Topic: Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age Announcement

I'm quite happy about this, especially since we didn't get this version of the game. I know XII is one of the black sheep of the mainline Final Fantasy games, but I liked it a whole lot when I played through it a few years ago. While I can kind of see where the fans who don't like the game are coming from, the presentation, the gambit system, the story and most of the characters all ended up being pluses for me.

It's also, by far, the most fun I've ever had just exploring a world in a Final Fantasy game. While XII's plot progression is about as linear as any other FF game (which is not an inherently positive or negative thing for me), it allowed you to go off the beaten track almost from the get-go and let you get your butt kicked - as well as reap the rewards for your bravery. And I just adored hiking through the vast plains, towns, swamps, dungeons, forests, beaches and mountains of Ivalice, and the relative freedom you had in doing so; by the end of my adventure, it felt like I'd visited a real place, and it remains one of the most beautiful and well-thought-out overworlds I've ever seen in a game.

The only thing I truly disliked about XII was that most of the sidequests didn't really provide much in the way of world building or character development. But considering I spent 120 hours with it, that complaint feels more like a nitpick when coming from me.

No. This was back when they made reliably awesome games!

I'm super excited for this. Probably my most under-played FF game. I hated it at first but then grew to like it more and more. Some of the best world building in any FF game I think. Makes up for the lack of character development.

I'm glad that The Zodiac age will have an autosave between maps, 'cause when you die out and forget to save -that's a disaster!!!!

I did not know about this feature, but now my excitement for this remaster has increased by 120%.
Give it to me, Squeenix.

One of the best FF games in my opinion. Interested to see what the other boards look like and what new licenses there are.

Incidentally, I never knew there was an updated version of FFXII until last year, and I was gutted to learn it was a Japan only release, so I scoured the Net looking for any possible fan translations only to discover the game was being remastered for PS4.

I had a save file on my PS2 which had roughly 200 hours for FFXII.

Perversely enough, this Final Fantasy remaster will probably be the reason I buy a PS4 as opposed to any other modern games.

I too have never played a FF, but I intend to start at 4, play 6, 7, 9, 10 and 12, based on general consensus about them all.

Though when that will happen...

But 'Yay!' for hype

@DarthNocturnal Fine. Add five. Is that what you want? Another xx hours on my backlog? Are you happy now?

@gcunit Your list is pretty excellent. You can't go wrong with those games.

Although the DS remake of III is pretty decent, too. Actually, I like it more than X.

Or you try to save...only to get body slammed by the stupid save point and then get killed by the save point

That's pretty much perfect. Those are the 6 best games easily. 5 and 8 are pretty great too. People just judge them relative to the games either side of them, rather than as independent products. By that measure, they suck.

Is that because it was actually enjoyable?