That's fine, we all know that Iceland is a made-up country anyway. Joking aside, I love what Nicole Fantl has done with the voice for Fran. It's not just the accent, but also the cadence of how she talks. It's a real shame she never did any other voice acting.
indeed the english dub team based Frans (& the vieras) accent on icelandic , speciffically on the most world famous icelandic artist Björk. Nicole Fantl did a very good job both emulating the accent & convaying Frans determined yet forlorn character. Great vid man, great stuff
What defines XII to me is the world. It's so insanely rich, full of things, stories, enemies, treasures, locations. After hundreds of hours and finally, seemingly, having completed everything, I still managed to find a random "oh yeah, prevent end of the world in a new location" before I finally for realz completed the game. It was like 1000 hours of pure joy, this game.
I love it when people discuss ffxii, it's a work of art, it was my first time looking for a guide online on how to beat certain side quests. I understand you didn't have the patience to kill yiazmat the only reason i could it was because it was summer and i was 13 years old. And i still remember shouting FINALLY... My biggest grudge was that after all that i never could beat omega weapon so i never could obtain the final sword 😢
@@Plague_Crowomega does have some cheese strats in the form of the stat reducing abilitys. In the og he has less health but theres far less cheese which imo made him harder in the original
Legit my favorite Final Fantasy, and probably RPG ever. Just hearing anyone talk about it fills me with nostalgia. And tempts me to drop everything else gaming wise, for another playthrough.
That's FFX for me, it's one of my comfy games. I never got to play much of FFXII, BUT I literally just bought it for my Switch and I'm downloading it right now. In 6 hours I'll be able to play it through finally. I'm very excited for it. Especially because Fran is in it 😊
@@MrDman60644I have the 1st one and it's okay. Maybe my mindset wasn't right for it (which happens sometimes) because I didn't really engage with the combat system. I found it kinda annoying tbh. I'll play it again after I beat Torchlight 2, Vampyr, FFXII and Dragon's Dogma
Excellent video! The vanilla version of this game is what I prefer. Mainly because I can combine white and black magic skills and make my character whatever I want. Also the loading areas between areas reminds me of Ocarina of Time. The game kind of reminds me of Twilight Princess in some way, just slower and with a party.
IMO FFXII has the largest world and most diverse biomes. The "Zone" system does wonders for this game. Each zone is packed with things to look or and do, and it's not just a "walking simulator" like these open world games are. There is so much content, from side quests, to hunts to a great loot system and really great themes along with political world building with a mix of fantasy there. I absolutely love the species and races in this game and how they are just regular citizens in the game. Moogles, Baangas, Seeqs, Veiras! Why did FF move away from their diverse races? It bugs me so much that newer games are so dark and dull and barely shows these creative races. IMO FFXII was what I imagined living in that kind of world to be. I just wish they continued with this path and structure, with newer releases. Complex stories, every character is relevant, diverse biomes and worlds. The only con I can really say this game lacked was the techniques were really put on the back end. They were really underpowered compared to the magick counterpart.
I am one of the people that love the Gambit system it was a lot of fun. For 30m boss I remember sitting my gambits and taking a shower then i went for groceries and when I came back is HP was in the last million point, the victory was delicious it was one of my favourite gaming moments alongside killing the final boss with one hit in tens how.
You're not alone. I love adding new gambits and experimenting tons of ways to make my perfect party. But the characters i controlled had no gambits cause i atleast i wanted to control one character.
I love this game so much. Easily my favorite FF. I remember my memory card had a save with like 800 hours? It wasn’t quite to 999 but it was up there. I would leave my PlayStation on just to fall asleep to Eruyt Village and Rabanastre themes. And that Chocobo Theme? **chef’s kiss** Such fond memories of first stepping into the Estersand and seeing all the cute little cactoids and wolves, and that hunt for the adorable as heck Nightshade little tomato-gremlin. And then walking up to the giant Dino just minding its own business and me going “hm, I wonder if I should fight you? -NOPE BAD IDEA!” That same save that has stupid amount of hours on it was also 98-99% complete. One reason I never got 100%; fuck that invisible gigantoad hunt in Golmore Jungle. That was the last hunt I needed to complete everything, (apart from the zodiac spear(( I have no willpower and the idea of *not* opening certain chests in order to get a really cool weapon is incomprehensible to my adhd soul.)) and no matter how I tried, what I did, or what god I pleaded to, I could not get the ‘cast reflect on yourself and party to bounce it off of the *INVISIBLE GIGANTOAD* to make that amphibious bastard targetable’ gimmick to work and… This many years later I’m still bitter about it. Oh and the crystal section of Giruvegan can eat my entire Ashe.
Lovely to see FFXII content around. I've been playing this one again after many years. This game is so beautiful and yet so quirky, thank you for the video!
I thank you for this, XII is my childhood, didnt understand gambits back then so I did everything manually, coming back to zodiac age and unlocking gambits showed me the chess like nature being implemented in real time!
Gotta start a series where you delve into landmark games that you have not played. Your down to earth brand of commentary combined with fresh discoveries will be a hit. Anyway, this is my second favorite FF after FF9.
Oh gosh, you have no idea how excited seeing this pop up in my recommended made me. This is my absolute most favorite game of all time and im always hoping for SOMEONE out there to make a longform video on it and just hear more people talk about it. Im super excited to delve into the video and have no doubt itll be one I return too multiple times!!
It's crazy that even with how much you've brought up in this video, it still doesn't even mention rare hunts which add even more variety to the gameplay/treasure hunting experience! I friggin love this game, and you've made an enjoyable script to relax and listen to for a while so that's an easy subscribe!
Having started as a FF fanatic who graduated to RPGs like Souls, Nier and Dragon's Dogma, I've been very very strongly wanting to revisit FF12, I'm not a massive fan of the combat system, but this iteration of Ivalice is probably my favorite world in the series.
Regarding the loot mechanic with chaining enemies, I love it. With it, they can keep the general drop-chances low so the occasional drop of rare loot during normal gameplay is still exiting, while reducing the actual grind if you are looking for some specific items. I wish more games would implement such a system.
@1:23:00 I was mad about this, but then I realized the enemies just have licenses for things like last stand and such, which is super cool and gives continuity for the combat.
That was a pleasure to watch. 12 is a great game and one that I enjoy very much. Shame it does not get the recognition it deserves more often. I would say it is easily in my top 5 for Final Fantasy.
It started for me exactly the way Squaresoft intended: Mystic Quest. XII is my favorite mainline game. I found Tactics to be a bit boring but my return trip to Ivalice many years later was very different.
Honestly, so underrated. Just love the script and the world and stuff. There's some things I'd change mechanic/character/storywise and I wish I could get into the code and just tweak some stuff tbh but overall, really great game. Really has that feel of an adventure you just don't get in most FF games these days.
Final Fantasy 12 always felt to me like a story where I follow a side character. The story events that are interesting were pretty unrelated to Vaan and even Ashe did not feel like she was in the center - that would be Larsa. This also is mirrored in the combat system: the best way to play was to use gambits so that the game plays itself.
I remember when I first played through the game I completely skipped Quickenings thinking it was pointless and spent hours looking for my overdrive. Managed to brute force and level myself past the Imperial ship and it wasn't until I was on that bridge in the tomb with the walls in front and the trap coming in behind that I got stuck. I had to restart the game, and rinsed it. Basically hyperbolic time-chambered myself.
I mean, you're right that Gambits are essentially making the player do less. But I think it shows that there's not a lot of true decision-making involved in FF combat, it's mostly knowing how to pick the objectively correct option. Like if the enemy is weak to fire, you cast fire on it. That's not a tactical decision any more than succeeding at a QTE is.
If you never played XI, this takes a LOT of influence from it. Take it from me... I played XI for ten years, from 2003 to 2013. Even the Korrigan (little plant people) specifically came from the monster being introduced in newbie zones and harder versions throughout the world over FFXI's run and various expansions. Those Mandragora were on lots of FFXI merch for a solid time while the game was somewhat popular. Also, this game came out after Final Fantasy Tactics Advance came out, introducing the races of Bangaa, Nu Mou, Seeq and Viera... which felt very similar to when FFXI was being teased from Japanese Beta. Some of the first information the West ever got was that their would be 5 races: Hume, Elvaan, Galka, Tarutaru and Mithra. On that last one, Mithra were an all female race the come from a jungle, much like the Viera. XI is worth watching some documentaries on.
YES IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THE FF12 RETROSPECTIVE!!! This was my all time favorite game as a child and is what got me into FF and RPGs in general. I found it when we were shopping around pawn shops and found the metal case special edition for $12, the one with a bonus disc. In fact, the bonus disk teased the Fabula Nova Crystallis series, which later became FFXIII, Type-0, and FFXV, long before these games had their titles.
X Was good, but nothing matches up to xii, in my opinion. Especially after the liquid turd that was xiii (why the fuck is it a TRILOGY and we only got one and a QUARTER XII games?)
Great retrospective. I really enjoyed XII for much of the same reasons. I like Vayne as a villain because his overall goal has some nuance to it; he works well for a game with political setting and the idea that man should control his own destiny could easily find adherents in the real world to varying degrees (e.g., self-determination, nationalism). That being said, I wish Matsuno stayed on the project until the end. If he did, I bet the meandering that happens with the plot about halfway through would not be there. I wish we got to see even more of the world; I wanted to see Rozarria, for example. I think Vaan was an interesting experiment where the game takes place from the perspective of someone who watches events, but is not central to them, but I think Ashe, Balthier or Basch should have been picked as the party leader. I'd love a return to Ivalice some day, and for XII's combat to be revisisted.
7, 10 and 12 are my favorites too. 7 and 10 more so than 12. I've always felt like if 12's story or characters were just a little better it would be the best in the series
FFX is one of my all-time favorite games, I get cozy feels when I play it. I didn't get far into XII, but I just bought it for the Switch a few minutes ago. I'll be playing it in a few hours from now
What an amazing retrospective! You nailed why this game is such a wonderful experience. I love the various environments in the world, the small outposts in the Estersand, Mosphoran highwastes, etc. the flavour text in dialogue and on items, the obscure hints to get to espers, the hunts. Only gripe being you didn't discuss the Diabolos hunt and how creepy yet heartbreaking it feels on completion.
I love at 5:43 when he asks you to subscribe, the sub button lights up with a little ring flash around it😄nice touch lol that alone gets my sub 😂 also correct on 7, 10 & 12 being the bangers of the brand. I liked 8 well enough but it lacked the magic that 7, 10 & 12 have. A magic that has yet to be reproduced in my eyes.
FFX is one of the best games ever made. I'm not really a fan of jrpgs, but FFX completely blew me away when it came out. I replayed it recently and still love it so much. It's a masterpiece
Thank you for this. I have been waiting years and years for someone to put my thoughts into words of this game in a proper analysis it deserves. I'de go to say i have come to the same exact conclusions on praises and critiques as you have. Ffxii bousts some of my absolute favorite childhood/teen gaming memories. The vast areas that feel full of intresting lore and variety, the story rich characters, the beautiful scenery, the hunts and dungeons of the main quest. Absolute masterpiece of a game that just pissed off too many people when it came out for being a bit too differrent. Some of the critique was justified though. The game in it's original form without sped up gameplay etc was a behemoth of a game and jeeeesus i put a fuck load of hours into it but boy did i love it. The most common complaint i hear is about Vaan. Concerning the characters i love the fact that Vaan is "just for the ride". Makes all the other characters sooo much more intresting when the character you control is in objectively in the background. It makes the experience so much different compared to traditional games where you start as a insecure teen and end up a universe blasting, terrorist beating, katana swinging beast of a demigod. The music and artistic style is beautiful and calm and makes up for a relaxing yet engaging experience throughout. One of the core streangths people rarely understand is how ffxii manages to keep areas interresting and create a sense on connectivity with options how to go around and about. The same thing goes with dark souls 1. The world is connected via several different routes from subarea to another. You are forced to return to earlier areas and unlock new shortcuts and connetions. This gives depth to areas and with that comes meaning. You feel like your in a real world. This is something that for example ds2 and ds3 didn't do and for that reason the world doesn't feel that connected as it does in ds1 blood borne or crosscode and of course ffxii. The hunts and changes in weather in some areas gives a wonderful touch to this as well. Like you said the dialog can be daunting and for a teen or even grownup it can be hard to follow. I could see ffxii being a stand alone HBO multi season series with hour long episodes. Personally i enjoyed it. Again it felt like a real world with a lot happening all the time everywhere. Most times games fall into stories that forget often that the rest of the world exist while shit happens and effects on other areas rarely is explained or believable. The combat is a hit or miss. Some love it some hate it. I loved it in the original form and the zodiak improved on it with the job selections giving character builds a lot of cool deapth and variety. the gambit system is super rewarding. I rarely like maxing things out or optimizing too much but ffxii makes it fun and simple to try out different gambits and combinations. Also for the first time ever in any jrpg you actually had something money was good good for. Like you said farming loot, selling and buying is really addictive and rewarding. I understand why someone might think it is pointless but i thought it was well executed.
I love this game. It modernised turn-based but kept the essence. There’s a sense of adventure that their massive zonal map gives you. It’s amazing how all the zones link to feel like a comprehensive world. It’s a sense of scale I haven’t felt since. Some of the dungeons are a slog but I rate it. If the story had hit better I think more people would have vibes with it. For me it’s a top 3 FF maybe even higher.
My favourite. It's ginormous, funny and doesn't have annoying mini games (fishing aside, but in tza you can get the weapon in trial mode so...). The world is one of the most beautiful of any game and is, for me, what an "open world" should be in this kind of game. I replay it every few years.
When I first heard about the ff7 remake I immediately thought “Please do twelve”. Then I saw what they did with 7 and I thought “maybe just update the graphics leave everything else alone.”
Great video I will say, if you want a fun time, new game minus is a blast. Guns become S tier since they ignore player strength, you can use every broken strategy you know and the game still feels fair, and the super broken wither and addle combo aren’t available, since their success rates depend on enemy level. (Speaking of those, if you want to make yiazmat a joke, use those on it. You lower it’s attack and magic attack until it’s attacks do less than 100 damage a piece)
I’m so glad you appreciate this entry in the series, by far my favorite combat in final fantasy, as much as I love turned based, this game was so addicting. I remember putting it down when it first released on the ps2 because I was trying to farm the zodiac spear and the game being impossibly hard (recently found out it actually was programmed to be that way before the international release) and during the pandemic I finally completed it, which made me crave more 😩
Was the JP original that hard? I know that the NA version is pathetically easy because all chars have full access to the liscence board. The IZJS Version made it harder in that you had to pick jobs, but now you could break damage cap with a lot of refinements to little things across the game. zodiac age is the same as IZJS but you get two jobs per char making them effectively twice as strong. Im curious which of these versions (or one i missed) is supposed to be " programmed impossibly hard "
FFX is a masterpiece of turn based and this one had really fun combat from what little I got to play of it. I wanted to beat it, but my console got all screwy. At the time, I had the Xbox and my friend had the PS2. I wanted to Play this and another game he had (the name escapes me, but it's a jrpg where you could collect bugs and battle them) and he wanted to play KOTOR1 & 2 and Morrowind. We swapped consoles, but mine had a dirty lens that suddenly quit reading discs. We traded back just as I started to get into this. I took it apart and cleaned the lens, my Xbox ran like a dream after that, but we never traded consoles again for some reason
I’ve never played zodiac age, I had an English patched copy of IZJS but haven’t played it for a very long time. So I could be wrong but I want to say that chest is gone in zodiac age. I don’t remember where you get it though, I never used uhlan.
@@herosmerlose5784 The spear is there in Zodiac Age, but the chest has a 1% spawn rate. It's not even the best weapon in the game in this version. It's still one of the best weapons, but there isn't a single top weapon in Zodiac Age
Great video man, my personal favorites are VIII, IX & X, things started to go down hill from there in my opinion, XII's story is Star Wars, XIII marked when Square Enix started to make things unnecessarily convoluted and the less said about it the better.
Have been more of a FF spinoff enjoyer rather than the mainline games but have always had a feeling 12 would be one I would love.. definitely need to give it a try sometime.
People may crap on this game for the gambits system, but I like it. There is so much to do outside of the main story, without even counting the Trial Mode that is part of the HD Remaster, that the story only makes up about 25% of the whole game
when this game first released I remember a BIG common complaint or argument people were bandwagon using was that it was "an offline MMO". I never understood this argument but I guess cuz at the time MMO's were blowing up in popularity (Everquest was popular at the time and WoW was just coming out) and so the comparison was being made. I always thought it was a dumb comparison but unfortunately it stuck with a lot of people. Glad many people gave the remaster a 2nd look. The game IMO is amazing and it's one of my favorite FF games.
This was such an excellent video. Truly, well done. It seems we have had similar experiences while playing (such as having difficult first playthroughs on the ps2 and mistakenly choosing to use hammers and axes simply because yhey showed s high attack power stat). We even share the same top three Final Fantasies and, it would seem, in the same order of preference (VII, X, then XII). All in all, these were two hours sell spent. Cheers, mate!.😁
I've been playing for 2 hours now and OMG i'm surpised George Lucas didn't stop this game. It's almost like a star Wars Game. Not just the story but the Storm troopers, vehicles, Creatures, scenery and even the music....heck even the whole vibe is basically in this game
I know what you mean, I've always wondered, maybe it was required to fit on the PS2 disk? Who knows, but however they did it, it sounds fine, and I have an odd nostalgia for it for sure now
I played this game blind and just completed it yesterday. Look forward to finding out what this game was about. The narrative and the characters' motivations are still a mystery to me, which is not the sign of good storytelling, but the gameplay was pretty good.
A man after my own heart. Grew up loving final fantasy, waited with bated breath for every release, and now in my mid-30s, there's a company called from software that makes me s*** myself every time they release a trailer for their newest game.
I'm watching this while playing the original PS2 version (currently trying to find the materials to craft the "Tournesol" blade!). 😏 I recently started up a second playthrough after having not played it since its initial release, and I forgot just how much fun the game was; I think I've accomplished more during this second playthrough than the first, with much of the fun coming from giving each character their own "weapon style" - as of this comment, Vaan is wielding the Zodiac Spear (the best spear/weapon), Balthier the Fomalhaut (the best gun, with "dark shot" ammunition), Fran the Sagittarius (the best bow, with "assassin's arrows"), Basch the Ultima Blade (the fourth [?] best two-handed sword), Ashe the Gastrophetes (the best crossbow, with "sapping bolts"), and Penelo the Volcano (the best hand-bomb, with "castellanos" bombs). As engrossing as I find the story and lore to be… I couldn't help but compare it to the _Star Wars_ series! 😅 Vaan's a poor kid wanting to leave his desert home and explore the skies; Balthier is a -smuggler- "sky pirate" with his non-human copilot Fran; Ashe is the princess fighting against an evil empire to restore her lost kingdom; Balthier is a disgraced knight with a family member who sided with the empire; and Penelo… is just kind of there (sorry, Penelo!). Add to all of that the rather "alien" looking non-"humes" and the heavy focus on -the Force- magical "Mist" and magicite/nethicite, and I just couldn't help myself with this comparison. The game absolutely does its own thing, though, and I love it for it. (Taking a complete 180°, Vayne always reminded me of Pete Burns from the band, Dead or Alive. ♫ _"You spin me right-round, baby, right-round, like a record, baby, right-round round round…"_ ♪) *EDIT:* I'll have to remember to talk to Jovy again, since I've completed all of those hunts! 😭
@@candletype1a447 you got to find a way to play it. It's the Original Ivalice by the creator. Also to me it feels like a souls game of its time. We seem to have the exact same taste in games so try it.
I've begun a playthrough myself! I've never finished it, but I got pretty close back in the PS2 days. Hopefully, I'll actually finish the game this time!
I love FF and have played almost every mainline game (1-10, 13, 15) but 12 put me off so many times. So many times, whether Vaan's opening rat dungeon, or the first hunt, or learning to deal with the license board--not being able to equip a weapon you just bought--Raithwall's Tomb, the demon wall in Raithwall's Tomb, that crazy long trek to Raithwall's Tomb... but, after so many times I've walked away over the many years since this game's release, I have recently started a fresh play-through of FF12: The Zodiac Age and I have finally broken through. I understand the systems, I've unlocked duel license boards and am well on my way to maxing them out. I've got my gambits down, as my characters now automatically do what I want them to--such as give eye drops to someone who is blind--without me having to input commands. Most importantly, I have finally gotten wrapped up in the story--the explosion of Arcadia's premiere fleet was shocking and Basche, Fran and Balthier make much more interesting companions than early game Vaan and Penelo. So here's to this great retrospective and FF12. It's taken quite a few false starts--more than any other game I've played probably--but we're finally in the groove and I'm playing a FF game and loving it. Everything in its right place.
@@johnmicah2193 I'm glad I stuck with it. I ended up putting in 90 hours, doing all but 4 hunts and I actually beat the game last night unlocking new game+. RIP Vayne. Very Star Warsish ending but I dig it.
I still consider Vayne to be one of the best FF Villains. Morally grey fits him best - Yes, he does horrible things. Very horrible things. But I always got the impression that he does so with honourable motives. Uniting mankind in order to prevent future wars does't sound so bad. Also, he and his father seemed on the same page imho. His father was sick, and he knew that. So killing him and blaming the Senate was the only way to make sure that "House Solidor lives on". And the way Vayne gently puts his fathers dead hand in a more dignified position also shows, that he deeply cared for him. There are alot of subtleties about Vayne, wich I deeply adore.
I love this game. Arguably, X is probably the best, XII is still my number 1. Ivalice is a fantastic world. I may be a minority here though and say I preferred the difficulty of the og game. I wish they would have brought over the jobs but left the rest mostly alone. I think the next time I play, I will limit myself to 1 job like izjs versuon. Thanks for the good watch.
Great retrospective! What I’d do to revisit the world of Ivalice, sometimes I wonder what that cancelled FF12 game would be like. For a game with so much lore it’s a shame the FF franchise hasn’t revisited Ivalice. I played revenant wings years ago and remember enjoying it, but can’t say if it was good story wise.
The story was enjoyable. But it’s the added lore and dialogue (similar to 12) that make it so great. I would read every bit of flavor text and NPS dialogue I could.
I have always questioned Venat's motives. I never fully believed that he truly wished to free men of the occuria, more Venat wished to free himself of the occuria. Once we learned he was the second most powerful on that council, I felt even more sure of this theory. I mean he taught man how to make nethicite, but what if he put some controls into the recipe tied to him. Siding with the largest empire, he could convince Vayne to march on girouvagan, wipe out the council and then turn on his former allies by draining or turning off their nethicite all together or when wielded against him. Putting the reigns of history in his hands over that of man.
Got no clue why people don't like XII, i think it's the best FF, no contest, (save for kingdom hearts, if i feel like starting a fight) and I've played every mainline and most of the spin offs. Dissisdia slapped too
although i do love the mechanics & systems of Ff12 (its my fav ff, and has been since it launched in 2006) i can admit that more refinements are needed to iron out it’s flaws….everything else about this game is about as close to perfect as i can imagine…it literally changed my taste in games
![Destroy, Rebuild, Live Anew | FFVI Retrospective [Playing Every Final Fantasy, Kinda]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/gIC2mJhUvuk/mqdefault.jpg)
Note about Fran's accent: I thought it was made up from scratch but apparently it's based on the Icelandic accent.
That's fine, we all know that Iceland is a made-up country anyway.
Joking aside, I love what Nicole Fantl has done with the voice for Fran. It's not just the accent, but also the cadence of how she talks. It's a real shame she never did any other voice acting.
I mean ya she sounds like bjork
Good choice! That’s an accent I would wager many people in Asia and Western cultures do not know, so it definitely Carrie’s that exotic tone to it
indeed the english dub team based Frans (& the vieras) accent on icelandic , speciffically on the most world famous icelandic artist Björk. Nicole Fantl did a very good job both emulating the accent & convaying Frans determined yet forlorn character.
Great vid man, great stuff
What defines XII to me is the world. It's so insanely rich, full of things, stories, enemies, treasures, locations. After hundreds of hours and finally, seemingly, having completed everything, I still managed to find a random "oh yeah, prevent end of the world in a new location" before I finally for realz completed the game.
It was like 1000 hours of pure joy, this game.
Finally someone talking about 12 for more than 30 minutes, a real retrospective
I know right I swear most ff12 vids are like 15 minutes lol
I love it when people discuss ffxii, it's a work of art, it was my first time looking for a guide online on how to beat certain side quests. I understand you didn't have the patience to kill yiazmat the only reason i could it was because it was summer and i was 13 years old. And i still remember shouting FINALLY...
My biggest grudge was that after all that i never could beat omega weapon so i never could obtain the final sword 😢
The tech to beat Omega is insane, I haven't ever been able to beat the final trio of super bosses, those being Yiazmat, Omega, and Zodiark.
@@Plague_Crowomega does have some cheese strats in the form of the stat reducing abilitys. In the og he has less health but theres far less cheese which imo made him harder in the original
Legit my favorite Final Fantasy, and probably RPG ever. Just hearing anyone talk about it fills me with nostalgia. And tempts me to drop everything else gaming wise, for another playthrough.
Im sure youve heard this but in case you havent, if you love ffxii check out the Xenoblade series, its gives off xii vibes and its soooo damn good
@@MrDman60644because of the aesthetic or because of the combat?
i recently started a new game minus and its so fun
That's FFX for me, it's one of my comfy games. I never got to play much of FFXII, BUT I literally just bought it for my Switch and I'm downloading it right now. In 6 hours I'll be able to play it through finally. I'm very excited for it. Especially because Fran is in it 😊
@@MrDman60644I have the 1st one and it's okay. Maybe my mindset wasn't right for it (which happens sometimes) because I didn't really engage with the combat system. I found it kinda annoying tbh. I'll play it again after I beat Torchlight 2, Vampyr, FFXII and Dragon's Dogma
Excellent video! The vanilla version of this game is what I prefer. Mainly because I can combine white and black magic skills and make my character whatever I want. Also the loading areas between areas reminds me of Ocarina of Time. The game kind of reminds me of Twilight Princess in some way, just slower and with a party.
IMO FFXII has the largest world and most diverse biomes. The "Zone" system does wonders for this game. Each zone is packed with things to look or and do, and it's not just a "walking simulator" like these open world games are. There is so much content, from side quests, to hunts to a great loot system and really great themes along with political world building with a mix of fantasy there.
I absolutely love the species and races in this game and how they are just regular citizens in the game. Moogles, Baangas, Seeqs, Veiras! Why did FF move away from their diverse races? It bugs me so much that newer games are so dark and dull and barely shows these creative races.
IMO FFXII was what I imagined living in that kind of world to be. I just wish they continued with this path and structure, with newer releases. Complex stories, every character is relevant, diverse biomes and worlds.
The only con I can really say this game lacked was the techniques were really put on the back end. They were really underpowered compared to the magick counterpart.
31:38 I totally forgot how sick the dialogue was in this game! All the voice acting was awesome too.
I am one of the people that love the Gambit system it was a lot of fun.
For 30m boss I remember sitting my gambits and taking a shower then i went for groceries and when I came back is HP was in the last million point, the victory was delicious it was one of my favourite gaming moments alongside killing the final boss with one hit in tens how.
You're not alone. I love adding new gambits and experimenting tons of ways to make my perfect party. But the characters i controlled had no gambits cause i atleast i wanted to control one character.
I love this game so much. Easily my favorite FF. I remember my memory card had a save with like 800 hours? It wasn’t quite to 999 but it was up there. I would leave my PlayStation on just to fall asleep to Eruyt Village and Rabanastre themes. And that Chocobo Theme? **chef’s kiss**
Such fond memories of first stepping into the Estersand and seeing all the cute little cactoids and wolves, and that hunt for the adorable as heck Nightshade little tomato-gremlin. And then walking up to the giant Dino just minding its own business and me going “hm, I wonder if I should fight you? -NOPE BAD IDEA!”
That same save that has stupid amount of hours on it was also 98-99% complete. One reason I never got 100%; fuck that invisible gigantoad hunt in Golmore Jungle.
That was the last hunt I needed to complete everything, (apart from the zodiac spear(( I have no willpower and the idea of *not* opening certain chests in order to get a really cool weapon is incomprehensible to my adhd soul.)) and no matter how I tried, what I did, or what god I pleaded to, I could not get the ‘cast reflect on yourself and party to bounce it off of the *INVISIBLE GIGANTOAD* to make that amphibious bastard targetable’ gimmick to work and…
This many years later I’m still bitter about it.
Oh and the crystal section of Giruvegan can eat my entire Ashe.
actually lol'ed at the "dramatic reenactment of knocking over stuff in your room" part. excited for this ride.
Lovely to see FFXII content around. I've been playing this one again after many years. This game is so beautiful and yet so quirky, thank you for the video!
I bursted out laughing when vayne said "dont call me your excellence... call me vayne"
I thank you for this, XII is my childhood, didnt understand gambits back then so I did everything manually, coming back to zodiac age and unlocking gambits showed me the chess like nature being implemented in real time!
Gotta start a series where you delve into landmark games that you have not played. Your down to earth brand of commentary combined with fresh discoveries will be a hit.
Anyway, this is my second favorite FF after FF9.
Great idea
Oh gosh, you have no idea how excited seeing this pop up in my recommended made me. This is my absolute most favorite game of all time and im always hoping for SOMEONE out there to make a longform video on it and just hear more people talk about it. Im super excited to delve into the video and have no doubt itll be one I return too multiple times!!
It's crazy that even with how much you've brought up in this video, it still doesn't even mention rare hunts which add even more variety to the gameplay/treasure hunting experience! I friggin love this game, and you've made an enjoyable script to relax and listen to for a while so that's an easy subscribe!
2 1/2 hrs to say what i can in 9 words; final fantasy 12 is a treasure, play it now…. in all seriousness great vid, rly enjoyed it
Oh my God, I wasn’t expecting you to tackle FF, let alone XII which is my favorite. This is going to be so good.
4:09 1, Tactics, 7, 10, 12 are my top 5. Games that fundamentally changed the way I viewed video games.
Having started as a FF fanatic who graduated to RPGs like Souls, Nier and Dragon's Dogma, I've been very very strongly wanting to revisit FF12, I'm not a massive fan of the combat system, but this iteration of Ivalice is probably my favorite world in the series.
On sale in the Nintendo store right now for the Switch. I just bought it myself
Regarding the loot mechanic with chaining enemies, I love it.
With it, they can keep the general drop-chances low so the occasional drop of rare loot during normal gameplay is still exiting, while reducing the actual grind if you are looking for some specific items. I wish more games would implement such a system.
@1:23:00 I was mad about this, but then I realized the enemies just have licenses for things like last stand and such, which is super cool and gives continuity for the combat.
That was a pleasure to watch. 12 is a great game and one that I enjoy very much. Shame it does not get the recognition it deserves more often. I would say it is easily in my top 5 for Final Fantasy.
It started for me exactly the way Squaresoft intended: Mystic Quest.
XII is my favorite mainline game. I found Tactics to be a bit boring but my return trip to Ivalice many years later was very different.
Honestly, so underrated. Just love the script and the world and stuff. There's some things I'd change mechanic/character/storywise and I wish I could get into the code and just tweak some stuff tbh but overall, really great game. Really has that feel of an adventure you just don't get in most FF games these days.
I like the gambit system. At only 50% upgrade I started the final boss battle, left and went to the store and when I came back the boss was defeated.
The endgame is around 50% of the game,to a point where I consider some optional bosses like Zodiark and Yiazmat the true final bosses.
It is good to see someone as enamored of this game as me, thanks for sharing the love of Ivalice to everyone ^^
I like the way a lot of the Espers were bosses on previous ff games.
Mateus, Famfrit, Zeromus, Exodus, Chaos...last 3 are even secret bosses in here
Final Fantasy 12 always felt to me like a story where I follow a side character. The story events that are interesting were pretty unrelated to Vaan and even Ashe did not feel like she was in the center - that would be Larsa. This also is mirrored in the combat system: the best way to play was to use gambits so that the game plays itself.
I remember when I first played through the game I completely skipped Quickenings thinking it was pointless and spent hours looking for my overdrive.
Managed to brute force and level myself past the Imperial ship and it wasn't until I was on that bridge in the tomb with the walls in front and the trap coming in behind that I got stuck. I had to restart the game, and rinsed it.
Basically hyperbolic time-chambered myself.
Quickenings can be pretty busted if your fast enough
I mean, you're right that Gambits are essentially making the player do less. But I think it shows that there's not a lot of true decision-making involved in FF combat, it's mostly knowing how to pick the objectively correct option. Like if the enemy is weak to fire, you cast fire on it. That's not a tactical decision any more than succeeding at a QTE is.
If you never played XI, this takes a LOT of influence from it. Take it from me... I played XI for ten years, from 2003 to 2013.
Even the Korrigan (little plant people) specifically came from the monster being introduced in newbie zones and harder versions throughout the world over FFXI's run and various expansions. Those Mandragora were on lots of FFXI merch for a solid time while the game was somewhat popular.
Also, this game came out after Final Fantasy Tactics Advance came out, introducing the races of Bangaa, Nu Mou, Seeq and Viera... which felt very similar to when FFXI was being teased from Japanese Beta. Some of the first information the West ever got was that their would be 5 races: Hume, Elvaan, Galka, Tarutaru and Mithra. On that last one, Mithra were an all female race the come from a jungle, much like the Viera.
XI is worth watching some documentaries on.
Dark Souls AND Final Fantasy? I’m so here for this
Man.... "Ready 2 Rumble" on the dreamcast was some of the best times of my life with friends.... wish they re release it with some upgrades and online
your taste is exactly like mine, ff 7, 10, 12, and then fromsoft games. cheers!
This is a very underated channel, keep up the work man youll get big in no time!
Thank you buddy, I hope so haha!
By far my favorite FF game. But my first visit to Ivalice was in Vagrant Story
YES IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THE FF12 RETROSPECTIVE!!!
This was my all time favorite game as a child and is what got me into FF and RPGs in general. I found it when we were shopping around pawn shops and found the metal case special edition for $12, the one with a bonus disc. In fact, the bonus disk teased the Fabula Nova Crystallis series, which later became FFXIII, Type-0, and FFXV, long before these games had their titles.
FFXII is my favorite FF. And nice video, bro.
Damn I love this game I still have the PS2 Steelcase and the strategy guide with the Ashe cover.
2 hours and a half of FF XII?
I'm totally in! ❤🤩🤩
Great video, so enjoyable!
I love Final Fantasy, but I reeeeally love Final Fantasy XII.
This is easily the most underrated FF game. I loved the original version, but the Zodiac version is my 3rd favorite behind 7 and 6.
This was my second final fantasy (after VII) and not one has lived up to it since
Hearing you talk about the games makes my opinions feel so valid too
X Was good, but nothing matches up to xii, in my opinion. Especially after the liquid turd that was xiii (why the fuck is it a TRILOGY and we only got one and a QUARTER XII games?)
Great retrospective. I really enjoyed XII for much of the same reasons. I like Vayne as a villain because his overall goal has some nuance to it; he works well for a game with political setting and the idea that man should control his own destiny could easily find adherents in the real world to varying degrees (e.g., self-determination, nationalism). That being said, I wish Matsuno stayed on the project until the end. If he did, I bet the meandering that happens with the plot about halfway through would not be there. I wish we got to see even more of the world; I wanted to see Rozarria, for example. I think Vaan was an interesting experiment where the game takes place from the perspective of someone who watches events, but is not central to them, but I think Ashe, Balthier or Basch should have been picked as the party leader. I'd love a return to Ivalice some day, and for XII's combat to be revisisted.
If you look closely enough during the Gilgamesh fights, youll see a sword from the Dragon Quest series. The Loto/Erdrick sword. ^.^
Your favorites are my favorites too. 7, 10, 12.
Same lol! This guy's got good taste
7, 10 and 12 are my favorites too. 7 and 10 more so than 12. I've always felt like if 12's story or characters were just a little better it would be the best in the series
FFX is one of my all-time favorite games, I get cozy feels when I play it. I didn't get far into XII, but I just bought it for the Switch a few minutes ago. I'll be playing it in a few hours from now
Excellent retrospective. My first final fantasy was 9 and then 12 and they are still my favorites.
What an amazing retrospective! You nailed why this game is such a wonderful experience. I love the various environments in the world, the small outposts in the Estersand, Mosphoran highwastes, etc. the flavour text in dialogue and on items, the obscure hints to get to espers, the hunts. Only gripe being you didn't discuss the Diabolos hunt and how creepy yet heartbreaking it feels on completion.
I love at 5:43 when he asks you to subscribe, the sub button lights up with a little ring flash around it😄nice touch lol that alone gets my sub 😂 also correct on 7, 10 & 12 being the bangers of the brand. I liked 8 well enough but it lacked the magic that 7, 10 & 12 have. A magic that has yet to be reproduced in my eyes.
FFX is one of the best games ever made. I'm not really a fan of jrpgs, but FFX completely blew me away when it came out. I replayed it recently and still love it so much. It's a masterpiece
My favorite FF to replay. I almost feels like a single player mmo in many ways. Has a ff14 vibe to it that actually makes me enjoy ff14 more
the whole setting and art design has major similarities with ff14.
I was not a fan when it first came out
But last year I decided to play it again and I have to say it might just be one of my favorite games ever
Thank you for this. I have been waiting years and years for someone to put my thoughts into words of this game in a proper analysis it deserves. I'de go to say i have come to the same exact conclusions on praises and critiques as you have. Ffxii bousts some of my absolute favorite childhood/teen gaming memories. The vast areas that feel full of intresting lore and variety, the story rich characters, the beautiful scenery, the hunts and dungeons of the main quest. Absolute masterpiece of a game that just pissed off too many people when it came out for being a bit too differrent. Some of the critique was justified though. The game in it's original form without sped up gameplay etc was a behemoth of a game and jeeeesus i put a fuck load of hours into it but boy did i love it.
The most common complaint i hear is about Vaan. Concerning the characters i love the fact that Vaan is "just for the ride". Makes all the other characters sooo much more intresting when the character you control is in objectively in the background. It makes the experience so much different compared to traditional games where you start as a insecure teen and end up a universe blasting, terrorist beating, katana swinging beast of a demigod.
The music and artistic style is beautiful and calm and makes up for a relaxing yet engaging experience throughout.
One of the core streangths people rarely understand is how ffxii manages to keep areas interresting and create a sense on connectivity with options how to go around and about. The same thing goes with dark souls 1. The world is connected via several different routes from subarea to another. You are forced to return to earlier areas and unlock new shortcuts and connetions. This gives depth to areas and with that comes meaning. You feel like your in a real world. This is something that for example ds2 and ds3 didn't do and for that reason the world doesn't feel that connected as it does in ds1 blood borne or crosscode and of course ffxii. The hunts and changes in weather in some areas gives a wonderful touch to this as well.
Like you said the dialog can be daunting and for a teen or even grownup it can be hard to follow. I could see ffxii being a stand alone HBO multi season series with hour long episodes. Personally i enjoyed it. Again it felt like a real world with a lot happening all the time everywhere. Most times games fall into stories that forget often that the rest of the world exist while shit happens and effects on other areas rarely is explained or believable.
The combat is a hit or miss. Some love it some hate it. I loved it in the original form and the zodiak improved on it with the job selections giving character builds a lot of cool deapth and variety. the gambit system is super rewarding. I rarely like maxing things out or optimizing too much but ffxii makes it fun and simple to try out different gambits and combinations.
Also for the first time ever in any jrpg you actually had something money was good good for. Like you said farming loot, selling and buying is really addictive and rewarding. I understand why someone might think it is pointless but i thought it was well executed.
Just finished the original PS2 version of the game and simply LOVED it! One of my favorite games ever now.
Really good and varied channel you have here
My favorite in the series.
Good job on the video, nice takes.
I love this game. It modernised turn-based but kept the essence. There’s a sense of adventure that their massive zonal map gives you. It’s amazing how all the zones link to feel like a comprehensive world. It’s a sense of scale I haven’t felt since. Some of the dungeons are a slog but I rate it. If the story had hit better I think more people would have vibes with it. For me it’s a top 3 FF maybe even higher.
My favourite. It's ginormous, funny and doesn't have annoying mini games (fishing aside, but in tza you can get the weapon in trial mode so...). The world is one of the most beautiful of any game and is, for me, what an "open world" should be in this kind of game. I replay it every few years.
XII Zodiac Age is my favorite game, a paradise for a completionist. I named my 2nd PSN account after Zodiark, one of the optional Esper bosses.
Ah, the best PS2-era Final Fantasy. With XI being a strong second best :)
When I first heard about the ff7 remake I immediately thought “Please do twelve”. Then I saw what they did with 7 and I thought “maybe just update the graphics leave everything else alone.”
If you wanna play it, it's on sale in the Nintendo store for the Switch right now for $19.99. I got it about half an hour ago
Great video
I will say, if you want a fun time, new game minus is a blast. Guns become S tier since they ignore player strength, you can use every broken strategy you know and the game still feels fair, and the super broken wither and addle combo aren’t available, since their success rates depend on enemy level. (Speaking of those, if you want to make yiazmat a joke, use those on it. You lower it’s attack and magic attack until it’s attacks do less than 100 damage a piece)
You are MASTER CLASS. Thank you so much for this massive piece of work!
Great work. Im looking forward to seeing more of your content.
I’m so glad you appreciate this entry in the series, by far my favorite combat in final fantasy, as much as I love turned based, this game was so addicting. I remember putting it down when it first released on the ps2 because I was trying to farm the zodiac spear and the game being impossibly hard (recently found out it actually was programmed to be that way before the international release) and during the pandemic I finally completed it, which made me crave more 😩
The combat is very satisfying. Great game. The sense of adventure is unrivalled for me.
Was the JP original that hard? I know that the NA version is pathetically easy because all chars have full access to the liscence board.
The IZJS Version made it harder in that you had to pick jobs, but now you could break damage cap with a lot of refinements to little things across the game.
zodiac age is the same as IZJS but you get two jobs per char making them effectively twice as strong.
Im curious which of these versions (or one i missed) is supposed to be " programmed impossibly hard "
@@riplix20 when I find the video I watched that detailed that info I’ll edit my comment with the link!
FFX is a masterpiece of turn based and this one had really fun combat from what little I got to play of it. I wanted to beat it, but my console got all screwy. At the time, I had the Xbox and my friend had the PS2. I wanted to Play this and another game he had (the name escapes me, but it's a jrpg where you could collect bugs and battle them) and he wanted to play KOTOR1 & 2 and Morrowind. We swapped consoles, but mine had a dirty lens that suddenly quit reading discs. We traded back just as I started to get into this. I took it apart and cleaned the lens, my Xbox ran like a dream after that, but we never traded consoles again for some reason
Zodiac Spear is in one chest in the difficult area of Henna Mines. It's a low spawn so you have to keep trying.
I’ve never played zodiac age, I had an English patched copy of IZJS but haven’t played it for a very long time. So I could be wrong but I want to say that chest is gone in zodiac age. I don’t remember where you get it though, I never used uhlan.
@@herosmerlose5784 The spear is there in Zodiac Age, but the chest has a 1% spawn rate. It's not even the best weapon in the game in this version. It's still one of the best weapons, but there isn't a single top weapon in Zodiac Age
Great video man, my personal favorites are VIII, IX & X, things started to go down hill from there in my opinion, XII's story is Star Wars, XIII marked when Square Enix started to make things unnecessarily convoluted and the less said about it the better.
FFXIII is by far my favorite FF followed by FFVII and FFXII
Excellent video on one of my favorite games. Definitely got a new sub! Looking forward to diving into the rest of your content!
Have been more of a FF spinoff enjoyer rather than the mainline games but have always had a feeling 12 would be one I would love.. definitely need to give it a try sometime.
$19.99 right now in the estore for the Switch. I bought it like half an hour ago myself
Great video! My god the Ringwyrm, still terrified of that one haha nice to see someone else struggled with it
People may crap on this game for the gambits system, but I like it. There is so much to do outside of the main story, without even counting the Trial Mode that is part of the HD Remaster, that the story only makes up about 25% of the whole game
People who crap on it are usually people that never cared about side quest
People who crap on it are usually people that never cared about side quests
when this game first released I remember a BIG common complaint or argument people were bandwagon using was that it was "an offline MMO". I never understood this argument but I guess cuz at the time MMO's were blowing up in popularity (Everquest was popular at the time and WoW was just coming out) and so the comparison was being made. I always thought it was a dumb comparison but unfortunately it stuck with a lot of people. Glad many people gave the remaster a 2nd look. The game IMO is amazing and it's one of my favorite FF games.
Great retrospective man! Already got your XIII video cued up next.
i remember hearing FFXIII OST in the background of one of your old videos and hoping you would make a video on FF eventually! YIPPIEEE!!!
I got the same opinion when i first played 12. Now it's one of my favourites.
I Love this Video.
And there is so much more to Love about this Game.
I absolutely adore this Game
Done yaznat in just under two hours but there is one more ultimate mark in great crystal
this is my fav ff game after i played the OG in ps2
This was such an excellent video. Truly, well done. It seems we have had similar experiences while playing (such as having difficult first playthroughs on the ps2 and mistakenly choosing to use hammers and axes simply because yhey showed s high attack power stat). We even share the same top three Final Fantasies and, it would seem, in the same order of preference (VII, X, then XII). All in all, these were two hours sell spent. Cheers, mate!.😁
I've been playing for 2 hours now and OMG i'm surpised George Lucas didn't stop this game. It's almost like a star Wars Game. Not just the story but the Storm troopers, vehicles, Creatures, scenery and even the music....heck even the whole vibe is basically in this game
I always loved how compressed sounding the voice acting is. I think Fran's accent MIGHT be closest to Icelandic accent
I know what you mean, I've always wondered, maybe it was required to fit on the PS2 disk? Who knows, but however they did it, it sounds fine, and I have an odd nostalgia for it for sure now
I played this game blind and just completed it yesterday. Look forward to finding out what this game was about. The narrative and the characters' motivations are still a mystery to me, which is not the sign of good storytelling, but the gameplay was pretty good.
A man after my own heart. Grew up loving final fantasy, waited with bated breath for every release, and now in my mid-30s, there's a company called from software that makes me s*** myself every time they release a trailer for their newest game.
I'm watching this while playing the original PS2 version (currently trying to find the materials to craft the "Tournesol" blade!). 😏 I recently started up a second playthrough after having not played it since its initial release, and I forgot just how much fun the game was; I think I've accomplished more during this second playthrough than the first, with much of the fun coming from giving each character their own "weapon style" - as of this comment, Vaan is wielding the Zodiac Spear (the best spear/weapon), Balthier the Fomalhaut (the best gun, with "dark shot" ammunition), Fran the Sagittarius (the best bow, with "assassin's arrows"), Basch the Ultima Blade (the fourth [?] best two-handed sword), Ashe the Gastrophetes (the best crossbow, with "sapping bolts"), and Penelo the Volcano (the best hand-bomb, with "castellanos" bombs).
As engrossing as I find the story and lore to be… I couldn't help but compare it to the _Star Wars_ series! 😅 Vaan's a poor kid wanting to leave his desert home and explore the skies; Balthier is a -smuggler- "sky pirate" with his non-human copilot Fran; Ashe is the princess fighting against an evil empire to restore her lost kingdom; Balthier is a disgraced knight with a family member who sided with the empire; and Penelo… is just kind of there (sorry, Penelo!). Add to all of that the rather "alien" looking non-"humes" and the heavy focus on -the Force- magical "Mist" and magicite/nethicite, and I just couldn't help myself with this comparison.
The game absolutely does its own thing, though, and I love it for it. (Taking a complete 180°, Vayne always reminded me of Pete Burns from the band, Dead or Alive. ♫ _"You spin me right-round, baby, right-round, like a record, baby, right-round round round…"_ ♪)
*EDIT:* I'll have to remember to talk to Jovy again, since I've completed all of those hunts! 😭
Really good video, subbed.
Did you ever play Vagrant Story?
Nah, never have. I heard it's great though!
@@candletype1a447 you got to find a way to play it. It's the Original Ivalice by the creator. Also to me it feels like a souls game of its time. We seem to have the exact same taste in games so try it.
I've begun a playthrough myself! I've never finished it, but I got pretty close back in the PS2 days. Hopefully, I'll actually finish the game this time!
orignal version over re-released versions any day! fight me!
**slaps your chin, twists your nose and pokes your right eye**
I challenge you to a 3 Stooges duel!
I love FF and have played almost every mainline game (1-10, 13, 15) but 12 put me off so many times. So many times, whether Vaan's opening rat dungeon, or the first hunt, or learning to deal with the license board--not being able to equip a weapon you just bought--Raithwall's Tomb, the demon wall in Raithwall's Tomb, that crazy long trek to Raithwall's Tomb... but, after so many times I've walked away over the many years since this game's release, I have recently started a fresh play-through of FF12: The Zodiac Age and I have finally broken through. I understand the systems, I've unlocked duel license boards and am well on my way to maxing them out. I've got my gambits down, as my characters now automatically do what I want them to--such as give eye drops to someone who is blind--without me having to input commands. Most importantly, I have finally gotten wrapped up in the story--the explosion of Arcadia's premiere fleet was shocking and Basche, Fran and Balthier make much more interesting companions than early game Vaan and Penelo. So here's to this great retrospective and FF12. It's taken quite a few false starts--more than any other game I've played probably--but we're finally in the groove and I'm playing a FF game and loving it. Everything in its right place.
It clicked for me as well once I figured out the gambits.
Your just mad u opened the chests to fuck up zodiac spear ps2 version is best version
@@johnmicah2193 I'm glad I stuck with it. I ended up putting in 90 hours, doing all but 4 hunts and I actually beat the game last night unlocking new game+. RIP Vayne. Very Star Warsish ending but I dig it.
I still consider Vayne to be one of the best FF Villains. Morally grey fits him best - Yes, he does horrible things. Very horrible things. But I always got the impression that he does so with honourable motives. Uniting mankind in order to prevent future wars does't sound so bad. Also, he and his father seemed on the same page imho. His father was sick, and he knew that. So killing him and blaming the Senate was the only way to make sure that "House Solidor lives on". And the way Vayne gently puts his fathers dead hand in a more dignified position also shows, that he deeply cared for him.
There are alot of subtleties about Vayne, wich I deeply adore.
I love this game. Arguably, X is probably the best, XII is still my number 1. Ivalice is a fantastic world. I may be a minority here though and say I preferred the difficulty of the og game. I wish they would have brought over the jobs but left the rest mostly alone. I think the next time I play, I will limit myself to 1 job like izjs versuon. Thanks for the good watch.
Great retrospective! What I’d do to revisit the world of Ivalice, sometimes I wonder what that cancelled FF12 game would be like. For a game with so much lore it’s a shame the FF franchise hasn’t revisited Ivalice.
I played revenant wings years ago and remember enjoying it, but can’t say if it was good story wise.
If you have the Switch, you can get this game for $19.99 right now in the estore
The story was enjoyable. But it’s the added lore and dialogue (similar to 12) that make it so great. I would read every bit of flavor text and NPS dialogue I could.
I have always questioned Venat's motives. I never fully believed that he truly wished to free men of the occuria, more Venat wished to free himself of the occuria.
Once we learned he was the second most powerful on that council, I felt even more sure of this theory.
I mean he taught man how to make nethicite, but what if he put some controls into the recipe tied to him. Siding with the largest empire, he could convince Vayne to march on girouvagan, wipe out the council and then turn on his former allies by draining or turning off their nethicite all together or when wielded against him. Putting the reigns of history in his hands over that of man.
Got no clue why people don't like XII, i think it's the best FF, no contest, (save for kingdom hearts, if i feel like starting a fight) and I've played every mainline and most of the spin offs. Dissisdia slapped too
FF8 is so misunderstood. It’s my favorite game of all time. 😊
although i do love the mechanics & systems of Ff12 (its my fav ff, and has been since it launched in 2006) i can admit that more refinements are needed to iron out it’s flaws….everything else about this game is about as close to perfect as i can imagine…it literally changed my taste in games
In my top 5...along with XIII...but this game is amazing.
I absolutely love love loooove Fran's voice and accent1
1:51:22 the Hunts system in FF12 is one of the best systems in gaming to me.