Final Thoughts:

I've said this before, but I will say it again. For me, this was the last great FF in the series. XIII is just not good and its sequels kept trying to limp it along. XV was good, but very rough overall. XII though scratches all the itches I need. Gameplay is sold and the Zodiac Jobs just makes it flat out better. The story and cast are underrated but pretty solid, and the game still feels fresh despite being almost twenty years old.

About the only real complaints I have are the randomizer chests, of which the TZA version puts a band aid on, but doesn't really resolve my issues with it. I like treasures to be meaningful and while I will suffer the conceit of RNG for random drops, I feel extending that to treasure chests was just cruel. Especially since this is one of those entries where equipment and items really matter. Other than that, I really wish the fishing minigame had larger fonts and a bit more generous times for the input and the footrace is blah. The Bazaar could also be more user friendly and I'm sad the ITZJ and TZA versiosn didn't try to address that either. The main story difficulty is also abysmal but unlike other entries with this problem, the sheer amount of extra content with Mark Hunts, secret bosses, Esper Hunting, Rare Game Hunting and optional dungeons and secret areas keeps the game feeling challenging throughout, so the easy story mode is just less noticeable. The gameplay is fantastic, and I'm sad we didn't get two more games with ADB instead of whatever XIII was trying to push on us.

While the game is certainly taking notes from XI's playbook, it's also fixing a lot of the issues I have with it. XII is more streamlined, less likely to waste your time, and it's maps are more compact and impactful. Quickenings could be better, they truly embody the idea of a desperation attack since they are unreliable, but seeing how I'm about to enter the Limit Break age where they are all glorified "I win" buttons, I should cherish the fact they are nerfed so hard in this game. I also wish Espers were a bit more useful. They're not bad, they issue is that they fall into an awkward middle ground that makes them impractical. In story mode, they are wrecking balls that sap some of the already weak challenge in the main scenario, but in side content, they are not as useful as a well setup team, which is where XII takes a bit more from XI's pedigree. A well built team with good gambits will often work way better than flashy Quickenings or cool Espers. I will say, not having access to a Time Mage and nearly unlimited Haste outside of Motes was annoying in this playthrough, but not super difficult. Still, it's a shame because the Espers are super cool. Though I guess it's interesting how of my top five FFs, three of them are notable for having the worst iterations of the Summon ability

This time around, I really started to enjoy Vaan and Penelo more. I've always had a soft spot for both of them but it was fun seeing both of them really shine this time around and I find it kind of adorable that Basch sort of acts like a guardian for them both as well since he interacts with both of them quite a lot in cutscenes. I also really love Gabranth and I'm a bit sad he doesn't get as much love from the fanbase despite the fact he's the face of XII in the marketing and merchandise. Like Vayne is a bit flat as a villain, but Gabranth brings a lot of drama to the story and he's honestly fighting with Dr Cid for the Hammiest Villain award in this entry.

I also just love this games side characters, Fran's sisters, Migelo, Joey, the Rabanastre street orphans, the ghost Nu Muo, and so many more. This game is honestly packed with great characters and little narratives that make this game so fantastic. In fact, this is what I mean when I saw the Mark Hunts in XII are the best. These beings have narrative purpose behind them. They are not just treated as extra quest nonsense like in XIII and XV. Many of them are name dropped and referenced by regular NPCs, many of them are part of little stories with NPCs that explore some of the game's themes of Freedom and duty, while others get attached to recurring NPCs. Like it's fun doing the Marilith Hunt for the Sandsea Pub owner who wants to use the creature to make a special wine he owes to a friend who bailed him out, only to discover later after the quest the special friend is Migelo. Or the mother using the legend of Diabolos to scare her son straight and kids around Bhujerba talking about the scary ghost story the don;t believe in, only to get aksed by a kid to actually hunt the demon and discover it was real and the petitioner is the souls of its victims. Or how about the quest that ties up Ba'Gamin's story thread while also creating this cool narrative among Clan Centurio thinking one of their own is hunting Clan members? The Mark Hunts are more than just extra battles, they help breathe life into Ivalice and I was crazy to think I could get through this game without doing any of them. The World building in this game is amazing and I would dare say on par with even XI despite having years to build on its own lore with expansions, though XII does have spinoff games to fall back onto as well.

While XI turned out to be a fun adventure I am happy to have finally tried, XII has still been the best entry I've played so far in this sort of backwards marathon. Of anything I am grateful I finished XI first because I feel coming into it from XII would have made me judge it a bit harsher. I'm happy the re-release and the games own legacy of inspiring the next generation of RPGs like Dragon Age and Xenoblade have kind of vindicated this entry among RPG players. This game is also the one that brought me to this forum, so I have a lot of sentimental attachment here.

Fantastic Game, last great entry, Matsuno and the Ivalice team as a whole are amazing, so when are we going to finally get a new entry into Ivalice?