FFXII Review
Yeah, completed the story yesterday. Took me a total of 102 hours. So how was it altogather? Is it good? Here are my review..
It’s nice to play but somehow it lack of exciting plot, twist, secret, love etc like in previous FF series. It doesn’t make me feel like wanting to know more and more. It’s just like a typical stories. It lack of twist and turn on the stories. Oh yeah, a little love story will brighten up the story line a little. Here are the example from previous FF series..
FFVII
When Cloud and Serpiroth have the pass soldier stories let u wanting to know more..How can we not forget that everyone wanted to save Aerith? I still can’t believe Squaresoft (Squareenix) kill her..sob
FFVIII
When we learn that Squall have double stories. How it grip me on the stories line wanting to know more on the other guy name Laguna. Love story? Squall with Rinoa. Wow, their love stories blast us into space with Eye of Memory song..
FFIX
When Zidane learn that his brother are Kuja. The powerful bad ass boss, Kuja was the lead character brother. How it supprise me. Ahh..not to mention the pirates with Princess Garnet.
FFX
When Tidus learn he is only a creation of non existen memory. Love stories? The perfect kiss from Yuna in the water and not to forget the part when Yuna tried to hug Tidus but he fade away into memories..So sad..sob
FFX-2
When Yuna saw an image of Tidus. The stories get me grip on wanting to know who is the mysterious guy that look like Tidus. Love bought Yuna into this quest. Need i say more?
and now, how bout FFXII??
Here are 8 cases.
1. Vayne take over the throne by murdering his father and framing the Senate.
2. Reddas is actually Judge Zecht.
3. Balthier is Cid’s son.
4. Basch and Gabbranth are brothers from Landis.
5. The introduction of the Occuria.
6. Ashe’s "internal struggle" about how to restore Dalmasca, and to what extent will she go through?
7. Vaan’s ability to see Rasler’s image when no one else except Ashe could.
8. Reks.
Case #1 is cliche, and easily assumed after their prior scenes.
Case #2 would have been interesting, if more was revealed about either character. Instead, Zecht is mentioned once prior to meeting Reddas, and Reddas himself doesn’t reveal much until he attempts to atone for his atrocities.
Case #3 would have to be the best plot development in the game, simply because of Cid’s great VA’ing, and Balthier’s responses.
Case #4 is established very early in the game, and also very soap-opera of Square to introduce the "evil twin". However, Basch’s character after Vossler’s death is not developped. We do see Gabbranth’s struggle when he kills the female Judge, but we dont see his turn to the dark side afterwards.
Case #5 is also vague. They speak of "The Stones controlling destiny", versus "Man controlling their own destiny", but this Stone vs Man plot had been purely speculative prior to meeting the Occuria. What happened at Giruvegan that caused it to become what it had been, and what was the Occuria’s significance in the history, other than giving Raithwall the Sun Cryst? Another undevelopped part of the plot leaves the player uninterested about the answers.
Case #6 is part of the archetype of a hero, as every one of them faces an inner dilemma. However, it is made apparent that Ashe would never use Nethicite to cause harm, and her intent from the beginning was just to neutralize the threat to her homeland.
Case #7: There could have been an interesting twist to the story with this. We find out in the middle of the game, that Vaan can see Rasler’s image. Does this prove royal lineage, or at least a deeper connection with Ashe? Apparently not. Apparently, it means nothing.
Case #8: You played as Reks for the first 15 minutes of the game. You are supposed to function as his brother, for the most part. However, we find out that he dies, Vaan knows it wasn’t Basch, and then at the end, forgives Gabbranth. In FFVIII, we played as Laguna for a good portion of the game, creating a side story that eventually wove itself into the main plot line. In FFXII, our time with Reks proved hollow, and another hole is left in Vaan’s personality.
Summary
The stories doesn’t pick up at all. Love story for Vaan? Who? None? Oh yeah, let’s not forgot that Vaan love...to become sky pirate.. I actually only enjoying FFXII battle system and the mob hunt thing. Overall FFXII political and soap drama stories are below average. Luckly their new battle system bring it up or could it be because it bear the name of FFXII?
