Best PS2 entry?

[Silent Warrior]

NeoCracker: I think you misinterpret something there. You start out with Vaan and Penelo, true - but when all is said and done, are they the REAL main characters in the game? (Um, how far did you play, anyway?) The character gallery in XII works a lot like in VI - nearly everyone could be the true main character. Well, maybe not Penelo and Fran (and WHY THE SMEG NOT, SQUARE??), but the quest we eventually find ourselves in is in no small part about Ashe, right? Balthier plays a big role, Basch has his redemption thing, then there's "Larsa" and that pirate leader whose name I forgot...
Meh, whatever. THE POINT IS... the story started from the "wrong", supporting, character's perspective. IM-not-very-humble-O.

(And, hey, don't think I blame you for not finishing the game - it is HARD!)

[Quindiana Jones]

Yeah, I never really understood the hate for Vaan and Penelo as leads. Starting off with them was a great way to setup the personal and local consequences of war and conquest and introduced what was going on in very broad terms (the way that someone not particularly involved in the world might view things) so that the player wasn't overwhelmed with omnipotence. Then it uses these naive young chooks to introduce the main characters, but continues to use them to provide a more narrow-minded opinion of what's going on. The characters in this game all had different takes on the world and its inhabitants, but for the most part they were all very much interested in the bigger picture. Vaan and Penelo scale it down and allow for this amazingly grand political story to have very personal consequences that we - the player - can actually appreciate.

[Pumpkin]

I really like Penelo

[Fynn]

Yeah, I never really understood the hate for Vaan and Penelo as leads. Starting off with them was a great way to setup the personal and local consequences of war and conquest and introduced what was going on in very broad terms (the way that someone not particularly involved in the world might view things) so that the player wasn't overwhelmed with omnipotence. Then it uses these naive young chooks to introduce the main characters, but continues to use them to provide a more narrow-minded opinion of what's going on. The characters in this game all had different takes on the world and its inhabitants, but for the most part they were all very much interested in the bigger picture. Vaan and Penelo scale it down and allow for this amazingly grand political story to have very personal consequences that we - the player - can actually appreciate.

YES! So much yes. I could hug you now, Quin

[Ayen]

Preferring X to XII? That's whatever. They're both good.

Preferring X-2 to XII? I guess a lot of people really like job systems so okay.

Preferring Dirge of Cerberus to XII???????? I mean, I liked DoC kinda, but XII is so much better than it in every way imaginable.

I was a born again Christian who never questioned anything in my life until I got older, the religious themes and portrayal of the Cult of Yevon as well as the Yuna character were all things I could personally relate to and X continues to stand as one of the few RPGs where I have that close of a personal connection. X-2 was just dumb fun that expanded more on the world and gave you more choices than its predecessor; the dressspheres made it feel like I was playing a Magical Girl game too. I like third-person shooters and Vincent as a character as well as the modification I could do with weapons, so DoC was easy for me to get behind.

XII started out great and I was getting really into it, but once it got put on ice it couldn't heat itself back up. The MMO elements present in the game didn't help matters either since I'm usually put off by MMOs in general.

[Botchmun]

Saying people should like FF XII is like saying David Cage games are better than Atlus games. At this point you should consider moving to an abbey in the black forest and living the rest of your life in quiet contemplation as a monk.

Also FF9.

[Fynn]

Not a ps2 entry.

[Botchmun]

You can play it on a PS2 and its still better than XII!

[Psychotic]

I liked X and X-2 better, sorry XII just didn't do it for me. The beginning was thrilling and fun, but after a while it wore thin and became a struggle to find the motivation to complete it. I should give it another shot.

[Quindiana Jones]

I loved Dirge of Cerberus.

[Fynn]

I loved Dirge of Cerberus.

It's okay, I still wanna hug you anyway

[metagloria]

I *LOVE* X, X-2, and XII. And yet, XII is definitely without question the best of the bunch.

[Raistlin]

FFXII was far and away the best PS2 entry. I consider it the best FF since FFT (yes, better than FFIX, I know that's heresy at EoFF).

I can sympathize a little with people who didn't feel attached to it partway through the first time. I felt the same way myself at first, as the way the story developed was poorly done. The dungeon crawling aspects overwhelmed the cutscenes for a good chunk of the game, and the pacing was dubious at best. But all told, the story was pretty great. I think XII is one of those rare games that actually improves substantially on subsequent playthroughs when it's easier to appreciate all that's going on.

[Madame Adequate]

FFXII was far and away the best PS2 entry. I consider it the best FF since FFT

It's like you've learned nothing in all the years I've tried to teach you.

[NeoCracker]

NeoCracker: I think you misinterpret something there. You start out with Vaan and Penelo, true - but when all is said and done, are they the REAL main characters in the game? (Um, how far did you play, anyway?) The character gallery in XII works a lot like in VI - nearly everyone could be the true main character. Well, maybe not Penelo and Fran (and WHY THE SMEG NOT, SQUARE??), but the quest we eventually find ourselves in is in no small part about Ashe, right? Balthier plays a big role, Basch has his redemption thing, then there's "Larsa" and that pirate leader whose name I forgot...
Meh, whatever. THE POINT IS... the story started from the "wrong", supporting, character's perspective. IM-not-very-humble-O.

(And, hey, don't think I blame you for not finishing the game - it is HARD!)

Horribly late to replying to this, but about half way through. Not due to difficulty, but the game started to get pretty borring for me at that point. Difficulty certainly doesn't compare with some of the Shin Megami Tensai Titles I play.

And I think it's bad comparison you made, cause VII is clearly Clouds story. Other characters may get their time in the spotlight, yeah, but at no point does it feel like it's any one but clouds story.