An easy candidate for 'PS2 game of the year 2006'
The game follows the day-to-day activities of a young boy named Vaan whose ambition is to become a sky pirate. As the days pass by and the Imperial rule starts to strengthen, Vaan decides to sabotage an operation. Well everything ends up an entire mess and soon after your found locked up alongside Balthier and Fran, and from here on your journey begins. You meet a lot of characters as you progress through the game, each having there own ups and downs. The playing field is vast and there are so many places to be in.
There are a lot of weapons in the game, the main categories being Swords, Katanas, Staffs, Spears and so on and so forth. You’ll be able to unlock more accessible weapons in the license board. Apart from weapons, you can also get Espers and battle upgrades from the license board, so use it wisely. The addition of the Gambit system was the biggest factor in the game. Unlike previous titles where the game was turn-based, FF XII uses gambits to quickly form up an effective strategy against foes. As such the battles are real-time and this adds a whole new perspective to the game.
The game’s visuals are absolutely breathtaking. You might even take some time off your current mission just to admire the scenic beauty of the environments and characters. The cinematics are very life-like and the best I’ve seen for a PS2 game. The voice acting is amazing, especially the voices of Balthier and Vaan. Like most Square-Enix games, FF XII is a lengthy adventure clocking in at over 60 hours.
FF XII is a definite relief for all FF fans and is a sign for great things to follow.