One thing that I can always say about Final Fantasy games is that, for the most part, they always try to move the series in new and interesting directions. This stands out among not just many JRPG series but also massively successful game series as a whole, and 12 is no exception.
The often visually stunning and more than spacious areas are an immediate indicator that this will have a much different feel than the more confined level design that previous 3d ones had used. This really meshes perfectly with the gameplay of 12 as well, as entering combat within these environments feels as seamless as possible. The gambit system feels like it was tailor made for these wide areas as well, combining a satisfying element of strategy when your commands really begin to click as well as a great sense of flow as you mow your way through areas. The amount of customization and class building that the license boards add is another element that contributes to an overall sense of freedom that the game has to offer. Even the side content is no exception. At least a couple of the FFs I've played have been abysmal in this area, with frustrating button mashing minigames being a staple. While I wouldn't say the hunts in 12 are always a success, it's an approach I appreciate a lot for how they play to the strengths of the gameplay and how they never seem to put too much pressure on the player at an individual level. I can't help but appreciate the details and small stories that so many of these are packed with as well.
Unfortunately many of these elements that strengthen the gameplay also lead to its most frustrating flaws. FF12 seems to have hit the barrier that most PS2 JRPGs seem to have as well with some truly awful barren or empty stretches at times. Even at its slowest I would never say it gets to the level of something like FF9 but some of the padding really is blatant at times. The guilt I felt for using 2x speed so much at first began to wash away as I couldn't bear to watch Vaan slow jog through blank areas anymore. It gets particularly nasty in the last 3 dungeons in the game which just feel like a dev team running out of time. In order they go from frustrating, to tedious, to nonexistent.
While the padding is certainly annoying in a gameplay sense, complaining about it too much belies the real disappointing part of 12 which is the story. I can't help but point out that it really starts strong. We instantly get layers of various political conflicts and an interesting stage is set by the opening. Unfortunately the mid game almost entirely abandons this for a really meandering quest where the party goes from one shitty magic gem to the next, and such sporadic bites of the politics that it's hard to get really invested in that side. For a game that is noted so much for having these elements, it ends up about as political as any other FF in a lot of ways. At worst I can say it was always functional and I never found it dull enough to stop paying attention, but it felt like a letdown nonetheless. It definitely begins to pick up at the end again, though the extremely one note main antagonist made me wish some time had been set aside for him or other character earlier on.
Speaking of characters, the cast settles into the "okay" spot as well. Vaan and Penelo are not all that interesting but serve as good stand-ins to view the story through and have some nice moments together. Fran is a bit of a missed opportunity, any exploration into her backstory feels too obfuscated by the flowery script and I feel like it was some sense of insecurity that made the devs just kinda turn her into a walking encyclopedia towards the end. I do appreciate her chemistry with Balthier though, who of course is the leading man after all. Balthier absolutely steals every scene he's in with the way he oozes charm and charisma and brings a good sense of levity, as well as some interesting underlying story points that I wish had been explored more. While Ashe lags behind him due to her lack of a real personality, I do think she has the most compelling internal conflict out of the group. It just didn't need to take up, yknow, the whole middle part of the game. The character who is utterly baffling to me is Basch (Lives!). At first I saw a good amount of truth in the rumor that he was the original protagonist, but his role in the story just falls off a cliff after the beginning to the point of where I just can't believe he ever was the protagonist at any point. This guy goes so long without talking or contributing sometimes that I just straight up forgot he was there. It feels like any internal or external conflict or motivations he has sort of die after the first part and it's beyond frustrating watching him stand there making Kimahri seem like a chatterbox.
I've probably sounded harsher than I mean to but it's just the consequence of the fact that I have high expectations for these games. I still would call 12 a worthy experience and I can't say there wasn't any passion in the ideas on display and it definitely offers an experience that is both enjoyable and distinct from other JRPGs. Outside of Giruvegan I can't say it ever reached the level of something like FF9 in terms of making me disinterested. So long as Basch lives, 12 will be able to stand on it's own among FF games.
The often visually stunning and more than spacious areas are an immediate indicator that this will have a much different feel than the more confined level design that previous 3d ones had used. This really meshes perfectly with the gameplay of 12 as well, as entering combat within these environments feels as seamless as possible. The gambit system feels like it was tailor made for these wide areas as well, combining a satisfying element of strategy when your commands really begin to click as well as a great sense of flow as you mow your way through areas. The amount of customization and class building that the license boards add is another element that contributes to an overall sense of freedom that the game has to offer. Even the side content is no exception. At least a couple of the FFs I've played have been abysmal in this area, with frustrating button mashing minigames being a staple. While I wouldn't say the hunts in 12 are always a success, it's an approach I appreciate a lot for how they play to the strengths of the gameplay and how they never seem to put too much pressure on the player at an individual level. I can't help but appreciate the details and small stories that so many of these are packed with as well.
Unfortunately many of these elements that strengthen the gameplay also lead to its most frustrating flaws. FF12 seems to have hit the barrier that most PS2 JRPGs seem to have as well with some truly awful barren or empty stretches at times. Even at its slowest I would never say it gets to the level of something like FF9 but some of the padding really is blatant at times. The guilt I felt for using 2x speed so much at first began to wash away as I couldn't bear to watch Vaan slow jog through blank areas anymore. It gets particularly nasty in the last 3 dungeons in the game which just feel like a dev team running out of time. In order they go from frustrating, to tedious, to nonexistent.
While the padding is certainly annoying in a gameplay sense, complaining about it too much belies the real disappointing part of 12 which is the story. I can't help but point out that it really starts strong. We instantly get layers of various political conflicts and an interesting stage is set by the opening. Unfortunately the mid game almost entirely abandons this for a really meandering quest where the party goes from one shitty magic gem to the next, and such sporadic bites of the politics that it's hard to get really invested in that side. For a game that is noted so much for having these elements, it ends up about as political as any other FF in a lot of ways. At worst I can say it was always functional and I never found it dull enough to stop paying attention, but it felt like a letdown nonetheless. It definitely begins to pick up at the end again, though the extremely one note main antagonist made me wish some time had been set aside for him or other character earlier on.
Speaking of characters, the cast settles into the "okay" spot as well. Vaan and Penelo are not all that interesting but serve as good stand-ins to view the story through and have some nice moments together. Fran is a bit of a missed opportunity, any exploration into her backstory feels too obfuscated by the flowery script and I feel like it was some sense of insecurity that made the devs just kinda turn her into a walking encyclopedia towards the end. I do appreciate her chemistry with Balthier though, who of course is the leading man after all. Balthier absolutely steals every scene he's in with the way he oozes charm and charisma and brings a good sense of levity, as well as some interesting underlying story points that I wish had been explored more. While Ashe lags behind him due to her lack of a real personality, I do think she has the most compelling internal conflict out of the group. It just didn't need to take up, yknow, the whole middle part of the game. The character who is utterly baffling to me is Basch (Lives!). At first I saw a good amount of truth in the rumor that he was the original protagonist, but his role in the story just falls off a cliff after the beginning to the point of where I just can't believe he ever was the protagonist at any point. This guy goes so long without talking or contributing sometimes that I just straight up forgot he was there. It feels like any internal or external conflict or motivations he has sort of die after the first part and it's beyond frustrating watching him stand there making Kimahri seem like a chatterbox.
I've probably sounded harsher than I mean to but it's just the consequence of the fact that I have high expectations for these games. I still would call 12 a worthy experience and I can't say there wasn't any passion in the ideas on display and it definitely offers an experience that is both enjoyable and distinct from other JRPGs. Outside of Giruvegan I can't say it ever reached the level of something like FF9 in terms of making me disinterested. So long as Basch lives, 12 will be able to stand on it's own among FF games.