How would you rate Final Fantasy 12?

Question

Is it worth buying? I haven't played Final Fantasy in quite a long time, but this recent release has me suddenly interested in the whole series again... let me know what you think. Challenging? Tedious? Brilliant? Waste of time?

Answer 1

I just finished the game the other day. It took me 110 hours to finish. I started doing a lot of the side quests (hunts, espers, etc) before I finished which is why it took me so long to beat it.

I liked it; I really did. I think it is a fine game and worth playing. Overall the game was kinda on the easy side though, but I didn't play the game for the challenge it was all for the story.

For the first time in any Final Fantasy I felt like there was more going on around me then in the past. There are many cut scene in Arcadia (capital of the Empire you are trying to destroy) were a lot that the characters don't know what is going on it reveled to you in the audience -- a.k.a. dramatic irony (see high school taught me something I used I real life). There were more forces driving the story than just the antics of your party which I loved. There are some pretty gaping plot holds in my opinion, but not enough to really set off the rest of the game.

I started replaying it in active mode (the game doesn't pause when in menus) with game speed all the way up for as much of a challenge as I could get out of it, but my PS2 fried and I only got about 5 hours into it.

As far as overall challenge. I got up to the mid 60s trying to find as many secrets as I could get myself. At 55ish I decided to battle Gilgamesh and it took me two really hard fought hours to beat him -- and i JUST barley was able to do so). When I got up to the boss I was very disappointed, he was very simple. In fact in his first form (all Final Fantasy final bosses have multiple forms so on real spoiler there) I literally put the control down and went to the bathroom and came back and he was dead.

The real challenge in the game is controlling your gambits. In -- FF12 unlike others -- everything happens in real time so you can only have total control of on character at a time while having 3 on the field at once. The gambits allow you to have your other 2 (and as far as I played it all 3 of my characters) follow your orders without micromanaging everything.

Honestly if you are a fan of the series then I would say go for it in a heart beat. If you are just a causal gamer you can probably get away with getting it used from someone.

If I were you I would come into the game with an open mind you will enjoy it. I know a lot of people who really hate this game because they have their minds set on what an RPG should be and this isn't your typical RPG.

Answer 2

I think the game play and the story are brilliant. I loved it.

However, I really didn't like the limited character development. I prefered how much more ... personable in FFX.

Answer 3

I found it boring and no challenge.

Coach