your favourites? you must be joking, oh wait, you are not...
I cleared FF12 and 15 off my backlog last year and what's wild to me is that they both have the same general problem caused by the same developmental problem: they're both too truncated in their back halves due to having developmental schedules that took too long because of missing/weak leadership combined with perfectionism and too high expectations on sales.
In FF12's case, the outcome is less severe because the game is only missing its 3rd act. The sequence at the tower has some proper reveals and a strong turning point, but if it was to work well, what should have happened is that the Empire needed a bigger win after you beat Cid forcing the party to retreat into the foreign land that's mentioned as an enemy of the empire, with Ashe and co having to form an alliance with these foreigners to support their resistance in Dalmasca for the final strike back at the empire. This is all missing, and they just jump to the final battle VERY suddenly and so the emotional buildup after what would normally be a 2nd act turn just isn't there for the game's conclusion. It's not great, but it's still at least 2/3rds of a story.
In FF15's case it's WAY worse because really, the game's also missing a lot of its 2nd act, story wise. You get a bullet pointed 2nd Act after a VERY long 1st act, then a series of bullet points for both the extended 2nd act arc AND the whole of the 3rd act. With the Royal edition only adding a little bit to the finale (effectively 1 more bullet point). But fundamentally both games suffer in the most critical way: they're narrative based games that do not tell a complete narrative.
They both have strong 1st acts, but both end up doing a "yadda yadda yadda" thing to get to very rushed ends because despite how long their development cycles took, they still ran out of time because they were horribly managed. In FF12's case, AT LEAST Matsuno had written a competent enough script for 2/3rds of the game that it could cross the finish line on the momentum built up to that point, but man FF15 couldn't even do that.
Someone needs to go to Squeenix and tell them that they need to shrink these games down to a managable size again. That long cycles lead to incomplete, confused stories more often than not, and that if you're trying to sell adventures on their narratives rather than their battle systems, then those narratives NEED to complete in a satisfying way and this really is the most important thing. They've released at LEAST 3 games (because this was an issue with FF13 as well, which tried to complete its story in the sequels and just ended up telling 3 incomplete stories rather than 1) now that just don't payoff their narrative buildups despite having lots of other good qualities.
Wow, thanks for describing this issue. Unfortunately FFXVI suffers this same problem. It felt like a speed-run of the story to the end of the game at some point. I'm not a story expert, but it felt similar to the way you described XII. In XVI they have great build-up, but then wrap up act II very abruptly (almost jarringly IMO). After that they just sprinted to the finish in act III.
Amazingly brilliant act I, so I would recommend people to try it still. The soundtrack also carries!
25:28 did you know if you cast ariseja (think thats the name) on the boss once or twice, it causes the paling to fall? Or sometimes it will switch from magic immunity to physical immunity and vice versa.
So I actually just looked this up, and if you cast arise on Behemoth King twice it will switch its paling between physical and magic. I didn't know that, thanks for the heads up!
@@RushHourWeekend I used it for all of the bosses. I can't remember where I learned that was a thing, but I never forgot it. Probably because my struggles with the Zodiark
I love how we both adore the game for entirely different reasons. I LIVE for all the side content, no game in the series has done it better
As far as side content goes, it's definitely the best in the series. I played through all of it when the game was new; these days, I enjoy sticking with the story.
@@RushHourWeekend it also definitely does real time combat best, you did a good job describing the gambit system. You create a system that works 99% of the time, and you’re rewarded with only having to intervene every once in a while. for me, one of the times I have to assume direct control is during long boss fights like the hell wyrm, when I have to make my healer cast syphon on my party member with the berserker braces. Or if I’m using the overpowered “reverse + decoy” strategy, I have to manually recast those so they refresh before the buff falls off.
But most of the time, it works so freaking well. You design it well, and your reward is watching your team mow down enemies. Every other FF game I’ve played since where you can only control one party member at a time has been in dire need of the gambit system, or something similar.
Great video. I loved Final Fantasy 12, and later on the zodiac age. You are absolutely correct when you say that Final Fantasy 12 was the last great final fantasy game. I am salty about that, but you are also correct about earlier Final Fantasy games being timeless. I have played, all pre-13 games many times.
15:56 Here's the weird-ass way I got around the steal gambit issue. Have the Steal set to enemy = 100% hp, but directly above that have attack target hp = less than 90%, so what happes is your stealer will steal from an enemy, you attack that enemy the stealer attacks
I personally never had an issue with FFXIII's worldbuilding approach. I was able to understand all the in universe terms within the first couple chapters. Never felt the need to read anything in the datalog and on my first playthrough I never opened it (other than the chapter summaries that popped up automatically when loading a save). I dunno, Maybe I'm just weird? I enjoy learning a story's new terms just through characters natural conversations and banter.
In the example scene shown @3:32: Listing the terms that are "not defined" in that scene. The term "PSICOM" was immediately defined by Lightning's very next line. PSICOM = "Private Sanctum troops". Which she then adds "not the guardian Corp", to inform us that there are different divisions of the military, one that is close to Sanctum (PSICOM) and one that is not (Guardian Corp).
And Lightning also defined "Purge" just a few lines earlier in the same cutscene. She says to Sazh, "That was the idea... Sanctum Logic. They conjured up the Purge to eliminate a threat... Execution masquerading as exile. That's all the Purge ever was."
Sazh then responds with "How does the government get away with pulling crap like that!?" Which when combined with Lighting's prior line informs us that Sanctum = The Government.
So yeah... the context for the terms is actually all there in the cutscene writing. Reading the Datalog is not mandatory for understanding any part of the story/characters. I don't think videogame writers always need to use a cypher character like Tidus or Vaan in order to explain a strange new world to the player. Though it is a very useful method for defining new terms and ideas quickly. And even FFXIII used Vanille for that purpose in a few scenes as well.
I think FFXIII's bigger issue was just throwing too many new terms at the player too quickly, combined with some terms sounding too similar that could have been more simple. "Fal'cie" and "L'cie" could easily just be synonyms for "Master" and "Servant" and it would have avoided a LOT of confusion for the players. Combine this writing issue with a main cast of very flawed/unlikable characters who are all making poor decisions in a chaotic situation... and I totally understand why people would not feel invested in the story.
Very well thought-out comment, thanks for sharing! I prefer when an in-game character serves as a representative for the player, at least in worlds with lots of foreign concepts to explain, but other approaches can work so long as the player is gradually eased in, which you mentioned. I think FF13 was a bit too ambitious in that it was eager to suck you into this story without giving the player room to breathe and absorb these concepts.
I felt the same way. I was able to understand 13 quite quickly and love it but I just prefer 12. 13 feels streamlined in many ways and extremely ambitious in others 12 feels like what final fantasy should have continued To with a cleaner version of gambit but I love all if the ff games I've played
Just about everything concerning XIII was contentious and why it kept changing things with each sequel. They had no grasp on what they wanted and that showed the weakness in it and why it ultimately failed. Not everything was terrible, some things improved technically, but overall it kept dividing people to where it just ended up being a black mark on the franchise and was the pivotal shift to the FF we know today.
The problem with 13 isn't about story or even really the linear hallways. Everyone has their own tastes and while it's not the top shelf of the Final Fantasy vintage wine shelf, it has a very clear market in mind... story & image wise.
The problem I have as not only a Final Fantasy fan and a gamer, but also as a Writer is when FF13 came out, it was on the vanguard of something a lot of gaming companies were trying at the time which is taking their biggest franchises and making them play themselves... which is just an effort to test how many fans will make the jump from expensive tough to make console game to cheap duck taped together mobile phone games. Tale of Graces Sharp did the same thing - looked like a Tales game, but was just about setting up scripts to let the game play itself for you. And I personally believe if you're making a video game that plays itself... you could have saved millions by making it a CGI movie instead...
Now, FF12 walked that line with GAMBITS, but they were optional and GAMBITS have their limits and are inefficient to manually issuing commands and other advanced manual & interactive tactics. They could do amazing things in Endgame, but ultimately were just about buffering tedious tasks like curing status ailments and refreshing buffs or setting STEAL to happen automatically until you get the item then switch GAMBIT SETS back to combat.
But in 12, all the characters were there. At you command. In the fight. If you're control character dies, you get switched to another.
In FF13, the characters attacked on their own with little to no user input and only the leader was real. The other "characters" were basically support pets and when their master died it was game over - despite having the ability to use Phoenix Downs. It was disengaging both narratively and insulting in terms of gameplay.
But the major issue with FF13 is, "what is the point of a video game that plays itself where portions can be beaten using a Rubber Band and a Bobbing Bird Toy while you go make food?" If the answer is "the I like the story and/or characters" well... then the gameplay is getting in your way and it should just be a movie or mini-series instead so you can sit and watch it.
@@iggy9790 If you are a writer you'd know there is a writing standard. There are do's and don'ts and not the advice kind you see on RUclips writing channels that a spurious. They are established ones that determine if a story functions or not. FFXIII's writing broke a number of these and the dialogue delivery was the first time in the series the "not believable" label now known with the series emerged.
The story and gameplay has been areas of contention by the tens of thousands that played it and didn't enjoy it. The sales reflect this, not the fact the game had an auto battle system.
And you are completely and utterly wrong on the Gambit system. If was the most efficient and effective system created for characters you cannot control. Down to percentages, situations , the only drawback is truly difficult battles such as those that drew out that you might have to intervene in, such as with Tiamut. You are given tools to use, but if someone wants to abuse them and complain, that is their fault they ruined the experience by breaking the game by letting it play itself. Some paid for this as it didn't always work in every situation.
It was created that way to cater to the MMO experience it was trying to supplement in a single-player game. Square-Enix has not made anything near as complex and amazing to see play out.
Hands down one best FF ever. The Gambit system is so awesome. All the insane secrets special gear/weapons/armor list goes on and on .Great video love you're take on many Square games.
Reks should have been the main character.
But then it would have been about VAAN chasing after him and PANELO around because he wants to be involved.
This entry has the best art direction imo. Also we need more ivalice games. Vagrant Story is set in ivalice and I like the idea of this story sharing lore with vagrant story. I’m so glad we got FFXII
Before even watching this, I absolutely agree. This is the last FF title I was excited to go out and buy and I enjoyed it fully! It just hits all the right marks for me. ❤
Gambits is one of if not the best battle system/mechanics out of any FF
"Be good enough to be remembered fondly, be bad enough to be remembered distastefully.
But don't be bland enough to not be remembered at all."
And that's all I'm willing to say of FF12.
i remember fighting the boss at 5:50 literally with 1 HP and everyone else dead. i had to go through all my unleveled characters and ended with Fran standing in the middle of the pillars face to face with the boss and she ended it there like an ending to a movie. best memory of this underrated and probably best FF game ever
Over the years i played many Final Fantasy games, 12 turned out to be my favorite alongside 6 and 9. I find it so entertaining, each character, the story, the worldbuilding, etc.
It was realy the last time i was so invested in a FF game.
After i tried 13 and it was so bad it broke all interest i had in FF games for years. Im just waiting for them to just throw something like this again.
Even though im aware that there are gems like FF7 rebirth and remake, it doesnt realy apeal to me as much because 7 has been used and abused so much i grew tired of it.
Totally agree. Not only the last good FF, but probably my favorite overall (it's always a toss between FFXII, FFT and FFVII for me). It's crazy to think there hasn't been a decent FF game in *18 years*.
I've always felt that FF12 deserved more recognition. I still remember discovering the gambit system as a kid and thinking it was such a cool way to bridge the gap between turn-based and real-time combat. One of my favorite OSTs as well. I'm definitely a side content fiend, and one of the reasons I love ff12 so much. (Pinewood section 100% sucks though lol). Fantastic video! Looking forward to more of your stuff in the future.
There is no location known as "Pinewood" in FF12 or FF12 TZA.
Unless you are referring to chops, which come in pine and sandalwood 🤔
Ivalice is my absolute favorite setting in all of final fantasy and when I found out the same setting was used across a few of their games I realized that’s their true magnum opus. Final fantasy tactics advance has a solid place in my heart and I love that setting which is in Ivalice and so is 12. The aesthetics are pure greatness and beauty. The airships, and the idea of the different races are so well done. I personally would love for them to revisit the setting one last time. And also another final fantasy fantasy tactics game, but set again in Ivalice. Vagrant story needs a remake too.
Started playing ff12 a few weeks ago and I'm 60hrs running! The gambit is unique and interesting mechanics for this ff.
The gambit system is great. When you're done, if you're still craving more, check out Unicorn Overlord.
I agree. I loved the graphics and music in 13, the battle system took me playing it a decade later and using Google lol, 15 was fun no lie. So is 16
But 12? It was the last “Final Fantasy” game for me. None of the new ones have that same feel. They feel inorganic in a way.
I put five hours in and quit I think I was playing everything double the speed, started skipping things and missing a ton of stuff. I need to try again
If you don't like MMORPG grinding you'll never like FF12. If you want to play it for the story or to say you did it, I suggest mastering the cheese of QUICKENINGS then the cheese of ZEROMUS which can be obtained right after METEUS... thanks to QUICKENING cheese....
There is also a video detailing exactly how to manipulate the 1 path RNG calculator to get a normally rare & secret weapon guaranteed from the Airship once you gain the ability to travel between ports. The bow doesn't require a licence, has 50% more range than normal bows, breaks damage cap and deals 20,000 dmg a hit. You can technically get 3 of them but 1 will do it.
Best exploration best lore best universe some of the best bosses of the series. I love it
This is technically my first ever Final Fantasy game, but I never actually played it. I tried the Demo Disc that came with Dragon Quest VIII, but I didn't beat it because it was so different from the video games I played as a kid. I enjoy XIII, beat IX, have played VII and a few others, but have not touched this or X, which do feel like the last times the series has been as close to turn-based as the earliest titles. Kinda funny when I think about it
I'd definitely recommend playing XII now that you're older and can probably better appreciate what it was doing. It's a genuinely fantastic game.
Nice video and editing, but the sudden hate on others Final Fantasies threw me off a little. In fact, I completely appreciate all the quality aspects you mentioned about XII, but I also love and care so much for XIII and even XV (the most flawed one). Also, both of those games suffered from a chaotic production, console changes, directing changes and visions unfulfilled. So I understand why these games end up with some flaws, but still delivered amazing characters, stories and emotions. Even if Tabata isn't the best director indeed, he was put in some delicate position and did the best the company had to offer at that time.
X was my first, XII was, and still is, my favorite. I haven't played any in the series through more than this particular one. The story, the gameplay, that gambit system, all excellent, IMO. Such a shame that it's buried in the basement of Square's FF House. It's great to see it getting some love!
Strong sudden urge recreate Vaan in FFXIV and run aound yellling "I'm Captain Basch fon Ronsenburg of Dalmasca!
7:25 when it comes to those really basic tutorials, I try to think the way Stan Lee used to think about comics. "Any video game could be someone's first."
this video finna blow up i'm telling yall
this game is part of the Ivalice alliance, which includes most of the best RPG ever (Vagrant Story and FF tactics). The Zodiac age version of FF12 is clearly one of the most complete and fascinating RPG ever.
Honestly I think 10 was the last good final fantasy game. Seeing as it really did improve on all aspects of FF at that point. Summons were treated as character's. The in battle switching was great, shared XP amazing, the enemy encounter semi required you to switch. Nearly every character feeling important and impactful. 13 had a bad combat on ps and Honestly I hated the design of the character's.
True, Tidus and Vaan are point of view characters. However, the difference between Tidus and Vaan is that Tidus has greater importance to the plot. Problem with Vaan is he’s just there. Like he can even leave the party halfway of the game’s story and you won’t notice. He barely interacts and if he does it’s not that very interesting. The only best scene he had was him asking Fraan’s age.
Another Frantastic video
Matsuno is easily one of the GOATs of game design. 12 has so much going for it. Baasch should have been the main character but shit one hand and wish in the other.
I respect your opinion and glad you got enjoyment out of any Final Fantasy game. It’s my favorite series. 12 was my personal least favorite and thought it had the most forgettable plot of the entries from 6 and up. I also wasn’t a fan of the gambit system due to not liking autoplay. Thought it removed the immersiveness the prior games had. My fav is 9 which is my fav game of all time. Everyone has their own tastes. Great video!
I love FF9. I replayed some of it earlier this year, and the first hour up through escaping the Evil Forest is probably my favorite introduction to any video game.
You haven't played XII if you skip the sidecontent. The worldbuilding and freedom is a key aspect.
Also... Turn of gambits for your MC.
Vaan is a needle, sewing every plot together.
Final Fantasy XII was very good! I wish that Square Enix had put more into the budget to let the game really get finished. But all in all it's such a great jrpg, the best from PS2 era
My only complaint about Vaan is he smelled his fingers like a cigar while casually welcoming Larsa to the party and I almost died. I was drinking that night but still 😅
You got the localization part entirely wrong. Mitsuno works specifically with a localizer named, Alexander O. Smith that because Japanese can't be done in the same archaic style, does so for the English version. He did this with Vagrant Story and War of the Lions, I believe for the latter. What most mean for faithful translation has to do with altering dialogue with modern lingo or political insertions, not always people that misunderstand how translation works. Less so these days than in the past.
The greatest part of this game for me was the way the story was approached even if it felt weak toward the end, but the worldbuilding is again the best in the Ivalice out of any Final Fantasy. I cared more for uncovering lore through Mark hunts and exploration than finishing the game at points. It really was the last good FF game to release. Oh, and the Gambit system is the best they ever did controlling multiple party members and I feel it would be too much for who they have now to replicate something the complex and precise.
The criticism toward Vaan was by many that he can be removed based on the fact he was not actually part of the initial story. The game was never meant to have a main character, but it's told through Vaan's POV, as told by...I forget the guy's name that took over after Mitsuno left. Vaan and Penelo were added because execs felt the gam wouldn't sell without young characters the audience they wanted could relate to. Basch was intended to be the POV character if not main early on. If you notice in the story cutscenes he actually adds nothing to the scenes with dialogue and doesn't directly effect the main story in anyway. He and Penelo are just there observing. It's based on these observations that people concluded Vaan and Penelo can be removed and they wouldn't alter the story at all.
Ivalice World Building Is Top Notch.
Final Fantasy XII Is Awesome. I Was Hoping They Would Let You Go Down To The Rozarrian Empire. That Would Have Been New Locations, Weapons & Armor, Marks, & More Story. There's A Bunch Of Spells Missing Too. Still A Great Game Though.
Awesome Video!
looking at FFXVI and the 7 remake and rebirth i gotta disagree. specially because, i do feel like both remake and rebirth are better games than xii. and i dont even dislike xii.
Boy you would really love this small series called Star Wars
Other than on an extremely superficial level, I've never understood this comparison.
Sorry for yet another comment, but I also just wanted to say I loved the sidequests in this game. You're right that they don't feel like timesinks. Crazy that JRPG side quest design seems to have become a lost art not too soon after FFXII.
This is rose tinted goggles. JRPG sidequests have always been very rudimentary on average, with only occasional games pre-XII standing out as exceptions. I'd actually say they've gotten better over the years, though certainly still pale in comparison to the average quality of side content in western RPG's.
Personally, 12, 9, 7, 8.
while I love FF12, (as in one of my favorites) it isn't the last time FF was good. It got back to form with FF14 and 16. Some would even argue that 7R and 7Rb are great as well.
Vaan isn't the main character. It is Ashe. He is the only thing keeping 12 from true masterpiece level. He could easily be written out. And don't even get me started with Panel-oh.
I knew of FFXII cuz the score is composed by the guy who composed Faiz's scores
my first Final Fantasy game and i love it so much.
I still enjoy Final Fantasy XII but at the same time, this game was a sign. A sign where Square-Enix and JRPGs were going to go downhill.
Also Zodiac Age is so much better than the original and I love it.
FINALLY!! Someone agrees with me! THIS GAME IS AWESOME!!!
Not a fan of Final Fantasy XII as i felt it really lacked the elements of the previous games like an engaging plot, great characters and emotional soundtrack, which is understandable as it was the first game that did not have Sakaguchi or Uematsu involved. Still, it was the best Final Fantasy game produced under Square Enix as XIII, XV and XVI were definitely inferior to it.
Great video; I never had the chance to beat the original FFXII on the PS2, and seeing this video has reminded me I would love to at least beat games I loved as a kid. Despite it's flaws, I find this game as a work of art. I have such a soft spot for the character graphics because they almost look like animated oil paintings with those swirl textures. When Yasumi Matsuno created "Return to Ivalice" and "Save the Queen" for FFXIV, I was thrilled, and I kind of don't regret grinding to now wear the Judge Armor for my character.
Final Fantasy 12 Is always and Ever will be just what it truly is" Just Pure Enjoyable to play' Worth going through again and Again❤ Not to mention absolutely completely Badass!! 😂🎉
I just came to say: "I agree"
I could not understand the story to save my life
Gambit system though was goated
EFFORTLESSLY my favorite final fantasy game
I feel the need to extra post. So Camera Directin.
In that era games were starting a trend where they emulated Hollywood Blockbusters. On one hand a game as movie would be lame but yeah on the other we have too many games that have assembly line-ish gameplay loop to them too.
You touch on something hard to pin down. I feel it was better when you "try" to make a cinematic, or "try" to make a game loop than just aping what's trending.
Still my favorite, and i LOVE that Vaan as a protagonist is the least important character.
You should really try FFX-2 if you’ve never played it before. The dialogue is unbearable at times but everything else is 10/10
I played 10-2 at release. The combat system is fantastic, some of the best ATB combat in the series, but the sidequests, the writing, the fact that 90% of the levels are untouched from 10, it's all terrible. Also, FF10 had a great ending; bringing Tidus back was an infuriating decision.
Fact check: Ito only directed FF9 in it's entirety. For FF6, he was in charge of the battle system only; everything else was done by Kitase, including story and characters. For FFXII, he polished off a nearly completed game after Matsuno left the project; prior to that, he was once again primarily in charge of the battle system. I was on board with most of this video until the last 30-40 seconds when you so generously shared how much you hate the FF series.
Thanks for the clarifications. I wouldn't say I hate the series when I count several of the games as among the best games I've played - I think the entire PS1 era was excellent - but I will say that I'm not a fan of the series post-XII, as the title of the video says.
I actually liked the game but loved them music of 12 so much
You can respec licenses just talk to montblanc at the hunter guild at rabanastre
Great video. I always thought FFXII was solid, but not amazing. The Zodiac age version is definitely the best version other than those balancing issues with the 2nd job.
The next time I play FFXII I'll definitely do the level 1 only/New game minus mode. I believe the PC Zodiac age version has that unlocked right at the start.
XIV and XVI have gotten good reception.
I havent watched the video but the title is so true. I love 12 and Ivalice. Best ff setting, neglected.
6,9,10,12,4 will always be my favorite games
Mine was
1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Though 4, 7, 10 was peak.
After that the series stumbled greatly in x-2 and 12 but it was passable but after those they fked up badly
It's nice to see someone make an objective review of 12 as a game in itself and not harsh on it as being "not the same the previous best".
I think it's fair to mention however that FF12 was purely intended as a bridge / training program for classic FF12 players to experience offline in a 1 player setting what playing an MMORPG like FF11 is like. It was never intended to wow. It was intended to acclimate & teach while not being too exciting so you'll be ready to buy FF11 or the future FF14 without being so jarred. That's also why the game is 90% mindless grinding in the field before the next check boss.
It also suffers from an issue that when you're playing it the first time you're invested in building up to clear the next challenge or face the next unknown threat. But once you've beaten the game, trying to start a new game with all the mind numbing grinding by running around a field for literal hours to buy that next Licence point loses it's charm fast. This kind of long grind makes sense in older MMORPGS where you grind for hours to get somewhere or find a piece of loot that you get to then showoff to the world with bragging rights. But not so much in a 1 player offline experience. They added 4x play speed for a reason.
FF12 was full of issues but Zodiac Age really did fix a lot of things - the easy to get Invisible Nuking Bow not withstanding. But there was definite cheese with ZODIAC age that place the player on the honour system to not exploit the trials. Knowing you can make infinite money by playing floor 1 of the trials over and over - which by game design is not actually cheating and is always an available option - makes it hard to try and play the game normally, where you used to have manage your precious GIL or go grinding hard to select gear and skills that will help you the most in the next area and come back with money to get the rest. Now you go get 4 or 5 Diamond Armlets and buy everything off your Autosave at the shop entrance.
The Job System does let you make characters more unique, but in the Original and 10x more in Zodiac Age, FRAN is leagues above the other characters. She has high natural magic over the others by default so when you make her BLACK MAGE + BUSHI with a katana she will out class everyone. She also has the best QUICKENING refresh odds in the game. And is insanely hot just as an added bonus. It's really more Final FRANtasy 12 and her cannon fodder friends.
I would disagree with you on QUICKENING'S however. In the original, having it tied to your MP was not a punishment as you just pop an ELIXER of HIGH ETHER to get it back and cheese bosses way beyond your current stats by locking them in endless QUICKENING chains. BASHE's base MP was so low a regular ETHER could get him Level 1. In ZODIAC you get 1 shot and if you flub it your potential nuke is done.
But you can stack the deck in your favour as the bulk of damage of quickening's is based on combo length - with FRAN having the highest odds of getting chains followed by PANELO. ASHE & VAAN are middling while BASHE & BALTHIER have the lowest chance. FRAN can easily go 10+ just by herself and with PANELO and another break 20 pretty consistently.
If you remove all characters except FRAN, she can launch hers. Once it ends all enemy commands and target lines are momentarily reset allowing you to bring up the menu and change party. Use FRAN. If enemy is still alive, add just PANELO. If still alive, add ASHE or VAAN. If still alive, remove ASHE or VAAN and just keep cycling out. Also, always start with a LEVEL 1. If you flub, you can just launch another attempt.
But QUICKENINGS are only useful until you get ZEROMUS who can nuke everything by giving him BUBBLE then GAVIJA his butt and then ordering him to use BIG BANG. That's if you want to "play" the game "normally" without getting the invisible Bow.
I would say FF12 Zodiac Age is a great game to play. But warn players that you'll only ever really play it once unlike FF4, 6, 7, 10 and others. You can beat FF4 in the time it takes to kills the ultimate enemy YIZMAT in FF12.
The way i see it we deserve "easy mode" after playing the original version. Geting that damn Spear was a headache for one.
Getting the spear was a pain for sure, even if you knew what to do, but Zodiac Age has an even easier easy mode with the exploit that guarantees the Seitengrat spawn.
I respect your opinion but the story of this game was real bad for me. Bash is considered the main character because the devs said so its not only a popular opinion. Also some of the ends donjons are poorly designed. To be fair FF 13-2/14/Remake/Rebirth are better than 12
This is my favorite game of all time❤️‼️
Thank you being so kind all mighty loving God help me and these people to become more like u
I played the base game and have 3 different save files all from start to end of the main story lol
The Zodiac Age was rebalanced to be easier than the international version even without picking the second job
I love the PS2 FFXII
FF12 is my favorite game ever!! Having input on all characters was the best idea. IDK why since FF13 and above Square Enix insists on letting AI control the other characters.
FF9 to FF10 are masterpieces. Everything about them from story to soundtracks are epic.
agree to this 12 is the last good FF series for me :(
after xii, i think se went different paths for their mainstream single-player title just to try everything. and for me, it didn't work. my last ff was xiii. & i just forced myself to play that. seeing xv,xvi, didn't give me anymore excitement. my all time favorite are still vi & xii.
Correction we're forced to play as Vaan the cringe. I can forgive you for liking Vaan and believing he's the main MC. People are allowed to make mistakes till they learn from their mistakes. 😁But seriously I wish the guy was never the main MC I don't hate the guy like I do Lightning I don't believe he should of been the MC at all. I definitely do not agree with you on the dialogue it does matter and the changes are f'n stupid for not following the Japanese script. I won't blame the talents but this bs has been an issue with FF localization and continues to be an issue to this present time. I would agree with your assessment on FF13 but it's more than just what you wrote.
I'm not sure where to place FF12 on my all time list but mine is FF6, 7, 10, 4, 5, 14, 11, 7Rebirth, 7Remake, 10-2, 9, 3, 12, 13-2, 8, 1, 16, 2, 13-3, 13.
For anyone whose played Final Fantasy XI but not FF12 it's kinda the same but not really type of deal. The bad part is item gathering is like FF11 during the golden age which means grindy grindy af and monster pop being incredibly just as shietty if going for completion.
come on don't be a snub FFXIV:realm reborn-endwalker, FFXV:Royal edition, FFXVI are good. I love them.
Realm reborn was a good time up to a point, but you can't really judge it alongside the others. 15 was a wasted opportunity that is dependent on too much external stuff. If they'd inserted the DLC chapters into the game at the right points instead of having to play standalone I'd have been a much bigger fan, but even then you've got a whole movie of content and cancelled DLC missing from the mix. 16 beats about the bush with its ideas too much. It's a weird one. I feel like they keep nearly getting there but for whatever reason the execution always falls flat.
Odd, I thought ff12 story was awful but gameplay, world, and side content was good. Story broke from the usual story-telling and was worse for it. They've never gone back to how they did story 7-10 since despite them being their best
Final fantasy XII wasn't good but was still final fantasy even if it was barely that.
The last final fantasy was 10, after that they stumbled greatly on x-2 and 12 and then they completely lost their plot
In fact they're not making final fantasy games anymore, they just use th IP to get money from people who are not final fantasy fans meaning they don't hit the demographic nor the numbers they want which is why they have been caught on several occasions bloating the numbers.
Same thing happens with other well known IP.
What's worse is that in some cases they DO make good games every now and then but due to the distrust they creating they still miss the demographic they want to and others don't play the games they don't know.
If they want or make a game that diverge from their main formula they should use different IP, that way both new people and the old players will play a new game that does not walk over the previous IP
The sticks tutorial is because at the time this was very new. The game is also decades old.
This is cinema!!
FF is about the story and the game mechanics. The 13 trilogy kinda simplifies both into one. 15 is just you average normal game. But a the end of the day What makes a FF game is up to the devs.
Basch my favorite character, ff 12 has a cool battle mode, it's good and another work of art, the tactical revenant wing version should have bash, they say they want to make a version of ff 12 with basch as the main one, if they do I'll love it and I hope make him use a weapon like a mace whip urumi chain scyther kusarigama, I love this type of weapon and clothes like Auron from Final Fantasy 10, cool video.
Basch meu personagem favorito, ff 12 tem um modo de batalha legal é bom e outra obra de arte, a versão tactica revenant wing deveria ter bash, dizem quererem fazer uma versão do ff 12 com basch como principal, se fizerem vou adorar e espero que coloquem para ele usar arma como maça chicote urumi chain scyther kusarigama, adoro esse tipo de arma e roupa como auron de final fantasy 10, vídeo legal.
I loved the gambit system, story was ok, but I was never into the characters in this game. They seem pretty lifeless, and after its all said and done, there is no connection they make when its all over. I suppose thats how it would probably be irl, but still
the last time final fantasy was good was...now? final fantasy 14 is the 2nd most popular MMORPG and just concluded one of the most epic tales in jrpg/mmo history
Why can 14 players never stop yapping about it.. it's an MMO, you can't compare it to single player experiences
Ah yes, the last good Final Fantasy before the series went to shit...
I love that game, its easy in my top 5 of the series
Wow there are so many bad takes and the unnecessary shade being thrown at every other Final Fanatsy after X.
Also X-2 had a perfect job system and a much faster pace of combat compared to XII.
I disagree that the chop mini game in Archades is just filler. By spending all that time talking to the people, you wind up learning a lot about Archadian society and the concerns of the individual people. You will probably notice that, unlike Rabenastre, nobody is talking about the war! This is partly a commentary on how war affects rich countries much less than poor ones. One of the problems with the United States is that we get into wars and fund even more, but our people don’t generally care. We indirectly kill thousands, every day, but it barely affects us.
Later on, Ashe is given the power to completely destroy Archades. With that weapon she can get revenge for her murdered father and husband, and inflict the same misery on the Archadian people that was visited on hers. But you learn from that chop game that most Archadians don’t support the war. They barely even know about it! Ashe would just be butchering innocent people. She refuses, but if you never played that mini game, you wouldn’t understand why.
Definitely an interesting perspective, thanks for sharing! It is somewhat amusing to see how the biggest concerns of these citizens revolve around mundane matters like finding a tutor, or finding a merchant that's selling a trinket. I just think this approach to world-building could've been handled better. Running around playing a simple memory minigame doesn't make for engaging gameplay.
@@RushHourWeekend I can totally agree that the memory game is bad design. It’s like the writers said, “we need to make the Archadians sympathetic.” So the game designers just stuck signs on NPCs that said, “please do not genocide me. I am sympathetic.” I loved all the little stories, but the delivery was lazy as hell!