Opinions of XII.

[ultimecia]

i think FFXII is an amazing game m8

[Drake]

ThroneofDravaris wrote:

but I liked it significantly less than pretty much every other mainline FF game with the possible exception of FFII. It has some serious issues, from both a game play

I agree. As far as I can remember, I've logged about 25 (maybe) hours on FF XII now. To me, the combat is somewhat tedious and reptitve. (Perhaps this will change as I gain more abilites-if I can muster up enough enthusiasm to play it). And the camera system is too limiting.

[Spec Highwind]

Originally Posted by ThroneofDravaris

I didn't find it awful, but I liked it significantly less than pretty much every other mainline FF game with the possible exception of FFII.

They are both in my top 5 FFs

I like the battle system... it requires quickness and ability...

and hours of training

[ThroneofDravaris]

Originally Posted by Drake

I agree. As far as I can remember, I've logged about 25 (maybe) hours on FF XII now. To me, the combat is somewhat tedious and reptitve. (Perhaps this will change as I gain more abilites-if I can muster up enough enthusiasm to play it). And the camera system is too limiting.

Don't expect it to get better any time soon. It's not until around the 40 hour mark that the games plot really gets going and you have to use more than attack and heal in battles. Of course, it only really changes to "buff>attack>heal" etc but I digress.

Honestly, the only reason I continued playing the game to the end was the promise of a particularly entertaining final boss battle. I found it quite surprising that I wasn't disappointed.

[Yggdrasill]

I have to be really honest but this game really isn't that good. So far I'm upto the "Still-shrine of Miriam" and I haven't played it for a week or so, I'm far more into playing FFVI: Advance at the moment.
The combat is what seriously ruins this game because the magic is next to useless except for the Healing/curative magic, you can basically do WAY more damage just by attacking, the loading bar to where you have to wait to attack is seriously stupid, being given the ability to run from enemies means absolutely nothing when the enemies continuously follow you until they attack you, the Gambit system is really flawed and the characters are carbon clones of each other.
The bottom line is;

-The battle-system in this game sucks, WTF didn't Square just stick to the ATB battle-system?
-The story honestly isn't that good, were in the 21st century now and Square are STILL using those types of stories? Come on....
-Vaan is seriously annoying, I mean, Tidus was bad enough but Vaan.....

All together so far I'd give FFXII a 6/10 because it really hasn't captivated me, honestly I'd rather play a 2nd playthrough of FFVIA which at the moment I'm doing. Square-enix are going down-hill and I'm afraid I probably won't be playing the next FF if it's anything like this.

[Spec Highwind]

Originally Posted by ThroneofDravaris

Don't expect it to get better any time soon. It's not until around the 40 hour mark that the games plot really gets going and you have to use more than attack and heal in battles. Of course, it only really changes to "buff>attack>heal" etc but I digress.

Honestly, the only reason I continued playing the game to the end was the promise of a particularly entertaining final boss battle. I found it quite surprising that I wasn't disappointed.

I've been using Magick since the beggining of the game o.O

Not technicks, though...

[ThroneofDravaris]

I might have used offensive magic in a total of 5 battles the game, and each time it was either to confirm that magic still sucked or because the boss was immune to physical attacks. Ultimately, magic never did any more damage than physical attacks for me, so why would I use it over the attack command which has no MP cost and a much faster cool-down time?

As I said, white magic was the only magic I found irrefutable useful throughout the entire game. After the 40 hour mark, I used a few Green/Time magicks in order to make boss battles move a little faster.

[Drake]

ThroneofDravaris wrote:

It's not until around the 40 hour mark that the games plot really gets going and you have to use more than attack and heal in battles. Of course, it only really changes to "buff>attack>heal" etc but I digress.

But what about Espers and Quickenings? I only have one Quickening so far, but it seemed pretty damaging against that wall boss thing (can't remember the dungeon I fought it in).

[ThroneofDravaris]

Espers are pretty much useless. They don't do a great deal of damage and are a pain to keep alive in any situation where you might want one around.

There are so many problems with quickenings I can't believe I haven't mentioned it so far. Apart from being an incredibly moronic idea (being a through back to the days where you had to sit though obscenely long attack animations) their implementation within the game was awfully unbalanced. From the time you get them (probably somewhere around the Ghis battle) up until around Draklor Laboritory quickenings are game-breakingly powerful. As in, you can win boss fights just by shooting one of two off (very easy to do since you can change parties). After that though bosses will have too much HP for quickenings to cause a significant enough dent to justify an attack that uses all your MP. Sometimes I wonder whether they actually play-tested quickenings before they put them in the game.

[Drake]

Isn't Osmose (or something similar) in the game? In at least one FF game (FF X I think) it didn't cost any MP. Assuming this is true in XII, wouldn't that make Quickenings more useful? On another note, although I've mentioned my issues with combat and the game's camera angels, I actually don't have a problem with the story (so far) - haven't played it for a couple months or so. Sure, people could say it's not the most original, but what is anymore? Whether is games/books/TV/movies/whatever more or less every kind of story has been done before. It's hard to come up with something truly original. As long as I find a story to be interesting and have quality, I don't take issue with it.

[ThroneofDravaris]

Isn't Osmose (or something similar) in the game? In at least one FF game (FF X I think) it didn't cost any MP. Assuming this is true in XII, wouldn't that make Quickenings more useful?

Osmose is in the game but it has an MP cost. I've never thought of actually using it, but based on previous games I can't imagine you will be able to draw a lot of MP back. I'll have to test it some time though.

There is a technique you can use to regain MP, but you'll generally have to use it about 3+ times to get back enough MP to start a quickening chain and if any attempt at using fails it sets the gauge back to zero.

[Gackt Camui]

The only thing I really don't like about the game is that they took about turn base fighting style...that drives me bonkers! Other than that its okay...so far. I really haven't made it that far into the game to really say much

[Phoenix Flame]

Originally Posted by Drake

Isn't Osmose (or something similar) in the game?

I believe Osmose has been taken out of XII and replaced with the ability: Charge.

[Zeon]

yup has been replaced. i find FXII very fun. the battle system is original and the story, although not a first, is very good. the quickening system is good for ALL stages of the game. you just have to get good chains to do more damage (i.e use more the high lvl attacks) i love the LP system too. makes ability training easier. i could have everything unlocked ready for when i get to the next places. its useful. the espers (i.e. the "secret" ones) can be very useful for clearing through hunts and areas with hard enemys. many of the hunts are challenging to do. training is hard. it is a kick ass game. currently i am just before getting to arcadia and then onto the story beyond. i plan to defeat the ultimate monster whose name shall be left due to spoilers lol. GO SQUARE, piss off enix lol.

Zeon of the zeomatrix :P

[Phoenix Flame]

Originally Posted by Drake

Isn't Osmose (or something similar) in the game?

Originally Posted by reasoniamalive

I believe Osmose has been taken out of XII and replaced with the ability: Charge.

Update/correction: Just wanted to say I goofed here - the ability Osmose was replaced with was Syphon...but Charge is still a good alternative.


XII has really, really grown on me. Moreso than X did. I loved X - then m3h feelings for it grew... but XII I honestly didn't really enjoy the first play-through. Now this time I'm going through the game and doing all the stuff I couldn't be bothered to do at the 110+ hours I put in the first playthrough - like unlocking/beating Omega, getting the Tournesol/Wyrmhero blade, etc. I'm even making a power-walkthrough here on FFNet - so yeah. I could say that this FF has the most lub growth-potential out of any that I've played.