[QUOTE="TheMysticHorse"]

Still, Vaan's brother died because of the Empire, and the fact they tried muscling into Dalmasca. He's certainly going to feel biiter towards them, because had they not been so lustful for power, his brother wouldn't have been killed in the process, no matter who killed him. It's blatantly obvious from the start of the game that he dislikes the empire, so he naturally was going to fight for his brother against the empire. It doesn't really matter that he doesn't know if Basch/Gabranth did it from the start, what he knows is that it would not have happened had the empire not been trying to invade. Penelo did lack development, which is probably why they dedicated the ending to her.

yoshi_64

As for Vaan, I pretty much know he's fighting for his brother and in the beginning he wanted to accomplish his dreams of becoming a sky pirate (which fits for the RW game on DS) however I guess my disappointment was, they had me try and care for this character who pretty much ended being one of a few. By that I mean, I kind of was thinking he'd be the hero of the game, the leader of sorts, and the man who'd rise up, grow through these trials, and become more than a street rat out for vengenances of sorts.

I'm not saying he was bad or terrible, but I guess the problem XII had for me was that it didn't feel like anyone was ever taking control of the story... yet that was how VI was so why do I feel this way? I don't really know... but VI's characters were very well told, likeable, and had great backstory and development to make them feel unique and special.

[QUOTE="TheMysticHorse"][QUOTE="yoshi_64"]

The problem with XII's charactes is they never were fleshed out well enough. From their motives (Vaan and Penelo went along why? It was never really cleared) to some whom were interesting but never fully developed (Fran and Balthier) to some who just were great albeit easily understood. (Basch is the typical loyal soldier tot he queen, but then again... he's still interesting on his own.)

Seriously, it's liek SE sacrificed character development to make a great and interesting political story plot.

The side characters and villians had more depth and development than some of the heroes.

yoshi_64

Fran and Balthier you get are just after treasure, but their motives for still clinging on become totally foggy after 2/3rds the way in the game. It's like "do you want treasure?" and "dude, you love Fran tell us already!!!" :P Ok not the best explainations, I just had to get that out.

But I never understood what his and Cid's relationship were really, why the hell they still went along with this whole ordeal... I think Ashe said she was going to pay them for all their troubles? I never remembered, but they almost had no real reason to hang around if you ask me.

Ash was pretty weak in some ways too. Like Penelo, her character just wasn't given much time to shine, and more moments came in trying to give the spotlight to Balthier or Vaan. Whom I would suppose could be considered the "leaders" but no one really was a leader here either. I'd care more for the women, if she wasn't so lost to me... It wasn't motives or stuff like that, just her actual character. I get she's the strong determined queen wanting her throne back, but that was it... and that was typical to me as well.

Still, Vaan's brother died because of the Empire, and the fact they tried muscling into Dalmasca. He's certainly going to feel biiter towards them, because had they not been so lustful for power, his brother wouldn't have been killed in the process, no matter who killed him. It's blatantly obvious from the start of the game that he dislikes the empire, so he naturally was going to fight for his brother against the empire. It doesn't really matter that he doesn't know if Basch/Gabranth did it from the start, what he knows is that it would not have happened had the empire not been trying to invade. Penelo did lack development, which is probably why they dedicated the ending to her.

[QUOTE="TheMysticHorse"][QUOTE="yoshi_64"]

The problem with XII's charactes is they never were fleshed out well enough. From their motives (Vaan and Penelo went along why? It was never really cleared) to some whom were interesting but never fully developed (Fran and Balthier) to some who just were great albeit easily understood. (Basch is the typical loyal soldier tot he queen, but then again... he's still interesting on his own.)

Seriously, it's liek SE sacrificed character development to make a great and interesting political story plot.

The side characters and villians had more depth and development than some of the heroes.

Dahaka-UK

No actually he didn't go to avenge his brother, he already excepted that Basch killed him and that was it. He simply went along to become sky pirate. Whoopie.. Nobody cares about Vaan becoming a sky pirate cause that was the main story. Balthier and Rabbit ears where also pretty useless. They where basically there cause they wanted some treasure? :| So yeah we've got 4 pointless characters in this Star wars rip off storyline.

Don't talk about a story YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT kiddo.

[QUOTE="Mad_Rhetoric"]

IMHO FFXII was the greatest FF game by far, not that that others were bad, but this one had every thing

1. great gameplay- FFX turn based system seemed too old

2. 3D camera - FFX and the other PS1 games would have been soo much better

without fixed cameras

3. a gambit system

4. great story and characters

5. great graphics

nick31189

dude the story in FF XII wasn't even that good. FF XII story was way to linear. There wasn't enough emotion it. It wasn't a really a chartherdriven story. Although the graphics in FF XII were amazing. The music and Story didn't really fit too well together. I dont belivive there was any memorable tunes. Whereas a game like FF VI had emotion an more Charcter driven story, plus more memorable music. The charchters each had there own sotry. There was a ton of charcthers to play as. It also had the most insteresting villian in Kefka

The problem with XII's charactes is they never were fleshed out well enough. From their motives (Vaan and Penelo went along why? It was never really cleared) to some whom were interesting but never fully developed (Fran and Balthier) to some who just were great albeit easily understood. (Basch is the typical loyal soldier tot he queen, but then again... he's still interesting on his own.)

Seriously, it's liek SE sacrificed character development to make a great and interesting political story plot.

The side characters and villians had more depth and development than some of the heroes.

yoshi_64

since Final Fantasy VI. The only other game that competes is Vagrant Story. Everything else between VI and XII was totally inferior to those games.

Discuss.

VII is far from the best Final Fantasy.

IV > VI > XII > IX > X > V > VII > XI > X-2 > VIII

It comes 7th among Final Fantasy games. It is massively overated.