Final Fantasy XII Review (Spoilers)

[Bolivar]

Fair analysis. It's one of my favorite games of all time but you really do have to run straight through the story to appreciate it. It does grow on you, though, as you come to master the system and get the broad strokes of what the story is really about. It's deep at all levels but I separate my playthroughs as strictly enjoying the story or completely exploring, finishing all mark hunts and tracking down all hidden Espers. There's no in-between for Final Fantasy XII and while that may hold it back from greatness, it actually helps it achieve that elusive quality where a game can be something different every time you play it, depending on what you're looking for.

Edit: the game is an homage to Final Fantasy II, which might have been in honor of Akitoshi Kawazu FFII's director who joined the team as the producer after Matsuno left. Nor sure if this needs spoiler tags but...

The protagonists join a rebellion against an empire to whom they have lost their parents and the Leviathan is Dreadnought-class, referencing the prototype of the empire in II. II also extensively used guest characters making up the fourth member of your party, the second-to-last of whom sacrifices themself at the top of the Mysidian tower, which the Pharos closely resembles, especially as the penultimate dungeon. The empire in both games follows up this scene by attacking the party's home town in a fortress encased in a whirlwind. Gabranth also resembles Leonheart, the brother who joined the empire but comes around just in time for redemption as the final guest character.