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Final Fantasy XII The Zodiac Age - Review Thread

JJShadow

Member
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Metacritic : 87 (after 42 reviews)
OpenCritic: 88 (after 39 reviews)

Gamespot: 9/10

While its enhancements do not translate into a brand new game for existing fans, The Zodiac Age is nonetheless invigorating. For an experience that can last over a hundred hours, the subtle tweaks therein go a long way in showcasing Final Fantasy 12's grand trek in a new light. Its epic, lore-abundant story and its time-tested Gambit System should also appeal to those who missed out on the mainline series' trip to Ivalice the first time around. And thanks in part to the new audio and speed options, The Zodiac Age is an ideal definitive edition: one that improves the game over its original version across the board.

Dualshockers: 9/10

Final Fantasy XII is an epic, sprawling tale that many gamers — myself included — missed the first time around because of when it was released. Don't make that mistake again. Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age is one of the best, if not the best, remaster of a Final Fantasy game in recently memory, and is objectively better now than it was a decade ago. For $49.99 on PlayStation 4, the game is a steal to fans new and old interested in an old(er)-school JRPG experience.

RPGSite: 9/10

Western players are in for a treat with all of these adjustments and improvements made from the original release of Final Fantasy XII - many of which are old but never made their way West originally. The job system adds another level of interest to party coordination, elements like fast-forward and map overlays add a considerable amount of convenience, and the game looks and sounds great too. This remaster may not change the mind of everyone, but it is no doubt one of the most intriguing entries in the franchise and clearly the definitive version of a truly brilliant game.

GameInformer: 9/10

Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age is a remaster done right. The core content remains the same, but the changes in various systems add a new layer of discovery. This means old fans can still relive the journey, while new players (or those who had issues with old mechanics) don't feel trapped in an outdated adventure. Not every facet of the game has aged well, but the clever combat and fantastic cast earns this entry its status as classic RPG, and The Zodiac Age is the best way to play it.

Hardcore Gamer: 4.5/5

Even after a decade, Final Fantasy XII remains one of the brightest beacons in the long-running franchise. It has its issues with Vaan being one of the most lackluster protagonists in Final Fantasy history, but the combat is fun, versatile and highly addicting. It helps that Square Enix has put in an on-the-fly button to enable the High Speed Mode, which cuts down on unnecessary grinding of items, license points and experience significantly. The game has also been masterfully remastered, with beautiful 1080p visuals and some added visual techniques such as bump mapping applied to the environments. Some of the new character lighting can darken things at times, but it's overall for the better. Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age is pure enjoyment and a reminder of why the series was at the top of the RPG ladder back in its heyday.

USGamer: 4.5/5

After missing out on Final Fantasy XII the first time, I feel like a lot of people are wondering if they should finally tackle the Final Fantasy that time forgot. As something of a former skeptic myself, I can definitely say, "Yes." It may never have the mass appeal of some of its peers, but it's time Final Fantasy XII received some of the love and attention it deserves.

We Got This Covered: 4.5/5

Overall, Square Enix has essentially pulled off the best-case scenario for a remaster of a game: there's enough new for returning veterans, while offering plenty of accessibility for newcomers. So whether you memorized every map and took down every superboss of the original game, or you've yet to set foot in the most intricate version of Yasumi Matsuno's Ivalice ever rendered, there's more than enough incentive in Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age to jump in and get lost in its massive world.

IGN: 8.8/10

Final Fantasy XII's relatable roleplaying adventure has aged remarkably well, and The Zodiac Age remaster improves it further in meaningful ways. The storytelling, visual design, and gameplay feel just as fresh and interesting as they did over a decade ago, and the various new enhancements and adjustments will give new players a chance to experience the magic for the first time and fans of the original something enticing to return for.

Polygon: 8.5/10

And I am going to keep doing things in The Zodiac Age. It's taken the game I already loved so much and given me more. The Zodiac Age doesn't add things for the sake of adding them. I can see myself putting 300 more hours into this version of Final Fantasy 12, trying different combinations of job classes and testing out new tactics on the optional bosses I could never quite conquer in the original game. The Zodiac Age takes a game I could play in my sleep and makes me wake up and appreciate it again

Destructoid: 8/10

Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age, despite my misgivings, is a triumph that still holds up all these years later. Modern conveniences like upping the tempo of combat are far more valuable than the new coat of paint, and despite a slow-going narrative it's a blast to just roam the open countryside, mess around with Gambits, and go on hunts. Slowly but surely XII has wormed its way into my heart -- it only took 11 years.

Eurogamer: Recommended

The Zodiac Age is an anomaly in the Final Fantasy lineage, a game made with the kind of singular directorial vision only matched by the Sakaguchi games (and, arguably, Naoki Yoshida's more recent Final Fantasy 14). Quite how close the finished game comes to Matsuno's vision is a question we will likely never know the answer to - especially now he is again working with the company, and obligated to remain tactfully silent. What is clear is that this is the definitive version of Final Fantasy 12, a game that despite its developmental difficulties, still emerged as one of the most fascinating projects to take the series' name.

NovaCrystallis: Recommended

Regardless, if you shied away from the game before, this is the perfect opportunity to jump back in for another go at a well-crafted and beautiful single-player experience. I've always felt Final Fantasy XII was a game ahead of its time and The Zodiac Age proves in many ways it still is.
 

Nightfall

Member
I started FF12 when it came out but never finished it. I can't even remember why.

But ever since the announcement I've been looking forward to it.
Glad it seems to be worth the wait :)
 

kromeo

Member
I thought IGN might have gone super high with their score, they keep going on about how much the current team loves the game
 
Game is preloaded, I've bought some energy drinks for the first time in years and I'm ready to play all night after it unlocks. My favorite rpg of all time deserves no less.
 

jiggle

Member
I still need to experience the job system to see if it`s a meaningful change or artificial limitation

Will be gettingbthe game tomorrow
REALLY excited, strangely
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Awesome, hoping this gets great reviews and even better sales. Always felt like the release window made FFXII sort of unappreciated back in the day.
 

Anung

Un Rama
Mine was dispatched today so I should be playing tomorrow. This is one of the few FF's I never got around to playing so I'm excited to jump in.
 

Jb

Member
All in all this sounds like a fantastic remaster.
I'm more excited about playing this for the first time than I was about 15 last year.

Only question is: English or Japanese VA? I remember hearing this game's localization was actually pretty great.
 

Deacan

9/10 NeoGAFfers don't understand statistics. The other 3/10 don't care.
About time this game got a chance to shine, its late release on the PS2 really hindered the games visibility.
 

arcticice

Member
Intrigued by reviews, i went on to see some gameplay, and i have come away with one question.

Why are our main character wearing whatever the hell he's wearing?
 
All in all this sounds like a fantastic remaster.
I'm more excited about playing this for the first time than I was about 15 last year.

Only question is: English or Japanese VA? I remember hearing this game's localization was actually pretty great.

It is absolutely incredible, as is always the case with Matsuno games localized by Alexander O. Smith. A great article on the subject. I've never played the game in japanese so I'm glad the option is there and I'll definitely give it a try but I expect I will go back to the english voices after a while.
 
D

Deleted member 57681

Unconfirmed Member
Anything else than a straight 100 MC is unacceptable.
 

V3rt1go

Member
This is my favourite Final Fantasy, always felt like its Star Wars made by Japanese minds.

Balthier is Han, Fran Chewbaca, Gabranth is Vader....maybe I'm drunk.

And I always felt that Vaan is not meant to be the main protagonist in the tradicional sense like most games.

He felt like a mere avatar, your gateway/vessel to that world. Almost like what Nintendo does with Link, not talking and all that.

Always felt there was no main protagonist. If there was, it would be Balthier.
 

kromeo

Member
My attempts to finish FFVII before this releases failed, only made it to Bone Village... Will still be starting this tomorrow though, been holding off on replaying it ever since they first said they were doing a X remaster
 

Markitron

Is currently staging a hunger strike outside Gearbox HQ while trying to hate them to death
Is there any technical or legal reason why this couldn't be released on Switch? Seems like it would be a perfect fit. Started it back in the day but never finished it as the PS3 came out around the same time.
 

Gattsu25

Banned
Intrigued by reviews, i went on to see some gameplay, and i have come away with one question.

Why are our main character wearing whatever the hell he's wearing?
The game is actually pretty interesting from a behind the scenes perspective.

Rumor has it that the 2 people you start the game off with were added late cycle because square was concerned that younger players wouldn't like the game if all the characters were in their 30s.

Regarding the outfits.. it's just the style of the game. Don't expect it to ever make sense. Half of the playable characters have really odd outfits IMO.

Anyway, it's better now than it was before because the PS2 release gave the initial starting character really oddly defined abs that looked...sharp. Now that character at least looks like they have muscles instead of skin-colored rocks for abs.
 
Time to take another stab at this. Really wasn't happy with Vaan as one of the main characters (worthless in the grand scheme of things) and was really fucking put off by the stupid chests connecting to the strongest weapon in the game bullshit. But yeah, giving this another chance.

I'm sure my strategy guide that I still own will be good for about 90% of the game.
 

LiK

Member
Never beat original. I guess I got bored halfway through and decided to play other games. The tough enemies tired me out back in the day cuz I playe dit wrong and tried to level up everyone equally which was a mistake from what I was told. Guess I'll give it another chance.
 
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