For you launchies, a month later

[Renmiri]

The G stands for "game". RPGs are games. Hell, a game can have almost no story at all and it can still be an RPG. Look at Final Fantasy 1 or Dragon Warrior 1. Were they not RPGs because they threw bosses in there with no reason to exist other than to be fought? What kind of development did the light warriors have?

You're obsessing over the story like that's the reason the game exists. It's not.

You forgot the very first letters RP. This is supposed to not be just a GAME but a "Role Playing" game. Nowadays even fight games have a sketchy backstory with a cool plot arch. The stories have good ideas but the writing fails to develop them. Heck, Soulcalibur IV has as much story, and told as "skillfully" as FFXII: The character's story is "dumped" on you in those little cards you win after 10 fights. Take away the the superb 3D movie like animation GRAPHICS and this game is as plot poor as Soulcalibur or Mortal Combat. Talim on Soucalibur is pretty much "Fran", Rayden is a "Balthier" wannabe, abandoning his heritage to help others less fortunate.

I never complained about FFXII graphics or animation, they are superb. But graphics on RPGs were never the main selling point. Heck, FF only got some good graphics around IX. What it lacked on graphics it made up in plot and storytelling. Sadly FFXII went the wrong way on story telling and left me and others who like ROLE PLAY wanting more.

I may be being too harsh but don't forget, FFXII is competing against Grand Theft Auto and other genres of games that are also very enjoyable in terms of being "just a game". And the FF team spoiled us. We expect more character development and story telling from any RPG, particularly from a game on a series that excelled at it.

One RPG thing that FFXII excels at is the world. I just love all the places and races / culture that they populated Ivalice with. I would really love to play a FFXII sequel on the same world, with the same battle system and lots more story telling THAT would be the perffect game and an instant classic