FINAL FANTASY XII THE ZODIAC AGE

I enjoyed most of my time with this game. I have to say though, out of all the Final Fantasy games I've played and finished so far (FF15, FF9 & FF8) this one felt like the biggest slog to me personally.

Which is a shame because out of all the FF games I've looked at so far, FF12 was the one that interested me the most. I liked the story, even though it was a little difficult to follow at times, maybe I would have understood it better if I played FF Tactics since that's set in the same universe, I believe.

But the things I didn't really like about it the most were the side quests involving monster hunting and how large the map areas were. I did the first dozen or so hunts but I became pretty bored with them after a while because all they end up being is just your typical go here to talk to NPC and then go there to hunt newly spawned monster and then return. The world is so massive and the use of teleport stones required in order to fast travel conveniently made doing these quests quite cumbersome and the back-tracking can become very dull fast.

I loved the Gambit system essentially automates everything for you so you don't have to constantly pause the game to heal a character or cure an affliction because you can just add in commands that the characters will do that automatically. It reminded me of the Dragon Age: Origins tactics system.

I didn't like how the game seems to force you to grind. I began to alternate all of the party members, levelling them up in increments of 5 before switching out as I casually made my way mapping out the enter new areas I came to, ensuring to battle pretty much all the enemies to try and mitigate any grinding, but I eventually came to a point (around level 35) where all of my characters were under-levelled by more than 10.

It just became a pain, and I was forced to grind but could only be bothered to do it for 3 characters because I hate grinding, it's not fun nor challenging. Just a monotonous time waste. This is why I always make sure I kill every monster on the maps I go through in RPGs to try and avoid having to do that. If my characters aren't at an appropriate level after doing this, I consider the game to be flawed in this regard. I also hate it when party members only get EXP for being in the active party.

Saying that though, I still enjoyed most of my time with it and played the majority of the game on my Steam Deck and it ran flawlessly at 30fps and the power limited which ensured I was able to play 2-3 hours before needing to charge.

This game reminds me of my childhood. From back in the last dying days of the PS2 era. I remember as a 14 year old kid trying to play this game and getting stuck somewhere to never finishing it on PS2. I am glad I picked this up a while ago so I can relive some memories.

Second time playing this game and it is still one of my top favourite Final Fantasy games.

the definition of mid, good soundtrack tho.

This is the final fantasy game that got me hooked on the franchise since the ps2 days, everything about this game is just good, play it, you will not be disappointed

Best Final Fantasy game for me

Never got around to this game when it released on the PS2. Enjoying this game quite a bit. Well done port, cheats are fun, and visually looks great. This has one of the best OST's for a FF game as well. Gambit system is a bit of rip off of DA origins, but works well enough. Highly recommend

Final Fantasy XII has been my favorite game of all time ever since I first played it on the PS2 many years ago. It tells a genuinely epic story filled with many charming and compelling characters. The art design is astonishing. Everything from character design, monster design, architecture, magic particle effects, vehicles, NPCs, equipment, and everything in-between is beautiful and packed with incredible level of detail. The combat of the game can be simple if you're sticking to just experiencing the main story, or it can be incredibly complex and challenging if you choose to complete the side quests and Hunts, collect the 13 Espers, and take down the optional super-bosses. The volume of side content is greater than the amount of content in the main story, and in my opinion is the more fascinating and rewarding parts of the game. Every dungeon that you visit in the main story can be revisited for Hunts, Espers and/or side quests where you will unlock a whole new section of the dungeon with more challenging enemies and better treasure. The deeper you get into the game, the more intriguing and rewarding the experience of completing content becomes.

This PC version of Zodiac Age includes numerous quality of life improvements over the PS2 original. A "Speed Up" function makes backtracking and farming a less time-consuming grind by speeding the game up at either 2x or 4x speed. It has higher graphic fidelity and PC graphics configuration options, English and Japanese audio option, and a very convenient addition of auto-saves. There are also a number of great PC mods available for the game on NexusMods to tweak a number of features like enemy difficulty, player strength, EXP and LP gain rates, weapons and magic, and much more. Having this game on PC is the ultimate version of the game for you whether you're playing it for the first time or doing your 6th playthrough.

On a scale of 1 to 10 I give it a 12

Disclaimer: This is not a review, this is just my personal feelings on this game. I'm giving this a positive rating because the Steam port of FFXII: The Zodiac Age runs great and I highly recommend it if you are interested in playing FFXII: TZA on PC (0 issues on Steam Deck).

This was my first "new" mainline FF game since playing FFX as a kid in the early 2000's on the PS2. I fucking hate this game. I guess it's not really that bad or offensive overall but man, I think this game just sucks and I dislike almost everything about it. Is it as bad as FFX-2? Honestly? I'd say equal to or worse. Both games are extremely tedious to play in general let alone 100% but I would say FFXII is more offensive due to the sheer amount of RNG involved. The concept of an "offline single-player MMO experience" is unbelievably stupid to me and I've played Maplestory on and off for almost 20 years. The gambit and license systems sucked and were not fun or pleasant to navigate. The plot of this game is boring and generic compared to previous entries in the series and it has the weakest FF protagonist ever, Vaan. All of the characters were bland and uninteresting aside from Balthier. There were so many cringy cutscenes and they all last so long and everything is so slow and drawn out... and that's not even including the requirements to 100% the game. Getting all achievements in this game wasn't particularly difficult, just unbelievably long and tedious. My Steam time is recorded at roughly 84 hours but my in-game time is about 73 hours so that means 11 hours were spent RNG farming either the main-game or trial mode.

This game is terrible and I will never play it again in my life. I am so happy that it's finally over and I will pray for the people that consider this game good or fun. It's been over 2 years since I started my journey to 100% every mainline single-player FF game and after experiencing FFX-2 and FFXII I'm truly happy to have survived the PS2 FF era and won't be looking back.

Luckily this game has A LOT of cheese to help make it slightly more tolerable. I wasn't able to manipulate RNG on the Steam Deck so I couldn't get the Seitengrat, so the main cheese I used was Trial Mode abuse. I played the game as vanilla as I could, but once I got to the point that I just didn't care anymore and just wanted to finish the game (after a 3-month break) I researched how to abuse trial mode. I started off by stealing 3 Karkatas which later on turned into 3 Wyrmhero Blades and 3 Ribbons. This and abusing the "Wither" technick turned all of the superbosses into pushovers except for the Judges on Trial 100 which required the "Nihopalaoa + Remedy" strategy.

The Classic, lovin this game since its PS2 era

Back when i played this in the ps2, i have loved the game. Now that it is in steam, i bought it immediately but im sad that it crashes right before i can start the game.

Amazing game on its own, and The Zodiac Age does a great job of modernizing it.

I haven't finished the game but I def had fun with it. I didn't feel like pushing through just to end up ruining my overall good impression of the game.

The story was okay. The setting was nice, very Star Wars-like. The cast was hit or miss.

The systems were interesting and unusual. Especially, the licenses and gambits. The latter must be what makes this entry in the series so dividing - these are the rules you adjust for your characters for combat and the game basically plays itself (though you can completely ignore those).

Quality of Life features and the port overall are good - there's animation speed-up and even infinite money and license points if you don't want grinding.

What I didn't like was how the game handled side quests (not hunts) - some NPC gives you a task, and there are no notes or anything about it anywhere. You either have to remember everything or use an outside-of-game source to store information. That's the old JRPG approach I hope will never come back.

All in all, though divisive, for me retroactively, this feels like one of the best Final Fantasies.

Good story, pretty boring combat 90% of the time however.

Story's very mid, but the combat is excellent. Half the game is just strategizing, carefully determining the distribution of skills between your characters for different enemy types, as only one character can inhabit each class (and every character eventually must pick two of the twelve classes).

Some things you'll have to consider are which enemies are susceptible to which elements, ensuring at least one character in your party is capable of knowing the enemy's weaknesses, which accessories will most benefit you in certain situations, accounting for enemies which fly and/or are best kept at a distance, time magicks to strategically slow and delay your enemies (which will require their own planning to build around), which foes are immune to which skills, the order to fight the enemies in, which gambits (programmed strategies) you will pick, alternatives, why, etc.—the combat is just excellent in the later stages and it does get pretty damn difficult later on. Suddenly just ramps up in difficulty and hands you your ass right when you thought you had your team down.

So involved and so many different strategies you'll both have and need to constantly switch up to match the different enemy types which keep changing throughout the game. Taking 5 hours to determine which builds are most efficient just so you can absolutely demolish enemies in one place and get destroyed in another—that's the real bread and butter of this game. The planning and execution is just so satisfying.

Meh. Just ok. Pretty poor in my opinion. Doesn't hold a candle to final fantasy 6. The story was ok, but very short. I beat te final boss and won the game without even finding half the gear or magic spells.. It would have been nice to actually get to try the stuff i spent hours grinding to unlock alll the license boards.. Most of the game is mindless grinding on hunts and stuff for absolutely nothing worthwhile. Oh and i beat the final boss in like, 3 seconds? i didn't even have time to count. It was like "rargh! i am a beast now!" one punch later "wraor! i am falling to pieces!" .. game over. Incredibly anti-climatic.

If i had known what a lousy, boring, grindy, and cheap game it was gonna turn out to be, i would have never wasted my time or money. Period.

A classic always worth playing

Final Fantasy 12 Is My Top 1 Favorite In The Final Fantasy Series, I Already Finished The Original Game 7th Times on PS2,Still Now This Game Never Gets Old Especially With The New Zodiac Job System Which Make Each Character Unique Depending Of On Their Jobs, it's a bit Easier than the OG but Still Very Fun to Play, I Hope Someday This Will Have A Remake.

Final Fantasy XII was made principally by the team that made Final Fantasy Tactics, and in the sense that this entry in the series was an effort to modernize the franchise with MMO-inspired real time combat, FFXII is a success. The gambit system, which is a bit overwhelming at first, is a very useful tool once you learn how it works. This Zodiac version of the game in particular gives you great flexibility in building your party and your approach to battling tough enemies. The freedom to explore the world, especially compared to FFX, combined with the flexible combat and character progression, makes this a game you can really sink your teeth into. It's a great RPG.

It is not, however, all that great a Final Fantasy game. While I recommend Final Fantasy XII overall, story is where this game falls short, and for a Final Fantasy game this is a major disappointment. The characters are just not very memorable. Vaan is set up as the protagonist, but he and his friend Panelo are really just along for the ride. The plot really centers on Ashe and Basch, and while Bash is interesting, Ashe is just overall a dull character. Fran's sultry appearance makes for attractive character design, but she too is just there. She is a companion of Balthier, and there is a hint of interesting backstory concerning her and her village, but it doesn't amount to much. The plot has potential, but the writing is uninspired, in the end the plot is elementary level political intrigue. FFXII's story is a major disappointment, especially coming off of FFX, which takes place in an enticing setting and has very memorable characters. People make fun of Tidus for being kind of goofy and dumb, but he is certainly an engaging character, and he really helps to draw the player into the story of FFX in a way that none of the characters of XII even come close to doing.

One thing that really drags the game down is that the lead-up to the denouement consists of two bland dungeons that are a slog to get through. The hunting clan, which is basically a series of optional boss fights, really picks up the slack when it comes to FFXII's endgame. In the end, Final Fantasy XII gets a tepid thumbs up.

The best Final Fantasy game out there. Have you ever wanted to play an MMO but hate having to team up with other people?
Well, this is the game for you.

Part of the development team were from FF11 (online), their influence is extremely noticeable, in a good way.
This world feels alive and plays similar MMOs! big open and diverse worlds filled with NPCs, loot and adventure, not to mention that the game does not hold your hand at all.

Choose to do story missions or simply explore the world and grind. You can go almost everywhere and can access areas throw multiple ways. the world is insanely connected with a good map.

6 characters and 12 jobs.

The only side quests are Hunts! you pick up a bounty, you talk to the quest giver, and then you go kill the monster and report back. The hunts increased in difficulty until you reach the End game hunts, and that where the loot and grind comes from.

The battle system is nothing new at this point, you either love it or hate it.

Additionally, there is a tower mode (100 level) where you fight random enemies and bosses (story and end game) with increased difficulty as you progress. You can import your game save data with all of your gear.

It does not matter if you are a story driven or end game player, the game excel at both. I cannot recommend this game enough. Very addictive!

Still a Great Game with awesome sound tracks and Good story.

9/10

Loved the game so much it runs beautifully but they should also add the new game plus option similar to switch where you can keep your equipment on another playthrough

i like suffering when i forget to save and try to brute force the dinosaur 10/10 gameplay and combat feels like an mmo but its challengeing and you feel a sense of accomplishment

This game unfortunately never got the chance it deserved releasing at the tail end of the PS2's lifetime, especially with all the delays and internal struggles it had to deal with. Nonetheless the final product holds a special place in my heart, cut content notwithstanding. The world of Ivalice is such a beautiful place rich with lore, which comes to no surprise since it's appeared in a few games prior (Tactics, Vagrant Story), so we have a world more fleshed out than it's predecessors like FFX. The soundtrack is phenomenal, and while the nostalgic part of me prefers the Original PS2 variants of the OST, the Remaster did it justice. Thankfully you can choose which one suits your fancy. The combat system is a nice hybrid between turn based and active combat (reminds me a bit of FFVI with the queue system), a bit hard to explain. While some people from the earlier days of Final Fantasy may not enjoy the shift from FFX's combat to this, the ability to personally program and tune what your party does under certain circumstances was really cool to me. The art style is probably my favorite in the series, alongside the character designs, the Judges in particular being my favorite designs from the series. One complaint I have is the main cast of characters are just a little more lacking in terms of personality this entry, likely due to content being cut so the game would actually release (Penelo in particular is the biggest victim of this), I can confidently say most characters you'd see such as side characters have a lot more personality to them than you'd expect for NPCs. Definitely feel more like people also living in the world you're exploring than some lifeless NPCs. Lastly, the chef's kiss to this game has to be the voice acting. The localization team did an above and beyond job translating things in a manner that's not too unlike a Shakespearean play. It's music to my ears, from the varied accents of different cultures and races in-game to the sheer poetry of it all. While it may not be everyone's thing, I find myself preferring this over everyone somehow sounding the same despite being from different countries. The story overall aged a lot better than most games would and holds up to today's deteriorating standards of storytelling, so I'd give this game a try if you've been disillusioned with the games we've been getting recently.

Fantastic game. Get some mods, it becomes the best FF game ever made. A lot of extra content too. A little grindy if you want to see super-endgame... but that's FF for you.

I would have liked to see some Brown people, but we don't exist in this universe. Only other playable race is a bunny girl for the fanbois, but she's legit.

The best part is that the first character you play never is the main character. He's more like your voiced avatar from an mmo. You play someone else's story, and their story is awesome. I think this game would have been deeper if you could pick between Vaan and Penelo as your "main" character. Even if all that changed was who you run around towns as, that would have been a nice touch.

My only gripe is that this game is missing some spells (no ground spells, ability to easily group cast some buffs), technicks that aren't about thief and debuffing are useless, and the jobs aren't balanced at all. Whoever is a Black mage, time mage, or gets curaja wins the game. Anyone else, melee isn't bad, but isn't endgame except for niche enemies.

I guess my other gripe which is more of a modern issue is that this game will guide you towards some quests, but there is so much missable content that is required to see endgame. If you want to progress the main story, you don't need a guide. If you want to see everything, you'll be staring at jegged forever.

go play any other final fantasy game before you play this one

The game surprisingly interesting. I mean there are no side quests, side activities all are grind (you just fight different bosses and this is it). The plot is 7/10, characters are stable and never develop. But it's still surprisingly enjoyable

I picked up this game on PS2 back when it was released but never finished it. I'm enjoying the improved graphics options for the PC release. As someone who's played a fair amount of MMOs, I like how the combat system makes the game feel like a solo-MMO.

Love the remastered graphics and sound, but especially like the remastered job system... very awesome work for a game that is hands down a masterpiece

A transitional yet essential entry in the Final Fantasy lineup. Upon it's initial release, XII marked a bold step away from SE's golden era of turn-based RPGs. XII's combat system in my opinion is excellent and marks a high-point in SE's development arc, before they surreptitiously began making their flagship RPGs into action games. Anyone who's played MMORPGs should find XII's gameplay to feel very natural and familiar.

Additionally, this version of the game, "The Zodiac Age", has included a smattering of improvements such as constricting character progression into classes (trust me, it may not sound like it, but it's an improvement), a "Trial mode", several renditions of Hitoshi Sakimoto's excellent soundtrack, etc.

While the story of XII might be a touch formal and the designs a tad overwrought compared to "golden era" Final Fantasy entries, neither of those things remotely detract from my hearty recommendation of this title. XII is an expansive, beautifully rendered world with really satisfying gameplay that should immediately appeal to anyone who remotely enjoy any manner of RPG.

Final Fantasy XII is a superb game.

Back in the PS2 days i first played FF12 as my first FF game ever. The world was something i wanted to dive into, Tho at the time, I was not very good at understanding things, So i unfortunately Did not complete FF12 on the PS2. Years later the remaster edition was announced and The amount of excitement at the time was hype. I sat through on the Ps4 version and completed it in a week and at the end of it all, it felt like i closed a chapter left open for so many years. To this day i still talk and gush about FF12.

The world itself is very vibrant, Even tho there is quite alot of sand, it is stylized so very well that even the PS2 version to this day holds up graphically. It is known as the Star Wars FF game and for good reason. If you like Star Wars but want a more medieval setting, this game is for you. Theres so much going on around you and it knows that as your main character you are, isnt really the Main person of the story. Instead we get a unique narrative of witnessing it as the outsider and it is well done on that. In the background of things going on during your quests, The world turns, The narrative continues and overall if given the time, things piece together very well.

The combat is unique with the gambit system and to this day is one of my most beloved RPG systems for combat to date. Sure you can let the game auto play, but there are times where u need to manually take over, All it really does is remove the constant clicking of commands and even in super bosses, You arent gonna be relying on them. Its like an ease of access with the power to manually take control without having to turn it off if ur set up is good. Getting things in order to do things, and overall have it flow smoothly is a feeling all in itself. It takes some experiementing or even asking someone or googling about it, to really get it down, but you can also figure it out just by playing around.

The game was created on an emphasis of "your choices matter" and in this version they still matter but theyve added a fair bit of reworking and redoing so you dont have to restart over and over if u mess up later down the line so your end game story build could be changed in this version to get ones for specific things, and proper builds for superbosses. As someone who restarted this game countless times it is a very welcome change to let me stay playing. Tho i will say overall this version is much easier than the original PS2 release.

Overall, it is a very good game if you give it a chance and understand why the story is told the way it is, why the mechanics are the way they are and overall just let yourself be enveloped by this amazing world. This is hands down one of the best FF games in my opinion and to some they will disagree, But what matters isn't my opinion, or the mass majorities, Its how you feel when you play it and how much you like it. So i urge you to try it and fairly judge it yourself.

i LOVE this game.
However,
Every tough monster is just immune to just about every spell. immobilize, sap, slow, etc..
why not make those last a short time rather than nullify them. I hesitate to cast a spell because I just assume the monster will be immune to it.
Other than that.. 10/10

This game is an offline MMO. Straight trash. One of the worst stories in the whole series and hands down the worst cast.

Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age is a masterpiece that blends timeless storytelling with groundbreaking mechanics, offering an unforgettable journey through the world of Ivalice. A remastered version of the 2006 classic, The Zodiac Age elevates the original with its enhanced graphics, reorchestrated soundtrack, and the revamped Zodiac Job System, making it the definitive way to experience this epic tale.

The story is rich and political, immersing players in a world torn apart by war and ambition. The game's central characters, led by Vaan and Princess Ashe, each bring unique perspectives and motivations, creating a layered narrative that’s as personal as it is grand. The complex relationships and moral ambiguities make Ivalice feel alive, pulling players into its intricate tapestry of alliances and betrayals.

The Zodiac Age introduces significant improvements to gameplay. The Zodiac Job System allows for deeper customization of party roles, letting players experiment with dual jobs and build diverse strategies. The Gambit System, another standout feature, gives you control over how your party operates in battle, striking a perfect balance between action and strategy. Combined with the optional speed mode, these features streamline exploration and combat, making the game feel modern without losing its classic charm.

Visually, the remaster is stunning. Ivalice’s environments, from the bustling streets of Rabanastre to the vast deserts and lush forests, are beautifully rendered. The reorchestrated score is equally breathtaking, adding depth and emotion to every scene.

If there’s a downside, it’s that the game’s world and systems are so engaging that it leaves you wanting more. The main story feels perfectly paced, but I found myself yearning for additional quests, areas, and character arcs to prolong the experience. Thankfully, the game offers plenty of post-story content, including challenging hunts and side quests that add layers of replayability.

Overall, Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age is a must-play for RPG fans. It’s a shining example of how to preserve the heart of a classic while enhancing it for a modern audience. If only it could be longer – because leaving Ivalice is the hardest part.

Edit: Update to my review. Still a thumbs up but the port did, in fact, end up shitting the bed for me after 3 straight days of game play, at 30 hours in, I enter Eruyt Village and I get the error "Broken game data. Please restore or repair game data." I went into game properties on Steam and verified the data. One file was unverifiable. It patched the data all on its own and now it's playable again. That's strike one, I guess. I think if I can't finish the game without any further issues, I might change to a thumbs down. For the port, not the game. I will say, when I googled the problem, this does seem to be a common issue with FF ports.

I loved this game when I first played it at 15, when the game first released and I still love it now. I don't think turn-based rpg game play has ever been as perfect as this game made it. Gambits are an amazing mechanic. While the story isn't my favorite out of all the Final Fantasies, I still don't think it's a bad one. It's just very politics driven and that's always going to be polarizing. I do, however, think the cast of characters is still a strong one. I don't have much to say about the Zodiac system. It's not what I first played with but I don't think the difference is enough for me really complain about. And the game runs perfectly fine for me. Not sure why it's shitting the bed for others.

My only real complaint is: WHY, WHY, WHY does the volume control not affect the "nice" cut scenes?? Or reflect on the Home screen? Please, my ears are bleeding.

The game worked fine for me. Couldn't point out a bug if i wanted to, even though some folks say they had troubles. Xbox controller functions work just fine. Great Final Fantasy game to go back and replay.

Great game, but plagued with frequent crashing issues and compatibility issues.

One of the most underrated games of the franchise, and with numerous upgrades from the original PS2 release. It was the franchise's first crack at real-time combat, and it works better than you might expect. The gambit system also appeals to my latent autism. Pick it up on sale and you won't be disappointed. Plays great on Steam Deck so far as well, if that is something that appeals to you.

Fun Game, Good Story. Combat is a bit dated the 2X or 4X times speed is a necessity or the battles simple battles drag out way to long. But overall the game is fun. The main story is a bit on the easy side but this is balanced by more difficult side quest and hunts and optional bosses. The option to play New Game Plus mode another good aspect as it allows for people who wish to skip the grind and enjoy the game.

I recently decided that, since I constantly want to replay each individual Final Fantasy game but never seem to think I have time, I’m going to dedicate 2025 to replaying all of the Final Fantasy games in one go. So, this is the first installment of my Final Fantasy retrospective.

I kicked this project off with the most logical game in the series to start with: Final Fantasy XII.

The first (and only) time I’ve played this one was fifteen-ish years ago on the original PS2 hardware. You might think that would make me a prime candidate to compare the Steam/Zodiac Age version with the OG release… but years of obliterating my braincells with mind-altering substances has left me with very few memories of my first playthrough. Seriously, I didn’t remember the second half of the game at all. Basically, this was like playing a brand-new game.

What I do remember from my time with it before was that I liked it. That still holds true after this playthrough. Sure, the story veers into ridiculousness by the end of the game and few of the characters hold a special place in my heart… Nothing has changed about that. But the world of Ivalice is fucking awesome, as always. And the Star-Wars-y tone of the story works better than one might expect. Most importantly, however, this game succeeds in what is arguably the most important aspect that any game can hope to succeed in: it’s a lot of fun to play.

Unlike the offline games that bookend this one (X and XIII), exploration is not only possible but encouraged. Instead of being linear like those others, this is as open-world as one could reasonably expect a Final Fantasy game from this generation to be. The maps are huge and they’re full of hidden areas, secret treasures, and elite monsters.

Thankfully, I still loved the battle system in this one. It’s much different than any other Final Fantasy. And even though this one could most easily be compared to the online games in the series, it’s not really like those, either. Autobattle is the focus of this one so, by the time the player opens up all of the options available to them, it’s more akin to an idle or automation game. The player sets the possible actions of the characters with things called “gambits” (essentially, “if-then” statements) and, if the player did it right, the party gets to work whooping everything’s ass without direct input from the player. Of course, if your gambits are poorly planned, the player gets to sit back and watch their party get their shit pushed in. This might not sound like a lot of fun when I explain it like that but I super-promise that it is.

The fact that it’s still fun is partly due to the quality-of-life improvements that have been made since the original release. (I guess I do remember some stuff about my first playthrough, after all...) The game now autosaves every time the player crosses over a threshold into a new zone. Plus, thanks to a fast-forward feature, the game now runs in double time, so backtracking isn’t as painful as it once was. (And there is an option in the settings to double that speed so that the game runs at quadruple time. I didn’t play like that because of my slow reaction time but the option is available for more sober players.)

Honestly, it was really cool to look back at this one because, while there have been some improvements made to bring it up to speed with modern games, a lot of the features in the game were there in the original version. The fast travel, map system, and hunts all feel right at home with the modern crop of RPGs. There are some features missing (like accessing the fast travel menu from anywhere or pinning the details of a hunt to the HUD) but it was a little unbelievable to see how close Square Enix was to making a game that was up to today’s standards in 2006. What I’m trying to say is that, in terms of gameplay, this game might hold up the best out of all the classic Final Fantasy games.

If you don’t mind that this is one of the weaker games in terms of story, then it is absolutely worth a playthrough. After playing it again, I’m still comfortable with this one falling into my top five favorite Final Fantasy games. Just know that what you’re getting with this one is totally unlike what you’ll get with other early games in the series. But, if you’re looking for another JRPG with modern sensibilities to play but haven’t played this one, give it a shot. You might be pleasantly surprised like I was.

muy divertido, el sistema de combate y esta muy bien balanceado todo, el diseño de la dificultad es perfecta

I'd say 40-50 of these hours were afk leveling. I think this has to have the most beautiful art of any of the final fantasy games. I would love to see more games in this art style

Story

I think the story was a little basic but still enjoyable and timeless. There were so many main characters I felt like a few of them didn't get the development they deserved, but the moments that they did have were well done and fun to watch!

Gameplay

I had a lot of fun with the gameplay of this one. I liked setting up character gambits, it's kind of like if - then statements. If the enemy is weak to fire, then this character will auto use fire spells. It's nice and casual type of gameplay. But also not without strategy for some of the tougher bosses.

My only real complaint is the low drop rates for good armor and weapons, which makes 100%-ing the game VERY tedious. I gave up on it myself. But it was fun while it lasted!

Probably my least favorite of the FF series but it runs well on PC and is still better than a lot of modern JRPG's (I'm looking at you Metaphor Refantazio).

Overall: 7/10

Well, wow~ Not as good as I remembered, beating 1/2 of this game when I was a teenager, but still a good game and lots of fun in the early-mid game while getting stronger & learning the combat systems. The story is more grounded and based in politics, though the magic & "destiny" side of the story are done well I think. I really appreciate the story stuck with its guns and didn't go off the rails like I felt Final Fantasy Tactics did, in the last 1/3 of that game, emphasizing a demon/fantastical villain. The final foes of this game being a human and having reasonable motivations was refreshing.

However, the combat of this game & character progression broke down for me in the late mid-game and late game, after getting to Giruvegan about. The combat became dull and boring once I unlocked all the License Boards for each character and programmed my gambits to respond to almost any scenario, that I just watched the game play itself basically :\ In some parts, its cool to see your characters destroy the enemies effortlessly following your instructions, but it needed some more input & variation in strategy options for players like me to stay interested in the combat. It just became a slog and I was finding myself looking forward to the end of the game, and not wanting to do any more sidequests. I did 40 or so of the Hunts and didn't do any of the Rare Game hunts, as I was already burnt out from this game at this point. At ~90 hours into the game, I just rushed through Pharos and the Bahamut to finish the story. That's not a feeling I've had in any other Final Fantasy game, other than maybe FFX though I had more fun with that game's combat than this one, at the end.

The music is top-notch though and really has some great tracks. I love the variation in styles & themes for the areas and the best tracks just slap. I do think the fight & boss music could have used more tracks, as other Final Fantasy games usually have unique boss music especially.

The art style & environmental design are pretty awesome to look at and I appreciated the variety of areas. I love the character designs of the main cast & side characters/villains.

I do wish the main cast had much more dialogue with each other and got to know each other & bond, like other FF games. The last cinematics and story while going through Bahamut seemed to bond the cast more than 80% of the game and felt very weird. They really dropped the ball with the writing & pacing of developing the main cast to actually care about each other & get to know each other.

Overall, I would recommend it to RPG fans but caution to not push yourself to do sidequests you don't find interesting. I think the game is good but not great, especially when compared to the incredible FF7 & FF8 in my opinion.

's good.

the story and stuff for all ff games is what ever but i like the combat in this one the most

Gameplay wise it may take a while to set in for someone but it is so fun when it does . The bootleg Star Wars plot was meh tbh but those Judges have that aura lmao.

The graphics and the ability to speed run and the option to start on new game plus for those of us that have already played and beat this back on the ps I love it.

my favourite game out of the entire franchise.
with the QoL updates that TZA introduces, this game is straight up a masterpiece.

I cannot get this game to work. It continues to freeze in a cutscene an hour into the game and I cannot fix it. I want to play this game but it appears to be faulty.