Final Fantasy XII

[Locke]

Anybody heard any news about FFXII. Personally, I think it looks sweet. Plus, apparently it's supposed to take place in Ivalice... I wonder if there's any connection to tactics http://www.rpgamers.info/images/smilies/confused2.gif

March 16 in Japan :D


http://www.ffxii.com (http://www.ffxii.com/)

[Kilu]

Of what I know, judges are present. That's the only connection I know :D

Anyway. For me this is the first FF game I'm actually anticipating with glee. The core team is same who did Vagrant Story and FFT/A, so it can't be bad. I'm expecting it to be fresh game to the stale series that is Final Fantasy.

[Locke]

It'll be nice for the FF series to get a second wind. They just kinda started to die after 7. 8 was still good, 9 wasn't bad, 10 was superb the first time through and then you never wanted to look at it again, X2 I couldn't take even remotely seriously, and 11..... 11 really had absolutely no purpose and shoula never had the final fantasy name attached to it, imo. I sincerely hope 12 brings the FF's back to where they should be.

[pikatsu]

Of what I know, judges are present. That's the only connection I know :D

Anyway. For me this is the first FF game I'm actually anticipating with glee. The core team is same who did Vagrant Story and FFT/A, so it can't be bad. I'm expecting it to be fresh game to the stale series that is Final Fantasy.

If nothing else, Sakimoto rules.

[chrissii]

It'll be nice for the FF series to get a second wind. They just kinda started to die after 7. 8 was still good, 9 wasn't bad, 10 was superb the first time through and then you never wanted to look at it again, X2 I couldn't take even remotely seriously, and 11..... 11 really had absolutely no purpose and shoula never had the final fantasy name attached to it, imo. I sincerely hope 12 brings the FF's back to where they should be.
I really loved FFXI, aside from the levelling/exp issues :(

Maybe I'm the only person who's really not looking forward to XII.... *hides*

[Locke]

In my opinion, XI was a great game on it's own, I just don't think a MMORG should've had the title of final fantasy added to the front of it as it's a different class of RPG then any of the others.... At least, that's the way I look at FFXI. Good game and all, but just not of the same mold as the other FF's.

Personally I still can't wait for XII :D

[kai]

I agree with locke on FFXI, it shouldn' have been called FFXI it should have been called Final Fantasy World or Online or something to that extent. IMO it is the best MMORG todate and is worthy of the name however should not be included in the set . . . kinda like a spin off. To date I think the FFs on the snes and psx are the better of the series (that's psx not ps2, I spit on FFXs replay value and poor story line IMO).

[M.H.A.Q.S.]

I think I am also anitcipating FFXII. I have liked the FF series since old times.

[Locke]

I agree with Kai on the quality of the FF series to date, I hope sincerely though that FFXII will bring a breath of fresh wind in and revive the series that we all know and love (or, at least, know).

[Vidus]

Can't wait, can't wait.http://www.rpgamers.info/images/smilies/wall.gif I'm sure FFXII will be the next game that makes me do those extra long gaming sessions. Haven't happened since FFX when I captured those fiends.
It sure looks like a great game and I hope that the modifications they've done, compared to the previous FFs, work. Doesn't matter really. I will buy it anyhow, no matter whathttp://www.rpgamers.info/images/smilies/biglaugh.gif

There is only one thing that have always bothered me in FFs. The main characters like Tidus or Zidane for example have too much female characteristics, I mean that they look like girls. The pictures I've seen from FFXII show that it will happen again. This is just something I come up with when trying to say something negative about FF. When thinking about it, that isn't too negative at allhttp://www.rpgamers.info/images/smilies/dance.gif

[pikatsu]

And they all look the same... :knockedout:

[Locke]

Yeah, that's very true. Though cloud was the closest to a manly man they've made their hero's like out of all the new age ones, tidus, squall, and zidane all look pretty similar (minus the tail, anyways) :p

[Kilu]

Well, the FF12 has a different character designer than the previous titles. Too bad is that the main male character (or who seems to be the leadmale anyway) is, as usual, some random kid. I would much rather prefer if the lead male was the Balfrea (http://www.rpgamer.com/games/ff/ff12/art/ff12007.jpg) guy than Vaan (http://www.rpgamer.com/games/ff/ff12/art/ff12013.jpg).

[Locke]

I think it appeals more to the sense of "you're the underdog fighting against the constraints of "the man"" when they do it with the main character being a nobody ;)

[Kilu]

Well I don't know if he is 'nobody' but what bugs me is that it's a kid. I guess they think that gamers relate better to someone who is closer to your own age or something.

[pikatsu]

Baah, 17 year old characters aren't that easy to relate to by someone who's 25... Damn brats. I hate teenagers. :tophat:

[Locke]

I generally don't relate to most of the FF characters, (as of late, anyways), they all tend to be young and immature and look half like women. Don't get me wrong, I still like the games... but still ..... the games are still grand.

[Kilu]

Exactly my point. But obviously the developers don't see it that way.

[Locke]

I guess. Maybe it's a Japanese thing?

[Vidus]

There is still those cool male characters.http://www.rpgamers.info/images/smilies/wink.gif Auron, Barret, Steiner... . I think there is always something for everyone. In FFXII there are Balflear and Basch that have less womanly characteristics.

[pikatsu]

I still think Steiner wore a bit too much makeup. ;)

[bjp4444]

I don't get it since, as an Caucasian male of 26, I feel I relate perfectly to an Asian male of 17. Especially since he looks like a girl; that makes the bond even stronger. Makes sense to me.....http://www.rpgamers.info/images/smilies/wacky.gif

Again, I am an idiot,
-bjp

[Kilu]

Japanese people are a bit coocoo. :wacky:

[Locke]

There is still those cool male characters.http://www.rpgamers.info/images/smilies/wink.gif Auron, Barret, Steiner... . I think there is always something for everyone. In FFXII there are Balflear and Basch that have less womanly characteristics.Don't get me wrong, personally I'd much prefer to be looking at a female character then to a male character, I just don't relate as well to a character that's immature and looks like a woman ;)

[pikatsu]

http://ffxiidelay.ytmnd.com/

Nooooooooo!

[Geosgaeno]

im guessing 8/1/2006 is the American way of telling the date, so therefore.......NOOOOOOOOO

would be cool if it meant 8/1/2006 in English way of telling the date.

[Locke]

I concur, that really does suck :( :bawl: :cry:

[Galthol]

Well I'm looking at it this way, I now have more time to get money so I can get a PS3 and play it on that. Oh Well..

[kai]

It was expected, however generally speaking the wait is usually worth it.

[Kilu]

I have heard some bad reports from people who have played the demo that came with DQ8 in the US. So far no one that I have spoken to has liked the battle system. Sure, it's just a demo, but the japanese release isn't all that far away, so I wonder if they are still working on it or not.

Doesn't change my expectations though.

[kai]

Has anyone seen the video for FFVII for the PS3? I know it isn't confirmed whether or not the game will be remade for the PS3 but after watching that video I would sell my first born just to get my hands on it if they do. I know a lot of people aren't as crazy as I am about FFVII (and that's fine I understand their aruments) but no argument made can sway my high opinion of that game, it introduced me to RPGs and will forever remain my favorite game of all time.

[Kilu]

Yeah, I guess everyone has seen the technology demo they put out in E3. I didn't think it was all that impressive. If I wanted to show of PS3 power I wouldn't choose that opening, mainly because it isn't very interesting to see a train arrive on a platform. Plus it's kinda hard to actually determine the detail of it all from a fast flashes of it.

I personally would have chosen FF8 swordfight opening thingy, because it's easier to show the real detail on a human form.

[kai]

I suppose they were targeting us FFVII fanboys. Though I won't argue my opinion against others who didn't like FFVII, everyone has their own tastes, the game is still one of the reasons I am pre-ordering a PS3 and would wait a week in line if I had to, to get my hands on it. :crazy:

[Kilu]

Err. So you are preordering PS3 because of a game that hasn't even been confirmed for release yet? :P

[pikatsu]

I have heard some bad reports from people who have played the demo that came with DQ8 in the US. So far no one that I have spoken to has liked the battle system. Sure, it's just a demo, but the japanese release isn't all that far away, so I wonder if they are still working on it or not.

Doesn't change my expectations though.

Hopefully, the reason for the delay is because they wish to fix the system...

Why is it, that one after another, the heroes of FF games look more and more gay. Not "lame", but "homosexual"...

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Wait, there is. How am I supposed to (need word here, something to do with... uh,..(need sleep...)...)

[Kilu]

What, you don't like chippendale heroes? You can't relate to them eh? Maybe japanese can. :confused:

[Lance Alvein]

Has anyone seen the video for FFVII for the PS3? I know it isn't confirmed whether or not the game will be remade for the PS3
The producers of the movie stated that they wouldn't make the game, as it would take a team of 100 several years to complete it... or at least, thats what they're saying now...

[pikatsu]

Relate! That was the word. Damn 17 year olds... Whining kids...

[bjp4444]

I have heard some bad reports from people who have played the demo that came with DQ8 in the US. So far no one that I have spoken to has liked the battle system. Sure, it's just a demo, but the japanese release isn't all that far away, so I wonder if they are still working on it or not.

Doesn't change my expectations though.
Just got done playing the demo.

I enjoyed the battle system. It's fully automated, if you would like it to be so. I'm guessing the Gambit system is different attack, magic, item, etc.
preferences and customs. All the characters in the demo had a Libra Gambit, which I'm guessing is a basic attack pattern. One level had everyone following my lead from the get-go, and the other it seemed as if the other two would wait to see what I [as leader] did before making an action choice.

What I did like though was that is one of my characters was getting low on HP, another one of the characters that was geared towards White Magic would heal that character without me commanding them to. I'm sure I could have stopped them by disabling the gambit system, which in turn disables the automation.

Battles were dynamic. I'm sure once you get the hang of it, you can have one person go out towards one enemy, another towards another, and the third playing a hang back/support role. Although the time I spent in the demo, everyone was just hacking and slashing, with an occasional spell thrown in.

Summon spell cut-aways are pretty funky.

And the best part....the music...is very, very Vagrant Story-ish. Me likes a lot!!!!!

-bjp

[Locke]

Hopefully, the reason for the delay is because they wish to fix the system...

Why is it, that one after another, the heroes of FF games look more and more gay. Not "lame", but "homosexual"...

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Wait, there is. How am I supposed to (need word here, something to do with... uh,..(need sleep...)...)I've noticed that as well. It seems that it's going downhill....... Meh. I'll also be pre-ordering a PS3, not for a pseudo-release of FFVII, but more because Sony has proven again and again that they are the best system for RPG's (after the SNES era, anyways), so that's why I want one.

[Galthol]

... Sony has proven again and again that they are the best system for RPG's (after the SNES era, anyways), so that's why I want one.
That's why I'm getting a Revolution, Perfect for Nostlagiea gaming. Though it will be interesting using those controllers to play the SNES

[Kilu]

And the best part....the music...is very, very Vagrant Story-ish. Me likes a lot!!!!!
Sakimoto always delivers. :)

I've noticed that as well. It seems that it's going downhill....... Meh. I'll also be pre-ordering a PS3, not for a pseudo-release of FFVII, but more because Sony has proven again and again that they are the best system for RPG's (after the SNES era, anyways), so that's why I want one.
Well, truthfully, console is only as good as it's games. But somehow sony has managed to snatch the majority of rpg developers into their consoles for the past two generations.

[Locke]

I suppose we'll need to wait and see just how things play out this time around.

[bjp4444]

got it last night. about two hours in.

looks fabulous. sounds great. the camera is not the greatest. lots to do early on. overall, i'm initially impressed.

i can feel any sort of social life i have slipping away....:knockedout:

[SeymourGuado]

excellent...i am interested in the storyline, the voice acting and the game play...if you say thats good, then I am interested:)

[bjp4444]

i took out a huge mutant wolf last night. it was fun. watch out for the werewolves!!!!

the license board is basically an updated version of the sphere grid, but i am sort of liking it. allows for very unique customation if you want.

[Kilu]

Now if only the damn thing would come to Europe sometime. :( There's still no official release date announced, but everyone seems to place it around spring 2007. I wish they'd just announce it already.

[tanisthalon]

Now if only the damn thing would come to Europe sometime. :( There's still no official release date announced, but everyone seems to place it around spring 2007. I wish they'd just announce it already.If it gets delayed as much as Kingdom Hearts 2 was then it could be longer. I think I preordered KH2 well over a year before Play finally sent me it. Worth the wait, but now I have a baby I have less and less time to get on it.

[pikatsu]

You need to get the baby to play, too. :)

[SeymourGuado]

February 2007, I think Kilu, thats what my money is on

[SeymourGuado]

On a side note, I thought I recognised that name on pSX emu forums...was you kilu;) I see.

Looks like you beat me to them forums also;)

[Kilu]

Why of course I beat you to those forums as well, I'm everywhere.

As for the release being February 2007, we can always hope. But I wouldn't put any money on it. As Tanis said, they really like to yank us Europeans around with their release dates.

[SeymourGuado]

We are the joke of the world with regards to release dates for sure;)

[Galthol]

Just to throw in my two cents on the game,

1 Really enjoying the story
2 I can see how people would not like the new battle system, (I like it myself)
3 The CG movies :D
4 Where is all the gil?!? ...Oh wait there it is

Ok that was a bit more then two cents, but oh well

[Kilu]

Yeah, I heard that money is harder to come by than ever. Hopefully that last for the whole game too. Pretty much every rpg I've ever played hands you moderate amounts of cash in the beginning but at some point it just goes over the top and you'll end up having bazillions of cash with nothing to waste it on.

[bjp4444]

yes the gil is hard to come by. although i would guess you could still have bazillions if you fight enough creatures at the end and don't spend any.

the cg movies are good. i'm actually impressed with the mouth movements, they actually look somewhat realistic.

i really taking my time [only about 6 or 7 hours in so far], but i think that's fine. there's a lot to look at and do, if you really want to get carzy with it. gamibts and licensing can get really detailed.

[Galthol]

Maybe the new battle system isnt a good thing. I think I bypassed something by running through a couple of maps... Oh well at another dungeon now, I'll wait and see what happens.

On a side note about a week left untill FFIII is released in NA
YAY!!

[bjp4444]

the gil is in the mines, with the bone fragments [they sell for 193 each, i think]. just keep killing and chaining skeletons and skull defenders, having someone steal as well. also a great way to level up and earn license points.

[tanisthalon]

How are the summons? I remember Playing FFVII in 1996 and been blown away.

[bjp4444]

i have no clue. i don't have one yet. i have some "limit" like abilities, but no summons yet. but i go really slow in a game like this. sitting around and leveling up for no reason.

[Galthol]

Well the summons,

First you defeat the esper, (name for the summons) then you are able to gain it via the license board. (One esper per character)

Now for use. menu item called Summons, your character, summons the esper and it replaces the other two members of your party and fights along side of you. Personally I think the mist charges are more effective.

And a note to those of you who are farming the gil, YOU CAN OVERFARM.
I found a nice place to get gil, (sandsea with the alurnes) went back on day and they weren't dropping items.

Thats all for now

[bjp4444]

see, i just used the mines, with the skeletons on the one bridge. had leader with a gambit to stela from any foe over 70% health, and had the other two attacking, with all having a preference for those foe with HP Critical status, even the member stealing.

once you get the chain going high, they start dropping stuff like crazy. and with bone fragments selling at 193 each? now bad. now if i could chain those tomatoes things in the sandsea with the fruit? i'd be in heaven.

saved last night right outside the tomb of raithwell. looking forward to it tonight. LOST went on hiatus at just the right time!

[pikatsu]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB52iPo7vig

What I can hear, acting is good...

[Kilu]

Told you so. :D When will people start believing me. :p

[bjp4444]

there's a lot of stuff to do in this game. just as many are calling casino royale the best bond in a while [if not ever], i feel the same way about this game as well. the best ff on ps2, if not ever.

wow wow wee wah!
-bjp

[Kilu]

One more week till the euro release! :)

[SeymourGuado]

My copy for this game will soon be in my hands. I have high hopes for this game after that disaster X-2.

1 more week woo hoooooooo:D

[SeymourGuado]

My copy is set to pop through my post in less than 1 hour

I have just finished watching the intro. Graphics good, music good, Intro excellent, THIS IS A FUCKING FINAL FANTASY GAME. I can tell already!

1 hourt in report:

Graphics equal to X
music is good
new battle system is like ordinary FF but with freedom to move, is very good
camera angles around town are only let down
Voice acting is good
Plot is involved and looks very promising!
License Grid (where you can unlock the ability for magics and equipment) is also a nice thing. Love it

Game is going to be very good

[Kilu]

I agree, except for the camera. I like it that the angles are not static like all the ff games before, but rather you have to turn it yourself, pretty much like in most adventure games. So, no complaints from me so far.

And I'd actually say that the graphics, while probably technically equal the other PS2 era FF games, are better. Facial expressions are probably the keypoint in that. FFX for example had pretty wooden acting in both voices and the way the characters looked when they talked. This time it fits much better together.

[SeymourGuado]

everything is in place, all I need now is a class plot to go with it (5 hours in, looks reasonable so far), and this will be a very good game:)

extra things being added too, including gambit system which is also nice:) gil is hard to come by though.

Must say I like this free moving battle system. saves them (game designers) and me some time over FF7-9 also, which used battle screens for battles rather than just using the field.

Much more "realistic" battles are 12 (compared to all of them)

[Lance Alvein]

I well enjoy the game too... I only wish I had more time I could spend playing it...
I got it for christmas, but I've only managed to play about 20 hours of it...:wall: Too much work :wall:

[bjp4444]

the amount of detail in things such as the bulidings really blew me away. [especially when i got an s-video cable] that shot in the opening video, where the airship flys past the buldings in the sky? you can pick each one out individually. that was amazing for me.

get back to me when your 145 hours in, and just got through a battle with [possible spoiler] a boss with 8.5 million hit points.now that was fun!

[SeymourGuado]

well 5 hours in already, and it looks like another late night. God it has been a long time....

I guess that is a bonus of being a certified dosser:evilgrin: lance

[tanisthalon]

My copy came through yesterday also. Looking forward to getting some personal time to play this. Its been a long wait and best be worth the sweat and tears i am going to put into it!

[SeymourGuado]

so far I would say yes. In 8 hours I have had 3 or 4 game overs. It is certainly the hardest FF i have played from a storyline point of view.

Storyline is unfolding and is only thing I am unsure about in a so far great game.

[Mangachaos]

I too have just gotten it... it´s a strange way of playing.. but in time you actually get used to it... :) I´m at Giza right now... anyone tried to make the chain as high as possible yet? I saw there were alot of cactites so I thought I hunt those suckers... and I actually got up to 21 chains...Oo
btw.. the higher the chain, the better/more the item... I even got a pointy hat once...:D

ps.. of course.. I took the Cactites in the east... :p

[SeymourGuado]

1 criticism i have is the difficulty. At the start you just want the plot. This is gettin a bit ridiculous. Stook on Ghis, the amount of damage they do is stupid.

Gonna take time I can see that.

This quickening will sort it ;)

edit: and it did. now i better do soem of them clan side quests, because it has become self evident I aint hard enough

[Kilu]

I haven't had any trouble advancing with the plot, and I only have hunted couple of the easier marks, so that exp doesn't make much difference. I have had couple game overs, but only on the harder hunt marks, none with the plot related fights.

My highest chain is 50+.

[bjp4444]

oh, you guys are so cute when you are first starting out....:nana:

oh, the wonders you have to see for yourself. one tip for you all, avoid the werewolves in giza. the only time i died, and it was because i was feeling cocky.

i'm here if you need advice.

-bjp

[SeymourGuado]

I have died many times whilst exploring. Especially some of the harder clan battles and that dino early on.

Got a chain of 85 earlier which was easy because they were all 1 type of enemy. Like all FF's, in time I will thrash this game open

it is looking good:)

[bjp4444]

i certainly see how one could die if you go hard-core exploring at the start.

that dinosaur in the estersand can become the strongest enemy in the game, if you let it eat enough wolves. a level 99 wild saurian is not fun.

enjoy!

[SeymourGuado]

how does one let it eat enough wolves? by coming back later in the game? or by letting it eat wolves then going out then back in and letting it more?>

more to the point, is there any merit in leaving it longer?

[bjp4444]

well, if you lure wolves into the area of the saurian, he should cannibalize them. as long as his bar is green, he won't bother you. you can always target him with libra to check his level. wolves should continue to spawn if you run around for awhile.

level 99 saurian would be a problem for some of the most leveled characters, as his attack is nuts. i don't know if there's a special reward other than knowing you've done it. theres a level 99 red chocobo as well, but he's harder to find, and it a badass as well.

remember what i said earlier, chaining skeletons in the lhusu mines is a great way to make money early on in the game. go until you have 99 bone fragments. sell them for a nice sum. repeat as much as wanted.

i think my highest chain is 150 something. it has to be over 100, since i have the sky pirate den reward for it.

happy playing!

[SeymourGuado]

in 15 hours this is my report:

plot: 5
graphics: 10
music: 7
Sub quests: 9-10


So, i hope plot gets alot better then i have a very good game:) I don't like too much messin around as an excuse to lengthen game. A good game can be beaten by 1 half as long. We shall see...

[Lance Alvein]

Well... I was going to play some more of it this last week, but it seems that my memory card has vanished :realmad:
So until I find it or I get really bored & decide to start a new game, I'm not gonna be playing :bawl:

[Mangachaos]

I at those mines right now..;) And yes.. you do get alot of money for the skeletons...:D
got around 7k last time... (didnt had 99 of them.. more like 38)
But I think I emptied one area though... they stopped coming..>_<'
They do so after a certain killrate huh?

[bjp4444]

yeah, there's a killrate, but if you zone out two areas and return, that rate refreshes.

random treasure chests respawn at three zones. and all treasure is random. there are some chests that hold powerful stuff, but it's random if you get it.so you keep going back and forth, looking for what you want. that's how i had to get excalibur, for example.

have fun!

[Kilu]

I got my 50+ chain at the Lhusu Mines as well, haven't bothered with that much since. I think I came pretty close to 100 on my way to that tomb later, killing those sand people. I also haven't had the need to go back to any dungeon for extra cash either, stealing has kept me wealthy enough. :D Maybe later though.

Right now I'm just past the Ozmose (Osmose, Osmoze? MOOOOOOOOOSE!) Plains.

[SeymourGuado]

Now 24 hours in, got my first Esper eariler (was surprised they reused the name). Plot is getting better, game is fun. Not hard enough to do level II clan battles. Got nailed a few more times.

Getting harder though and I need more quickenings...

[bjp4444]

don't rely on your quickinings too much. they won't be much help later on.

you will notice a lot of references to vagrant story, and tactics, since they are all set in the same land [ivalice], although all at three different time periods. i think this is in the middle of the three.

-bjp

[Kilu]

You know, I didn't know Vagrant Story was set in Ivalice (don't think they never mentioned it in VS) until I saw a mention of Valendia in FF12. But it of course makes total sense.

[SeymourGuado]

don't like the random respawning chest idea at all. But I am enjoying the game;)

new joypad time for me also. My dual shock II broke when I tripped over the wire, and FFXII will not allow any other joypad to be used.

As for it being set in the same world, I don't like that either. gets silly

[pikatsu]

I for one would love to visit the thriving city of Lea Monde, destined to be destroyed by the time of Vagrant Story... If that is the order.

[Mithrandir]

Well, I have been playing the game for around 10 hours even though I got the game for some time now.

Up to now, I've been enjoying it. Even though the beggining of the story was getting nowhere...I now feel it's getting somewhere. I find it hard to get money though and but the stuff I need. That's my main problem but I'm guessing I should probably do more battles before continuing the quest.

FMV (real ones) not those in-game dialogues....are great. The story kind of reminds me of Star Wars for some elements such as sky pirates, kidnapping a princess, the "good" senators, ships and judges looking like Darth Vader.

[tanisthalon]

I may actually get around to starting this next week. Any suggestions besides forgetting I have a life :)?

[Mangachaos]

So Vagrant story also were in the same world... well.. since the art obviously looks alike the one in FF tactics it´s pretty selfexplained...:p
btw.. did anyone got the Mage`s habit? It is a really useful armor there.. but hard to get in the licensemenu..-.-'
My Balthier has it now.. and not even the bosses there almost had a chance damaging him... but they were too many and got a few critical hits on me so I had to leave...

[Kilu]

I think my brother got it. Not entirely sure, but he got some higher level armour fairly early.

I still haven't had trouble getting the latest armour and weapons without too much sidetracking, just a few hunts here and there and I usually have enough cash to get everything I need. The key is to steal anything and everything. Which is one of my suggestions to Tanis as well. :) Other one is that most of the time, when a monster isn't hostile, don't provoke it. :p Especially in the beginning, almost everything that doesn't want to attack you immdiately is better left alone.

As for the story and Star Wars, that's the basic plot in 90% of the RPGs out there. Something big and evil against your group of small but awesome people.

Oh, and how does it "get silly" if few games are set in the same world? And don't use FFX-2 as an example. :P

Lets not forget that a lot of earlier FF games have somewhat hinted in the past games one way or the other, especially FF9. The story Ramuh tells is expecially a nice touch.

[SeymourGuado]

I am now 35 hours in...and the plot is still pretty thin. The thinnest plot I have seen since the SNES era. 7,8.9 and 10 all had better plots, though this i still fun to play.

If plot doesnt pick up, this will be ranked 5th in my list, regardless of its good graphics side quests and reasonable music. There can be no excuse for such a thin plot.

Still...there is time ppl;)

The new battle system, I am glad to say, I find better overall. Much more realistic than being stuck to the spot and also, no battle screens and such. Hope if they redo 7, they redo it like this

edit. i am addicted to the clan battles though;) also racked up a chain of 311 but i realised I get nothing for it (well apart from money [through selling) and LP) i equipped sommert that gave me double LP, so I got over 600 a person. Not bad. Top half of grid almost full. I still dunno how I am expected to max my stats out when my grid is almost full...

anyway....can anyone verify how long this game is? Say iof you didnt bother with anything but plot?

[bjp4444]

i found this plot to be the most indepth and complex of any final fantasy to date. there is so much political intrigue, backstory, and the like. i liked it, but that's just me.

have fun getting your tournesol! that's a joke, it's no fun getting it, but it's badass.

zodiac spear is a joke to get, fyi. you have to not open certain chests to make it appear in another area, in a chest. the only problem is that the only way to know about these chests is that you would only know not to open them if you read a faq online or something. if you do open one of the chests, you can find it somewhere else, but the chances are 1 out of 1000.

but all that stuff is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay down the line. have fun, y'all.

[pikatsu]

So Vagrant story also were in the same world... well.. since the art obviously looks alike the one in FF tactics it´s pretty selfexplained...:p
btw.. did anyone got the Mage`s habit? It is a really useful armor there.. but hard to get in the licensemenu..-.-'
My Balthier has it now.. and not even the bosses there almost had a chance damaging him... but they were too many and got a few critical hits on me so I had to leave...

Yup, no idea where I got it, though... +9 defence compared to my regular stuff. :nana:

[SeymourGuado]

my review is on its way and as it stands because of this awfully loose plot with underdeveloped charcters, four letters will dominate the title>>SHIT.

I am getting frustrated now...if as I believe, this game doesn't get any better plot wise I am going to be very stressed out.

Thers is no doubt it is addictive and a nice game to play for clan quests but I play RPG's for an intelligent plot for the most part, not this disaster

Looks to me like Enix have struck again, another nail in the coffin since X2

50 hours in, I am at draklor laborotory:


Plot so far has been less than 1 hour (49 have been battles and endless fuckin about).


No character development and no real goal for the charcters at all. mostly they don't seem to even know why they are where they are...and nor do I
An unusual amount of pointless boss battles which have 0 impact or reference to the main plot
A game, plot wise, void of all emotional attachment to characters.
The second FF I have criticised this much. The last one being X-2. Looks like I am going to have to move on if XIII is not up to it.
I could create a better plot...and I will.
Vaan wants to be a sky pirate. AMAZING. Ohhhh the brain power! Stop me stop me, i am overloaded with amazement! Wow! CAN YOU FEEL THAT "WOW" factor? ooooo mi nipples are tingling ...haha.... in 50 hours that is about all there is to say about vaan, our supposed main character.
no I better stop there and go to bed, because I am ready for smacking my television of its stand again....



For god's sake get rid of this tactics amateur bunch, bring back sakaguchi!



oh, about my nipples....no they aren't tingling and they are not likely to with XII's plot

[Kilu]

Don't do that "Enix sucks" thing again, as you obviously know nothing about Enix and their games. You should probably buy yourself a X360 for those Mistwalker games, no doubt they are very traditional (read: boring) Sakaguchi and Uematsu that we have all come to expect from them as of late. Blue Dragon got 37/40 in Famitsu, one 10 and three 9 from the editors.
===================


So far the plot has been pretty good I think. Compared to some of the earlier games it's quite refreshing. It's much grander than it first seems, and the amount of background information is overwhelming.

[bjp4444]

vaan's not the main character, ashe is. vaan is just who's viewpoint we see the story from. just an fyi.

-bjp

[SeymourGuado]

http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/ps2/review/R107125.html

sums it up, I haven't nodded as much at a review in my entire life. story none existant. This was the first review I came to. I don't know how this game got 40/40, obviously famistsu is a drug store.

Fun game with no plot. That is how this reviewer will be reviewing. As for ashe, she must have said about <500 words in the entire game. Its an absolute disgrace of a plot.

Graphics: Amazing
Areas: vast and wonderful
gambit system: gets pointless and useless
Music: adequate, beter than i expected
Story: doesn't exist. Balthier...joined you with fran...why he stayin? Where is the dialogue? Who is this fran, who are these people. Backgrounds please. I don't care about any of them. *hey dudes i am joinin your party* "Why?" "hell i dunno, ask the writer"


Battle system: I like it despite its controvesy, but there is much to be desired by the lack of spells compared to the other titles (would be a wonderful battle system otherwise. Mist moves on here are spoiled by the addiction of luck. I have had a 3 chain and a 21 chain in the same save)
Voice acting: pretty good, though the audio quality sounds like a 32 bit/s MP3. Which is a disgrace also
Side quests: This si the only reason I am still playing.

Brief review: 7/10 overall.

New order of FF games since VI>>> VII,X,VIII,IX,XII,VI, X-2

A final fantasy game is expected to beat BOFIII ( another of my favourites) in my books, that is what I rate it against and the last 2 installements have not.

Ironic really...I tought maybe the music would be a let down or that it might take a leaf out of X-2's book, but no...they messed the one solid point of previous FF's...the damn plot.

Now I will finish the game and get well hard, then I will launch my scathing attack. backwards and forwards through all Final fantasy's, I usually play all of them through 3 times. This one will be like BOFIV,VI...once through.

Now, I think I will take up suikoden , everyone is telling me it is worth the play up to number 2. So....

[bjp4444]

well, to each thier own. sorry you didn't enjoy the story. i still think it's a remarkable game.

[SeymourGuado]

yes....atleast i cant be forced to play it again:)

each to their own....

[Kilu]

You know, just to get back on the Enix thing mentioned earlier, you should know that FFX-2 was developed by Square before the merge, released in Japan by Square before the merge, FFXII development started 2001, way before the merge, and that's about it. Lets not forget that many top officials within Square assumed leadership roles in the new company, including Square president Yoichi Wada, who was appointed president of the new corporation.

So, of course Enix is to blame when Square does something Daniel doesn't like?

[Mangachaos]

Dont forget enix also did the Starocean games..;)
The first one were on snes... haven´t tried it yet... but I heard it was great...
The second one is pretty good... but the story gets confusing at times...
The third one... extremly good fightingsystem I must say...:D and the story is fantastic... if anyone say something bad about this without coming at least 10 hours in it... they cant judge it... >XD
All of them are made by Enix... well.. Square were with them in the first one... just a reminder...

[SeymourGuado]

This game will be finished for me in less than 48 hours. Thanks to the silly little gambit system exploit I will be level 99 without touching a thing.

I am going to bed and leaving it to play itself. Utterly pathetic.

But, of course, I wouldn't be doing this or even searching google for "easy exp" at all (since I don't use guides) if this game had a decent ploty. But the sooner I finish it and start doing the clan battles again the better.

The gambit system is a catastrophe. I like the battle system itself, it is a pity they didn't get the full potential out of it, say a FF7-8 complex system with moveable characters. Could easy be done. Instead we got crappy gambits which are just awful. I equipped "foe attack" all the way through the damn game...its just crap.

The license grid started off promising, but by 30 hours I was almost completing it. Not enough magics and commands at all

Story, we have been there and I will be back to it again for sure.

random chests: bad. respawn. bad.

I am now on 885 chain, because of this deliberate exploit left by the developers and you know, I am not botheerd because I can't wait for this game to be over.

and a quick note on our little added bonus by enix. yes they want you to buy their guides so u can get the extra weapons and so forth. PATHETIC. A game should be able to get all stuff without worrying you have opened the "wrong chest". I got everything on FF7 with no guide (and lets's not forget that was after 4 times through. Something this game is never ever going to entice me into). I even made my own monster database. I got 99% of everything on FF8-X with no extra hints from people.

WHAT A DISASTER.

Voice acting , graphics, game areas and side quests are the only thing that saves this game and for those who gave this game more than 7/10, you are on drugs!

Oh I am sure it gets "good plot" review by people who think this crappy little psuedo-political slant is a nice new area...but no. It falls flat, like the charcter development.

------
oh oh yeah and mist attacks and espers in this game are about as useful as a fart in a jacuzzi!

Now why am I so mad. here is why. Final fantasy is by far my favourite series. By far. So when X2 came out and I saw what they had done I immediately started to worry for the future of this series. I realised XII would be a good indication on future events and guess what....it has gone into reverse. 13 is the only hope and witht he current trend I am dreading it.

Enix seems to be a cash cow with little respect for people's intelligence. hence the awful dirge of cerberus and other sequels. CASH COW! and now...hell they even trying to force you to buy guides for the extra's!

let us see what else rip off enix can come up with shall we....more sequels perhaps? maybe Final fantasy XII-2: empire strikes back and XII-3: return of the empire.

hehe of course this could be a good thing. maybe they redo VII since they are so fond of cashing in.

p.s 999 chain now....wheeeee go gambits!

p.p.s they couldn't even be arsed adding an extra digit, it just stops at 999. No nothin

[SeymourGuado]

*1 spoiler*

following on, FFXII has come in for some fun actually. Me and grey fox have been pissing our sides at it. been on the phone quite a bit saying things like "hey my name is balthier, dunno why i am with ya all, am bored. Hey what is over this mountain...ARGH BOSS"

"i'm fran and my village doesn't like me...oh wait, better stop there, we are getting into a plot. Let's see what is in this mist cavern....ARGH BOSS"

"hi i am vaan, I dunno why I'm here either, I wanna be a sky pirate and that's your lot. Speaking of which these dungeons sure do look alike, let's see what is down this tunnel...ARGH BOSS"

"i'm basch i started with potential but now I say 1 word every 10 hours. I will guard you with my life lady ashe, (actually I secretly wanna get in your panties. OOooooo panties! ahem), but hey let us check out this odd looking mine....ARGH BOSS"

"Yo! I'm penelo, the game forgets I exist....so hows about I just follow you down this field and....ARGH! BOSS!"

"well I am ashe, assuming main character role. I started off looking cool in an FMV but really I am plotless and look just like Yuna from X. All I do is hunt for nethicite...cool huh! Well, if we are gonna be getting that we will want some of these useless espers and... ARGH BOSS!"

"Hi I am vayne. Am I the baddie? Your guess is as good as mine...oh I AM a boss?"

"hi i am a mist *limit break* and I take 20 years to finish. The skill has been sapped out of me, so the damage is only due to luck and nothing more. Later in the game, I become useless just like the espers. I would tell you about my life as a mist limit break but for now I have a boss to fight"

"yeah , I am a gambit system. You won't be really usin me at all unless you just want tos ee the game play itself. So just do me a favour and equip foe: attack and leave me be. Wait a damn minute! Not now! I am in the middle of a boss fight!"

"I am an esper, and I am your man. But if you use me, no MP for Fran. later in the game I am as useless as a fart, but this game has been useless from almost the start. Your charcter stays on screen so we can both have a loss, you won't be usin me so I will say ARGH BOSS"

Final Fantasy XII-3: Revenge Of The X-2

LOL


----

"Well, I saw the sorry excuse of an ending at 84 hours with characters levels 49-50." anon. <<from a forum. many of them saying this, so I can only assume the ending is turd. Iw anna see just how bad! This sounds like fun!

UPDATE: according to a few dudes online, enix admitted adding vaan and penelo at the last minute. I wouldn't dispute this to be honest. There is prob some truth to it.

I am not going to do a review I have said enough. I will brief you on what I thoughgt the endingw as like though


(http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/ps2/review/R109645.html)

[Kilu]

There has always been guides for rpgs, though I must say that lately the game manuals have been pretty slim. But come to think of it, FF12 has a pretty fat manual, especially compared to the trends of late. I suppose the battle system is explained in great detail in there.

Also, please, stop the Enix hate already. It's not even funny. Enix has made so many great games for SNES and PSX, and had nothing to do with FFX-2 and very little (read: nothing) to do with FF12. Eventhough there was a merger surely they didn't jumble the inhouse development teams just so you could get angry at them? I mean come on.

[Mangachaos]

The gambit system is quite good since you now will be controlling what your AI cant do.. (they are and have always been worthless through all times... in all games since they always dies in those places you could easily done yourself) now there has been a gambitsystem invented for just this kind of problem...
I say it´s good that they invented it... because if you turn it off... not only do you have to do the actions yourself, the AIs doesn´t heal you in those tight moments or help yu in ANY way at all... I dont know why you say the gambitsystem sucks Seymour... because compared to the AI before the gambitsystem, it really have made things more brighter... there´s a freaking AI heling you for crying out loud.. what can be better then that!?
And one more thing... there´s still the problem that MP or items can run out... there´s still a difficulty with the gambitsystem as well... you have to get the right one for the right action... and some aren´t even buyable... I think it works actually... have gotten use to it... but if the AI screws up I hop in and straighten them up... it´s nothng to it.. and AI will almost always be stupid.. and you know it...

[SeymourGuado]

REVIEW IN PROGRESS: STANDBY. SPOILERS. Cleaning up soon. If anyone thought i was a FF fanboy, think again. I cannot stomach how bad this game is.

I have finished this sorry game. And i really have to do a review.

This is the sorryiest crappiest, most worthless final fantasy I have ever clapped my eyes on. (X-2 isn't worth a monkey testicle)

AWFUL. Just getting to the final boss bored me to tears and I guarentee you, unless you have a brain cell count of say 1, you will also hate this horrible garbage ending and garbage final dungeon.

You trek on and on and on and on boss after boss after boss after boss after boss after boss!

It just does NOT END. Your party say in the vacinity of 100 words througout it as you are forced to fight fiend after fiend and boss after boss after boss after boss after boss.

This game will never see the light of day in my PS2 ever again

My review is coming and I am gonna pull this little fucker of a worthless game apart. Right now I am so angry I am off to bed.

I didn't think that it could get any worse. When they said it was a turd joke of an ending, I didn't think it would anger me so much. It is worse than a joke...it is utterly worthless. There isn't a word to desribe how overrated this is, theer isn't a word to descrive what a let down, what a waste of time, what a horrible rush job this game is. There are no words, and the closest i can think of is an absolute a fuckin-bomination.

Whoever is responsible for this and believe me I will be finding out, needs to find a large cliff and hurl themselves off it into the abyss

Good night.

------------

REVIEW

Well, Where to begin. I am going to try and remain level headed but believe me it is going to take it out of me.

I will be soring this game out of 10 for each aspect, then an average score will be decided which I don't even know myself yet (but you can bet your arse it isn't going to be over 7/10)

------------------------------------
Music:

Before I headr the music for this game I had serious reservations about what it would be like without Nobuo. Some of that initial worry was unfounded, some of it was spot on.

Firstly, the music usually fits this game. There are a few nice tunes like the main theme, rabanastre and even 1 of the boss battles. Overall hitoshi has doen a reasonable job.

No, it isn't on the level of Uemstsu. No way in hell and I never thought it would be. I can name 3 or 4 tunes that really stick in my mind from this OST, compared to almost all of the previous installments. Alot of the music in this game sounds too generic, that would be my main complaint.

less real melodies and alot of mainly generic sounds that flow from 1 place to the next.

I give 6.5/10 for music. It is a reasonable effort and on the whole it fits the game.

Story:

This, is undoutedly where this game utrerly breaks down. I have to base this review on its own merits but also, I must compare it to other RPG's and previous Final fantasy games.

To put it bluntly, the story is extremely thin. At times, it seems to be going somewhere but then you spend 5 hours fighting meaningles battles, to be presented with nothing but a vague direction to a new area. Nothing more.

The saddest part is this game is classed as being "50-100 hours long" when in reality, the story occupies around 2 hours. Much less than any other RPG I have played. The endless battles and ridiculous plotless bosses just keep coming and coming and unless you are braindead, you get bored very quickly. The sad excuses driving you forward just make you want to attack the TV. following on from this:

The character deveopment is none existant, and this is the biggest crime of all. The main charcters are basically, just there (including the elusive bad guy). No explanation of their motivations, because, apart from Ashe, they have none. It is laughable to expect that anyone of any real intelligence can believe these charcters would just stay together through it all for no reason.

You don't care 1 iota for any of your charcters, because, quite simply, you don't know them! What little dialogue there is, as mentioned, is simple an excuse to drive you to a new area of the game and progress. The lack of dialogue in this game is an absolute and utter pitiful disgrace. This is supposed to be an RPG and so I must come down hard on this game for its insulting plot. The only one who has any real depth is balthier and that isn't saying much at all.

I give the plot 3/10. The 3 points are there for the reasonable tying up job at the end, wheer baltheir gives back the ring and also the main NPC discussions around the towns. I also give 1 point for the main running storyline of the empire. For the record, FFX-2 scores 1/10 and FFVII 10/10

Voices:

Surprisingly this game has very good voice acting with the exception of Fran who is an annoying talentless noise. I believe she is played by a male to be quite honest.

Vayne solidor at the end is without doubt the coolest, though we must be very respectful to the performance of ashe and bathier's actors. Compared to othe voice acting this is about as good as I have heard along with X and metal Gear Solid.

The voice acting, little of it though there is compared to X, is solid throughout from all but 1 character.

I therefore give voice acting for this game 8/10

Sound

The engineering of the voices is absolutely disgraceful. I could and have done better with a regular mic attacjed to adobe audition. The quality is reminisent tof a 32 kbit/s MP3 in mono. It is nothing as clear or natural sounding as X for sure.

That isn't the only downfall. It seems for the english release somebody got very very lazy. hardly any of the NPC say anything, instead we are back to subtitles and worse, periodically your main charcters don't have voices either! At the end of the game, vayne is talking but his crew isn't when replying. FARCICAL.

The main sound effects are as you would expect, apart from the ridiculous volumes and over-the-top effects, especially during the special moves

The sound engineering therefore must recieve 4/10 because it is awful and downright LAZY

Gameplay:

Now, this started off very good. You had all these cool new things to check out. gambits, mist attacks, espers, license Grid and clan battles. Let us not forget the miles of areas there is to explore. This game is huge on that front. So, for somebody who doesn't care about plot, the gameplay is a plus.

Well, it would be a big plus, except the gambit system ruins the main battle and the new battle system completely. Throughout this game I survivied by 2 gambits: attack:foe and cure: ally. Worse still, the develppers deliberately left in an exploit to get your party up to level 99 without touchinga button.

Pathetic. you can watch your party destroy the foes without any interaction or brain power throughout the entire game. It truly is disgusting. Ater a few hours this gets samey and you realise that there is hardly anything to really acre about tactically. bad bad move by enix.
This gambit system is the single biggest disaster in Final fantasy history. You don't need a brain, it limits creativity, it makes every battle attack attack attack and it gets you to level 99 without touching a button. IT IS A DISASTER.

Then there is the second problem, you gain around 2 or 3 espers from the main storyline. The last few come right at the end of the game and are worthless to you in battle. The others are all side quests which again, is disgraceful (since you won't be using them at all anyway). Mist attacks also become as useless and so, youe nd up back wheer i said--- foe: attack. NO GOOD.

The mist attacks become useless but at the start of the game I suppose they help. Unfortunately, here is another problem. Your MP is taken to 0, the same as when using an Esper. So tactically this makes it a last ditch attempt at killing a boss for example. The 2 worst things about the mist attacks however, are i) The damage is mostly down to luck as your shuffle the attacks and ii) you aer sat there waiting hours for these silly moves to finish.

The license grid is yet another huge let down. It starts off promising, but then you realise at 30 hours into the game (29 are battles), that this will be finished in no time and that you won't even be using the magics much.

By far the worst thing gameplay wise is the repeative battles and ridiculous amount of bosses. When you get to the final area before bahumut you will absolutely know what I mean.

I also hear (since I could stomach no more) that there is an enemy on this game devoted to the writer which has 50,000,000 HP. YES 50 million! With your main attacks capped at 9999 it is known to take 8-9 hours to beat this thing, leaving your characters to mindlessly fight it with the gambits. ARE ENIX SERIOUS! WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?

It just sums this game up: an endless boring battle with no brains. An excuse to add time to your game timer and make the game look good.

It fails. IT FAILS

Has anyone noticed the loading times are much worse for this game too? it is a joke. On a few screens, consistently, 16 seconds to load the next area (i tested this properly). And after the Esper's are dismissed....Is there anything in this crap game that isn't poor?

Then we have the sidequest hunts for weapons/armours which is a mess. A total mess. You have random chests with ridiculous drop rates. You have enemies with ridiclous drop rates. You need a guide to get the stuff, and even with it there is a huge amount down to luck. You may not open certain chests or you cannot get the hardest weapons and even more laughably, every chest in this game contains worthless items 99.9% of the time. Unless you are daft or just plain stupid, you will not be loading your game up time and time again to get the "correct item". No this system is the Second biggest disaster in final fantasy history

If not for the clan battles and the extra side quests, the gameplay would be right where it should be, a 1 in 10. However, I have decided a fair score will be 5/10 when taking everything into consideration.

Graphics:

final fantasy has always been strong in this area, pushing every system to the limit. This is certainly no different. The areas are detailed, the charcter sprites good, the FMV's wonderful as usual. The Areas are as vast and beautifu as ever before. I cannot give this anything other than 10/10

{FF7 Music: 10/10, Story: 10/10, Gameplay: 10/10, Sound: 10/10, Graphics 9/10}

FFXII:
Music: 6.5/10
Story: 3/10
Gameplay: 5/10
Voice: 8/10
Sound: 4/10
Graphics: 10/10

The final average score for this travesty of a game is 6/10

Firmly placing it as the second worst Final Fantasy game of the modern era. This game will never be played by me again. I belieev it has 0 replay value whatsoever and the biggest mystery is wheer people see the story and also, how they get to 8-10/10 reviews. I will never trust famitsu with the scores. They talk garbage, which is apt really, because on the whole that is exactly what this game is.

I know why this game sucks so much though. Here is why:

Yasumi Matsuno (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasumi_Matsuno) as the writer and the other has-been's. No, you are not Yoshinori Kitase (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoshinori_Kitase) or hironobu sakaguchi or Kazushige Nojima (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kazushige_Nojima) my friend. You are a talentless fool. Don't come back.

No nobuo, yes he is missed.


DISASTER.

------
Luckily my friends the above genius' will be back (with the exception of hironobu) along with the very talented Masashi Hamauzu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masashi_Hamauzu) who did a great job in X.

So, there is hope for XIII but XII is not a final fantasy game. Don't kid yourselves that it is. it never will be, those tactics amateur bunch are not what made this series great and thank god they have pissed off for XIII.

XIII will be a good game with the main dudes back, I will never trust the lot that brought us this yarn ever again. That is what happens when you take away the main forumla. 0+0 does not equal 2. It never will do, so stop looking for anything in this game. It is not there!

Now I am sick of moaning. So I will just let it be. Enjoy the game if you can.

DLPB

http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/ps2/review/R109645.html <<<<so damn true!

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasumi_Matsuno)

[Kilu]

It's my understanding that Nobuo will only be composing the main theme of XIII, just as it was with the XII.

[pikatsu]

One should never take raving reviews seriously, be they for or against. Also, metacritic says it's average score is about 93, from 75 to 100. And, Pelit-lehti, finnish magazine which has my trust, gave it 93.

So there.

[bjp4444]

POSSIBLE SPOILERS

i'm sorry you didn't like the game. i'm still enjoying it, 152 hours in. finally got through the subterra of the pharos. took me forever to get my gambit system right for the battle. i think i died 6 or 7 times at level 70.

gambits or not, the additional area of the henne mines is ridiculous. i'm scared to think what the boss there will be.

true espers and mist attacks are weaker as you go on, but i've hardly ever used espers and limit breaks that much. except for the one time i played ff vii, where it was just an esper spam-fest. and limits were slightly helpful at the end of ff viii. but that's about it. i didn't even know there were limit breaks in ff vi until i read about them somewhere.

so, again, to each their own. i enjoyed the gambits, and the strategy i had to place in them for the special battles and the like. but if you didn't, you didn't. can't fault you for that.

[SeymourGuado]

you don't have to be sorry bjp:) if you liked the game then I am happy for you. I have said my piece on it and I went overboard with the 3 posts, should have kept it to 1 review:) instead of being an ass whinging on and on. gotta learn control.

see my post in general section, since i don't want to pollute this thread.

[bjp4444]

oh yeah, you can totally play xii old school style if you turn all the gambits off and change battle system to "wait" i guess you could keep it on "active", but that might just be suicide.

[Mangachaos]

I actually have that state on my guy in FFXII... I figure it would be too risky not to have it.. plus it´s my first time playing it... that means easy-mode on! I wouldn´t want to beat the game entirely in the beginning heh... so the first time I always start smooth and easy... and that mode... stillmode while taking action.. it feels the most final fantasy for me... :)

[Kilu]

I haven't played in a few days, keeping busy with couple PC games. Anyway, there is one thing I dislike in the game quite a bit, a lot of RPGs fall in this one actually. The characters who you don't use don't level, at all. It seems especially ridicilous in FF12, because they do get LP even if they don't fight. So, yay for LP but nay for XP?

A good example on where it was done well I think is FF7, everyone was always only like 5 (or 10?) levels behind Cloud (I think). Or something like that. Either way, this made sure that when Cloud goes all vegetable you don't have to fill the slot with someone who's on level 10 or something.

And the worst example of this is FF6, where you have to divide your whole posse into 3 groups in the end. On my game I had maybe 5 decently leveled characters, which doesn't 3 good groups make. And as such I never finished the game. :) Forcing me to bulk up characters has always been a big no no for me. For those of you who haven't played it, FF6 had groups of 4 people fighting at one time unlike most of the games after it (FF9 being the exception).

[SeymourGuado]

That is true:) Though, i didn't have any trouble using my strongest 3, then near the end, I just added the others and they levelled up super fast;)

Anyway I used that exploit I mentuined to and within a few hours my party was level 99:amazed:

I agree, if LP is given, why not EXP?

Like with all FF games I have played (except 6) you can finish the game with a strong party of 3 or 4. This one is no different on say level 60-99. Like you kilu, I like to have my party level up even when not in play, it spares us the awful level grinding

[bjp4444]

well, after 186 hours or work, i am done. finished. done.

the order of ambrosia is mine. i made yiazmat bow to my greatness. the only thing i did not complete was the "need" number in the bestiary next to the onion queen, mandragora prince, etc. that was just way too tedious for me once or twice. to do it 12 more times? i'll pass.

but i really enjoyed this game. i thought it was really fun, and that the ending was great as well. nothing too over the top, and i appreciated that. there's likely going to be a sequel, and i'll be looking forward to that as well.

[eViL bAz]

And the worst example of this is FF6, where you have to divide your whole posse into 3 groups in the end. On my game I had maybe 5 decently leveled characters, which doesn't 3 good groups make. And as such I never finished the game.Well I will give you a good advice, I found this annoying as well, specially the first time I played it, and as the same as you I had 4 strong units and Umaro (which is a Berserek Unit and there is no other command on him) well I put as leader of each group the one of the strongest charachters, then I put the weakest character on them, and then that the strongest unit do the job, that way the others after one sucessful fight, they level up. that is how I finish the game the first time, of course you have to fight alot to rise them to a considerable level to fight he final boss, (because in there you have to ue the 4 groups too :p) Kefka you are my hero!!!

[Kilu]

My strong units weren't strong enough to finish the fights alone. :D

[eViL bAz]

well that is too bad :(

[Cyrano de Hero]

If memory serves, in the final dungeon for FF6, I divided the groups up in order to manipulate the game's mechanics the most. I had my four strong fcharacters(Terra, Celes, Gogo and Cyan) go into each section seperately and kick each boss' ass. Once all the bosses were done, I put two of them into one group, twon in another group, and stuffed all the weaklings into a group with Mog and had him equip that item that allows you to avoid random encounters. (forgot what it's called...) There's a glitch in the final dungeon- if one group is on a save spot, all the groups can pitch a tent as if they were on one. I stocked up on tents, had Mog's group stay on a save spot, and rested whenever I needed to with the others.

When I faced Kefka, I had 4 fighters at about Level 50 or so, and the others were at least 15 levels below. 3 out of 4 survived all the way to Kefka, who actually turned out to be a real wimp. :bouncy:

[silverDistortioN]

Yes, I agree that Final Fantasy VI is like Final Fantasy XII in this regard!

[SeymourGuado]

well, alls i have to look forward to is 13 but maybe I will finally finish zelda 64 and finish one of the much earlier FF's I haven't done.

Too damn busy with other stuff, and seem to ahev fallen out with games. Stopped playing suikoden, story seemed to start off ok but then i kinda lost interest. Atleast the music was great, and gotta finish that too;)

VII had a section against bizarro-sephiroth wheer you were divided into 3 for the fight (and you could separate your party before hand in the North cave) but unlike VI you could just kill the boss with your main 3 characters and not bother about the other 5.

I never did get the point of bizarro sephiroth, I would have much preferred a physical looking sephiroth (though i liked saviour 'safer' sephiroth) and a well hard one at that. I think FF end bosses are too easy, XII was no different.

Guess that makes side quests better;)

[Geosgaeno]

to many bosses in this game, the battle system wasnt my cup of tea but it grew on me, the game seemed to be over to quickly which meant the storyline wasnt as epic (slightly confusing i thought too!!).

License grid was easy to fill (not like maximising that sphere grid on 10...that took me about 100hrs)

7 remains my fave :bouncy:

[SeymourGuado]

My Final fantasy XII and X-2 are now listed on ebay. I have disowned them. To me they are not FF's.:shame: Since I kept them because of the FF collection, they now serve no purpose.

Personally I wanted to burn them or attach them to aerosol cans when we go camping to watch them blow to atoms (actually I had a nice final fantasy about attaching them to a nuclear weapon) but...

I will be much happier with the potential 25-30 pound revenue:w00t: Roll on XIII :)

[Geosgaeno]

the aerosol can sounds like a great idea, you sold your copy but i aint sold mine mwhahahaha

[SeymourGuado]

x-2 is still to be sold. i can only hope it goes quick.

[tanisthalon]

And don't forget FFXIII Versus

[SeymourGuado]

Yes I have to agree. I am seeing more and more commercialisation creeping into Final Fantasy

People may think, given that FFVII is my greatest ever game, that I would be happy to see all these spin offs. But no...what I see is a blatant attempt to milk it for every penny with sub par and hastily written plots. We all know where this gets films in hollywood these days. Not good for intelligent entertainment.

Now we are having multiple releases of newer FF's and remakes of even older FF's (not too bothered about the latter)

I am not liking this change of wind and I have to say I am fearing seriously, that this is the end of the Final fantasy franchise as a groundbreaking RPG series.

FFXIII, the main game, should be on par with 6,7,8,9,10 but time will tell. Should it fail, that may be last nail in the coffin for me.

I would rather see a great FF every 2-3 years than a few crap ones here there and everywhere

----------------------------------
"x-2 is still to be sold. i can only hope it goes quick."

Well, at 5 pounds buy it now, it failed. Evidentally people have wised up:) Sadly that is bad for me. Its fate is sacrifice by bonfire; I hope to give its sad existence some meaning and purpose:rofl:

[Geosgaeno]

FFXIII, the main game, should be on par with 6,7,8,9,10 but time will tell. Should it fail, that may be last nail in the coffin for me.
i hope it is on par with them....for my sake, i enjoyed playing all of the above, and i shall never forget bout them (unlike 10-2 & 12 which are on the edge of my brain and ready to disappear for good).

id love square to make another 3 or 4 groundbreaking FF's....but somehow i dont think it shall happen :(