Final Fantasy XII (Platinum)

I've played all of the Final Fantasy titles since the release of FF6, and this one also kept me going for ages.
The Gambit and license systems are both great ideas. The graphics were outstanding.
One thing i didn't like about the game was it's story line. The story line was more political and realistic but not as strong and
powerful as the other FFs.
The story line lacks the Final Fantasy feel and the music weren't as great and memorable as the previous titles.
If the title was Final Politics, it would have made more sense. Just my opinion.

From graphics to sound to gameplay, the latest Final Fantasy doesn't disappoint.

Graphics are some of the best on any platform, and looks truly amazing on the PS2. Gameplay is very fun and very deep.

The license and gambit system does confuse a bit in the beginning, but doesn't take long to latch on to. They add a lot of depth to the gameplay, and really fun to use. The new battle system is lots of fun and many ways better then the previous games. It doesn't repetitive at all because even though all you do is command your characters to attack in the beginning, you\'re gonna have to cast magic spells that enhance their stats, let them heal by themselves and more later. Using the gambit system correctly with a bit of thinking can really be rewarding too.

The storyline is more politically focused then the previous, and it does shine, although it takes a while for it to do so. In the beginning it can seem unimportant but in good time it does show just how good it is.

Voice acting is terrific. It lets all the characters come across as being interesting and not boring or annoying. And although the music from the game not as catchy or memorable as the previous Final Fantasy games, it still shines on its one.

The game is also around 40+ hours long, and adding all the side quests it could last you well over a 100 hours. With that being said, this game is totally worth its purchase price.

In the end, this game does prove that Square Enix's Final Fantasy series is very consistent. Final Fantasy XII a must own for any casual (like me) or serious RPG fan. It won't disappoint.

Final Fantasy XII is probably one of the poorest recieved games in the FF franchise, except for 10–2 and XI. Does this mean that Square Enix is loosing its touch? No, I do not believe so.

This game continues the excellent CGI movie graphics, and is probably one of the best looking games for the 2nd generation Playstation. The voice acting is believable, which is more then many translated games can say. As with the other FF's there is a massive amount of area to explore, hundreds of optional tasks and a few minigames.

The minigames are a bit hard to find and often require you to complete many quests to be able to play them (fishing mini game). Another thing which will keep you occupied and gives you opportunities to advance your level are Marks. These are super strong creatures which you have to hunt. Many of these become available before it is actually possible to defeat them, and many people found this annoying and quit early on (my sister, for one xD).

The gameplay is quite a bit different from the classic ATB from the popular FFVII, FFVIII and FFIX games. FFX used a turn based system that worked well, but in XII they created a system where the battles are merged with the exploration, more like an action RPG. This takes quite a while to get used to, and will irritate those who were expecting another ATB.

Many people found the characters to be uninteresting, and on this point I have to partially agree. The character backgrounds and relations are not a large part of the game, so if you like the Cloud/Aeris/Tifa thing going on in FFVII then look elsewhere. If you enjoy a game which you can play without all the sopy storyline, then this is probably more your thing.

However, the characters themselves are very unique and, depending on how you play it, can have very unique strengths and wield specific weapons.

The lack of world map transport is often seen as a downside, but I found it easier as you could easily get where you wanted. Until late in the game you still have to walk most places (Travel to nearest point via teleport stones, then walk).

I think I may have written enough now, so to sum up – buy this game! If you are a hardcore FF fan or are just looking for a new RPG to play, then this is for you.

I am a huge fan of the Final Fantasy series and just like all the other die hards out there, waited eagerly for XII to be released… and what a waste of time that was.

I could almost cry over how bad this series has turned. I stuck up for the FF games graphics when my friends gave me hassles over VII, I defended their mushy plotlines (VIII…) and I even commended X-2 because even though it wasnt true FF, at least they had improved the battle system some…

But XII… there are no redeeming factors for me to defend. I finished XII yesterday, after 60 hours and with an average level of 50. And whats more, I went into the ending (from where the boss battles start) not even knowing I was about to finish the game! The story was absolutly shot.

XII's highlight would be its graphics, they are great (not that much better than X's though) but I would happily go back to my Final Fantasy VII polygon friends for a mere taste of real storyline and characters that were well developed and that you felt an actual connection with.

I give the game a 2 star rating, simply because of my loyalty to Square (Enix) but if XIII doesnt pick the game back up… well…

After playing the game for about 12 hours, I just dont feel like playing anymore. I own all FF games from 7 to 12 (ex 11) and have to say this is probably the worst.
It strays too far from the path set by the others in the series, with a weak story line, pretty average voice overs and after ditching the random encounters, seems like its more a MMORPG rather than an epic single player experience like 10 was.
Graphics are better than the rest naturally, and the new licence system is a comewhat poor clone of the spheregrid from 10.
IMO Square shouldn\'t pushed the limit abit too far, and while change is usually good, in this case I dont think so. Well I guess its time to have another go at 10 while waiting for 13 to be released. Hopefully it will stick witht he time tested FF formula