Final Fantasy XII was my first Final Fantasy game. As a kid I always hated turn based combat so I never really played a lot of JRPGs. I would occasionally mess around with them at a friend's house but that was about it. For some reason, I picked up XII around the time it released. I had no preconceived notions about how the franchise should play. I absolutely LOVED it. The opening city was breathtaking and probably the most awe inspiring thing I'd ever seen in a video game up until that point. It felt like a real, living place and the sense of scale was insane to me. At this point, I still wasn't a huge fan of turn based games and in retrospect the combat of XII actually acted as a bridge that opened the way for me to try out more JRPGs. I'm so glad I decided to give it a try because if I didn't I may have never branched out and played masterpieces like Persona 5, Dragon Quest VIII, and Ni No Kuni. In some ways, I actually PREFER turn based combat these days. Games like Transistor and Trails of Cold Steel have some of my favorite combat systems where it is not only turn based but it also takes into account positioning on the battlefield. I never actually got to finish Final Fantasy XII because a lot of the intricacies of the game flew way over my head at that age. So I'm actually incredibly excited to play this remaster and revisit the game that broadened my horizons as a gamer.
same story for me, it was my first final fantasy too, and I also disliked turn based. I love ff12 too. It didn't make me like turn based more, but I did become a huge jrpg and square enix fan afterwards. Going back to play other square enix/square soft titles, such as drakenguard, final fantasy 10. I played ff12 a year or two after it came out, I was also pretty young, I took it up because my friend said if you like kingdom hearts you might like this. naturally i was blown away by the game, a little disappointed in the combat at first, coming from an action game, but I got over that fast after looking at the world. I was a pretty incompetent gamer back then, so I got stuck lots of times and took about a year to finish the game, I never did find out what was behind the door deep within the nabradius necrohole.
@@DavidDoboni I originally played 15 at launch and was disappointed as fuck. I gave it another shot with the windows edition recently and I still feel it kinda of sucks. I like 13 a lot more than 15. I don't see why people hate it so much.
@@eduardocardona6608 I loved 13 back when I first played it, but now after trying a second playthrough last year the issues became a lot more noticeable. The story has some really cool moments and the battle system is deeper than people give it credit. But the pacing is absolutely horrendous 😔 and there's no gameplay variety. There's literally nothing for you to do other than to walk and battle enemies which really only becomes more tedious as the game keeps going. I had to stop and give myself a few months as a break before getting into the chapter in Grand Pulse because I still remember that one chapter somehow lasts half of the entire game's length for some reason
@@eduardocardona6608 I have probably 100 hours in 15 after repeatedly going back and bouncing off of it. It's high points are great, but overall it's SUPER mediocre. FF7 Remake is 15 but with all of the love and polish that was meant for 15
I am so glad people are finally warming up to this great game. It blow my mind when it first came out that my friends hated it and wouldn't even give it a chance. Now the game is considered to be some lost relic, some Diamond in the rough, and they can't wait to play it. Haha. So many arguments we had over the years about this game.
Now that I'm grown, I genuinely find greater appreciation to the political intrigue find in game and the tactical aspect of the gambit system. I love it! Also, good to hear the voice of GT again!
Played this when it first came out and didn't like it because it wasn't what I wanted at the time. Really excited to give it another chance this time. Something tells me the Gambit system was a little ahead of its time.
murph2010 the story of this game went way over my head when I first played it in 2006 (I was 18) but 3 years later, I played it again and considered it fantastic since I got it.
I said it when it was released, and I haven't changed my mind yet - Final Fantasy XII is the best FF since FFVI. It's a LOT better than 10 and anything that came after it.
This game is everything I would have wanted FF15 or for that matter any open world RPG to be. Nice balance between story and exploration ... None of which is gated behind DLC. DQ8 another game with a great under the radar remake is probably the only PS2 era RPG better than FF12.
I played the FF12 International version (IZJS) and it's spectacular. It bumped me just liking FF12 to completely loving it - definitely Don't Skip this remaster that is even better!
wenchwogg hey new comer here, i really want to try this FF out, but I've heard that the main characters don't interact that much during the story...is that true?
The gameplay/vibes of the world are what really keeps FFXII going, it's fantastic. The story/characters took a hit because the director stepped down midway through the project for personal reasons. I would give it a shot - it's got some really nice quality of life things like double/quad speed to skip grindy bits, 3 different soundtracks to choose from, etc.
Funny, I just bought 15 and I was enjoying the hell out of it, but I got the urge to play 12 so I got zodiac age and now I've put more hours into 12 than 15
I've always considered FFXII 'the Resident Evil 4 of the FF series'. When my backwards compatible PS3 died, I was devastated I couldn't play it anymore. Waited years for a remaster and now it's happening!!
there was a reason why Vaan became mc, kinda a stupid one i would say. I usually put this in my mind that, the main characters are either Ashe, Basch, or Balthier
Finally buying this game on Steam. Side note: This is the only voice I ever want to hear on my reviews. I've been following these guys since the earlier GameTrailers days.
The Kings & Queens born out of GT still have it down! A spot-on and awesome review fellas!! This is why I love this channel. Final Fantasy XII Is and will always be a favorite of mine! And It places in my "Top 5" FF's ever created. I think/feel this based on the fact that I have played "almost" every final fantasy game excluding (FF II) The complex yet engaging storytelling is cut from the same fabric that is "Final Fantasy Tactics" ...obviously. The adventure through Ivalice's world is an eyesore of fantastic beautiful gaming art that is beginning to feel somewhat lost in recent titles. The Music is finely crafted with all sorts of unique instruments one can clearly hear if focused! Hitoshi Sahkimoto "i think that's how you spell it" is an Amazing composer and as you might know created the score for "final fantasy tactics". The game-play mechanics are how "Ben Moore" cleverly describes it as "Cerebrally Rewarding" (Yo Ben... I Loved that mind-spark of a thought!) and does indeed have an ingenious system. The overall worst aspect of this game is a handful of it's main characters being pretty boring in their story & charisma. Maybe even unworthy for a final fantasy game! Regardless of that flaw... Final Fantasy XII = The stuff made of Greatness!!!
I think a great way to differenciate Dont Skip from regular reviews would be if the person who writes it also does the voiceover, giving this section a radically different vibe, and freeing Jones of some work. Just an idea, love what you guys do, keep it up!! L&R
To be fair, FF has always been heavily influenced by Star Wars but yes, in many ways, XII feels even more Star Wars-y then many other games in the franchise.
A poor guys who lives in the desert who wants to became a pilot of a flying ship, and hate a guy with an armor and heavy breathing sounds. A princess whose kingdom was destroyed who else the guy with the armor. An old and wise warrior who has a quarrel with the guy in the armor. The guy with the armor, who is pure evil until the end, when he betray his emperor and join the good side. He's also the coolest character in his franchise. A pirate with a nice ship... and his furred companion. The pirate has a green guy who wants his head, but will end pretty bad in a pit of sand. The guy who lives in the cloud who is loyal to the Empire... but actually is not, is part of the Rebellion. Magic staff in the air that makes people mad. A warship so powerful that can destroy a world. Yeah, i guess we can say it was influenced in some way.
I remember people saying 9 was the last "true" FF. They probably said the same thing about earlier FF games and will say the same things about future ones too
Final Fantasy XII is amazing, I enjoyed it more than FFX. I remember getting FFXII and Dragon Quest VIII in december of 2006 and I couldn't stop playing neither of one, I accumulate more than 200hrs of gamplay in each one. I never understood why all the hate against FFXII, I loved the graphics, the gameplay, the story, the music and the characters.
Speeding up the game is something I hope future remasters do. This really helps replaying a game less daunting and most of us don't have as much time to play such a large game like we used to. That feature alone makes me feel better about buying it. Didn't the last FF7 version do that as well?
I dont find the characters or story that interesting but the gameplay and all the systems are just so damn good. I keep coming back to it every few months or so. Very addictive
XII is an entry that I always struggled to get into. There are so many bizarre design decisions. However, the job system mitigates a huge issue I had with it, and the ability to fast forward (which, let's face it, isn't exactly a ringing endorsement of how fun the game was) should help with the grindiness. As such, I'm really looking forward to taking it for another spin, and hopefully finishing it this time.
Why do so many people bash on the fast forward feature. Just about every FF benefits from this. FF7 and FF8 are a complete slog without the time boosting enhancements. I think the feature is mostly traveling/backtracking as well as for players who have already beaten the game before, and want to race though well tread parts of the game. Don't really see what is wrong with that.
I'm glad you guys are still doing Don't Skip videos, I thought you skipped the don't skip. And yes, definite don't skip FFXII, you may not have time to play it right now, but make the time.
I am currently in my 4th venture through Italics, the first with the Zodiac Age and while at am enjoying the game, I can't but long for the original game and the original Licence board. I loved how a catered my go to party to my expectations and change things around when I pleased. Controlling Espers is fine and dandy but boy, are they underwhelming when it comes down to brass tax. I really hope everyone, new and old is enjoying this gem of a bygone Era of gaming.
Don't Skip is a great concept, but would love to see a wider variety of Allies contributing. Love Ben's writing style, but seeing a small gem of a game that Kyle or Don is really excited about would be awesome! Love and Respect regardless!
I love the initial release of _Final Fantasy XII_ and look forward to eventually playing this version as well. For a while, I'd been keeping track of the hacked Japanese PS2 version which would allow me to experience the job system, but this release makes everything official. It's just that I put something like 150 hours into the original, and even with the turbo mode, this is still something of a 100 hour experience that I just don't have the room to add to my play queue.
I totally missed this when it came out. Just picked it up and it might end up being my favourite Final Fantasy. The combat here is what the combat should have been in Final Fantasy 13. It looks flashy, but it plays tactically. The ability to pause during combat and micro-manage means you never feel rushed like you did in 13.
Honestly pressing the L1 button to speed things up helps so much, I remember in the original going normal speed seemed so slow now I can grind much faster then before
Best FF game. Story-wise. And you have a lot of things to do: main story, side quests (hunts), explorations, getting Ultima weapon and the Genji gears, listening to Fran's accent... Balthier and Gabranth, omg.
I wish the Basch/Gabranth dynamic would get mentioned more when people talk about FF characters; because I found their relationship fascinating and complex.
I agree. The fact that they chose different paths, and yet at the very end, we see their total respect for each other. It is also very poetic that at the beginning, it was Gabranth who impersonates Basch, and once Gabranth dies, it is Basch who impersonates his brother. To keep the peace and protect Larsa.
FFXII is my second favorite FF game.(VII is still my 1st) Love the gambit system! What I've played so far with ZA, the treasure system seems to be much better also.
I would have thought a title such as this would have gotten a full blown review seeing as it is a mainline FF, that said I appreciate the love regardless of the format.
This is such an awesome game!! I bought the re-mastered version on PS4 sooo GOOD! I am actually recording and streaming the playthrough right now on my channel. Nostalgia is awesome!
FF12 was my first final fantasy, other jrpgs were turn based which my younger self found boring, this game not only started my love for RPGs but made me want to venture more into other JRPG genres.
On a gameplay standpoint, this is hands down the best Final Fantasy ever made. The gambit system is incredible, its genius, also the goddamn side-quests are the very best, not infinite grinding towards a golden chocobo bs. I had a similar positive interaction with the very first Dragon Age, it's a shame that this combat system did not got popular. It's really great, it makes you feel smarter and also the pacing drastically improves. Also, the visuals, you can watch the action, something that any jrpg player always does anyway, regardless if it's turns or "action", in the end we all sit and watch. The difference is that FFXII makes you feel good about it. Like Napoleon predicting every move and possibility in the field, your strategy is superior! lol I had good memories of this game, it's shame that people didn't received the new ideas very well. It's because of you purits that Final Fantasy died, FFXII tried to be turn based and flashy just like the purists were asking for, look at the result.
Final Fantasy 12 (Ps2, 2006) has a 92% on metacritic...It was very, very well received at the time. It's weird how some games get bad reputations or just fade into obscurity.
I just purchased the game, and honestly...I'm hating it! I don't feel like I'm playing the game. Just waiting and watching. I'll give it a bit longer, but I'm pretty close to taking it back.
I started the game in 2006 but there was no option to switch the camera’s axis and made me frustrated. I quit after an hour or two. Finally the option is there and I’m 40 hours in!
The gambit system isn't as fine tuned as it could be. For example you can set up a gambit for characters to steal items from enemies, but once the enemy has no items the character continues to steal anyway. So if you want to continually steal rare items while letting combat flow you'll have to steal manually.
While I understand you guys probably didn't want to make this a proper review because Ben didn't finish the game, I feel like it has enough care and quality that you could attach a score at the end and call it a review, even more so if Ben has finished it at some point in the past (the original). I love Don't Skips, but I believe they are a step below a Review, and I don't think you should sell yourselves short when you have a great piece with thought and care put into it. And I just noticed that what I have written makes it seem like Don't Skips are not the same quality, it isn't that, it is just that this feels just as much as a full review as other pieces you have, while I feel Don't Skips are supposed to be just quick thoughts on great games, this feels like a really good, in depth analysis of the quality of this title, and I would think it deserves the title of Review.
I was worried when I got this game. I played it when I was young, but didn't get passed the Dreadnought. I am really enjoying it so far. I just take it slow and grind levels.
FF12 would have been better received if it was called Vagrant Story 2. It has more in common with VS, tactics & FF11 then any other final fantasy. 12 so far marked the end of the traditional turn based combat in mainline FF so many purists hated this game for that alone. The common complaints were the gambit system making the game playing itself(if only they knew of 13..) the license board being too undefined making every character feel the same(lack of handholding/imagination?) or the main character Vaan being too lame(audience surrogate+ too much to unpack here but subjective). This version of the game should solve many of those issues even if they are part of the charm but the story/characters might just be over some peoples heads, to those I would recommend viewing this but with no guarantees of changing minds on preference, you like what you like: th-cam.com/video/r61Q-lFu_nE/w-d-xo.html
90 hours into Persona, haven't started Neir, Want to get the plat for FFX and need to finish Salt and Sanctuary... now this added on. My back log is out of control haha.
By the end of the game you have so many gambits that game plays itself. Not that is a bad thing since for harder fights you still want control. I hope this game releases for PC as well
The beauty of the gambit system is this is only true if you tell it to. If you don't want the game to play itself, don't go into that menu and expressly tell it to. In fact, I don't even keep gambits active on the character that I'm controlling directly 'cause the game gives me this option!
I will play the living shit out of this game. I loved the original 12 but never played the IZJS version so this is the perfect oportunity with all the extras and benefits the remaster has to offer. Also the biggest improvement from technical perspective is the "no spell queue" so we can chain the big spells together since the hardware is poverfull enough. Cant wait!
I'll pick it up when it comes down in price. Didn't love 12 the first time I played it (only got like 12 hours in) I want to give it another try but not at 50 dollars.
Loved this game so much back in '06, can't wait to play an even better version! Definitely one of my favorite RPGs of all time. I wish more games used gambit-like systems, it feels soo rewarding seeing your allies react in the way you programmed them to. PS. I wonder if they patched the infinite leveling trick from the original game?
Just gonna echo the sentiment that Don't Skips are super fantastic. I will be much happier when Japan at large gets the message that there is a large community here that would greatly prefer subs over dubs though. Just gimme the option, plleeaasseee Definitely gonna take the advice on this one and Hollow Knight once it gets a console release
People really need to stop saying that the original license board made all of the characters feel the same. That's a dishonest statement that blames the game for the player's choices. They felt the same because YOU made them feel the same. Don't want every character to use white magic? Then don't teach them all white magick. Had to learn the first set of white magick to get to black magick? Don't set white magick into their gambit slots. I played the original so many times and not once did even two characters feel the same because I made sure to make them feel different. A little planning ahead goes a long way. I hope they patch the game to include the option to use the original board because I prefer it to this watered down, simplified job system. It nerfs your ability to create unique builds for your characters because each one is limited to skills from 2 jobs. I can't see it as anything other than a downgrade. The Sphere Grid from X gets so much praise for being open-ended and flexible when in reality that couldn't be further from the truth. Every character has a specific role and their starting position on the grid accommodates that role. They follow a linear path, learning skills pertaining to their role, until teleport spheres are introduced, which lets them move to a different section of the grid to learn abilities from other classes. The thing is, moving a character away from the abilities they're "supposed" to learn only serves to handicap that character and your party in general. Why teach Yuna black magic and Lulu white magic when Lulu will always be the vastly superior black mage anyway (unless you completely fill out the sphere grid, that is)? The incentive just isn't there. If you can't tell, I'm one of those people who thinks X is extremely overrated and XII is severely underrated.
New to Final Fantasy, Loved XV. Played 7, 10 and 13. The problem I have with the series is that there is always a difficulty spike. The HUD, Progression and and enemies become needlessly complex to overcome, resulting in looking up guides to see how to beat it. Maybe I'm just bad but it always bothers me. Is this FF more accessible than others?
Hated the story and characters but today i actually enjoyed it more playing this game because i grew up liking these kinda games gameplay. It was more to travel the worlds maps than in ffx the one before 12 as no random battles anymore
Can you choose to play with the original license board system? I prefer the non job based system that lets everyone master everything in time, much like ffx.
There's one thing I don't like about the job sistem: it's supposed to offer you a choice and flexibility, but you learn that each character is better suited from certain jobs. Why give you the choice but then take it away or limiting it? (and also the fact that they follow the stereotype of making the female characters magic-oriented). Having said that, I am playing and enjoying the game anyway. I guess when details like that bother you it means that the game overall is good, and that's why the flaws stand out.
You don't have to worry about characters being better at certain jobs unless you're min/maxing which is basically pointless. The hardest content requires elaborate strats, not maxed out stats.
I thought ff12 was great back when I had my PS2, I put well over 200 hours into it and I think i was about 99% complete. Is there any info on when it's coming to PC?
I'm just now playing this on the switch. I never completed FF12 when it came out because I disliked the combat and Vaan I regret not giving this a chance back in the day. It's amazing how big this game was back on the PS2
![เปิดใจ “ต้นหอม ศกุนตลา” หลังโดนพาดพิงธุรกิจที่เคยทำ และผลกระทบทำถูกปลดฟ้าผ่า! | แฉ 24 ต.ค.67 [2/3]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/vCi5OIqlxaE/mqdefault.jpg)
Final Fantasy XII was my first Final Fantasy game. As a kid I always hated turn based combat so I never really played a lot of JRPGs. I would occasionally mess around with them at a friend's house but that was about it. For some reason, I picked up XII around the time it released. I had no preconceived notions about how the franchise should play. I absolutely LOVED it. The opening city was breathtaking and probably the most awe inspiring thing I'd ever seen in a video game up until that point. It felt like a real, living place and the sense of scale was insane to me. At this point, I still wasn't a huge fan of turn based games and in retrospect the combat of XII actually acted as a bridge that opened the way for me to try out more JRPGs.
I'm so glad I decided to give it a try because if I didn't I may have never branched out and played masterpieces like Persona 5, Dragon Quest VIII, and Ni No Kuni. In some ways, I actually PREFER turn based combat these days. Games like Transistor and Trails of Cold Steel have some of my favorite combat systems where it is not only turn based but it also takes into account positioning on the battlefield. I never actually got to finish Final Fantasy XII because a lot of the intricacies of the game flew way over my head at that age. So I'm actually incredibly excited to play this remaster and revisit the game that broadened my horizons as a gamer.
DillonTaylorVA take a like for mentioning Trails of cold steel
same story for me, it was my first final fantasy too, and I also disliked turn based. I love ff12 too. It didn't make me like turn based more, but I did become a huge jrpg and square enix fan afterwards. Going back to play other square enix/square soft titles, such as drakenguard, final fantasy 10.
I played ff12 a year or two after it came out, I was also pretty young, I took it up because my friend said if you like kingdom hearts you might like this. naturally i was blown away by the game, a little disappointed in the combat at first, coming from an action game, but I got over that fast after looking at the world. I was a pretty incompetent gamer back then, so I got stuck lots of times and took about a year to finish the game, I never did find out what was behind the door deep within the nabradius necrohole.
DillonTaylorVA makes me feel so old lol. my first ff game was the american ff1 on nes.
FF12 has no handholding.
DillonTaylorVA I'm planning on buying my very final fantasy game :P
Easy Allies>IGN any day.
Even in their GT times they were better than IGN
There's 2 types of people when talking about any Final Fantasy:
1. This is the best Final Fantasy ever
2. This is the worst Final Fantasy ever
Final Fantasy 13 and 15 gave the latter type a big break.
@@rocketeer101 XV is good though
@@DavidDoboni I originally played 15 at launch and was disappointed as fuck. I gave it another shot with the windows edition recently and I still feel it kinda of sucks. I like 13 a lot more than 15. I don't see why people hate it so much.
@@eduardocardona6608 I loved 13 back when I first played it, but now after trying a second playthrough last year the issues became a lot more noticeable. The story has some really cool moments and the battle system is deeper than people give it credit. But the pacing is absolutely horrendous 😔 and there's no gameplay variety. There's literally nothing for you to do other than to walk and battle enemies which really only becomes more tedious as the game keeps going. I had to stop and give myself a few months as a break before getting into the chapter in Grand Pulse because I still remember that one chapter somehow lasts half of the entire game's length for some reason
@@eduardocardona6608 I have probably 100 hours in 15 after repeatedly going back and bouncing off of it. It's high points are great, but overall it's SUPER mediocre. FF7 Remake is 15 but with all of the love and polish that was meant for 15
I love these Don't Skips. Do more.
Likewise! Also, great profile picture!
was thinking the same, can´t see the difference
Is this where the game trailers narrator went?!
This is where Gametrailers went...
Really? Don't Skip?
I am so glad people are finally warming up to this great game. It blow my mind when it first came out that my friends hated it and wouldn't even give it a chance. Now the game is considered to be some lost relic, some Diamond in the rough, and they can't wait to play it. Haha. So many arguments we had over the years about this game.
Why would I skip this amazing game? I have about 600+ hours of gameplay in my PS2.
I want this to come to PC already!
buzzworddujour That would be nice.
buzzworddujour funny how the "master race" begs all the time. doesn't seem to masterful to me.
Park Jung Ah what's so good about this game?? does it have a good story? I'm kinda hesitant getting this game?
Deco if you dont like political intrigue and the like don't bother. Me personally i loved the original and im loving The Zodiac Age
lol Brandon's voice is perfect. Feels like I'm watching Gametrailers all over again
Now that I'm grown, I genuinely find greater appreciation to the political intrigue find in game and the tactical aspect of the gambit system. I love it!
Also, good to hear the voice of GT again!
My favorite game ever. It's too good
Jeison Regert It's great!
Jeison Regert how is it good? does it have a good story? im kinda hesitant getting it
i think the most fun part for me was hunting all the different monsters and becoming a monster hunting god
i want to discuss this with you all, do Reks, Vaan, and Rasler have some kind of connection like brother i.e
@@decoraven825 It got the most relaxing gameplay out of all FFs
Played this when it first came out and didn't like it because it wasn't what I wanted at the time. Really excited to give it another chance this time. Something tells me the Gambit system was a little ahead of its time.
murph2010 Yeah it was. The same thing happened to me by the way. I hated it at first but it's one of my favorites now.
murph2010 the story of this game went way over my head when I first played it in 2006 (I was 18) but 3 years later, I played it again and considered it fantastic since I got it.
Yeah timing has a lot to do with it I think, I was a similar age when it came out first and I think I'll appreciate it more now.
I tried 12 when it first came out i hate the job system i like it when the characters have there own clas
Xenoblade chronicles COmbat System comes from this game but this one is way complex and overall better. The problem is the story
I said it when it was released, and I haven't changed my mind yet - Final Fantasy XII is the best FF since FFVI. It's a LOT better than 10 and anything that came after it.
Xii was criminally underated
This game is everything I would have wanted FF15 or for that matter any open world RPG to be. Nice balance between story and exploration ... None of which is gated behind DLC. DQ8 another game with a great under the radar remake is probably the only PS2 era RPG better than FF12.
tactics is one of the greatest games in all history and FF12 is from the same universe so its gonna be epic
More like multiverse bro. I mean theyre both Ivalice and they cant exist at the same time
I played the FF12 International version (IZJS) and it's spectacular. It bumped me just liking FF12 to completely loving it - definitely Don't Skip this remaster that is even better!
wenchwogg hey new comer here, i really want to try this FF out, but I've heard that the main characters don't interact that much during the story...is that true?
The gameplay/vibes of the world are what really keeps FFXII going, it's fantastic. The story/characters took a hit because the director stepped down midway through the project for personal reasons. I would give it a shot - it's got some really nice quality of life things like double/quad speed to skip grindy bits, 3 different soundtracks to choose from, etc.
I played ZJS and is quite better because it's not so easy :)
Better than XV imo
XV is incredible story and battle... but 12 is enjoyable too
Funny, I just bought 15 and I was enjoying the hell out of it, but I got the urge to play 12 so I got zodiac age and now I've put more hours into 12 than 15
One of the best in the franchise. XII doesn't get the love it deserves l.
Yea but 15 is still alright though
better than everything else
I've always considered FFXII 'the Resident Evil 4 of the FF series'. When my backwards compatible PS3 died, I was devastated I couldn't play it anymore. Waited years for a remaster and now it's happening!!
You had a BC PS3? Lucky you. Might be worth trying to get it fixed.
i love that you finish the video with "time to rest", great track!
Vaan's part could've been easily swapped out for Rexx since he had more involvement in the story.
To this day, I still believe this to be true.
there was a reason why Vaan became mc, kinda a stupid one i would say. I usually put this in my mind that, the main characters are either Ashe, Basch, or Balthier
I'm about to start the game, this is just foreplay
Finally buying this game on Steam. Side note: This is the only voice I ever want to hear on my reviews. I've been following these guys since the earlier GameTrailers days.
The Kings & Queens born out of GT still have it down!
A spot-on and awesome review fellas!! This is why I love this channel.
Final Fantasy XII Is and will always be a favorite of mine! And It places in my "Top 5" FF's ever created.
I think/feel this based on the fact that I have played "almost" every final fantasy game excluding (FF II)
The complex yet engaging storytelling is cut from the same fabric that is "Final Fantasy Tactics" ...obviously.
The adventure through Ivalice's world is an eyesore of fantastic beautiful gaming art that is beginning to feel somewhat lost in recent titles. The Music is finely crafted with all sorts of unique instruments one can clearly hear if focused!
Hitoshi Sahkimoto "i think that's how you spell it" is an Amazing composer and as you might know created the score for "final fantasy tactics". The game-play mechanics are how "Ben Moore" cleverly describes it as "Cerebrally Rewarding"
(Yo Ben... I Loved that mind-spark of a thought!) and does indeed have an ingenious system.
The overall worst aspect of this game is a handful of it's main characters being pretty boring in their story & charisma.
Maybe even unworthy for a final fantasy game! Regardless of that flaw...
Final Fantasy XII = The stuff made of Greatness!!!
I think a great way to differenciate Dont Skip from regular reviews would be if the person who writes it also does the voiceover, giving this section a radically different vibe, and freeing Jones of some work. Just an idea, love what you guys do, keep it up!! L&R
LOVE the gambit system. wish they used it again for a new FF.
The gambit system and the option to speed up is pure gold!!
FF XII is the Star Wars of Final Fantasy.
The last really good Final Fantasy game before the dark age of XIII saga...
To be fair, FF has always been heavily influenced by Star Wars but yes, in many ways, XII feels even more Star Wars-y then many other games in the franchise.
A poor guys who lives in the desert who wants to became a pilot of a flying ship, and hate a guy with an armor and heavy breathing sounds.
A princess whose kingdom was destroyed who else the guy with the armor.
An old and wise warrior who has a quarrel with the guy in the armor.
The guy with the armor, who is pure evil until the end, when he betray his emperor and join the good side. He's also the coolest character in his franchise.
A pirate with a nice ship... and his furred companion. The pirate has a green guy who wants his head, but will end pretty bad in a pit of sand.
The guy who lives in the cloud who is loyal to the Empire... but actually is not, is part of the Rebellion.
Magic staff in the air that makes people mad.
A warship so powerful that can destroy a world.
Yeah, i guess we can say it was influenced in some way.
DevilGearHill I swear FF13 is the most memorable even to people that hate it because they can't stop talking about it.
I remember people saying 9 was the last "true" FF. They probably said the same thing about earlier FF games and will say the same things about future ones too
Final Fantasy XII is amazing, I enjoyed it more than FFX. I remember getting FFXII and Dragon Quest VIII in december of 2006 and I couldn't stop playing neither of one, I accumulate more than 200hrs of gamplay in each one. I never understood why all the hate against FFXII, I loved the graphics, the gameplay, the story, the music and the characters.
Omg! I'm so excited! It's the former narrator from GT! (Can't remember the name, sorry) I miss GT so much.
Xenogears with a speed boost. Square! Are you reading me Square!?
Theje hell yea now your talking. Maybe even some vagrant story mixed in
fuuuckck I neeed my Xenogears Remake NOW!
I really hope they give such good treatment to FF9 someday
tom sawyer YES!
They did, it's on Steam.
ness kirby
oh lol. Idk I am definitely by and large a console pleb, even if I started on pc when I was young. Hope they port it over
Yup. Too bad they couldn't redo the cinematic.
tom sawyer the mobile version remake is very decent.
Speeding up the game is something I hope future remasters do. This really helps replaying a game less daunting and most of us don't have as much time to play such a large game like we used to. That feature alone makes me feel better about buying it. Didn't the last FF7 version do that as well?
I dont find the characters or story that interesting but the gameplay and all the systems are just so damn good. I keep coming back to it every few months or so. Very addictive
"The gambit system is particularly genius and something more jrpg's could benefit from."
WE'RE LOOKING AT YOU FINAL FANTASY 15
Dragon Age: Origins made an attempt. It was better in some ways but mostly worse.
Whoever did that intro deserves a raise. It's my favorite bump on the channel. L&R
XII is an entry that I always struggled to get into. There are so many bizarre design decisions. However, the job system mitigates a huge issue I had with it, and the ability to fast forward (which, let's face it, isn't exactly a ringing endorsement of how fun the game was) should help with the grindiness. As such, I'm really looking forward to taking it for another spin, and hopefully finishing it this time.
Why do so many people bash on the fast forward feature. Just about every FF benefits from this. FF7 and FF8 are a complete slog without the time boosting enhancements. I think the feature is mostly traveling/backtracking as well as for players who have already beaten the game before, and want to race though well tread parts of the game. Don't really see what is wrong with that.
This convinced me. I'm gonna dive in to this when I finish my current games.
Oh man. Is this the guy from game trailers?! I think this guy has a perfect voice for narration in game reviews. Miss ya man!
Ha! awesome... that's good to hear! I obviously subscribed to the channel. Looking forward to seeing more vids man!
Um Vaan was voiced amazingly. It was perfect.
Wait, I was enjoying that! Oh... Damn, those 6 and a half minutes went by fast.
FANTASTIC review. Glad you showed this detailed table system that I've fallen for.
I subscribed because it's the narrator from GameTrailers!
Stephen Nguyen not just the narrator, the whole crew is the former GT crew, they made this channel after they were closed by Defy
I'm glad you guys are still doing Don't Skip videos, I thought you skipped the don't skip.
And yes, definite don't skip FFXII, you may not have time to play it right now, but make the time.
I am currently in my 4th venture through Italics, the first with the Zodiac Age and while at am enjoying the game, I can't but long for the original game and the original Licence board. I loved how a catered my go to party to my expectations and change things around when I pleased. Controlling Espers is fine and dandy but boy, are they underwhelming when it comes down to brass tax. I really hope everyone, new and old is enjoying this gem of a bygone Era of gaming.
Ben-sama. I love these Don't Skip. Thank you for covering a game that I love so much. I am glad it gets a new chance to be discovered
Don't Skip is a great concept, but would love to see a wider variety of Allies contributing. Love Ben's writing style, but seeing a small gem of a game that Kyle or Don is really excited about would be awesome! Love and Respect regardless!
I love the initial release of _Final Fantasy XII_ and look forward to eventually playing this version as well. For a while, I'd been keeping track of the hacked Japanese PS2 version which would allow me to experience the job system, but this release makes everything official. It's just that I put something like 150 hours into the original, and even with the turbo mode, this is still something of a 100 hour experience that I just don't have the room to add to my play queue.
I totally missed this when it came out. Just picked it up and it might end up being my favourite Final Fantasy. The combat here is what the combat should have been in Final Fantasy 13. It looks flashy, but it plays tactically. The ability to pause during combat and micro-manage means you never feel rushed like you did in 13.
I started playing my copy around noon today. Ivalice is just simply wonderful.
Honestly pressing the L1 button to speed things up helps so much, I remember in the original going normal speed seemed so slow now I can grind much faster then before
Best FF game. Story-wise. And you have a lot of things to do: main story, side quests (hunts), explorations, getting Ultima weapon and the Genji gears, listening to Fran's accent... Balthier and Gabranth, omg.
I wish the Basch/Gabranth dynamic would get mentioned more when people talk about FF characters; because I found their relationship fascinating and complex.
I agree. The fact that they chose different paths, and yet at the very end, we see their total respect for each other. It is also very poetic that at the beginning, it was Gabranth who impersonates Basch, and once Gabranth dies, it is Basch who impersonates his brother. To keep the peace and protect Larsa.
FFXII is my second favorite FF game.(VII is still my 1st) Love the gambit system! What I've played so far with ZA, the treasure system seems to be much better also.
I would have thought a title such as this would have gotten a full blown review seeing as it is a mainline FF, that said I appreciate the love regardless of the format.
I wish this guy could narrate my life lol. Great vid.
This is such an awesome game!! I bought the re-mastered version on PS4 sooo GOOD! I am actually recording and streaming the playthrough right now on my channel. Nostalgia is awesome!
I was unable to finish this game when back then. Now's the chance to play it once again.
Balthier will always be one of my favorite Final Fantasy Characters.
Either him or Basch should be the main Character. Too bad you can't oppose the producer's decision
Wooooo. Im so pleased the talented Brandon Jones found a new home after GT, I had no idea these existed until today!
FF12 was my first final fantasy, other jrpgs were turn based which my younger self found boring, this game not only started my love for RPGs but made me want to venture more into other JRPG genres.
On a gameplay standpoint, this is hands down the best Final Fantasy ever made. The gambit system is incredible, its genius, also the goddamn side-quests are the very best, not infinite grinding towards a golden chocobo bs. I had a similar positive interaction with the very first Dragon Age, it's a shame that this combat system did not got popular. It's really great, it makes you feel smarter and also the pacing drastically improves. Also, the visuals, you can watch the action, something that any jrpg player always does anyway, regardless if it's turns or "action", in the end we all sit and watch. The difference is that FFXII makes you feel good about it. Like Napoleon predicting every move and possibility in the field, your strategy is superior! lol I had good memories of this game, it's shame that people didn't received the new ideas very well. It's because of you purits that Final Fantasy died, FFXII tried to be turn based and flashy just like the purists were asking for, look at the result.
Final Fantasy 12 (Ps2, 2006) has a 92% on metacritic...It was very, very well received at the time. It's weird how some games get bad reputations or just fade into obscurity.
I just purchased the game, and honestly...I'm hating it! I don't feel like I'm playing the game. Just waiting and watching. I'll give it a bit longer, but I'm pretty close to taking it back.
I started the game in 2006 but there was no option to switch the camera’s axis and made me frustrated. I quit after an hour or two. Finally the option is there and I’m 40 hours in!
Shoutout to the voice over guy. This is the same guy from the GameTrailers days 15-10 years ago.
The gambit system isn't as fine tuned as it could be. For example you can set up a gambit for characters to steal items from enemies, but once the enemy has no items the character continues to steal anyway. So if you want to continually steal rare items while letting combat flow you'll have to steal manually.
While I understand you guys probably didn't want to make this a proper review because Ben didn't finish the game, I feel like it has enough care and quality that you could attach a score at the end and call it a review, even more so if Ben has finished it at some point in the past (the original). I love Don't Skips, but I believe they are a step below a Review, and I don't think you should sell yourselves short when you have a great piece with thought and care put into it.
And I just noticed that what I have written makes it seem like Don't Skips are not the same quality, it isn't that, it is just that this feels just as much as a full review as other pieces you have, while I feel Don't Skips are supposed to be just quick thoughts on great games, this feels like a really good, in depth analysis of the quality of this title, and I would think it deserves the title of Review.
I was worried when I got this game. I played it when I was young, but didn't get passed the Dreadnought. I am really enjoying it so far. I just take it slow and grind levels.
It seems like this was done from a place of passion and love, a place where all remasters/remakes need to start.
FF12 would have been better received if it was called Vagrant Story 2. It has more in common with VS, tactics & FF11 then any other final fantasy. 12 so far marked the end of the traditional turn based combat in mainline FF so many purists hated this game for that alone. The common complaints were the gambit system making the game playing itself(if only they knew of 13..) the license board being too undefined making every character feel the same(lack of handholding/imagination?) or the main character Vaan being too lame(audience surrogate+ too much to unpack here but subjective). This version of the game should solve many of those issues even if they are part of the charm but the story/characters might just be over some peoples heads, to those I would recommend viewing this but with no guarantees of changing minds on preference, you like what you like: th-cam.com/video/r61Q-lFu_nE/w-d-xo.html
90 hours into Persona, haven't started Neir, Want to get the plat for FFX and need to finish Salt and Sanctuary... now this added on. My back log is out of control haha.
I played it on 1X ten years ago and still strongly recommend it!
By the end of the game you have so many gambits that game plays itself. Not that is a bad thing since for harder fights you still want control. I hope this game releases for PC as well
The beauty of the gambit system is this is only true if you tell it to. If you don't want the game to play itself, don't go into that menu and expressly tell it to. In fact, I don't even keep gambits active on the character that I'm controlling directly 'cause the game gives me this option!
I like the Gambit system. It's basically setting up tactics in CRPG games like Baldur's Gate and the like.
i absolutely love the menus on this game.
I will play the living shit out of this game. I loved the original 12 but never played the IZJS version so this is the perfect oportunity with all the extras and benefits the remaster has to offer. Also the biggest improvement from technical perspective is the "no spell queue" so we can chain the big spells together since the hardware is poverfull enough. Cant wait!
I'll pick it up when it comes down in price. Didn't love 12 the first time I played it (only got like 12 hours in) I want to give it another try but not at 50 dollars.
Good to see Brandon Jones making a comeback as the voice behind game insights and reviews.
Loved this game so much back in '06, can't wait to play an even better version! Definitely one of my favorite RPGs of all time. I wish more games used gambit-like systems, it feels soo rewarding seeing your allies react in the way you programmed them to.
PS. I wonder if they patched the infinite leveling trick from the original game?
Dual classes per character? Are you kidding me? That is amazing. I couldn't wait before, and now I'm just losing my mind.
i'll buy it when it comes to PC
I remember FF12 getting an 8.0 on Gametrailers so I was curious to see what Easy Allies would give it a whole 11 years later.
I'm just re-watching because I'm finally getting this.
Just gonna echo the sentiment that Don't Skips are super fantastic. I will be much happier when Japan at large gets the message that there is a large community here that would greatly prefer subs over dubs though. Just gimme the option, plleeaasseee
Definitely gonna take the advice on this one and Hollow Knight once it gets a console release
I don't really enjoy this game as a FF title.
But I do enjoy it as a "Vagrant Story 2", cause of the whole style and the music.
god i need this game back in my life. i loved it back in the day
Now this is a video worth doing, A good idea for a series.
If only it came out for the Switch though then i might have time.
5:58 NOOOO- oh wait it's the Zodiac version. The spear shall still be mine!
People really need to stop saying that the original license board made all of the characters feel the same. That's a dishonest statement that blames the game for the player's choices. They felt the same because YOU made them feel the same. Don't want every character to use white magic? Then don't teach them all white magick. Had to learn the first set of white magick to get to black magick? Don't set white magick into their gambit slots. I played the original so many times and not once did even two characters feel the same because I made sure to make them feel different. A little planning ahead goes a long way. I hope they patch the game to include the option to use the original board because I prefer it to this watered down, simplified job system. It nerfs your ability to create unique builds for your characters because each one is limited to skills from 2 jobs. I can't see it as anything other than a downgrade.
The Sphere Grid from X gets so much praise for being open-ended and flexible when in reality that couldn't be further from the truth. Every character has a specific role and their starting position on the grid accommodates that role. They follow a linear path, learning skills pertaining to their role, until teleport spheres are introduced, which lets them move to a different section of the grid to learn abilities from other classes. The thing is, moving a character away from the abilities they're "supposed" to learn only serves to handicap that character and your party in general. Why teach Yuna black magic and Lulu white magic when Lulu will always be the vastly superior black mage anyway (unless you completely fill out the sphere grid, that is)? The incentive just isn't there.
If you can't tell, I'm one of those people who thinks X is extremely overrated and XII is severely underrated.
New to Final Fantasy, Loved XV. Played 7, 10 and 13. The problem I have with the series is that there is always a difficulty spike. The HUD, Progression and and enemies become needlessly complex to overcome, resulting in looking up guides to see how to beat it. Maybe I'm just bad but it always bothers me. Is this FF more accessible than others?
Best upgrade to this game?
Vaans awkward drawn-on abs have been corrected!!!!
Hated the story and characters but today i actually enjoyed it more playing this game because i grew up liking these kinda games gameplay. It was more to travel the worlds maps than in ffx the one before 12 as no random battles anymore
Can you choose to play with the original license board system? I prefer the non job based system that lets everyone master everything in time, much like ffx.
I love this game I played it when it first came out and it was my first ff game ever! It’s still my favorite ff game of all time!
There's one thing I don't like about the job sistem: it's supposed to offer you a choice and flexibility, but you learn that each character is better suited from certain jobs. Why give you the choice but then take it away or limiting it? (and also the fact that they follow the stereotype of making the female characters magic-oriented).
Having said that, I am playing and enjoying the game anyway. I guess when details like that bother you it means that the game overall is good, and that's why the flaws stand out.
You don't have to worry about characters being better at certain jobs unless you're min/maxing which is basically pointless. The hardest content requires elaborate strats, not maxed out stats.
I thought ff12 was great back when I had my PS2, I put well over 200 hours into it and I think i was about 99% complete. Is there any info on when it's coming to PC?
Not a second chance to re evaluate. The game was always the best of the ps2 games
I hated this game when it first came out. Played it again a couple years ago and absolutely loved it! Can't wait to pick up this version.
Vaan never 'grated' on me.. He's a teenager, and i had low expectations..
This is legit one of my favorites!
I'm just now playing this on the switch. I never completed FF12 when it came out because I disliked the combat and Vaan I regret not giving this a chance back in the day. It's amazing how big this game was back on the PS2
My favorite fantasy (after 8)
Rob Austin I love 8. It gets a bad wrap for some reason.
Rob Austin 8 and 12 are tied for me, I love both so much
I liked VIII quite a bit but VI and XII are my favorites. They have the least amount of cheese imo. Any news on Zodiak coming to PC anytime soon?
vi
Thank you, my favorites in no order or FF8, FF12, FF10 Honorable Mention: FF9/FF15