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Final Fantasy XII The Zodiac Age Gambit System Trailer
- Thread starter Exentryk
- Start date
A 92% average review score is polarizing, huh.
http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-2/final-fantasy-xii
These things are not mutually exclusive
Death Penalty
Member
Sorry, said reviews but meant fan reception.
I guess I wouldn't call programming your own else/if logic compelling gameplay, but I currently do that for a living. I see it in the same vein as if a key component of gameplay was data entry, and that's ignoring the issues I have with removing so much of the player from the core gameplay loop in the first place by letting them program their own glider.
NipplesAndToes23
Member
Who this corny-ass woman they got narrating this trailer?
KyanMehwulfe
Member
Gambits are sort of a battlefield manager...
The game is heavily based around adventuring journeys across large spans of battlefield, so essentially by allowing for creating on battlefield orders to automate tactics, you can better focus on the broader strategy of the field. Less 'attack attack attack,' more 'is my healer running out of MP too fast' or 'which element works best for this region.' Kinda a forest for the trees sort of thing.
Literally, too. One of the most visually satisfying rpgs to watch. Sort of like watching a perfect Overwatch in XCOM or a well oiled supply chain in The Settlers.
Watching a well balanced gambit party or a well timed reactive gambit can be pretty satisfying, and in general there's something be to be said for having to focus less on 'attack attack attack' and being able to better take in the visual battlefield adventure you're on.
Balthier does add some additional charm to it though, to be sure. Party games not using gambits just seem so unrefined.
The game is heavily based around adventuring journeys across large spans of battlefield, so essentially by allowing for creating on battlefield orders to automate tactics, you can better focus on the broader strategy of the field. Less 'attack attack attack,' more 'is my healer running out of MP too fast' or 'which element works best for this region.' Kinda a forest for the trees sort of thing.
Literally, too. One of the most visually satisfying rpgs to watch. Sort of like watching a perfect Overwatch in XCOM or a well oiled supply chain in The Settlers.
Watching a well balanced gambit party or a well timed reactive gambit can be pretty satisfying, and in general there's something be to be said for having to focus less on 'attack attack attack' and being able to better take in the visual battlefield adventure you're on.
Balthier does add some additional charm to it though, to be sure. Party games not using gambits just seem so unrefined.
badcrumble
Member
FFXII is the best attrition-centered gameplay in the series, I think - that is to say, gameplay that's centered around smartly managing the rate at which you're taking damage, the rate at which you're using up MP, and the rate at which you're dealing damage, rather than gameplay that's about making individual turns as decisive and impactful as possible.
I'd say the best comparison (aka other games designed around attrition) is against FF4, FF13, and FF15. Both online FFs, as with any MMO, are also designed in large part around attrition, but they're also games in which your party composition and equipment matter more than the moment-to-moment decisions in battle (see also the excellent FF5).
FF4 is all about centering your party around one very flexible leader character who can perform a number of roles, then adding and removing assorted much more specialized characters such that you need to perpetually alter your strategy around who you've got. (This shines best in the brutally hard FF4DS remake, I think)
FF12 gives you a lot of flexibility but what's really satisfying about it is getting your butt kicked by a really hard boss, making minute but crucial adjustments to your Gambits so you're not running out of MP quite as fast and can free it up for the right buff, and watching the tide turn immediately. And the chance encounters with rare monsters (sometimes several at once) give it a sense of serendipity that 13 and 15 never quite managed to match.
I'd say the best comparison (aka other games designed around attrition) is against FF4, FF13, and FF15. Both online FFs, as with any MMO, are also designed in large part around attrition, but they're also games in which your party composition and equipment matter more than the moment-to-moment decisions in battle (see also the excellent FF5).
FF4 is all about centering your party around one very flexible leader character who can perform a number of roles, then adding and removing assorted much more specialized characters such that you need to perpetually alter your strategy around who you've got. (This shines best in the brutally hard FF4DS remake, I think)
FF12 gives you a lot of flexibility but what's really satisfying about it is getting your butt kicked by a really hard boss, making minute but crucial adjustments to your Gambits so you're not running out of MP quite as fast and can free it up for the right buff, and watching the tide turn immediately. And the chance encounters with rare monsters (sometimes several at once) give it a sense of serendipity that 13 and 15 never quite managed to match.
DiipuSurotu
Banned
Anyone at Square not named Hiroyuki Ito probably has no idea how to make it work from scratch.
BioWare made Dragon Age Origins with it.
And it sounds like Obsidian is picking up some aspects of it for Pillars 2.
LordKasual
Banned
If I recall, they mentioned something along the lines of gambits, but no such system really exists. Something as simple as being able to command your party members to use restoratives on their own, or use their stocked magic spells would have made XV a muuuuuuuuuch smoother experience.
Also, something as simple as a seperate "Party Tactics" option would have made all the difference in the world. The ability to make them drop their actions and come them to you, stop attacking and defend, spread out, ect.
I feel like the most optimal retweaking of XV's combat system would just be one that implements most of XII's features.
Bolivar687
Banned
This is the only way to create a real time RPG that retains the strategy of the genre. I remember on my second play through, after really mastering gambits, the Gilgamesh fight that took me upwards of an hour was done in only a few minutes.
It speaks volumes about Hiroyuki Ito's game design acumen that in his first foray into the Real Time with Pause battle system he destroys every WRPG that used it up to that point.
I just wish they would give you the Gambits up front instead of locking them behind different shops as the story progresses.
It speaks volumes about Hiroyuki Ito's game design acumen that in his first foray into the Real Time with Pause battle system he destroys every WRPG that used it up to that point.
I just wish they would give you the Gambits up front instead of locking them behind different shops as the story progresses.
badcrumble
Member
I love the nitty-gritty tweaking that the Gambit system makes available, but I've thought for a while that a great more accessible version of that idea would give each party member a strong "personality" to their AI such that some characters 'like' certain commands more than others, prioritize healing/offense/etc differently, and you'd have to equip abilities to them that best match their personality (or push it in a certain direction). Combining that with the ability to tell your party to attack wide/attack a single target/help you/help target party member could have a surprising amount of depth, I think (and it'd be a good tool for storytelling through gameplay). I'd love to see FF7R adopt this approach. Especially if when you call for help, some party members would prefer killing whatever's attacking you, some would prefer swooping in and tanking the hits for you, and some would prefer healing you (with, of course, subtle adjustments depending on what would actually be most helpful so you don't get annoyed by party members being stupid).
robotzombie
Member
Don't quote me on this, but I believe you now do get access to all the Gambits up front? Or at least they are all buyable early or something?
CrimsonSquall
Member
Lol they marketed this towards Gaf. Come on Square, just confess
Yep I use them for healing, protect, libra, telekenesis, but most other stuff I prefer to do manually
Was there ever any debate? Balthier is the man.
DiipuSurotu
Banned
I love how no one agrees on who is the 'real' main character of the game. Even Matsuno has a different answer (Basch) than anyone mentioned in this thread.
LordKasual
Banned
there isn't one
jimmypython
Member
can't wait for this!!
The ultimate FF experience.
The ultimate FF experience.
Makoto Yuki
Banned
Cute trailer, the whole Balthier bit is something Kagari payed them to do.
What a fan girl.
I've never thought I'd be excited to play FFXII, it's still my least favorite Ivalice game, and still feels like an out of place mainline game, but at least it's not FFXIII. Plus, at least I can finally try the Zodiac Job System out.
What a fan girl.
I've never thought I'd be excited to play FFXII, it's still my least favorite Ivalice game, and still feels like an out of place mainline game, but at least it's not FFXIII. Plus, at least I can finally try the Zodiac Job System out.
Ashe? YikesSorry, I think Ashe would disagree
YoRHa No.2 Type B
Banned
If Balthier would exist in real. I would be gay right now.
Prince of Space
Banned
low key best Final Fantasy ever. Can't wait to revisit it.
Liquidsnakeiv
Banned
I am excited for this. I bought it when it originally came out, and the combat just never stuck with me, so I quit way too early. Looking forward to diving in and experiencing how great this one is supposed to be.
Fake news
The game autoplays, you have to make a strategy that can work for every situation and practically let them do their thing.
Lol I knew something looked off. They just had to rhyme.