undeserving of the final fantasy name

[Captain Squee]

was i the only one who completely hated this game? almost seems like they should have stopped attempting to make games better at 10, as they tried too hard and made this one such an EPIC FAIL!!!!!

and just uugh to the battle system...the gambits were crap.



i couldn't even finish the game, WAY EPIC FAIL

and i just know somebody is going to say
"how can u judge it if u never even beat it?"

easy, im judging the gameplay and setup, not the story, and the characters were all crap as well

totaly underserving to be called a final fantasy

 

[Sora_lion_heart]

I agree although I have 99% complete. All I need is beastiary and that's no fun. It reminds me so much of FF11 and I didn't like 11 at all either. They could have done way better and if they don't make FF13 good, Square will lose a lot of fans. We've had it!!

 

[Saga]

I'm sorry but I found the battle system/gambit system to be a welcome change. If you didn't like the gambit system, you didn't HAVE to use it. I had it switched off and did it all manually like I would do any other Final Fantasy game.

See, I think the problem fans have with FFXII is the fact it made a lot of changes from the past installments. The battles were on the field, for example. Fans have difficulty adapting to change sometimes and that might be why FFVIII gets a lot of hate too.

Though FFX is fangasmed over left right and center.

Though I agree... some of the characters were severly lacking and Vaan just wasn't lead material in the slightest.

FFXIII is making a lot of changes too... though from experience in the past, fans are going to lap it up.

VIII - hated on by most fans
X - fangasmed
XII - hated on by a lot of fans
XIII - already being fangasmed over.

Just pointing out the four games that made the most changes in gameplay, in my opinion.

 

[Fusionist]

I love FFVIII thank you very much :mark:

But this is on FFXII. I won't lie; I haven't beaten this game yet, and I honestly haven't touched it in YEARS.

For me, it was just hard, damn it. While that's not a bad thing all on it's own, the characters and story felt a little lacking to me from what I had played so far. So a hard game that doesn't interest you isn't a great combo :/

But I'm not about to dump on the whole game. I like my turn-based system, but the gambits in FFXII were definitely a lot more interesting. You gotta think and pre-plan actions, and it all happens in this free roaming style? I thought it was pretty kewl.

Again, haven't beaten it, so I don't wanna give it a total yay or nay on the game *shrugs*

 

[Serah]

Yeah me too! I love FFVIII and FFX. <333 Those are my two most favourite games in the franchise. However, something about FXII just did not draw me in like all other Final Fantasy games have. There was just something about this game that didn't feel right. It didn't feel like a "Final Fantasy" game to me. It just felt like a poorly developed RPG with a bitchy princess and a poor excuse for a male lead character.

I just felt the character development was really lacking. I didn't mind the gameplay so much as I minded the story and the characters. It just didn't feel right for some reason. I dunno, I'm not hating on the game or anything, I'm just saying I really couldn't get myself into it. No matter how many times I've tried playing it. Hubby beat it just because he's a stubborn ass and wants to beat all the FF games, but me? Eh...I dunno. I just couldn't bring myself to get into it like I have all the other FF games I've played. It's been awhile since I last played it, so maybe I'll give it another shot.

 

[L]

Every game will be different.

Sure... It wasn't exactly revolutionary or innovative, but it wasn't so horrible.

I never beat it either, but I was pretty close. Got gangraped by zombies, somehow fucked up the game by throwing my controller and decided to get something else when I took it back for store credit.

But really, FFXII is nowhere near as bad as some of the FFVII Compilation releases; I'd have to strongly disagree.

 

[Quetzalcoatl]

When I first started playing the prologue (the bit with Reks) I wasn't too impressed and when Migelo started talking shit about the licenses and stuff I completely aborted the game and replayed FFIX instead. I picked up FFXII about half a year later and I didn't really like it at first (not as I did with 8, 9 and 10), but now that I've beat it it starts to grow on me and I really want to play it again. I think I spent a whole year beating it and the different events and storyline's start to slip from your memory so I think I am missing some important information and such so it would be nice to replay.
The things that really bothered me in FFXII were:
1. All those friggin' dungeons! One after another! Where are the nice cities, the pretty forests with their comforting sounds (thinking Evil Forest) and other nice areas? Instead, the first half of the game consisted of dungeons and deserts. I didn't enjoy that.
2. Not enough romance, but I guess that it is really up to you if you want to see it. I mean, Fran x Balthier, Ashe x Balthier, Penelo x Vaan, I guess it could be there if you want it to.
3. Character development
4. Complexity of the story. But this might be because English isn't my first language plus the fact that it took me so long to complete the game.

So I think a replay ought to do it.

 

[bequiaboit]

The first time I played XII, I was extremely disappointed. The story was really uninteresting and I just beat it for the sake of it. But two years later (a few months ago), I found myself attracted to replay the game because I thought the battle system was "different" and I was in the mood to do so. I fell in love with it and it surpassed my previous experience with the same game. I have no idea why I changed my mind, but I did and I'm enjoying the game immensely (I'm still on the second playthrough). To each his own, I guess.

Although one thing I hate about this game is the fact that the developers tried to break away from the traditional summons. Sure it's not a great FF game, but it's an enjoyable game nonetheless.

 

[Donald Trump]

1. All those friggin' dungeons! One after another! Where are the nice cities, the pretty forests with their comforting sounds (thinking Evil Forest) and other nice areas? Instead, the first half of the game consisted of dungeons and deserts. I didn't enjoy that.

Historically FF games are dungeon crawlers, something like one in every three new places was a dungeon.
I think the Gambit system was a failure because the game was far too easy, it should have made it more tactical, but in reality all you needed to do was have buffs and heal once in a while.
All the characters were boring and unremarkable, and the story was incredibly boring. They tried to make it very serious and mature, but it was basically girl reclaims her kingdom and kills baddies.
It was a boring game imo.

 

[SaShman]

Although one thing I hate about this game is the fact that the developers tried to break away from the traditional summons.

I felt the same way until I discovered that they were the Lucavi from Final Fantasy Tactics. After I realised this I thought it was kinda cool how they loosely tied the world of Ivalice together. I'll admit that I did miss the classic summons though.

As for the game itself, I thought the characters were boring. I wasn't attracted to the gameplay at first. But eventually I grew to really like it, plus the hunts were awesome

The storyline was hard for me to follow in the sense that it didn't keep me interested. However, after I finished the game I began to like the story more and more. I've had some moments when I have reflected on the storyline and thought "Wow that was actually pretty cool."

 

[Cecily]

When I first found out what FF12 would be like, I was pretty skeptical. It just sounded like such a drastic change that I wasn't sure the developers could pull it off properly. I felt the same way you do - "This isn't Final Fantasy." But as I started playing it, I realized it was so fun I didn't care that it was different. In fact, the further we get in the series, it really wouldn't be Final Fantasy if they didn't try some new experiment with the battle system in new games.

Onion Knight pointed out three games that have (and one game that will) make significant changes to the battle system - VIII, X, XII and XIII. Those aren't so far apart in the series. I love the battle system of FF10, but I'd probably be a little disappointed if they release another game with a system exactly like it. I'd think they didn't even try to do something different.

I guess I'm trying to say I'd rather see them try new things and sometimes fail (though I don't think they did in FF12) than see the same thing over and over again. I can't know if I'll love a new battle system until I try it. I was the biggest Materia proponent ever, and then FF10 came out and I now I will love Sphere Grid until the end of time.

(Disclaimer: I'm a huge Ivalice nerd, so that added to my love for the game.)

 

[Midnight Memoire]

I love Final Fantasy XII! I found the changes pretty welcome. I mean, there were some drawbacks in the gameplay and its features, but what game doesn't have drawbacks.

In my opinion, the huge flaws in FFXII were:
- Short story-line yet the game is incredibly time consuming
- Vaan is the worst lead character of any RPG, ever
- Some hunts do not give nearly enough direction thus get you lost for hours
- Espers are rather pointless
- I can see up Ashe's skirt
(Yes, the last one is a bit of a joke, but I still didn't like that I could see up her skirt...)

Fair enough. I can point out just as many flaws in past Final Fantasy's. For instance, Final Fantasy VII's translations were terrible. Final Fantasy VIII had the draw system ('nuff said). Final Fantasy IX was extremely short and the Life Tree somehow got translated to Iifa Tree. In Final Fantasy X, there were no levels! See what I mean? Each game comes with its share of unwelcomed changes.

I really think you should try and give Final Fantasy XII a chance though. When the game was first released, my Husband played it before I did... I watched him. I absolutely despised it, until I played it myself.

Oh, and gambits are super-awesome! They enabled me sleepy-time ;

 

[10th Doctor]

I rally hated playing this game. Though,I never actually finished it. I might pick it up in a few years and enjoy it. hough now, I am happily loathing every bit of it XD

 

[.Tifa]

I really think you should try and give Final Fantasy XII a chance though.

... Have tried to give FF 12 - four- * second chances *.. ?

But no matter how many times gave the game a another try just ended up getting frustrated by something new. The game got sold and isn't really regretting the loss..

Didn't see much point in the new fighting system, okay it was new and refreshing..
But really at the end the Last Boss is really- [ Put Gambits on Automatic, leave the room- make dinner, eat dinner- head back into room- Ohh.. He's dead ! - Watch Ending..xD]

FF VII - FF X may of had a few mistakes but they had a decent storyline, characters, better music and a last boss that was worth the effort of leveling up and fighting..

FF 12 annoyed me with
: Vaan & Ashe
: The annoying Shakespearean talk
: New Battle system
: Lack of decent characters
: Lack of character- backstory.. expect- Brother is dead & been in Jail..
: The Star Wars Familiarity
: Long and painful - dragged out dungeons
: Long and painful cities..
: Hunts I could give less of a shit about
: Espers were a let-down..
: Vayne was a rather dull Villian
: Cheesy one-liners said during the limit breaks xD

Just really agree that Final Fantasy 12 shouldn't really be a Final Fantasy game..
... It was horrible...

 

[Tmoo]

i'll go against the tide; i love ffXII. maybe it's because i don't expect the same experience when i go into a new final fantasy, but i love almost everything about it. yes it has flaws, everything human-made has flaws, but most people here have their favorite FF all the same.

most of the criticism i see supporting the 'XII is trash' claim are small nitpicks or personal biases against whatever new things were introduced or the lack of <insert here> or some sweeping generalization about the game's <insert here>. This can and probably has been done to death on all the other FF's to date, yet no one seems to see the pattern. Why, exactly, would anyone want the newest final fantasy to be exactly like their favorite FF in every way down to characterization? that's ludicrous.

 

[silvercrowe]

dont like ff12..
why?
-espers are USELESS
-vayne is VERY EASY final boss.. I would rather have hell wyrm or yiazmat or omega as the final boss
-getting ba'gamnan in the sky pirates den took me a long time because i hunted down all of the rare games
-wyrm hero blade is useless.. need haste and berserk
-hate the chocobo
-and most of all.. the BATTLE SYSTEM SUCKS.. its like waiting for a deathblow or something to view a game over screen ahahahaa

 

[Rey]

I do think it still can keep the Final Fantasy name cause XII is so far one of the best game in the series so far. Who cares about Ashes miniskirt jeez She is my fave XII character cause I love her character. I think she's a good addition to ff XII. She or Basch as the main character would have made it even better.

 

[Roland_Deschain]

I dont think this game fails at all. I love the free roaming style and this battle system.
The story could have been a little better but none the less it was a refreshing change. It was sophisticated and I love the evil empire theme.

Gambits are fun. The characters also were great...well most of them. I loved balthier and I think the voice acting was pretty sweet.

The extra fights made the games a lot funner too.

I vote that I love this game

 

[Valvalis]

I must say that even though I'm a huge advocate of turn-based battles and in-depth character development, I really enjoy this game quite a lot. It's honestly the first and only game I can think of where I've actually enjoyed running around leveling up, because the environments are that gorgeous that I could just sit there running around in them for days.

And the story is mature and sophisticated, despite not having very many intriguing twists and turns. I've gone through most of the game without subtitles, and am actually feeling like I will need them on the next playthrough, because the dialogue was so eloquent in many places that it was occasionally too fast for me to follow.

I think really, the main thing XII was lacking was adequate backstory development for the playable characters; but at the same time, it's more of a political story than a people story anyway, so it doesn't feel like SE just goofed up or something by leaving the backstories out.

 

[Sum1sgruj]

FFXII in general is very sophisticated for not being turned-based. The gambit system allows for just as much strategy as any other FF, while allowing a constant flow on the field. And for people that are versed in different battle systems, 12 combines quite a few. You get a job, license, and leveling system all in one.

The cons can be quite infuriating at times however, such as going through hell to get to a chest,, only to get 1 gil instead of the real item that should be inside. A lot of people say 'it's a game of patience'. I say the game of patience is wrapping around the world just to get to the damn chest.

Another thing that gets me is the over-powered bosses. It requires heavy grinding throughout the game, which turns a 10 hour storyline into 60 hours of run-around. Of course strategy helps greatly, but that only knocks off a few levels.

And the Zodiac Spear/Tournesol? Never wasted my time.

Nonetheless, I believe it is worthy of FF. Despite it's flaws, the game is still a gem on the shelf. I think it's much better than 10 and 13, at the very least.