Final Fantasy XII Impressions

Well, it has been five years and I finally have a new Final Fantasy in my PS2. I am about 10 hours into the game and I seriously cannot get enough. I had heard all of the Internet complaining about Gambits and how it would "play the game for you", heck I even heard a guy in line at EBGames say he wasn't going to buy it because he prefers to play his Final Fantasies, not have them play themselves. I admit that the newest entry in the series did indeed sound like it was going to break away from the norm and try something new. Thankfully, it is good.

So good in fact that I cannot put it down. Now, you may laugh at me here, but the battle system was so new and fangled to me that I died (literally, I know, I suck) in the tutorial. What? In the tutorial? Is that even possible? I sat there looking at the game over screen for at least a minute or two, completely baffled. But, after that one minor setback, I quickly became accustomed to the new battles and you know what? I freaking love them! I heard someone compare them to .hack's battle system. I will agree that it is similar to .hack's battle system except that FF12's battle system actually works properly, looks incredible, is highly intuitive and possesses superb AI (which I can even program!).

So many people have complained about the gambit system and how it "plays the game for you". Screw that. It takes a good amount of strategy to get your party doing what it should do in every possible situation. Plus, you have to buy different gambits, try out different orders and customize them based on the situation. I don't know about you, but to me it is incredibly satisfying to program my party so well that they plow through all of the enemies around by themselves thanks to the AI I decided for them. Final Fantasy 12 has raised a new bar in micro-management and I could not be happier.

So, if this was the major complaint about Final Fantasy 12 and I love it, it is pretty obvious that I can't love the rest enough. The graphics are nothing short of spectacular (my wife even had to stop and watch) and the environments are deep, in-depth, varied, huge and gorgeous. They are also chock full of characters to interact with, enemies to battle, items to find/purchase and adventures to have.

The story so far is wonderful. It isn't proceeding too fast nor is it lagging. You truly have the option to take your time with this game (there is plenty to keep you busy) or move on if you feel the urge to progress the story. The pacing, characters and plot are extremely well done.

Final Fantasy 12 has done the impossible. It has kicked PSU out of my PS2 until I finish FF12. Those who know me will say that is the best testimonial I could possible give. Final Fantasy 12 is new, improved and a true step foward in the series which is something that cannot be said for very many franchises. Stay tuned for a full review once I make it through.

Comments (3) | Permalink | Lee Babin | 11.3.2006

Final Fantasy XII Cometh!

Ummm, can I get a HELL YEAH?? I have to admit I was pretty surprised to get the call that my copy of Final Fantasy XII collector's addition was here. Waiting 5 years for a new Final Fantasy (FF XI and FFX-2 do not count in my mind) has left me a frothing mass of anxious gamer.

I didn't think there was anything on earth that could stop my furious PSU addiction but this is obviously what happens when an unstoppable force hits an immovable object. I have no idea which game will take over my life but I kind of hope it is both :).

In any case, you can very easily expect more updates about PSU and FF XII here, I hope you like reading about RPGs!

PS - Yes, yes, I bought the strategy guide, but I will not be using it. Whenever I play a game I am anticipating this much, the first time I play through it, it will be sans guide. And this is the nice collectors edition that comes with a spiffy art book!

Comments (0) | Permalink | Lee Babin | 10.31.2006

Phantasy Star Addiction - Part Deux

I don't think it is any big secret that I completely and utterly adore Phantasy Star Online. I would wager that it is almost certainly the game I have played the most of in my entire life (followed by Xenogears and Final Fantasy VI). I have failed tests, missed work and foregone sweet parties just to satiate my PSO addiction. I even managed to get both my roommate and his girlfriend so addicted that both of them were missing college on a regular basis. There is no end to the Phantasy Star Addiction.

So, fast forward to about one week ago. Phantasy Star Universe is on the brink of release. I do not own an XBOX 360. I have a child due in less than a month. I am trying my very hardest to forgo my urge to buy a 360 just to play this one game. I manage, just barely, to hold out. Then, an alternative method enters my mind. What if I just buy the PS2 version? Well, how do you even get your PS2 online? I looked into it and it turns out my slim-line PS2 has a built in adapter. Ok, so how do I get an ethernet cable all the way from the master bedroom to the living room? Why, luckily I have the longest ethernet cable known to man kind and an incentive to run it through my walls (cleanly) and into the bonus room. Hmm, this plan is so crazy it just might work!

So it was that I picked up my addiction yesterday and managed to get the wire ran (despite some "issues" getting the fat ethernet tip under my baseboards...). Booting the game up immediately got me psyched. The addiction came back without the slightest of delay. PSU plays almost the same as PSO but with enough differences to make it seem a whole new experience. The music, scenario and gameplay all bring back warm nostalgic memories.

It's not all fun and games so far for me though. While I did not have any issues getting my Guardian account setup or getting onto the network to play, holy crap did I experience some FREAKISHLY BAD lag. I am not even beginning to kid. The lag was so bad that the music would cut out almost every 5 seconds. Not only that, but when I joined my first party, I did not do so well. Why did I not do so well you ask? Well, the game was taking so long to load my weapons and the enemies that it was rediculous. First off, I could only see my compatriots fighting nothingness, I could see no enemies. Then, when the enemies finally did show up for me (it took a while), I was forced to smack them around with my bare hands because my weapons hadn't loaded yet. Then, finally, when everything finished loading, most of all the enemies would be toast and I would have to move to a new area to start the whole process anew.

Also, and I think this has to do with the lag, it takes FOREVER to load every screen. And this is a compounded problem by the fact that you have to go through about 6 or 7 screens before you can even get in on the action. The load times are horrendous. I seriously think this has to do with my lagging though (as the load times in the offline game aren't so bad). I really hope this is just hiccups in the first few days of the server being up and running and that the lag will disappear after a while. I think this is likely because they are probably getting hit hard with people right now as it just came out.

So I know I just bagged on the game for a couple of paragraphs but don't let that make you think I don't love it. I love the fact that although it is new and improved, it still feels like PSO. So far the combat feels much more refined (no more attack in one direction like a robot combos), everything feels fluid with very little break in the action. Also, there seems to be a plethora to do including a room to decorate and hide out in (which is great when you need to take a break). It is also nice that you can now get together in groups of 6.

In any case, I have the addiction again and I can't wait to spend some more time with it. Keep watching for my inevitable review of PSU, I hope I end up loving it just as much.

Comments (1) | Permalink | Lee Babin | 10.27.2006

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