#I've taken a much more laid back narrative style since I can't capture footage and I have no idea who cares or likes or dislikes that

[retphienix]

FF12~

I dread my current inability to capture gameplay as I once could all because I’m lacking basic computer parts right now -.-

ANYWAY.

Started playing FF12 and here’s some stuff!

I’M LOVIN’ IT!

I know I’m in a minority, but I’ve gone on at length in the past about my love for the passive combat of DWM and DWM2, I’ve even started and (sadly) subsequently decided not to post extensive analysis of the combat system and how it emphasizes planning and build comprehension over traditional reactionary gameplay in RPGs.

Short of it? DWM combat is preplanning, building your team, building your spellbook properly, and setting each member up for success visa vie personality and “PLAN” orders (charge/cautious, etc).

You set yourself up for success and test your theory time and again until you find an encounter that counters that plan, then you adjust on the fly to counter THAT.

I know I’ve heard complaints on combat in that vein in the past, plenty of times even; Namely that it’s too passive or “Plays itself” and honestly, kinda, yeah? Yeah, it kinda does. But I find it so intriguing and entertaining to partake in.

ANYWAY. FF12 is that.

You can play it like a traditional RPG sure, but with Gambits existing (preplanning pretty much, or programming their actions) it really feels like an extension of that gameplay idea and I am living for it since so few games have any interest in doing that anymore.

Heck FF7 remake goes out of its way to play in a manner that would benefit heavily from gambits, but ignores them completely on some (my opinion) misguided design decision that forces needless micromanaging in a game that DESPERATELY wants to be fast paced and action-y.

So where FF7 remake arguably fails, FF12 succeeds, in my opinion. But clearly they have their strengths and weaknesses. FF7 is MUCH faster and more action oriented, and FF12 might just give TOO much power to gambits- though it is an opt in system so I suppose that’s not TOO bad, could just not gambit your main guy and tada! You’re playing what FF7 remake could have been lol (Being harsh).

But yeah, combat is fun for my tastes! Story has me hooked enough for a final fantasy plot! I love how, just like you’d expect from Ivalice, it immediately starts with backstabbing and political unrest! I genuinely love that- though I suspect this game will focus more on backstabbing for the war effort than say, FFT’s amazing rich elitist and corrupt religious systems plot which I adore, which I wish would be here but I doubt it.

ALSO THIS GAME HONEST TO GOD FIXES (well, rewrites, reinterprets?) SOME OF THE DUMBEST PARTS OF FFTA IN A MANNER I LIKE!!!

Namely, so far at least, Judges. Instead of being an arbitrary and extremely stupid and out of place game mechanic given physical form they are a sort of elite templar group, I dig! Also Clans are back! But unfortunately it doesn’t appear I get to run my own like in FFTA which would have been nice in a game that doesn’t suck eggs, instead the clans are a sort of overarching hunting/bounty system you partake in BUT said hunting is fun where you accept quests that spawn mini-bosses/bosses around the world to hunt. I really like that too.

Cutting away from the game itself and instead offering a touch of praise to the version I’ve decided to play- I’m playing the FF12 remaster and I just wanted to praise the inclusion of a turbo function. Yeah, I really like fast forward added to games with grind- I MIGHT (haven’t thought too hard on it) appreciate that more than adjusting in-game values to accommodate new school grind etiquette. Again, I haven’t thought on it too long, but I THINK I like having the option to go 4x speed to grind over the option to have every enemy in the game drop 4x xp/loot/AP/whatever.

Something about being able to kill the same amount of enemies I would have in the old version, but faster, is (currently) more preferable to my mindset than killing 4x less enemies than the original but getting extremely bloated rewards for doing it.

But yeah. Playing FF12 right now, genuinely having a blast. This is hitting so many notes I’ve been craving lately and I started it on a whim! I was just thinking “Well, FF7 is done, the trainwreck of an ending and all, and I TRIED FF15 but it honestly wasn’t doing it for me. Let’s try 12? I love Ivalice and any excuse to say a game isn’t as good as FFT, that’ll be fun.” and I ended up playing a game that catches my fancy :)