Square’s ‘FFXII’ is a gamer’s fantasy and that is final
After numerous delays, several well-publicized internal development issues, a slew of controversial spin-offs designed to tide fans over, and a colossal five-year wait that seemed more like an eternity than the last half of the decade, the first true successor of Square Enix’s venerable “Final Fantasy” series has finally arrived.
When “Final Fantasy XII” was officially announced way back in 2001, fans were skeptical about the game’s development team and the series’ new direction.
Fans grew more concerned when the game suffered delay after delay for the next couple of years.
Despite all of these setbacks, “Final Fantasy XII” has emerged as the landmark masterpiece in a series that transformed an obscure genre originally derived from D&D-inspired pen and paper games into one the single most influential video game templates in use today.
A sprawling, innovative epic that embodies all of the genre redefining characteristics that gamers have long associated with the legendary franchise while combining all of the divisive nuances created by the evolution of role playing games into one astonishing celebration of the genre, “Final Fantasy XII” is one of the greatest gaming experiences to grace the Playstation 2.
First introduced in “Final Fantasy Tactics,” the world of Ivalice is teeming with an assortment of strange races and creatures, sky pirates that vie for control the skies, and clusters of warring city-states. “Final Fantasy XII” opens with the brutal occupation of the once peaceful Dalmasca by the neighboring and militant empire of Archadia.
Players originally assume the role of Vaan, a charismatic street-urchin and traditionally effeminate protagonist that is soon thrust into battle against the Archadian Empire after crossing paths with Ashe, the widowed princess of the fallen city and the leader of a Dalmascan resistance group.
In addition to Vaan’s effervescent friend Penelo, other characters that soon make up the game’s sundry party include Basch, a Dalmascan soldier haunted by his past and his connection to Vaan, the swashbuckling Han Solo subplant Balthier and his striking, rabbit-eared companion Fran.
Unlike previous installments in the series, “Final Fantasy XII’s” narrative emphasizes the exploits and histories of each individual party member, without any one character taking center stage.
The result is as a storyline that works as an imaginative, twist-filled ensemble piece that places the crux of the storytelling on the politically-charged backdrop and on the sometimes sympathetic perspective of the game’s duplicitous villains.
The voluminous story sequences that decorate “Final Fantasy XII” are highlighted by a barrage of breathtaking FMV sequences, professional voice acting that reflects the game’s adult tone, and even in-game cutscenes that are visually unmatched by anything else on the Playstation 2.
With an engaging storyline that is versatile and sophisticated when compared to the series more traditionally juvenile and melodramatic entries, “Final Fantasy XII” represents a true advancement in storytelling complexity for the franchise.
One of the most controversial developments associated with “Final Fantasy XII” is the title’s abandonment of many of the series’ gameplay staples including the overworld map, random encounters, and the Active Time Battle system.
Dually inspired by the open-ended and proportional presentation of the world maps from MMORPGs like “Final Fantasy XI” and western RPGs like the “Elder Scrolls” series, Ivalice represents the first sprawling, fully-realized world map that allows players to experience a near-seamless transition from cities to open areas (despite brief loading times).
This newfound technical freedom, coupled with the many varied and gorgeous locales of Ivalice, imbues the game with an even greater sense of discovery and immersive gravitas than its grating forbearers.
Another element of “Final Fantasy XII” borrowed straight from its online-based brethren is the battle system. Enemies now appear on-screen and combat, like the world map transitions, occurs seamlessly.
The new “Active Dimension Battle” system completely eliminates the need for random encounters and provides the perfect combat vehicle for the game’s inventive Gambit System and License Grid.
Essentially a way to grant players access to the A.I. functions of their party members, the Gambit System gives players complete control over the automatically occurring actions of their comrades through a series of customizable input commands.
This system is complemented by the License Grid, a network of items, weapons, spells, and abilities that serve as the primary means for character development in the same vein as “Final Fantasy X’s” sphere grid. Certain licenses must be purchased in order for players to make use of the corresponding items.
The expansive grid is the same for all of the party members, providing the player with complete freedom to customize characters as they so choose.
With a deep and original battle system tailored to suit the game’s numerous player-specific needs, a riveting, multi-layered narrative that goes well beyond the storytelling capability of its predecessors, and a vast, superbly crafted game world, “Final Fantasy XI” represents the crowning achievement of a series that has consistently defined role-playing perfection.
Mack Perry is The Utah Statesman video game know-it-all, blistered thumbs and all. Send comments to him at mackp@cc.usu.edu.