Final Fantasy XII is a good game that could have been better with a few tweaks.
Graphics/Music:
Final Fantasy XII is nice to look at. Environments are generally well-done and the cutscenes are beautiful. However, towns and some other places are really nothing special, and could have used more variety. Overall, the graphics department is a solid aspect. The music is not as strong as in other FF games, but some areas have beautiful scores and I paused frequently just to listen.
Story and Gameplay:
The story is somewhat a mystery. It starts out strong, but after a while it loses focus and almost disappears for about 30 hours. During that time it is a running marathon. I like exploring new places and building my levels, but there is too much wandering around in this game. Some areas are long, boring and dull. The story does pick up at the end, but it could have used more polishing to make it more understandable and engaging. The game has sidequests where you can go on monster hunts which allow you to pick up some rare items. This aspect allows some good variety to the game, but it requires more running around...yuck.
Battle System:
The real time battles are different than other FF games, but it is generally well-done. The gambit system allows characters to carry out commands automatically, but I liked the way I could manually command characters to perform actions. At times it was difficult to get a good look at some enemies especially the bigger ones, but overall the new system works well. What frustrated me was the difficulty of some of the bosses. I felt like I got lucky sometimes when I won a boss battle. Some bosses were so intense I didn't get a clear picture of the battlefield or a clear understanding of what I needed to do. As a result, I died more in this game than I generally do in RPGs. I finally did beat the game at level 48 and 85 hours in, but it was more difficult than I like.
Weapons/Armor/Items:
The license system is okay, but nothing too special. The variety of weapons, armor and items is extensive. Everyone can equip the same weapons, armor, and spells provided you have the license to do so. It's a change from past FF games where only certain classes could equip certain items, but it provides more variety to your characters.
Overall the game is solid and worth playing. I just got bored and frustrated with the lagging story, the constant running around and the difficult boss battles. I like the direction FF games are going, but a few tweaks are needed to make it a more enjoyable playing experience.