Final Fantasy XII

[sonic]

Final Fantasy XII! At last (it was a long wait, but that's how long it'll probably take to make the games from now on... Bigger, higher-res games = more time and expense to make)!

I have to say that I am not enjoying it quite as much as the rest of the "more recent style" FF games (FF7-FFX-2; also FF6), but it is not a bad game at all. Just too much western online RPG influences for my taste, but then it is a clever franchise marketing idea to bridge the gap for FFXI fans into the main series, and it is clearly working because western fans love it... this is most people's style of role-playing game, for sure. Also, I sort of found all the errands you get sent on a bit of an annoying and underwhelming way to start the game. You know, that isn't really up to the pizazz of a typical FF game opening anymore. I have made it past the enormous (and rather stunning) Ogir-Yensa/Nam-Yensa Sandsea, past Raithwal's Tomb, and I am now heading out to the Ozmone plains (the dry has ended in the Giza desert! Greenery at last! I hate endless desert-scape!). I'm now taking a break from it until I get back from England after Christmas...

So, who is your favourite character so far? Mine is Balthier, but I like Fran, too. I like Ashe but don't feel completely connected to her yet, and Basch is not as exciting as those three but he is a good guy and not a bad character. Balthier and Fran are such a cool couple- I knew they were going to be the favourites before I ever started playing. Love his accent- love hers too; love their Japanese accents for that matter. Not sure about the Imperials being "English"- ha ha hah! I do find the characters harder to get into this time round... I'm hoping that the story will get more dynamic and exciting soon, because it's a decent enough plot but not hopelessly "gripping" yet like it has been in previous games, and that worries me because it is what I love best from Final Fantasy. Maybe the long stretches of fighting and hunting between story is too distracting, so the story is not as full-on engaging?

Well, your thoughts, comments? Who's playing? How far have you gotten in it (no spoilers, just locations!)? Best Final Fantasy ever? Worst? Also, don't you love the Flan as a dessert (I read the bestiary- that is so cute! Caramel! I'll never look at another Flan when I fight it the same way again! Also, damn that pesky White Mousse, I tried to fight it and it killed me! I crave flaaan all the time, thanks to this game!). By the way, I bet the Japanese have lots of jokes about Fran's name being the same as "Flan"- do you think the people in the world of FFXII tease the poor lady about it? :

[Jeni Nielsen]

Sorry I took so long in responding to this post. I tried, but my posts got deleted and I'm sick and in the middle of playing 12 and I still have to do hunts and my mind is reeling from this headache...

Ok yeah. FFXII right.

I love FFXII. I love that there are no random battles. I love the story. I love each and every single character, though I really don't understand Penelo's reason for staying with your party except for maybe the fact that she might have the hots for Vaan. My two favorite characters are Balthier and Larsa, though Vayne and Basch come in a close second. Balthier is just that cool, and after finding out more about his backstory he gets even cooler. I'd really like someone like Basch around to protect me. I don't really like Ashe that much, though since she seems a little too melodramatic at times for my liking.

I'm in the middle of doing some optional hunts right now on my way to the Feywood. That probably won't mean anything to you yet, but you asked for no spoliers.

I too find the long distances between cut-scenes a bit frustrating, but I don't really mind since I love the gameplay. I'm sure things pick up closer to the end. There has to be some reason famitsu gave this thing a perfect score. I don't even find the fetch quests in this game to be that annoying. (What does annoy me is having to knock down all these stupid trees to make a stupid bridge to get to this stupid optional Gil Snapper! Can you guess what I've been doing for the past two hours? )

I remember the vanilla mousse being really hard at first too. My boyfriend gave me the good idea to use berserk on it so it can't cast magic. I beat it simply by being at a high enough level and using quickenings at the right time, but it might help.

[Elmo]

Just finished it a while ago and loved it, which is odd because normally i find FF games to be really average (But maybe that's because it's all a bit too console style for my tastes). Cutscenes were especially good though, even for an FF game (good cutscenes are sometimes their one saving grace tbh). It's just a shame that some sections of the game drag on for so long with little challenge imbetween objectives, it's as though the designers just wanted to up the time it takes to complete.

...finished it in too much of a hurry really busy atm so wanted to get my entertainment quickly (incidentally this is why i'm not around that often atm).

[Jeni Nielsen]

My friend and I were talking about how generally speaking there aren't many black or ethnic characters in Final Fantasy games. It's interesting how they managed to fit two into Final Fantasy XII. I mean Reddas is clearly black, and I'm not sure what ethnicity Al-Cid is supposed to be but clearly he isn't white or Japanese. I suppose it's hard to say in the early games what race any characters are but still...

[Phalanx Observation]

My friend and I were talking about how generally speaking there aren't many black or ethnic characters in Final Fantasy games. It's interesting how they managed to fit two into Final Fantasy XII. I mean Reddas is clearly black, and I'm not sure what ethnicity Al-Cid is supposed to be but clearly he isn't white or Japanese. I suppose it's hard to say in the early games what race any characters are but still...

Hmm..I'd have to disagree with you here Jeni. Taking a look at FF7, obviously Barret is African American. Also, In FF8 Kiros, while not directly a main character, definitly has a foreign ethnicity. And Wakka from FFXwas probably not what one might consider as Caucasian.

-Phalanx

[Jeni Nielsen]

My friend and I were talking about how generally speaking there aren't many black or ethnic characters in Final Fantasy games. It's interesting how they managed to fit two into Final Fantasy XII. I mean Reddas is clearly black, and I'm not sure what ethnicity Al-Cid is supposed to be but clearly he isn't white or Japanese. I suppose it's hard to say in the early games what race any characters are but still...

Hmm..I'd have to disagree with you here Jeni. Taking a look at FF7, obviously Barret is African American. Also, In FF8 Kiros, while not directly a main character, definitly has a foreign ethnicity. And Wakka from FFXwas probably not what one might consider as Caucasian.

-Phalanx

Oh yeah I know about Barret and Wakka (though I'm sure he's not supposed to be black but maybe some Carribean ethnicity ^__^) I haven't played 8 to know about Kiros.

But that's a drop in the bucket considering that there have been how many characters now in the Final Fantasy universe? At least 10+ per game (including incidental characters). So I still think my point stands that generally there are not a lot of raced characters in Final Fantasy games.

[marto_motoko]

No time to respond at all, but Balthier is enough to make me squeal like a schoolgirl, and trust me, I did squeal!

mm

[Jeni Nielsen]

No time to respond at all, but Balthier is enough to make me squeal like a schoolgirl, and trust me, I did squeal!

mm

You too? ^^

I just beat the game and Balthier's ending is really "squeeable"

[shadowferret]

I haven't even got close to beating it... ;_;
I am....at the part where...I have to go to a mine...or something...right after the first airship trip!
I like Fran. I dunno why, she's just so...so...cool! She's strong and silent, too. Gotta love that!
Balthier is cool, too! He...is just...cool!
But I don't like Vaan too much...
And Basch is good for...killing things quickly...>>


ANd FLan annoys me....almost invulnerable to physical attacks....which sucks when you're low on MP....

[jerryku]

FFXII is the first FF game I've ever invested a lot of time into. But after 20-30 hours, I've completely stopped. I should really try to finish the game, but I dunno.. I don't find the game's story very compelling.

It feels like the total opposite of what Neverwinter Nights 2 is, a game I finished. NWN2 is ugly, FFXII is pretty. NWN2 has horrible gameplay that is extremely easy, FFXII has good gameplay and is pretty hard. NWN2 has characters and a plot that I care about, FFXII does not.

So I'm still not sure what all the hubbub is about when it comes to FF games. I'm under the impression that alotta people like FFXII because of the visual aesthetic of the games. "It's pretty!" as female friends like to tell me. I don't get why everyone's dressed up like they just finished shopping at a circus or at The Gap, who then proceed to go battle huge monsters. o_O

Still, compared to NWN2/KOTOR/Jade Empire, the gameplay is pretty good. I'm not a big fan of RPG gameplay but this is probably the best I've seen. It's actually.. *gasp*.. challenging!

[marto_motoko]

No time to respond at all, but Balthier is enough to make me squeal like a schoolgirl, and trust me, I did squeal!

mm

You too? ^^

I just beat the game and Balthier's ending is really "squeeable"

I just rescued Ashe, and am currently just doing missions. The missions are so much fun to carry out! By the way, Ashe needs to get the stick out of her pooper. >_> I'm not a big fan of how high and mighty she is, but I'm sure that'll change as the game proceeds! Vaan simply bores me.

I really do wish that "Lumier" (the Empyre's leader) could be a playable character. He's pretty nifty, and I think he has the hots for either Vaan or Penelo. (Whaat, they needn't all be straight! )

Shadowferret, the Flan are irritating indeed, which is why it's always a good idea to have a character that purely specialized on magic!
mm

[Jeni Nielsen]

So I'm still not sure what all the hubbub is about when it comes to FF games. I'm under the impression that alotta people like FFXII because of the visual aesthetic of the games. "It's pretty!" as female friends like to tell me. I don't get why everyone's dressed up like they just finished shopping at a circus or at The Gap, who then proceed to go battle huge monsters. o_O

Still, compared to NWN2/KOTOR/Jade Empire, the gameplay is pretty good. I'm not a big fan of RPG gameplay but this is probably the best I've seen. It's actually.. *gasp*.. challenging!

I enjoy the gameplay of 12 because it's an amazing combination of realtime roleplaying and more typical turn based stuff. Originally it was set to be another online game, but they tweaked the system. It's unlike anything I've ever played before and I like it a great deal. I agree that the gameplay is so so so much better than Knights of the Old Republic. I couldn't even finish that game I was so bored and fed up.

[marto_motoko]

So I'm still not sure what all the hubbub is about when it comes to FF games. I'm under the impression that alotta people like FFXII because of the visual aesthetic of the games. "It's pretty!" as female friends like to tell me. I don't get why everyone's dressed up like they just finished shopping at a circus or at The Gap, who then proceed to go battle huge monsters. o_O

Still, compared to NWN2/KOTOR/Jade Empire, the gameplay is pretty good. I'm not a big fan of RPG gameplay but this is probably the best I've seen. It's actually.. *gasp*.. challenging!

I enjoy the gameplay of 12 because it's an amazing combination of realtime roleplaying and more typical turn based stuff. Originally it was set to be another online game, but they tweaked the system. It's unlike anything I've ever played before and I like it a great deal. I agree that the gameplay is so so so much better than Knights of the Old Republic. I couldn't even finish that game I was so bored and fed up.

I think there's a very proper term for the new gameplay: Refreshed, and renewed! It isn't quite completely new, and still feels like final fantasy, but at the same time, it has a brand new taste that feels far more open and far more expansive! I love for example that you can switch between the six characters at any time, the missions you have, the beautiful outfits, and the ton of secrets. Truly an enjoyable new addition to the series.

mm

[Phalanx Observation]

One of the most appealing bits of the game is the music. For those of you who are buffs of the Final fantasy Series, you'll know that FFXII is set in the same world as FF Tactics; The world of Ivalice. Similarly the music in FF12 is remniscent of the style of music in FFT. I haven't beat the game yet, but I think I might actually be overplaying it. Not to boast, but it's quite possible I'm at too high of a level at this point in the game for it to be as challenging as it could be. Regardless, it is a beautiful game, and I'm so glad they finally got ballsy enugh to break free of their normally-named summons. I'm accustomed to the old ones, but these new ones are frighfully intriguing.

[Jeni Nielsen]

One of the most appealing bits of the game is the music. For those of you who are buffs of the Final fantasy Series, you'll know that FFXII is set in the same world as FF Tactics; The world of Ivalice. Similarly the music in FF12 is remniscent of the style of music in FFT. I haven't beat the game yet, but I think I might actually be overplaying it. Not to boast, but it's quite possible I'm at too high of a level at this point in the game for it to be as challenging as it could be. Regardless, it is a beautiful game, and I'm so glad they finally got ballsy enugh to break free of their normally-named summons. I'm accustomed to the old ones, but these new ones are frighfully intriguing.

::coughomegamark12cough::

There's always an enemy out there who is stronger than you. TRUST me.