Anyone still first time?

[BlackWaltz]

I got my copy of FFXII on UK launch and i think the game is amazing.

I had been playing it bit by bit up to the Pharos and had taken a long break since. Anyways im back on it now and am ready to board the Bahamut. Im just heading to collect my Zodiak Spear first and then do the last of the hunts (not rare game) and collect all the espers.

Anyone still playing through for their first time? How are you enjoying it? and for anyone who has completed it, did you do all the hunts etc before completing the story or after?

Look forward to hearing from you.

[Vincent Valentine]

With most Final Fantasy, I'll trail through the whole game from start to finish in less than a week.

Final Fantasy XII is the first one that I haven't, and I'm actually quite enjoying it that way. I've been taking it at my own pace, travelling from location to location, soaking in the sights and simply enjoying the experience. It's rather different from the series in that sense, and I'm rather enjoying the experience.

[Jessweeee♪]

I got it last Christmas, and I didn't finish it until halfway into June XD

I haven't done any of the sidequests or hunts, yet though :P

I was totally surprised when I got to the end, I didn't realize it was the end until halfway through the Final Battle :o

[Xurts]

I didn't do any of the sidequests at the end of the game and just went straight to the final dungeon. The game was rather dull and boring for me, and I didn't feel any motivation to do the sidequests.

[BG-57]

I did all the Clan Centurio Hunts and most of the Elite Marks before taking on the final bosses, around level 60.

Now that I've beaten the game, I've gone back to an earlier save and gotten Ultima and (just today) Zodiark. I'm up to level 80 now. Next up is the Phon Coast Hunts, Omega, and Pharos Subterra. I'll save Yiazmat for last.

I find the game enjoyable except for the way you get treasure randomly from chests (the way the Zodiac Spear chest was handled was simply awful) and the way the automap is useless in the dungeons you need them the most.

[ReloadPsi]

I've had it since about a week after its UK launch, and I've not completed it. In fact it's been well over a month since I even played it, but I think I've just passed through the Salikawood for the first time, though I forget why. The game bores me, I'm unhappy to say.

[Big D]

I got the game in February (NZ release date) and finished about a month or so ago.
I completed a lot of the side-quests and hunts before finishing the story for the first time, but I wasn't nearly strong enough to do everything. Nor did I want to, because I was positively itching to see how it all ended.
Now, though, I'm plodding through the additional challenges. Yiazmat, for instance, is nearly down. I'm not sure I'll bothering with all the mini-games; fishing, especially, is bothersome and dull... but it is necessary to see the final Gilgamesh scene, so I mightn't have any choice.

[Nifleheim7]

I bought it the first day it was released in Europe,but i didn't (couldn't) start playing seriously through it until recently.
So far i really enjoy everything in the game except from the story,characters and music.I don't say that these three aspects are bad,but they are just not my kind of thing...
I haven't finished the game yet so i can't have a final opinion.

[Northcrest]

I think the game is really good but I still need to do the Ultimate Hunt Yiazmat.

[Renmiri]

I didn't do any of the sidequests at the end of the game and just went straight to the final dungeon. The game was rather dull and boring for me, and I didn't feel any motivation to do the sidequests.
The sidequests and hunts are the best part in the game. The main story is boring as hell

So far i really enjoy everything in the game except from the story,characters and music.I don't say that these three aspects are bad,but they are just not my kind of thing...
Same here.

I finished the game. On the balance the game was very fun and I spent a lot of time playing it, but the main story was not the reason.

[JonyH]

The most fun part was getting the espers and completing all the clan centurio hunts without a doubt. I liked the music and gameplay but not the story and characters as much. I LOVED the large world map though. When you put it in context, it was pretty huge. The sandsea on it's own was pretty big!

[Hazzard]

It gets extremely tiring on your second plathrough.

[fifie]

Yeah, i'm on my first playthrough! I've had the game since June, I didn't get it in February which was the UK release cos i wanted to concentrate on my exams :p!
I must say this is the hardest FF so far and I've played all of them :s!!
I'm on my way to Archades and am at the Sochen Temple/Palace battle at the moment.

[Brennan]

I'm not even halfway through it!
I'm so underleveled that I got bored.

[Cloud_Lion_Heart]

I think the game is a toss between FF10 and 11. Cause it takes as long as an MMOrpg, and the story line sucks just as bad. Also theres really no world map, all the areas are connected. Thats how it was in FF10. FF1-9 had a great big area where you could explore. Anyone else agree?

[AOp]

The story doesn't really propel itself along, so I thing that would lead to people feeling stuck.

[cloud20747]

I'm mad I still havent be it yet...(got it the second week it came out..smh)

[Heath]

I think the game is a toss between FF10 and 11. Cause it takes as long as an MMOrpg, and the story line sucks just as bad. Also theres really no world map, all the areas are connected. Thats how it was in FF10. FF1-9 had a great big area where you could explore. Anyone else agree?

I wasn't a fan of FFX's lack of a world map but I feel that FFXII handled it much better. Beyond the Calm Lands, I can't think of a single big plain of land that was present in FFX that would even be comparable to the distances you travel in say, FFIX's world map. FFXII seemed a much more realistic world in that the areas were larger and with a less linear style. I probably enjoyed exploring FFXII's world more than any others.

[Hazzard]

I think the game is a toss between FF10 and 11. Cause it takes as long as an MMOrpg, and the story line sucks just as bad. Also theres really no world map, all the areas are connected. Thats how it was in FF10. FF1-9 had a great big area where you could explore. Anyone else agree?

No, I don't agree, it's just that storyline can be perceived as either too complex for some people, rushed or just had more potential and failed to reach it's maximum; I feel the last term is the most compatible for this game's storyline, as I thoroughly was gripped into the political persuasion this game took hold of, and used it lustfully, but didn't provide a satisfactory end product, mainly by not giving the gamer a further lust of more knowledge on the world's history, more venture in other towns, maybe even Rozzaria lands.

I enjoyed the experience, but still felt robbed in a sense that it could of been the best one in the series, a bit more backstory on all characters would of done wonders...the world map disappearance didn't bother me, because a map doesn't make an RPG, does it? The gameplay was extremely fascinating and a exhilarating change for regular FF gamers, and the graphics had blew me away. The hunts/marks were fantastic and I was dazzled to wage war against a certain eight armed foe...:p

[Jimsour]

I got the game in may and its now august and I've just got past the pharos tower. Level 60 at the minute so need to do a bit of levelling up before I do anything else. Dont think I can be bothered getting better weapons than the deathbringer/save the queen/zodiac spear. Only got untill september to beat it.

Brilliant game so far play-wise but I wish there were more cut scenes and dialogue. Some characters I suspect have spoken to each other no more than two times which I find odd because FFX, FFIX, FFVIII and to a lesser extent FFVII all had a group that was closely bonded.

Have to agree with the backstory but we're playing with characters that are politically aware, whereas with FFX we saw the world through Tidus's eyes and he was as unfamiliar as we were! They didnt have the opportunity in this game for that.

[Renmiri]

Level 60 is plenty! I finished the game at level 64. Just finishing the Pharos Tower will probably get you to 64, it is huge....

Yeah, like you said, I missed the interactions between party members. Part of it is no in battle banter, I just loved the little quips from Rikku and Wakka in X and X-2. Part of it was just plain lack of camaraderie. It's like your party is in the same subway car, they barely talk and most of the talk is mission related or some deep dark personal anguish that gets completely forgotten after that single talk (Van's brother, Balthier's problems with his dad). The game just rushed past all that towards "The fate of Dalmasca".

[Hazzard]

The party interaction could of been purposely implied to show gamers that these people were on a mission to bring down the source of evil, and not to have fun or particular leisure time while doing so, and at the end of the game you get that feel because they've all split their different ways, after the whole war, however, it tells you that Balthier and Fran wanted to visit Vaan and Penelo; you people also have to remember that everyone of these party members hold a completely different status - Thief, Queen, Knight, common girl, and two sky pirates, an odd combination indeed, and not much to really converse about. I guess it would of been nice to hear a few more things which weren't always story/mission related, and just casual banter, but that's just another aspect that Square could of improved on.

Anyway, I am definitely getting Renevent Wings when it comes out!

[xXsarahXx]

i got this when it came out, still not done yet, up to giruvigen, level 70 average.
I dont think its that good. Doesnt feel like a FF game to me, i dunno why. just seems to be missing that certain FF charm thats caught me with the others.
This could have been so much more.
Disapointed with it. But ill complete it, do all the hunts coz ive not bothered yet.

[PuPu]

i got this when it came out, still not done yet, up to giruvigen, level 70 average.
I dont think its that good. Doesnt feel like a FF game to me, i dunno why. just seems to be missing that certain FF charm thats caught me with the others.
This could have been so much more.
Disapointed with it. But ill complete it, do all the hunts coz ive not bothered yet.
Giruvegan at level 70? Wow, you have no idea how overleveled you are. I was able to beat the final boss at level 45 on a regular playthrough. I was able to complete all Marks and Espers at level 65. Maybe the "certain charm" you say could be the challenge of the game, which it now lacks because you overleveled.

[xXsarahXx]

i got this when it came out, still not done yet, up to giruvigen, level 70 average.
I dont think its that good. Doesnt feel like a FF game to me, i dunno why. just seems to be missing that certain FF charm thats caught me with the others.
This could have been so much more.
Disapointed with it. But ill complete it, do all the hunts coz ive not bothered yet.
Giruvegan at level 70? Wow, you have no idea how overleveled you are. I was able to beat the final boss at level 45 on a regular playthrough. I was able to complete all Marks and Espers at level 65. Maybe the "certain charm" you say could be the challenge of the game, which it now lacks because you overleveled.

yeah you could be right, i like to be properly levelled instead of spending time after time trying to defeat something that your just not skilled enough to do.

Authough to me Its not the challenge of the game its the overall feel of FF just isnt there. The charecters are boring, the locations arnt too fantastic, once youve seen one part of the area youve seen the entire area and the storyline is in my opinion...crap.

[Fuzoya]

I've got the game for some time now.
But I havent finished it yet :(

[Doomie]

I got the game last Christmas and still haven't finished it because I've lost interest. It happens when a game really sucks.

[Jimsour]

I just beat it. Going through the credits now to see if theres anything after them. What is with Penelos new outfit? God its ugly. I prefered the rubber suit :p

Liked the ending, but a friend of mine told me that the last boss is very difficult and now that I've beat it, I had more trouble beating Vossler early in the game than the last boss!!!! A big disappointment there I guess because my highest (vaan) was only 64. I basically had Ashe tank with a death bringer, shield, and gauntlets and rarely got hit, and let her do almost all of the curing while Vaan and Basch using a Zodiac Spear and Save the Queen just bashed away and occasioningly dispelling and using Remedies with the Nipoloahah or whatver its called.

Gotta love Balthiers attitude, made the game for me to have such a cocky full-of-himself character, a bit like Irvine from FFVIII only dead set on thinking hes the leading man.

Nope, nothing after the credits it seems.