Final Fantasy XII PlayStation 2
Final Fantasy XII Image
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Metascore
92 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 64 Critics What's this?

User Score
7.7 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 539 Ratings

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  • Summary: The story takes place in a world called "Ivalice," in an age when magic was commonplace and airships plied the skies - the Archadian Empire, seeking to strengthen its base of power, had been invading and subjugating its neighboring lands one by one- a fate which befell the small Kingdom of Dalmasca. Archadia's invasion and the subsequent death of the Dalmascan king prompted the Princess Ashe, the sole surviving heir to the Dalmascan throne, to take up arms against the invaders. In her struggle to oust the occupying Archadian forces and restore freedom to her people, Ashe must watch as many of her allies pay the blood price for that freedom. Though tempted to abandon all hope in the face of the Empire's might, her determination keeps her from succumbing before what would seem to be inevitable defeat. Then she meets Vaan, an urchin from the Dalmascan capital of Rabanastre. Vaan dreams of one day becoming a sky pirate, escaping the Empire on his airship. Vaan, Ashe, Vaan's friend Penelo, the sky pirate Balthier, his partner Fran and many more are on an adventure through Ivalice that traces the mysteries behind the Archadian Empire's invasion. Bringing with it a wide array of new gameplay elements, Final Fantasy XII will change the way players think about the Final Fantasy series. Numerous possibilities abound within each scenario, allowing for a less linear, more unique experience for each player. The game also supports Dolby Pro Logic II both in-game and during movie sequences, immersing the player in the middle of the action. [Square Enix]… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 61 out of 64
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 64
  3. Negative: 0 out of 64
  1. Weekly Famitsu
    100
    10 / 10 / 10 / 10 - 40 [platinum ; Mar 2006]
    All this publication's reviews
  2. Eurogamer
    100
    It's not hard to see us looking back in five years time and seeing FFXII as a pivotal, changing moment in how RPGs are designed; a game which drew on the experience of Final Fantasy's branches into tactical strategy and massively multiplayer, as well as on the more mature storytelling of other mediums, and folded it back into the number series, to wonderful result.
  3. Game Over Online
    85
    It's an MMORPG without the second M or the O, and while it's not perfect by a damn sight, it's better than the last few FF games have been.
  4. netjak
    72
    But the play’s the thing, and in this title, the play is a chore to get from cutscene to cutscene. Though I’ve often snarked that this was how Square Enix designed the series starting with Final Fantasy VII, I can’t imagine this is truly what the designers wanted from their latest creation. The result is a decent but ultimately disappointing experience from this venerable series’ latest entry.

See all 64 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 142 out of 219
  2. Mixed: 35 out of 219
  3. Negative: 42 out of 219
  1. jsdunford
    10
    My favorite game of all time. I'm still enamored by it, and find myself replaying it every other year. Great story, graphics, gameplay. Usually the reason people don't like this game is because of previous expectations, or because final fantasy fans are pricks who enjoy arguing about which is best.… Expand
  2. chronoT
    8
    I will start off by saying that this game for me is definitely better than FF10 and FF10-2, but I wouldn't place it on the exact level as FF 1-9, mostly due to authenticity. FF 1 - FF 9 will always be a special set for me and I consider these games "classic." Final Fantasy 12 does a much better job than 10 or 10-2 in trying something new and not loosing all its authenticity. First, FF12 does look pretty nice on the PS2 and I do enjoy the new combat system where it is not as turn-based and you can move around while attacking. Also, even though the maps aren't completely non-linear, they do a much better job compared to 10 and 10-2. This game is a challenge for sure, you will get stuck in certain places and have to train to progress. There is nothing wrong with this, its the way the game is meant to be. Anyone remember how hard FF1 was at first? It was actually unbearable at certain points :) FF 12 brings in fresh ideas, but I am not a huge fan of the crystarium leveling and I think this is where I miss the other games the most. There are many people though that really enjoy this system, you may be one of them! I also have to say that I am really not a fan of the time spent on Cocoon, kind of a slow start to a FF game and this is the linear part of the game. If you are a fan of the series though, I believe they did make some improvements but they can even take it further.… Expand
  3. ChrisC.
    6
    If FFXII were called anything except 'Final Fantasy' it wouldn't be receiving nearly as rave reviews. What seems inventive about the battle system at first quickly grows incredibly repetitive and tedious, as all you're usually doing is watching your characters hack at enemies who are stupidly easy despite having way too high HP.… Expand
  4. CristianoM.
    4
    Boring... and boring... and boring. I can't believe my eyes when I read what most reviewers wrote about it. I have played through half of the game more or less (I checked a walkthrough to see where I was) before I really called it a goner. I couldn't play anymore. In short: the music is poor, the visuals are uninspired (just like the music) with shabby colours and strong pixelation but worst of all: the gameplay is extremely repetitive, unoriginal, incapable of keeping a person awake for too long. The characters are on par with few exception. Never felt anything for practically any of them (with the only exception of Balthiar). I should have stopped at Final Fantasy VII (92% for me), a real Masterpice. Instead the parabol had just started to go then reach abysimal levels, Final Fantasy VIII (78%), Final Fantasy IX (70%), Final Fantasy X (61%), Final Fantasy XII (42%). Sqauresoft Enix won't get money from me anymore.… Expand

See all 219 User Reviews

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