Final Fantasy XII reminds me a lot of my previous experiences with the series. I spent the first few hours comparing it to previous games, and then I realized that it was its own special, unique and engrossing gaming experience.

Final Fantasy XII, the latest installment in Square Enix’s domination of the role-playing game world, is one of the best RPG’s on the still viable Playstation 2.

The Story

Arguably the most exciting part of any Final Fantasy game, Final Fantasy XII does not disappoint. The story pits two great empires against each other, on the brink of war. Caught in between is the tiny, neutral nation of Dalmasca from which our hero Vaan hails. Vaan quickly finds himself caught up with a dethroned queen and a sky pirate among others in a struggle to restore their annexed kingdom. As always, the computer generated cut scenes look amazing (though this is no surprise). They, along with the rendered scenes tell by far the most mature (and sometimes dark) story of any Final Fantasy to date.

The story is incredibly intricate, you’ll really have to pay attention, but you should not have a problem with that as it extremely absorbing. Also, there is no one character driving the entire story. You’ll follow multiple story lines and multiple emotions from love, hate, avarice and loyalty. This trend follows along the lines of other recent pop culture hits like “Lost” and “Heroes,” where the story isn’t about the introduction of new characters, rather it is about the intricate history, back story and future of each of these new characters.

Long story short: this is the best Final Fantasy story so far, and possibly one of the best on an RPG ever.

Gameplay

The gameplay in Final Fantasy XII features an entirely new battle system. It is a combination of the traditional turn based style, live action and a unique A.I. system that adds an extra dimension.

The key here is to manage your battle plan, as opposed to micro-managing each character’s individual actions. This is accomplished through the “gambit” system. Characters can be “programmed” to react in a certain way to certain situations. For instance, you could have Basche (a knight) set to attack the nearest visible enemy. Then Penelo (sort of a mage) could be set to heal party members when they reach below a certain percentage of their HP. The key is to understand your character’s abilities, those of your current enemies, and how to adjust your “gambits” appropriately.

Some hardcore RPGer’s may take issue with the break from tradition, but after playing the game for a while you’ll see how well suited to this iteration it really is.

Boss battles are as tough as always and seem even more frantic and difficult due to the quasi-real-time nature of the battle system.

New abilities are attained through the “License” board, which looks kind of like Srabble. Every foe you beat awards at least one LP (license point) which you save up to unlock different magic and/or physical abilities.

It should also be noted that unlike some previous Final Fantasy’s, putting in the time to level up pays off. In fact, everything about the game pays off. You can expect to put in anywhere from 40-90+ hours, depending on whether or not you wish to do the side quests/level up etc.

Graphics and Sound

It’s no surprise Final Fantasy XII’s graphics are amazing. There are some truly awe inspiring scenes through out the game. The opening cut scene is, in my opinion, even better than Final Fantasy X’s. It is also important to note that, this time around, there is even better “camera work.” Often developers do not take into account camera angle (since are there are no cameras in video games) or they are clueless about cinematography. The new art style, is also impressive. Much like the story, it speaks of darker themes. It is also not so extravagant as Final Fantasy X’s. Again, Final Fantasy XII’s graphics are amazing, that’s all that really need to be said.

Final Fantasy XII features an original composition by Hitoshi Sakimoto, the composer for Final Fantasy Tactics. Put simply, it is epic. Combined with the stunning visuals, you may find yourself swept away in an epic yet personal story that big in the way the Lord of the Rings is big.

The Bad

While Final Fantasy XII is a great game, it is not without its flaws. The camera, while fully controllable, is not customizable. So depending on which way you are used to (i.e. push left to move the camera right or push left to move it left), you could end up spending considerable time adjusting to this. Furthermore, the learning curve is a little steep. Also, it takes almost six hours to really get into the game.

While the fact that the size of the world you can experience is huge can be seen as a plus, it is a pain when you have to back track the world map to speak with someone in different city. Not to mention, the cities are huge, making the commute to purchase new items seem tedious sometimes.

Overall

Final Fantasy XII is a huge, epic game that can steal away days of your life without you even noticing, or caring. There is little to dislike and a plethora of things to love. Fans should not (and probably haven’t) miss out on this one. Newcomers should check it out, it is arguably the best Final Fantasy so far … even better than VII.