Best PS2 entry?

[Fynn]

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.

He compares it to VI in that regard and he's right. Neither of the two games has a clear protagonist. VI is no more Terra's story than Celes', Locke's and Endgar's.

[NeoCracker]

Oh wow, I thought he said VII, not VI. My bad.

It's a fair enough comparison, but it doesn't stop Vaan from feeling like a waste. I don't really feel he adds to anything, nor is he a likeable character at all. FF VI's cast added a lot to the world and story, with a couple exceptions. None of which you are forced to spend as much time with as Vaan.

[Fynn]

Vaan goes through the same thing as Ashe - he lost a loved one to the empire and is driven by revenge - but gets over it before she does, therefore helping her get over it. For all we know, without him there, she could've become a cold-blooded dictator and instigate mass genocide on Archadia.

Also, him being the bystander allows us to get introduced to Ivalice and its political tribulations in a very accessible manner

[NeoCracker]

Considering he was added to the plot after the fact? I recall it being pretty public knowledge at the time Vaan's involvment was an executive decision that overuled Matsuno, so yeah. I doubt that prior to them shoe-horning Vaan into the plot Ashe was going to go all Genocidal.

And Vaan... Kind of fails at that second thing. He may be the superior character to Tidus, but Tidus did a much better job at being the babbling idiot who needed everything explained to him.

Oh god, I just admited Tidus was good for something. I need to go finish off the rest of my Jack Daniels now.

[Fynn]

That's just my point.

For someone who was added so late into the development, the writers really did a good job in implementing him. Regardless of the meta facts, his presence there has become something important.

[NeoCracker]

Except his presence had never felt important at any point, at least not up to half way through the plot. (I can't say from personal experience anything past that, but that's a long time to go for the guy to not feel at all relevant.)

[Depression Moon]

I can agree that this is the best pS2 entry. Though I like Final Fantasy X's story a lot better because I can actually remember it, XII's world and combat were so well done that it outclasses X and X-2 for me.

[Raistlin]

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.

I know they say bad taste is contagious, but evidently it can't pass through computer screens yet as I remain uninfected.

[Sephiroth]

Dirge of Cerberus, story-wise.

[Wolf Kanno]

Dirge of Cerberus, story-wise.

[Pike]

Honestly I found Dirge of Cerberus and FFXII about equally enjoyable (aka not very ); I wouldn't say DoC was better though simply because FFXII had great music.

[maybee]

Hell no.


I would rather play 40 hrs of Final Fantasy X-2 than go through 40 hrs of Final Fantasy XII.

So I have never finished this game, and I doubt I ever will.

I didn't like the combat, I didn't like whatever weird sphere grid thing they had set up, the characters were bland... in fact, I would say that this entry was what killed my interest in Final Fantasy games.

I'm sorry. I tried.

Yeah same here.

I can play older Final Fantasy games okay, but Final Fantasy XII was like that bullet that has murdered any desire to enjoy any newer titles, without struggling.

[Shauna]

I much preferred FFX and X-2, however FFXII was still a fantastic piece of game. Just need to tighten up the story and pacing issues and whatnot.