Final Fantasy XII Remaster (PS4) | REVIEW

[@PelvicGaming]

Thank you for watching!!! Look forward to my 13 Sentinel's review next and then SMT4 THENNNNN XENOBLADE CHRONICLES 3 BABY!! Also if ya like what I do please don't forget to support me on Patreon: www.patreon.com/PelvicGaming

[@luke3810]

Random question, did you watch the Xenoblade 3 direct? Or did you avoid it to go in blind as possible?

[@tranwc]

Bought 13 Sentinels for an overseas trip. Looking forward to the review. 😃👍🏽

[@WaiWaiki]

You are high af. This is one of the best final fantasy in the series. Stick to your Sims game.

[@InfamousEmperor]

Are you still going to review Chrono Cross?

[@Oag1992]

I wasn’t a fan of 12 when it first came out but when I got older and decided to dive into the world of Ivalice again, I fell in love with it. I am sad that we were robbed of Basch or Balthier being a main character but this game truly has a special place in my heart.

[@rmckee78]

This video is a great example of what I think is the strength of your channel. This is a game I love, in fact I think it is the best Final Fantasy from a replay value due to the battle system (A lot of people feel this way about 5 because of the job system). IV and IX are my actual favorites, but this is the one where I feel like I can mess around with all the moving parts. That said, I can't disagree with any of the things you don't like about it. All of your comments are fair. The story clearly suffered from the changes to the team and probable corporate meddling with the main character. The look is more muted. It was made at the start of gaming's "Brown Age" and while it was better than a lot of what was about to come, it is nowhere near as colorful as most FFs. While I enjoy the soundtrack, it is more cinematic/atmospheric than bombastic; more Avatar than Star Wars. Great video.

[@martymcintosh5026]

gotta echo the replay value, i was so glad to be done with it and yet strangely i kinda want to do a 2nd playthrough with a different cast build. IX is also my favorite

[@frozendevil9549]

You have immaculate taste. IV, IX, and XII are my top 3 too

[@boredguy5805]

same I love how she's honest when she doesn't like something most people love, kinda like the fantano of the gaming youtube world

[@jramirez4310]

After the intro with Vaan's brother, I've often thought that the story should have picked up with Basch in prison. Keeping him as the main character and developed his story from there. Have someone else from the main cast come rescue him as usual. Vaan and Penelo could have been done away with.

[@nesoukkefka1741]

@@jramirez4310 Well considering Basch was suppose to be the main character, wouldn't be surprise this would have been the base of the story.

[@bottlecapster9586]

FF12 is honestly one of my favorite entries in the series, it's a world that feels comfy to return to, a combat system that is as potentially complicated as it is mind-numbingly simple. It's a game with fantastic shells of characters in need of more flesh, and set in a world that feels as vibrant and lived in as it feels muted and colorless. It's a game of many contradictions in my mind, a game with flaws so easy to mark out, but with a charm that I can't help but be drawn in by. In earnest, I think the greatest value that FF12 brings is it's universe. Ivalice is genuinely compelling, and of all the FF games that I've played, and of most games I've played on a broader scope, there's few settings that I'd genuinely want to be apart of, which depsite its myriad issues, I think 12 does fantastically. The lore descriptions and just the general Aesthetics of the Espers are easily top of franchise for me, just a shame they're virtually useless in a fight. ~(Also a Crying shame the Judge Rush is locked behind the trial mode)~

[@DrySushi]

Yes to everything my friend!

[@StarRings]

@@DrySushi Great post.

[@janbiela8596]

Yes, Ivalice is definitely the star of this game. I remember reading all the lore entries back in the day and being completely enchanted with this world. I highly recommend playing„FFXII Revenant Wings“ if you haven’t already. It really expands Ivalice in an interesting way.

[@majorlazor5058]

I remember playing this game and loving the graphics at the time, and really getting into the unique battle system, but disliking the character’s costumes. But I also remember not knowing what the heck was going on…😂😂

[@johnsnake3467]

God I love your sass. Don’t ever change. On topic: i totally get your take on this game and the points you make are all very good, but for me, love everything about this game, except for Vaan. The colours, the voice acting, the dialogue, the setting, the character and level styling, licence board, gambits, weapons. They all work for me.

[@BigBrotherGnE]

To me, it's one of my top three Final Fantasy games, and quite frankly, between the quality English voice acting, flexible combat system (though Zodiac Age somewhat changed that), music, and lore pertaining to Ivalice and how the main characters are an "E Pluribus Unum" this really touched me quite a bit.

[@JustJulyo]

Sometimes you just gotta play something you don't like to truly appreciate what you love

[@PelvicGaming]

Ain't that the truth!

[@justicecracker2445]

I liked the story. What brings me back to this game over and over is the vast amount of things to do. Secret bosses. Steal strong items ahead of time, etc. Just loads of secrets.

[@jkdeadite]

I think the reason I love FF so much is that they're willing to try so many different things with such a big franchise. 12 is one of my absolute favorites, and probably my most replayed game in the series (and I rarely replay RPGs to begin with). But I'm always interested in hearing other people's opinions - particularly from folks younger than me who have a different context surrounding their experience. Great review, as always!

[@stonehorn4641]

Mine is VI. I do love XII, but VI is one of my all time favorites.

[@femtrooper]

OMG! Your favs are 4 and 9? SAME! So happy to hear that!

[@PelvicGaming]

You and I have great taste i must say ♡

[@qur1578]

My journey with FF XII has been a long and twisted one. Played the original on PS2 and I didn't make it past four hours. I just wasn't enjoying myself. I eventually gave the game a second chance with the release of The Zodiac Age and I don't know if it was me being older or some other reason but I fell in love with the game then. I think I was a bit more forgiving after my complete distaste for FF XV.

[@hemangchauhan2864]

Fair criticism As this is coming from Matsuno/Ivalice appreciator, I can definitely see that if someone's not on-board with setting and plot laid out for them, then there isn't much in the game. It's great you liked the combat, programmable party members is my favorite type of combat system. Job system in the newer versions is just too good.

[@Jayswitch24]

Always loved this game. My second favorite in the franchise. Love Vayne as the antagonist as well. To each thier own

[@Vayne_Solidor]

A masterpiece indeed!

[@sdtrawick]

I'm surprised that Eryut Village isn't your favorite track, since that's the only track that really stuck out to me when I played.

[@fernicusmaximus9282]

Let me guess your favorite track was Phon Coast because it's the only track that stuck out for me.

[@jackawatkins87]

This is my favorite FF. that being said, I completely understand your perspective lol. Your content is always thoughtful and fun to watch

[@chimeratcg07]

Yeah, FFXII is not for everyone, but people tent to like the game way more on their 2nd playthrough, also The Zodiac Age version is a masterpiece, imo the last great original FF game.

[@hemangchauhan2864]

Basch was not supposed to be the main character It was clarified in interviews later on that Vaan was decided as main character at the very start of the development.

[@jakubmakalowski6428]

It’s funny how much I enjoy your videos( even if they are a bit too short), but keep getting reminded how drastically our opinions of a lot of game aspects are. I think it shows the strength of a good content creator.

[@luke3810]

I played this game last year and I agree with just about everything you said in this review. I adored Balthier and the combat system but that was about it. The last few dungeons were such a drag for me to get through.

[@Artimes.]

Hey Pelvic if you want to follow the legacy of the Final Fantasy Franchise, Might I recommend following the creator him self with mistwalker with games such as blue Dragon, Lost oddyssey, Last story and Phantasian. These games remind you of the nostalgic and memorable moments of when the series was at its highest with its breathtaking cinimatic story telling and gorgious art, colorful worlds, and sound, unlike the later games such as FF XIII and XV which seems to severly stray from its roots.

[@e3.14c4]

8:16 I'm pretty sure there was, but there was a dedicated map button anyways (or an easy way to open it I forget, which showed your main story quest whenever you got lost and forgot). The speedup seems nice (essentially the "see we are kinda okay compared to emulation" selling point), but I think the only time I got fatigued with traveling around was in the Sandeas areas, the ridge areas adjacent the metal structure platforms takes a fair bit to get through if it's what you are planning on, or just want to clear the map open. Since every encounter promises an LP (apart some bosses), it gives you the time to carve your path through the game, rather than just yeet your levels into the stratosphere while you lolxd all over the place. Take in your surroundings, learn the land, etc, the zoomies skip a lot of that potential appreciation, but at the same time sometimes you just gotta haste tf through to get to gilgamesh because you never bothered with the more industrial and mining areas (haste and float became pretty essential for exploration in certain areas, so a party provisions specialist for their gambits would often be a thing, where you'd just know what you need and supplant the character that best fit that role, or wasn't necessarily doing the best, until you had one or two people far enough into the white magicks license grouping to stave off the hotswap and build more cohesive roles into your characters).

[@MrTableDesk]

God I love this game; it took over my life when the PS2 version came out, and again when this version came out. The only part of this game I didn't like was the damn Pharos dungeon. I was ready to give up on the series after X and XI came out, and I wasn't liking what I was seeing pre-release out of this game; but I bought it on a whim and fell in love with it. It was so much fun for me, planning suicide runs in places way beyond my level, to try to get super powerful weapons, or trying to spawn a rare monster, steal from it, and run for your life! It was refreshing after X, where until the end of the game, the only thing that really mattered between weapons were how many slots it had. Anyways, fun video as always; I love that I never quite know how you'll react to a game, you're such a wild card lol!

[@hat8918]

Good review. I was surprised the cinematic feel of the OST was a negative. Nobuo, the former composer, had a rock background, and so most of his songs have very strong pop-melody hooks that people remember. I really learned to love film scores while studying music in college, and Sakimoto's mode usage had me eating it up and asking for seconds. I like both, but I get it, just a preference.

[@kevinkerkhoff6670]

10:44 I feel just the same about the series. Thanks for putting it in excellent words

[@War624]

I always liked the Gambit system. It's very reminiscent of the tactics settings BioWare had in the original Baldur's Gates games, and subsequent D&D rpgs in the 90s. The FF7 remake/sequel games should've had this system.

[@larrymeadows7535]

I'm the complete opposite with games and tend to favor gameplay over story but I think you made a lot of good points about the things holding the game back narratively

[@claudio3431]

I find your comments quite accurate. Even when I like FF12 now, it was a long process of the game warming up to me. When I played in the PS2 it with my older brother he got so bored in the sandsea huge map (remember no 4X speed), that he gave up and I had to took over the playthrough. It was devastating to see him getting that experience from a franchise that we both used to love. I think I did not like FF12 the first time I played it since I was expecting something similar to the golden age of FF. But after revisiting it later, I have found some positive things about it and the gameplay is quite addictive once you get the hang of it. Oh and one thing... for all the good things Zodiac Age did, you should be aware that they completely messed up the difficulty and balance of the game. They added way too many stats into the job system and even decreased the enemy stats in the zodiac age remaster. The irony is that the original FF12 on PS2 was very tough since you could easily stat the wrong way and lose your precious JP into "useless" stats.

[@Peecamarke]

I love how you acknowledge all the strengths and flaws without sacrificing that sass lol and pretty fair pts thru out

[@PelvicGaming]

Thank you so much for watching!

[@Fade2BlackSS]

I feel like games that share the lore of Ivalice really are a vibe. Either you'll really enjoy the games they're part of (Tactics Ogre, Vagrant Story, FF:Tactics, FFXII) even FFXIV has parts that take place here. Or you'll be so bored that you won't be able to get into the games. This has always been my problem. I always hear about how the games listed above are some of the best RPGs ever made but I could never get into them. I love FFXIV but when it came to the Ivalice raids and Bozja, I just tuned out completely. Tried playing Tactics numerous times as well as FF12 tapped about after becoming bored and losing interest. I agree with all of your criticism here though. ESPECIALLY the music.

[@lufasumafalu5069]

y know what ? your review are deep and informative compared to other reviews .. and no spoliers (mostly)... liked and subbed due to your quality reviews... checking your other videos now.. incredible how Japanese RPG outperform western RPG in term of fun and enjoyment (Exception Skyrim / elders scroll series )

[@thomasj.9686]

I was supportive of all the criticisms until you said the music was garbage. Nearly spat out my drink.

[@Zeal543]

I was shocked to find out the composer of 13 sentinels was the same guy who did FF12, what an upgrade

[@PelvicGaming]

DUDE I WAS SHOCKED AS WELL.

[@SPOCK22]

Only here to stare at Pelv's perfect face and elegant afro, the usual

[@Grantosterone]

Agree with a lot of the other comments. FFXII is my personal fave but I still had a blast with this review because the points are fair and you’re always so passionate. Great work!

[@nekohido251]

I loved the original so much when it came out, so I bought the remaster version for pc and I could not finish it, I got bored. I still think this is one of my favourite ff but I have changed and so do my gaming standards. I hope one day to come back and 100% it again

[@Vayne_Solidor]

As a completionist I can say, this masterpiece is easily the best FF. There's so much great (optional) content.

[@Zogamer7]

100% with you I could not bring myself to finish this boring game. FFX was the last great FF game. Love your channel, your opinions, your style, and your amazing looks! You rock Pelvic!

[@PelvicGaming]

I'm so glad I'm not alone! Thank you for the kind words!

[@SaberRexZealot]

14 was the last great one.

[@chimeratcg07]

Lol, FFXII TZA >>> FFX.

[@LazyTallGuy]

I love when you give your honest opinion about games, same with Arise which I thought you’d love but didn’t but I still appreciated what you had to say. You make me wanna give the gameplay a chance but I think I’ll feel the same about everything else.

[@themothreborn]

i loved 10 as a edgy little teen girl so i was so hype for 12 and i returned it to gamestop within a week, it was the most burnt id felt by a game in my life at the time, so yeah i basically agree w all this

[@tdblackboxx6866]

This review pretty much sums up my feelings on the game as well, barring a few minor disagreements. Namely, I didn't even care for Balthier. He isn't bad. I'd put him in the rankings for best character in the game, but... that's more a critique on how forgettable the cast is. I dunno, he just sounds bored all the time to me, even when he's supposed to be interested in something. The character building is great, especially in the Zodiac Age release. Gambits are fun. Even if they make the game play itself, you at least have the final say in what actions the game will take, which is more than I can say about ff13... Couldn't even get beyond 7 hours of that game...

[@silentsaturn7604]

I always felt like people hype up Balthier cause he's a pirate and pirates are always automatically seen as cool. Didn't really stand out to me though.

[@Curtis006]

I started this when it first came out on Switch and still have to finish. Same with Dragon Quest 11. Damn you for reminding me of all the JRPGs I have left to finish

[@0anc]

Wow, what a great review. You talk so well! Got yourself a new sub! :)

[@PelvicGaming]

Wowie~! Thank you!!!

[@0anc]

@@PelvicGaming Not kidding i watched a few more of your reviews and to me you'r one of the best reviewers outhere. Congrats for the amazing work you have been doing!

[@Broken_Robot_]

YOU NAILED IT! This game has so much potential. I've tried to play ffxii several times. I find the game so boring. It could've been so good! Get rid of vaan and Penelo and make basche and ashe the main characters. Maybe I should try it again with the speed up mechanic? F the dumb doom wall thing too.

[@dinosaursaurus4137]

After X this is my top Final Fantasy and the one I must have played the most. Final Fantasy for me is defined by innovation and this game takes a left turn at every chance it gets

[@emzkoe3904]

I have never played the Zodiac age but the ps2 version is one of my favorite games ever. I love half the things she hates about it. Lol. 😍❤💖Although I do agree that Vaan as the main character was a weird and not loved move.

[@BrunoMattei97]

Shame you didn't enjoy the soundtrack, I always thought of them as quite immersive. Graphically speaking, the game on PS2 was impressive for the times (in technical terms), as for the world building, I believe it's actually quite in line with FFX in the way by which cities and cultures are modelled after existing ones and by mixing them in pretty seemless ways. Not all of them were top notch, by all means, but I generally loved the ideas and lore behind the architecture, costumes, etc. in Ivalice.

[@armorvil]

Yeah I like this soundtrack too. And the track she prefers (old town) might be the one I like the least lol.

[@Kaninchenbau]

I have such an unfair grudge against this game because when it came out and my older brother started playing it, he'd force ME to do all his item farming and whatever for him, like good god. One time he forced me to run back and forth between two rooms until the weather would change in one of them (indicating a special enemy had spawned) and like. I will never get that time back. And then he'd force me to sit and watch him fight Gilgamesh for the upteenth time because he thought it was the coolest thing like. I'm slightly glad the game is actually mediocre because if it was a good game I'd be so upset about it being ruined for me lmao

[@Vayne_Solidor]

It's a masterpiece, the world building alone is unmatched. There's a reason xii TZA has such high review scores

[@huhhhh963]

Brutal! Hahaha. But I love the honesty, as always. Your review and perspective on RPGs is a must. Cheers!

[@christianwise4227]

ah ff12, so nostalgic... it might not be my favourite game anymore now that im older but it still has a special place in my heart. thx for making a video about it

[@jarathen1625]

I appreciate this review. I tried it on release for 40 hours(!) before moving on, and it felt a lot like an offline version of the online games I enjoyed much more at the time in FFXI and WoW. I keep wondering if I should go back and this is a good reminder. Can't wait for 13S review!

[@BigmanDogs]

I think I really liked final fantasy 12 growing up because it has a lot more in common with western rpgs which was what I primarily played.

[@baronagony4767]

I agree this one was dull compared to others in the series. I really felt like you could have stared the plot when Ashe, Fran and Balthier met and continued the plot without even changing the dialog. The one thing I think they should keep from this title was it was the only installment I played that remembered you still have 3 perfectly healthy and ready to fight party members left if the onscreen ones get defeated

[@FuriousMaximum]

This is an awesomely scathing review. You put it through the woodchipper while still sounding agreeable and cheerful the whole time. Nice work 😁 Agreed the characters were boring. Vaan and Penelo could have been completely absent and nothing about the story would change. Fran was just sexytime Chewbacca ...Sexybacca...?!

[@MelodicMizeryPs3Vids]

11:04 honestly thats my fav part of ff12, is its not like the others. i was hoping the rest of the games would be like this but to many people hated it

[@greenyxi]

I couldn't agree more with that you've said here. I remember loving ff10 so much and then being heavily disappointed by 12. Nothing seemed to pull me in and I could barely finish it. It was the start of the very average final fantasy games :(.

[@Gainoffuntion]

Final fantasy tactics is one of my favorite games of all time. Lady. You're doing yourself a disservice by not playing the war of the lions. The music. The spells. Even the politics. Is great. So fun. It's a game that's on every single phone iv owned since it's come out.

[@paulwarren29]

fair enough! i went with an all-monk crew and set them to punch everybody to death on fast forward (there was some thing that allowed punching to cause heals) - towtansua

[@PistolPattt]

If you haven't played it yet, you need to do a playthrough review of Star Ocean: Second Story or PSP version Second Evolution. A gigantic world with multiple recruit able cast dependent on choices, party banter, top 3 JRPG ost on PS1, a crafting system almost as addictive as crack, very fleshed out skill system, lots of replay value. Game is jam packed with things to do, one of the greatest of it's era.

[@TrvisXXIII]

You always review my favorite games!! 😭 these are like a retrospective for me hearing your opinion on them lol Edit: this did now go how I thought it would lol I originally couldn’t finish this game on the PS2 for the reasons you mentioned, but after replaying on the switch, I couldn’t put it down because of the combat!! By far the best FF experience I ever played and wish it were longer

[@ataridc]

The thing that is hard to capture now is the time and place the game was released in. The gaming market wasn't nearly as flooded with options and Ff was on a streak of games that are pretty much all considered genre defining classics from 4-10. Add to the fact it was one of the last big ps2 titles and pushed the system graphically to its limit both in fidelity and scope(also there were far fewer open world games at the time.) Looking at all this and you get an idea of the hype and good will this game had and it is easy to see why it carries so much nostalgia for many of us. I'll admit most of the criticisms here are accurate but its always a bad feeling when someone isn't able to experience a game you loved in the same context you experienced it to at least possibly had a better appreciation for what it was. It's not my favorite ff but it would be in the upper end of the tier list for me personally. Anyway it is nice to hear an honest opinion that clearly doesn't care about the crowds expectation when it comes to the hype around a game.

[@armorvil]

I don't know... I like 12 a lot, but I disliked it too the first time I beat it back when it was first released on the ps2. I wanted another emotional story full of twists with interesting characters, like FF4-FF10 were, and I didn't get that. If you're into the previous FFs and you come into 12 expecting something similar, I think you can only be disappointed. After you finished the game and understood what kind of game it is / came to term with what it isn't, that's when you can really enjoy it imo.

[@ataridc]

@@armorvil this game was beloved when it came out. Yea a lot of people were disappointed by the story that's true but other than that there was nothing but hype surrounding this game by ff fans and it was critically praised across the board. Its also the last closest thing to a less divisive sp ff game. I believe you that's the experience you had but I'm talking about the feeling and hype leading up to and at the release of the game that's impossible to capture now. Everyone now approaches FF with caution and skepticism thanks to 13 and 15.

[@e3.14c4]

Good point about the lowtown music. I think the game is best described as an ambient adventure. With how realistic XV tried to be, and how much 16 is piggybacking off of that in a medieval fantasy variant, I wonder what parts you might like or not. The only kick I got out of FFXV was the cup of noodles quest, and with their determination to make the combat an action movie with zero strategy whatsoever I just simply have zero hope for the game's success.

[@mitchconner6316]

It's funny how public perception changes over time. I remember nothing but negative things being said about this game back in 2006. Now everyone seems to agree it's pretty underrated today in (almost) 2023

[@Yeshua996]

12 is probably my favorite next to 9, but i have to agree about the story, really falls flat, but Ive always been more interested in world building than characters so i think thats why it appealed to me lol. I like the realism and politics and lore stuff. Its good to see another perspective about the game tho! Really great video!

[@lukep.]

Tell us how you really feel!

[@hat8918]

The 2nd job they added ruined the difficulty with Stat upgrades. FF12 used to be known as one of the most difficult FF games.

[@brettmyers3292]

The version with a single job was never released in the US, right?

[@hat8918]

@@brettmyers3292 No, only Japan. But, the doubled the qty of HP upgrades and gave enemies less attack power in the remaster

[@bennybeck]

Imo it’s among the best they’ve made gameplay wise, the story/characters to me were kinda average. Ivalice is probably my favorite ff setting.

[@TheEpitomeofSass]

I definitely resonated when you said it's too much of realism in this game. It never really attracted me to play just with the graphics alone

[@offbeatninja]

Ah yes...FF12... It's a game. I played it for like 8 hours and thought... "Man I wanna play FF9..."

[@wrstldev742]

FF12 is my favorite Final Fantasy entry by a wide margin, and I started playing them when FF1 was new. Shocked to see you thrashing it so hard. :) I guess the good thing about the FF series is that there is something for everyone.

[@urbanscholar]

Thanks for another solid video. I always appreciate your honest thoughts & analysis. Very good points made here that I agree with as someone that liked this game.

[@sambajane]

It's been a common theme running throughout the whole franchise -- unremarkable games working as a testing ground for later games which knock it completely out of the park. I have faith XVI will help redeem the series and bring us back on course.

[@armorvil]

Since it's yet ANOTHER Action-RPG "Devil May Cry-style" in which you only control that one guy (and rely on a gambit-less AI for the other characters who come and go), the least I can say is that I don't share your optimism sadly.

[@malcolmholliday9710]

I remember as a kid, i got this for my brithday, lol me and my dad practically begged the guy from the game store to let us get the game for a couple bucks cheaper cuz we couldn't really afford it. I'm a big fan of the game but that could be nostalgia, maybe I'll pick it up on Switch and try it out again.

[@kingplaya6558]

Tbh I think FF8 still has the black sheep title. FF12 has made a pretty big 180 in terms of reception, one of the biggest I can think of actually. It's getting kind of rare to see a FF ranking and not see 12 in the top 5, at least in my experience.

[@Xelpherpolis]

Easily in my personal top 5 for the whole series, which includes VI, VII, IX, XII and XIV. Sorry to hear it wasn't your cup of tea, which is totally fine. But as a big fan of Final Fantasy Tactics and Vagrant Story, this massive trek through Ivalice was as cozy as a fireplace on a rainy day.

[@PelvicGaming]

That's such a beautiful way to put it. I wish I loved this world as much as you and I experienced Matsuno's prior works to maybe appreciate Ivalice more.

[@EdreesesPieces]

Everything you said is very similar to how I felt about this game the first time I played it. I was bored by the story anr liked the gameplay. However, my second playthrough years later, I saw the story in a completely different way as the dialog captured me in a way jrpgs rarely do. I think you can't play this game expecting a jrpg type story. It's not what it is. It's more like a movie story. There are many movies where the protagonist doesn't know the villain much til the end, for example. That's only really a jrpg expectation. Nice video review all around, well done!

[@LIONREV7]

If you liked the gambit system, you should try the dragon age games, they have a similar gameplay system.

[@NovaEX777]

FF12 definitely isn't the strongest in its story and characters (despite Balthier being one of my favorites) but what it lacks in story it easily makes up for in gameplay and exploration. Great review and I respect your opinion

[@Theatricbandit]

Thank you for this honest review. I remember back in the day I pre-ordered the original on PS2, got the Steelbook and played the game. I was heavily disappointed with the gambit system, though the quickening system was fine. The story and the characters failed to pull me, I felt the characters had little personality though I was extremely impressed by the by the size of Rabanastre. I do think there's an audience for this game, there's friends of mine who swear by this game but as someone who also loved IV and IX (especially IX), I know this isn't the one for me.

[@Paul_Henri86]

Easily my favorite Final Fantasy and JRPG ever. I love the story about politics and the war, not about characters with giant swords jumping around or silly love stories.

[@beezusHrist]

I don't think you have to be worried about Final Fantasy 16. Also, check out Final Fantasy 14 even if you're not into MMOs. Its pretty much single player now

[@cozydayzandnightz]

While i don't agree with all your points, I'm sure some of that is being stuck in nostalgia because it's my favorite FF game. It is interesting hearing your thoughts on the story though, I can't say much of any of it really stood out to me as anything easily remembered. I had the original PS2 game and spent most of my time grinding and exploring; sometimes I would forget there was a story. I agree it's not a perfect game, but it certainly was unique. Anyway, can't wait for the next review!

[@forcelightningcable9639]

The gambit system was so good they brought it back for a minigame in Reborth 😂

[@e3.14c4]

I love the carefree freedom of the original, it worked well to spark my imagination living in an environment that resembled somewhat the locations in the game. That said I genuinely hate The Zodiac Age, and it still bums me out a bit I don't like any of the changes.. The ending I don't think anyone is going to argue comes as a weird 180° out of nowhere with no real coorelation to the rest of the game (it's there, but it lends to exemplify why you are in a location, why you are somewhere, not where the story is going except in trite anecdotes which makes the ending as odd as it is), but I think that's intentional due to the development of the game, so no continuation would come of it out of respect I guess, perhaps that's just me though. Balthier is the main character, he needs his own game still (even if it was dirge of cerberus levels of weird I'd dig it). I always thought Larsa was a woman, lol. I love how it's a singleplayer mmo, myself being in the middle of nowhere with a PS2 in dead heat made that game a gem. Also 7:28 is incorrect, that's like saying the FFX sphere grid is hot garbage and restrictive (which is true but at the same time not it's intent), because the license board is a genuine improvement over that. If you want a skill for a character, you will either obtain the license or make do without (which makes progression fluid with your exploration, rather than predictable and linear from the moment you touch the board), which I think makes more sense with the gambit system than specializing each character into a niche, where your whole party advances at the same pace with no challenges to overcome except where your party design choices were genuinely terrible (the open board system also allows you to get super nitpicky on who is fulfilling what roll in order to hyper specialize your gambits for a fight, my biggest let down with TZA, since they trivialized the whole system as best they could despite it being the game's strongest element). They also removed a lot of cool stuff like rare drops from treasure chests for the off chance you discover it (similar to the rare enemy variants that are tough and grant more LP (usually)), they didn't bother adding back in any of the secret shops (to my knowledge) you could wander out and venture into the unknown to find before your story beat had unlocked and offered things of that grade in the shops (a shit ton of rewards for exploration essentially got gutted for no reason). Shop variety has severely sunk into the ground since they took the gacha game equivellant of an approach to justify their zodiac job system. They added a weird green overlay thing (shader?) to the game, and removing it isn't 100% possible so it is still CIA Psyops levels of disgust looking at them needlessly undetail the game's original art just so it looks like a piece of smooth taffy. If you couldn't tell I am dissapointed with TZA over the PS2 NA release then go talk to Balzac with your firing squad at hand pls and ty.

[@Josh-balti]

This game was so far ahead of its time; the semi open world structure, extremely customizable character builder and never ending depth in terms of battle tactics, not to mention writing and that actually caters to adults (still a rarity for jrpg's...) . If it was released today but built with modern graphics and tech it would be massive. It's only real issue is that it's not very final fantasy, it's something totally different with final fantasy spells, items and summons bolted onto it. I wish they would have taken this game and just made it it's own thing, it has more in common with tactics ogre or vagrant story in terms of tone and world building. Absolute classic imho

[@MarkHogan994]

The game was not ahead of its time at all. If anything, it's an obvious relic of its time. It has strong PS2 energy and baffling design decisions that you would never see in a single player rpg nowadays. The early 2000s MMO influence on the game is obvious and dates it, massively. The writing tries to sound sophisticated but both the plot and characters are weak and underdeveloped. The gambit system plays itself and lacks depth. It's a very flawed game.

[@sokumotanaka9271]

Rip the FF12 fans. I do like fran tho and she deserved to be in a better game.

[@PelvicGaming]

And I wish she, and other characters got more development/attention. I just wanted their stories to amount to something!!

[@cwilli978]

How is X the beginning of the end? I’m generally curious.

[@IKimdraculaI]

It's when things started to get really linear and too different from what FF used to be (no world map, can't go back to places easily till late in the game, style of narrative...)

[@chimeratcg07]

@@IKimdraculaI what XII did for its map is literally the perfect balance between open world and linear, definitely a huge improvement over X's purely linear map.

[@K_E_Robin]

I'm so sad that FFXII got such bad reputation and lack of narrative quality, because I'm such a fan of the Ivalice setting. I'm so sorry that you feel the soundtrack is so lackluster, cuz I love Hitoshi Sakimoto's compositions. Yes, it's cinematic as all hell and it suits Ivalice so well. He's composed the music for every Ivalice-related entry: Final Fantasy Tactics, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance(1&2), Vagrant Story and of course FFXII and it's sequal: Revenant Wings. He worked with Yasumi Matsuno with projects like Ogre Battle and Tactics Ogre prior to their involvement with Squaresoft.

[@knightofvirtue613]

I beat this on a PS2. This new version takes a lot of the drag out of this game. I enjoyed the game because it tried so many new ideas with gameplay and story. Your hot takes were honest and hilarious. I do agree with you on Vaan, he was boring. What'd you think about FF XIII?

[@Afr0Punk]

I personally loved XII. It's absolutely one my personal favorites in the series but will agree that the way the story was delivered just wasn't as captivating/appealing as it should have been. That being said conceptionally... Vanye Solidor was actually a pretty cool villain, the way the story was told just didn't do him justice.

[@randyvoid155]

i just realized i played through the remake about 3 years ago, same year i got my cat

[@muriellucan5615]

At the time, its drabness was welcomed if you thought the series was dipping with titles like X and Crisis Core, which were pretty tacky. It was the more "serious" world of Final Fantasy Tactics and Vagrant Story. But looking back, you're right--I don't remember any of these characters, and the game looks pretty bland. Excellent review!

[@AzureEclipse98]

I played FF12 when it was on ps2 when I was a kid but never understood jrpgs at them, played it a few days ago just like you I found it pretty boring myself. Love your reviews btw!

[@uhmyself11111]

I've never played this Final Fantasy, and as someone disappointed by the few I've played in the past, this is the one I've always kind of looked to as one I think might have potential. However, my past disappointment has left me with low expectations anyway, and there's plenty other games I could buy that I would have a better chance of liking.

[@IssaGoldyyy]

I'm new here and while i can agree on some of your points, the world of ivalice is amazing especially after I fell in love with the game on PS2. I've just recently picked the game back up and despite all the valid criticisms about the characters and story, I just cant walk away from Ivalice. The world doesnt feel overpacked and is always a joy to experience, th jobs are wonderfully done, and it's just a fun game to play for me lol. Love your hair and keep up the interesting content!

[@SchneiderSouza]

You put in words what I think about this game. I always kind fell bad for not like it but I had to force me to finish it. In that time I wasnt accepting that I just dont like the game

[@shadowsquid1351]

You really make such great reviews, I agree with almost everything you said. Never really liked this game at all tbh.

[@mikeclinton5629]

Are you going to play final fantasy 3,5,7, and 10?

[@danielostrowski856]

FFXII is maybe my favourite FF but to be honest it’s largely because of Vibes. The setting, the lore and the dialogue are what I loved and so it ends up being my favourite even though I really did not care much about the battle system! I’m not really surprised that it wasn’t your thing It’s so fucking funny that you played this game just because of sexy Balthier though! And I’m glad you like Larsa at least, he has a lot of great moments

[@bigounce562]

I really like this game personally. It's in my top 5 FF games and I even still have the PS2 limited edition. I have it on Steam, Switch, and PS+. I probably put in more playtime with the original than any other FF besides 9 and Tactics. That said, I appreciate the thoughtful criticism. Maybe I like it so much because I loved FF Tactics? It's in the same world and has a similar art style. Also has a similar look as Vagrant Story which I enjoyed but never completed.

[@MotherKojiro]

10 was the end for me; I watched my significant other play for a while, and just noped right out of it. This one seems like as much of a hot mess as I've heard, but having Kawazu behind the wheel does make sense; he's usually more interested in tinkering than playtesting... and actually DOES NOT playtest his games because he "wants to be surprised when they come out." Now, I do find the man and his work to be fascinating - I'm a HUGE SaGa Frontier freak, and I can't wait to get into Legend of Mana someday - but I do approach a lot of his output with a healthy level of caution.