|
Read the review of latest and greatest Final Fantasy game.
This is the big one. I have to admit that I wasn’t head over heals crazy like everyone else was about Final Fantasy X (I never played X-2 or XI though). While it was better then the last time the Final Fantasy series tried to make a non-tiny anime character Final Fantasy game (Final Fantasy VIII was terrible), it still lacked the epic feel of what I felt where the best games in the series, FFVI and especially FFIX (FFIX being my personal favorite… until now that is). While FFX did have a good storyline, good acting, and fun (but same old same old) combat system, it didn’t have the epic cities, and futurist/medieval fantasy hybrid that other great FF titles (FFIX) had. Then comes along FFXII. This is pretty much the best FF game ever made in opinion (again I haven’t played FF X-2 or XI though). The epic is back in a big way. Every location and city in the game is visually creative and storyline epic. While playing the game you just feel sucked into the environments. The graphics are very advanced for the PS2, and everything is well designed and interesting to look at. The visuals are only the tip of the iceberg on this great game though. The combat system has been completely redone, and it’s about fucking time. No longer while exploring a vast environment, will your state of mind be shaken as you’re flushed into a battle screen as in all previous FF games. In FFXII, your radar shows where all of the enemies are. If you want to fight them, simply run up and attack, or if you don’t, just run around them (and hope they don’t chase you). During fights, your character also can run around and isn’t stuck in one location as you wait for your ATB time bar to fill up. FFXII also has a new Gambit system which allows you to assign automatic actions to the other team members, so that you don’t have to constantly be inputting commands to your team mates. Another nice new feature on the game is that at any point during a battle you can change up who’s in your team. In this way, the game doesn’t end if the three members in your team get KO’d, you can just cycle through and put new team mates on the battle field. This new system allows for the battles to be very fast and immersive, which is something that the FF battles have rarely been in the past (not to say they weren’t fun, just not particularly fast paced). But enough about the combat, the real reason we play FF games is because of the story. And this game has story coming out its ears. The characters are extremely well written, and voice acted. The story itself is incredibly complex, and seemingly gone are the typical FF cliché’s that have plagued the FF series for a few years. These characters and stories are new and interesting and great fun to watch unfold. FFXII is not without a couple weak points. The camera is loopy. There’s a very weak follow camera, and most of the time it’s up to the player to control the camera themselves with the controller. The first few hours this is very frustrating as you’re constantly moving the camera to try and get the best camera angle to put you in the action. But there’s so much action and movement going on, it’s easy to get confused. However, after enough hours, you finally learn how to reel the camera in and get the best angles possible. The other weak point is the audio. The voice acting is great as stated before, but the music and the sound effects aren’t as strong as they could be. They’re not bad, just not great. The music is nice to listen to, but it’s pretty much all done on a synthesizer (no metal unfortunately, like there was at one of the end boss fights in FFX). In end, Final Fantasy XII is by far the best Final Fantasy game to date in every aspect except camera angles and audio. If you are a fan of RPG’s this is a must have. -Awesome McCrunchFist Here’s the opening FMV from the game as posted on YouTube:
 Add as favourites (50) |  Quote this article on your site | Views: 1388
AkoComment © Copyright 2004 by Arthur Konze |
