Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age - PlayStation 4

I remembered playing the original on the ps2 back in day when I was young and even then it was evolutionary for it's time. I couldn't play the international version that released exclusively in Japan. I'm glad Square Enix remastered it into the zodiac age for everyone to play!I enjoyed the gameplay like I did back then. Only this time with 12 new jobs to assign to 6 characters gives a fresh new play style every play through. Having a dual jobs system and the ability to change jobs anytime you like if you meet a certain moogle at a hunt clan (due to the latest patch update, both of which were not available in the international version of the game) makes it less stressful to decide what job to assign to who.In my honest opinion, this is one of the best final fantasy games out there next to final fantasy X and VII!

This is the first JRPG [or even RPG] in which I have *desired* to grind. The truly brilliant customizable gambit system makes my team of "leading" men and women a powerhouse of awesome, that work they way I want them to, while I can hit the speed-up option, enjoy the scenery, and the sweepingly beautiful John Williams-esque music. I'll often run between far locations rather than fast-travel. I repeat, this is unusual behavior for me. I usually hit that fast travel button quicker than you can say "where are we headed?". Ivalice is a place you want to stay and enjoy for as long as you can.There are a few things you should look into before playing so you have a plan/better understanding before charging ahead, as you will be better able to enjoy the systems when you understand how they work: the Zodiac job system and the gambit system. I lot of the gripes I see about this game refer to these two things. Do some reconnaissance, learn how to utilize them to your advantage, and be a powerhouse!!!Also, I walked into this game with the idea that Vaan (although I liked him well enough) was simply one of many main characters. His purpose is to be the one who asks questions so people explain things to us throughout the game. If I was stuck in the idea the he was "the" main character, I think I might have enjoyed the game a little less. (Besides, we all know that Balthier is the "leading man" hahaha) Each of your party is a main character in their own right, and each has a story, motivation, and plan unique to them.The deeper storylines, political intrigue, recurring guest party members, multiple main characters, great personalities (looking at you Balthier!), all make for an exciting, downright enjoyable romp in lovely Ivalice that you won't be able to forget anytime soon! Do yourself a favor, if you are on the fence, give it a try. I truly doubt you'll regret it.

I bought this game for the good price and the great reviews from several sources (amazon, meta-critic), and because I wanted to fill the time before Pillars Of Eternity was released. Little did I know what I was getting into, this is no trivial, pansy romp like Dungeon Siege III. The game is huge, the reviews alluded to this but it wasn't until my character bought the maps for all the regions did I realize the amazing chains of areas linked together, in 3 different directions E, W and S. I am only 7 hours into it and I am already overwhelmed. There are several features that are quirky but ultimately part of the charm of this deceptively large game. The battle system is different than any other RPG I've played, part turn based, part FFXII craziness. You'll have to experience it to fully understand what I'm talking about. Equipment is "equipped" by obtaining license points in battle and you buy a license with these points which is definitely something I've never seen in an RPG before. It is slow going in the beginning, you won't die often if you're smart and retreat once and a while, but there are just some beasts you're not going to defeat until you've got your level and equipment up to speed. Yes this is something you can say about EVERY RPG in the universe BUT in this one but this levelling is sort of sanctioned via all of the licensing going on which is very, very unique. Graphics are beautiful having been ported from the PS2 version, and again unique. It has a real PS2 feel but beefed up. I recommend this game to anyone who wants to jump into an RPG for the first time or even the 70th time, you'll love the old school JRPG feel yet with the up to date firmware of the PS4.

I enjoyed this game immensely when it first came out on PlayStation 2, but was a little reluctant to play the whole game over again because of its density. I pulled the trigger and picked up the game while it was on sale, and am extremely glad I did so. The game is still as enjoyable as ever, and with the time elapsed since my last playthrough I feel like the story is still fresh and exciting. The improvements made by Square Enix are extremely welcome. The graphical overhaul makes the game look amazing, even at 12 years old. The ability to fast forward (at either 2x or 4x) at the push of a button is great for getting through some of the more dragged-out sequences, especially grinding for loot or experience. The fast-forward works surprisingly well in tandem with the semi-automated gambit battle system, as you can carefully craft your battle plan through setting up gambits and let the characters take care of combat after that. I am especially grateful that the game now contains an auto-save feature. I have vivid memories of frantically searching for save points when I had to stop playing the game, or leaving it running if I couldn't find one but had to leave. I am glad that the portion of 2006 that needed save points is done, even if they still existing in this game.I am excited to be able to re-experience this unique chapter of my favorite video game series in a way that feels both familiar and fresh at the same time. Final Fantasy XII definitely withstands the test of time, even more so than the Final Fantasy X HD Remaster from a few years ago. I look forward to what Square Enix has to offer with other legacy games in the series.