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Full Review for Final Fantasy XII by John Woodman

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Introduction

We are finally here! A lot of years have been passed since the last Final Fantasy serie game for the Sony Playstation 2 (and I am not talking about the online episode FF XI with all his expansions).
Like every time, all the best console games arrives when the console commercial life is almost at the end... This is also the time for this new Final Fantasy XII, a game that can be classified like a masterpiece without hesitations or problems. Please keep reading and you will know why.
But this time I have to advise you, this episode is quite different from the usual game style you are used about. Here are an example: do you remember the sometimes boring and tiring random encounter system? When you are walking and suddenly the game stops you and forces you to fight one or more monsters. Well, this time you will walk around and will see the monsters. You are not forced to battle them, you can try to avoid them, fight them one by one or all in a single group, or even try other different strategies.
Be prepared for a different world and a different game with different rules. And you know what? It's the better Final Fantasy of all time! At least for me.

Graphics

I don't know if you remember an old game called "Vagrant Story", for the old PSX (after all we are talking about a 2000 game), but the game is located in the same world, called Ivalice. The graphic style is also very similar. You can't have a "first person" view, but you can move the camera view all around. The graphic style is clean and quite detailed, the streets are crowded with a lot of people of different races.
The only flaw that doesn't lead this game to the absolute perfection is the low resolution. Final Fantasy X and X-2 were much detailed than this one, but this game is also highly detailed and full of colours.
Usually a lot of data requires a lot of loading time, and usually this is an extremely bad thing for a game (a major flaw of a lot of games like the last WWE SmackDown! Vs. RAW 2007). Well, this time it was a great surprise, the loading time is quite short for the great data volume required... Because before the game loads first the location, then, while you are running or walking around, load all the crowd. I can assure you that it may sounds bad, but you will be used to this in a so fast way that you will require some time to notice this strange and so brilliant solution.

Sound

There are not many things to say about the sound of the game. The music are good, as the voices of the various characters in the game, as usual, being a Square work. They are good.
I can't tell you about the various high end sound system, because I can use only my home TV sound system. It's good, but I suppose it can be better, much better on a more powerful sound system. Sorry, boys.
Anyway, as usual Square people did an extremely good work with the game sounds, nothing more, nothing less.

Gameplay

A new feature of this game is the new and interesting "Gambit System". Basically, is structured into a set of commands available to every of your six characters, ordered by priority.
If well structured, you can almost forget about the battle, being sure that your partners will do a lot of work without problems. For example, you can prepare "Steal" as a first action, followed by regular attacks. You can set the use of a particular elemental magic if the opponent monster is weak to that element, and instruct your partners to heal (with the use of an appropriate spell or item, like a potion) if one of your characters is below a certain HP limit. There are a lot of set conditions, and of course a lot of actions available.
Another interesting feature is the "License Board System". Now, if you want to use a spell, a certain type of sword or an armour, you have to master the appropriate license before that. That's sound sensible to me, because, like in the real world, if you want to use weapons or spells, you have to be appropriately trained to it. Don't you think?

Lastability

Well, this is not a common game, and you will notice it for sure. The world of Ivalice will be like alive in front of your very eyes. You will travel back and forth and notice the weather change, like the dry and the rain season in the Giza Plains, that will give you two heavily different locations in the same place, with different monsters and treasures. Other places will show you sandstorms and other weather conditions that will affect your magic effectiveness and your weapon efficiency (I am not joking, I can assure you) forcing you to take different layouts for your squad depending of the ground and the weather. This may be sound very complicated at first, but you will be used to it in a fast way, you have only to use your eyes and you brain to notice it, nothing more.
The game also offer you a lot of interesting side quests, like the amazing "Monster Hunt" game that will allow you to climb the hierarchy of the Centurio Clan (with all the benefits of being a highly considered hunter, of course), and earning a lot of interesting and useful prices.
Summons (this time called "Espers") have made their return, but be aware, because only a few of them will be given by following the simple game story. All the other powerful summons have to be earned by you, finding and fighting these huge and extremely powerful monsters. It won't be a pleasure cruise, I can assure you about that, this time you will have truly to earn their power and respect.

Overall

Only two simple and short words are needed to concentrate all my thoughts about this Square role playing game masterpiece: BUY IT!
No doubt about it, you will enjoy the fascinating story of Ivalice, the interesting characters and the new highly addictive game system with the new amazing features. You will find quite hard to play old Final Fantasy games, or other turn based role playing games, because you will need all the fighting and strategy freedom granted by this game.
This game is also long, and can be quite hard, especially if you put your nose in some areas of the game where very strong enemies are waiting for too curious players... I have learned it in the hard way, I can assure you about that.
Anyway, this is not absolutely a common game like all the others, this is truly a masterpiece that can't be missed from all Final Fantasy fans, and if you only like role playing games, you have absolutely to buy it. You won't regret, you have John Woodman's word!