Why a lot of fans don't like this game *SPOILERS*

This must be revive old threads day (this is a good one though). After beating the game 3 times all I have to say is that any way you slice it, XII is a very high quality game. The problem is it just doesn't match the momentous releases that the past single player FF's have had, that certain X-Factor that kicks in whenever you play a new FF for the first time is missing.

Oh, apologies. I am new to the forum and never got to participate on this thread before and felt it was better to make my post in this thread instead of starting another one.

I think that the missing "X-factor" that you mention may have more to do with the fact that the game is different from previous FFs. The random battle system (for example) has been part of the series since their beginning and FF XII discards it. The plot also has a different theme than previous installments. Things such as Summons are another area where the game differs from previous ones. In previous games such as FF X, summons were indispensable for battle, now they are not. Personally I welcome the change since it makes the game more challenging and the battles more involving. While in X you only needed to have your Aeons with their overdrives full to absolutely crush a particular boss, in XII that won’t do and you need to plan out a strategy to win the battle.

I would say that one may call FF XII an “unorthodox” FF if we judge it by how well it carries the elements that have been part of the series from the start. But if we judge it by how well it pushes the series forward and onto the next level, I would call it a revolutionary FF.


Egami

Kinda old thread. xD It's a goodie though. :D

Some of these posts made me angry, because FFXII is my favorite of the series. I don't feel like typing out a long post, but most fans didn't like the game because it was so different from the others.

You weren't emotionally attached or invested in the characters? Good, 'cause the story isn't neccessarily about them. This isn't the standard "group of allies fight some evil power to save the world", FFXII is "a group of allies set out for revenge against an aggressive empire, and end up helping to free humanity from the oppressive gods". And Dalmasca isn't necessarily good, Archadia isn't neccessarily evil; they're protagonistic and antagonistic, which is in no way the same thing. Every thing is all grey and open to interpretation and thought, and I guess some people just don't like to think too hard about the game? xD

Not every game in the series has to be a recycled version of the previous with a slightly altered battle system and new characters fitting the same archetype. Whether you like it or not, FFXII was a ground-breaking game. :bigsmile:

P.S. I love Wolf Kanno! He's so smart! xD

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Originally Posted by Vivisteiner

If you're curious as to my opinions...

FFIX: 100/100
FFX = FFXII: 95/100
FFVII = 93/100
FFVIII = 89/100

I would give FFIX more if I could. Because the other four game combined aren't as good as it.

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Originally Posted by Demon Dude

Vivisteiner your argument about ff9 being better then the other four combined is..............









Absolutely true I lift my hat to you fellow ff9 lover.

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wow. i thought i was the only one.
anyway, xii was actually a really good game, mostly just about the whole hunting sidequest thing, but what really made it a final fantasy was, of course, the ADDICTION to playing it. there are some people with 2, possibly 3 hundred hours of gameplay (me personally=132 because i accidentally messed with my memory card and somehow got all the weapons in the game including belias' spear and some weapon with 250 attack that had no graphic and no icon, thus allowing me to do whatever the hell i wanted at near the beginning of the game) because of the desire to play a perfect game. it is impossible, of course, to have a "perfect" game on final fantasy due to conflicting points of view without using some sort of cheat device or at least a walkthrough and multiple FAQs on all aspects of gameplay, but just trying to do everything or get everything done half-assed at minimum is present in every final fantasy game. it is a recurring phenomenon that cannot be prevented no matter what; any final fantasy player knows, you simply cannot stop playing until you have accomplished EVERYTHING. srsly.

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Originally Posted by Dynast-Kid

Every thing is all grey and open to interpretation and thought, and I guess some people just don't like to think too hard about the game? xD

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Yeah, if people thought about FFXII as much as Serapy or Future Esthar think about FFVIII, people might like it more.

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Originally Posted by Egami

Oh, apologies. I am new to the forum and never got to participate on this thread before and felt it was better to make my post in this thread instead of starting another one.

I think that the missing "X-factor" that you mention may have more to do with the fact that the game is different from previous FFs. The random battle system (for example) has been part of the series since their beginning and FF XII discards it. The plot also has a different theme than previous installments. Things such as Summons are another area where the game differs from previous ones. In previous games such as FF X, summons were indispensable for battle, now they are not. Personally I welcome the change since it makes the game more challenging and the battles more involving. While in X you only needed to have your Aeons with their overdrives full to absolutely crush a particular boss, in XII that won’t do and you need to plan out a strategy to win the battle.

I would say that one may call FF XII an “unorthodox” FF if we judge it by how well it carries the elements that have been part of the series from the start. But if we judge it by how well it pushes the series forward and onto the next level, I would call it a revolutionary FF.


Egami

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Don't worry, most of us feel this was a pretty good thread, and I would rather have someone resurrect the thread and add to it than start a new one... (long story...)

I agree with many points that XII is definetly unorthodox, as well as the changes being for the most part for the better. I only hope SE took notes on all the strong points of this game when they make the next few. Alot of FFs have introduced new systems and outlooks but XII is the first in a very long time that did stuff I want to see in all RPGs not just FF titles. :D

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Originally Posted by Wolf Kanno

I only hope SE took notes on all the strong points of this game when they make the next few. Alot of FFs have introduced new systems and outlooks but XII is the first in a very long time that did stuff I want to see in all RPGs not just FF titles.

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Me too. I hope that FF XIII carries over and builds upon the great things that FF XII introduced.

I finished the game on Friday and God...FF XII is an epic! Everything from (SPOILER)the appearance of the Occuria at Giruvegan, to the climbing of the Pharos and the scene at the top of the tower, where all characters including Reddas, Gabranth and Dr. Cid come full circle when it comes to their roles, to the battle scene before entering the Bahamut and the scenes within it with the conflict between Larsa, Grabranth and Vayne was one hell of a ride. The ending was very well done and wrapped the story nicely, I was quite moved with (SPOILER)the conversations between Basch and Gabranth and how Basch assumed his role on protecting Larsa and the part where Balthier and Fran stay in the Bahamut, his talk about being the leading man put a grin on my face, very nice, and it also showed a rather emotional side of Ashe, when she starts screaming "Balthier!" which shows that despite of keeping the "royal" distance between her and the rest of the party she still felt for them. Well, I am rambling now but being excited I guess that is to be expected, but still, mere words do not make justice to this, seeing is believing as they say.

All in all, as I said previously, this is the best FF I have played since VI and it may well topple that game. Despite finishing the game already, I am still playing with the same motivation that I had before and am going now after all the hunts and espers. It is that much fun. I don't remember having done that with any previous FF.

My all time favorite RPGs list needs an update. :D


Egami

Am I the only one who hates not having a proper world map to WALK on?
Find secret stuff on, travel from city to city on an airplane, digg up treasures with chocobos, the world map has such a huge potential, why did they have to remove it?
Because it would be obsolete with todays graphics or something?

Ontopic: I agree. FFXII was for me the biggest letdown ever. I forced myself to finish it, sad part is that nobody but me cared, and I was left with nothing.

:<

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Originally Posted by Crizpy

Am I the only one who hates not having a proper world map to WALK on?
Find secret stuff on, travel from city to city on an airplane, digg up treasures with chocobos, the world map has such a huge potential, why did they have to remove it?
Because it would be obsolete with todays graphics or something?

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Well, the world map as it was used in the previous FFs was not used in FF X either. The world map is there, the only difference is one of scale. While in previous games when you went out of the town things assumed a different scale, where your character became the size of the town, in FF X and XII things are kept in proportion. In FF XII I felt that the world map made exploring a much more enjoyable experience, with all the hills, rock formations, weather, etc you felt that you were really in there. The world map you access in the menu with all the detailed maps for all the areas was very well done. I also liked that while you were viewing the map of an area, you could select the blue arrows to see the map of some other area.

In FF XII you can still find secret stuff on the different areas, there are plenty of them. You can travel from city to city on airships, foot, chocobos or crystals. I did miss the chocobo minigames (unless there is one and I have yet to find it), yet, there are secret places that can only be accessed by using chocobos.

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Originally Posted by Crizpy

Am I the only one who hates not having a proper world map to WALK on?
Find secret stuff on, travel from city to city on an airplane, digg up treasures with chocobos, the world map has such a huge potential, why did they have to remove it?
Because it would be obsolete with todays graphics or something?

Ontopic: I agree. FFXII was for me the biggest letdown ever. I forced myself to finish it, sad part is that nobody but me cared, and I was left with nothing.

:<

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To be honest, I felt XII brought back true exploration in RPGs that had been seriously lacking. Considering a good third of the world is optional I would say XII kinda merges the best parts of past game world maps with the change into realistic maps that FFX brought. Its not perfect but what is? Half of IXs world was a void and exploring VIIIs lacked any real impact since the story chooses not to go into details that might interest people. :mad:

If you elaborate on what else disappointed you about XII we can have a nice civil discussion about it if you like? ;)

It wasn't like the other FF's = Wah'ing over it. Simple as.



I liked it by the way, it was different which is what made it good.

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Originally Posted by Raebus

It wasn't like the other FF's = Wah'ing over it. Simple as.



I liked it by the way, it was different which is what made it good.

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Say whatever you want man, but when I dont find the game fun, it doesnt really matter what the reason is.

And if a game that is different, is what makes it good..then yeah..How can you possibly make a bad game.

great game in many ways, but just doesn't cut as a final fantsy title in my eyes. i still cant vring my self to play it threw to the end

Final Fantasy 1 - 10-2 all had random battles the way they did. Thats a lot of game titles. So to turn that into something else is just blasphemy to all the people who played Final Fantasy cause of its traditions, like summons, creatures, magic like enemy skill, and more then I want to list. Final Fantasy 12 should have been called something like Final Fantasy Tactics two. Then people that loved 12 or tactics could sit around a tube and play them together. And what would really been cool to them is that the new tactics games could have been their little go getter. You don't make a game in a series too different from the others because it ruins it for the fans.

Drat! They changed the game formula which imo was getting old! TIE THEM UP AND BURN THEM FOR SUCH A CRIME!