Final Fantasy XII
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Final Fantasy XII | |
---|---|
Developer(s) | Square Enix |
Publisher(s) | Square Enix |
Designer(s) | Yasumi Matsuno (original concept) Hiroyuki Itō (director) Hiroshi Minagawa (director) Akihiko Yoshida (character designs) Hitoshi Sakimoto (music composer) |
Release date(s) | JPN March 16, 2006 |
Genre(s) | Role-playing game |
Mode(s) | Single player |
Rating(s) | CERO: All Ages ESRB: Teen |
Platform(s) | PlayStation 2 |
Media | DVD-ROM |
Input | One PS2 Dual Shock controller |
Final Fantasy XII (ファイナルファンタジーXII Fainaru Fantajī Towerubu?) is a console role-playing game produced by Square Enix for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console. The game was released on March 16, 2006, in Japan and in North America on October 31, 2006.[1] The European and Australian releases are scheduled for release in early 2007. On November 15, 2005, a playable demo of the game was shipped with the North American release of Dragon Quest VIII.
The story takes place in the fictional world of Ivalice[2], where the kingdoms of Archadia and Rozarria are waging a bitter war; caught in the middle is the kingdom of Dalmasca. When Archadia invades and occupies Dalmasca, Princess Ashe founds a resistance movement. During the struggle, she meets Vaan, a young adventurer who dreams of commanding an airship. They are quickly joined by a band of allies and together rally against the tyranny of the Archadian Empire.
On March 16, 2006, Final Fantasy XII became the sixth game ever to receive a perfect 40/40 score from the Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu, as well as the first Final Fantasy game and the first PlayStation 2 title to do so.[3] The game has been critically acclaimed in several non-Japanese prerelease reviews such as Gamekult, GamesAreFun, Deeko, Eurogamer, PSM, OPM, IGN, and GameSpot.
To commemorate the release of FFXII, playable demos of the full English version were available at DigitalLife's Gaming Pavilion in New York on October 11, 2006, a day dubbed "Final Fantasy XII Gamer's Day".[4] Also, Square Enix gave fans the chance to cosplay as their favorite character from Final Fantasy XII. Each person was asked to show Square Enix 3 photos of their costume, for a chance to win a trip to New York and participate in the Final Fantasy XII Gamer's Day event.[5]
In early October 2006, the North American version of the game was leaked out onto the Internet less than a month before the planned release date. Square-Enix has apparently taken legal action against the pirates as sites hosting the files and torrents are being removed.[6]
Tofu Records has released an abridged version of the Final Fantasy XII soundtrack. The single disc release will contain 31 songs, including Angela Aki's Kiss Me Goodbye. The 31 songs represent the 31 days of October, which led up to the North American release.[7]
Contents |
[edit] Gameplay
Like previous games of the Final Fantasy series, combat is menu-driven. However, it adopts a battle system similar to that of Final Fantasy XI where combat takes place on the same screen as regular exploration, with a seamless transition from exploration to combat mode.[8] Combat unfolds in real time, using a new battle system called active dimension battle (ADB). Also, for the first time in a main series Final Fantasy game, there is no separate theme music that plays during regular combat. Instead, the same track that is played during exploration will be heard throughout the battle. There are, however, musical themes for boss battles, and the traditional victory fanfare featured in all Final Fantasy titles is still played after certain bosses along with a "Congratulations" text. The player may assume control of any of the three characters in the battle party at will and issue commands for the characters at any time. Battle commands include Attack, Magicks & Technicks, Mist, Gambits, and Item. The game also features a system of chain bonuses. If the party kills a particular type of monster multiple times, it will gain the chance to earn improved (or simply more) items after battle.
Chocobos are traditionally featured in all Final Fantasy titles. In FFXII, whenever a player rents a Chocobo, he/she has a certain amount of time to make his/her travels through the wilderness. While on a Chocobo, enemies ignore the player. Once the time is fully depleted, the Chocobo departs for its stall in the city and the player is dismounted and left on foot. Chocobos appear more war-like and savage than in previous Final Fantasy titles. However you cannot ride a Chocobo when you have a Esper summoned. The Chocobo also will refuse to go into towns, caves, etc.
The game also features an extended Clan Primer, a summarization of the player's progress so far, including detailed descriptions of enemies defeated, a catalogue of wanted monsters, and other information. The section is reminiscent of the encyclopedias featured in Vagrant Story, as well as the bestiaries present in the Final Fantasy I-VI re-releases.
[edit] Battle system
Battles are similar to those in Final Fantasy XI, except the game allows for single-player control of multiple party members. The battles are initiated in the field screen by engaging visible wandering enemies. There is no transition to a separate battle screen. Party members can move around freely during battle, allowing them to utilize the local terrain. The battle menu can be accessed at any time, but after commanding a character to perform an action, there is a wait time before the action is actually performed. Unlike Final Fantasy XI, there is a visible "Wait Time Gauge" which indicates wait time. Wait time varies depending on the action and character stats. A regular attack takes a few seconds, a powerful spell can take several seconds, and item use is instantaneous. The result is a system that is fundamentally the same as previous Final Fantasy installments (excluding XI). Battle flow is as follows:
- Party engages enemy
- Player both brings up the Command Window and selects an action (Attack, Magic, Summon etc.) or, if the player has set up a character's gambits to cause them to react to the presence of an enemy, the character will select the appropriate action automatically with no need of command input
- When the Wait Time Gauge fills up, the character performs the selected action
- A chosen command can be cancelled by opening the Command Window and choosing another command before the Wait Time Gauge has filled up completely.
While the new system has greatly reduced the occurrence of "random battles," some random battles still occur in the form of surprise ambush attacks from unseen enemies suddenly springing from tall grass, water, sand, etc., or suddenly dropping down from above when the party is near. Enemies can now detect the party through several means, such as sight, sound, and smell. Some enemies are more hostile towards the party than others, and some can even attack other monsters rather than the party. Sometimes the player may even encounter citizens or monster hunters actively fighting, occasionally aiding the party with minor healing.
A maximum of three party members can fight simultaneously, and they are sometimes accompanied by a special guest character which temporarily joins the party. Guest characters cannot be designated as the party leader or controlled by the player in any way. When current party members get knocked out, the player is given the chance to reorganize the party in the Menu, substituting active K.O.'d members with other inactive characters. The player is free to switch between characters at any time, so long as the character is not targeted by an enemy attack or another character's action (Their name will turn red if such is the case). The player can also limit their party to one or two characters if they wish. Guest characters cannot be substituted. Given the game mechanics, characters cannot be healed in the menu this time around.
In a nod to Final Fantasy IX, a mysterious phenomenon known as "Mist" exists in the story, and it is the key to two special abilities in the game: Summon magic and "Quickening."
Summoning magic appears once more with creatures known as Espers. In order to acquire an Esper, the creature must first be defeated in battle. Afterward, one character can acquire a license to use the Esper, allowing only that character to summon it. Similar to Final Fantasy X, summon spells become active participants in battle; however, unlike Final Fantasy X, the summoner remains an active member in the fight, instead of leaving the party or standing idle while the summoned creature fights alone. While the Esper is present, the Summon command in the menu becomes the Dismiss command, which the player can use to send the Esper away at any time. The Esper will remain in the party for a limited time, indicated by a row of spheres that gradually disappear over the course of a minute or two. At the end of the time limit or when the Esper drops below a certain amount of HP (whichever comes first) it will perform a very powerful special attack before leaving the party. The player can use curative magic and items to aid the Esper. Espers are controlled by A.I. and cannot be controlled by the player.
While these have practically replaced the traditional Final Fantasy summons, it may be noted that many of these Espers have origins in the two installments of the Final Fantasy Tactics series, as either Zodiac Braves (in Final Fantasy Tactics) or Totema (in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance). Other Espers have originated from the final bosses of the first five series of Final Fantasy. However, Final Fantasy XII does feature several airships bearing familiar names, including Alexander, Shiva, Ifrit, Bahamut and Leviathan.
Like the last several installments in the series, Final Fantasy XII introduces a new Limit Break system: Quickenings (Mist Knacks in the Japanese version of the game). Characters learn Quickenings by progressing to specific panels on the License Board, usually at the edges or corners. Upon activation, the corresponding panel will disappear from the License Boards of the other characters. Each character can learn a total of three Quickenings, which are unique to each character. The first Quickening requires a full MP bar to use. Upon learning their second Quickening, the character's MP bar is doubled and divided into two sections, with half of the bar required to use the first Quickening, and a full bar to use the second. When the third Quickening is learned, the MP bar is tripled and divided into three sections. Also, all remaining Quickening panels will disappear from that character's license board; this is to ensure balance for all characters to learn their respective Quickenings. Characters can string together Quickenings into large combo attacks, dealing heavy damage.
[edit] License system
Learning and using abilities (magic spells, use of equipment, special skills, HP bonuses, etc.) is done via the new License system. Each playable character begins on a "License Board," which looks like an oddly shaped chess board. The panels on the board contain various abilities which the character may use. The board is split into two different parts with no intersection.
The upper part contains Magick, Technick, Accessory, and Augment (stat-raising) Licenses, while the bottom part is largely filled with Weapon and Armor Licenses. Quickenings are scattered across both boards. Each character gets a starting point on both sections of the board. In order to learn an ability, the character must first spend the required amount of LP (License Points) to permit its use. LP is earned in battle along with the usual experience points.
When a panel is activated, any empty panels adjacent to it become available. A panel cannot be activated if there are no activated panels adjacent to it. While similar in some ways to Final Fantasy X's Sphere Grid, the License Board allows far more freedom; there are few restrictions on how the player may develop their characters. All characters may obtain any license on the board with the exception of Quickenings and Esper Licenses which may be activated by only a single character. In practice, the License Board system is simply another in a long line of systems where ability points are earned and exchanged for new abilities.
The magic system is divided into five different schools. White magic includes spells that heal the party's HP, cure status ailments and revive KO'ed party members. The holy-elemental attack spell Holy is also part of the white magic school. Black magic includes elemental and non-elemental spells that directly damage one or more enemies. Green magic consists of supportive or debilitating spells that alter party members or enemies' statistics. Time magic includes spells that alter the target's speed, or cause damage over time. The fifth and last school of magic, arcane magic, includes dark-elemental attack spells, as well as spells that cause status ailments, drain, and gravity spells which were included in the black magic school in earlier Final Fantasy titles. As in many previous titles, magic spells are bought from shops, but the character must obtain the appropriate ability on the License Board before a spell can be used.
The playable characters can equip any weapon in the party's inventory so long as they have acquired the corresponding ability on the License Board. Depending on what category a weapon falls into (e.g. swords, two-handed staffs), the game may use a different method to calculate the damage that weapon deals. The amount of damage inflicted by a bo staff, for example, is dependent on the strength of the enemy's magic defense, whereas other weapons may damage the enemy in accordance with the enemy's physical defense. Guns are actually two-handed weapons, requiring the player to equip different purchased ammo types (leaving no opportunity to hold a shield), which ultimately defines the weapon's power. The same concept applies to bows; the player may acquire stronger and stronger arrow types over time. Once equipped, the ammo supply to the character is unlimited.
[edit] Gambit system
The Gambit system is a new type of party control system which allows the player to program each character to perform certain commands in battle automatically when specified conditions are met. Using Gambits, a player is able to set reactions to different stimuli for each character. Each Gambit consists of three parts: a target, an action and a priority. The target specifies which ally or foe to act on and the condition for applying the action. For example, the target "Ally: HP < 70%" causes the character to target any ally whose HP has fallen below 70%. The action is the command to be performed on the target. The priority determines which Gambit to perform when multiple Gambits would apply.
For example, a character may have two Gambits assigned: "Foe: Party Leader's Target: Attack" and "Ally: HP < 70%: Cure". The first Gambit causes him to attack the party leader's target, so long as it exists. Otherwise, if an ally falls below 70% health, the second Gambit will be performed to Cure the ally. If the priorities were reversed in the above Gambits, he would cease his attack and cast Cure if any party member's hit points fell below 70% and then resume attacking.
There are many different Gambit targets in the game to facilitate choosing any specific ally or foe, and then performing any action available to the character. Each character begins with two Gambit slots, and a maximum of twelve slots are available, after being unlocked on the License Board. Additional Gambit targets are most often bought in Gambit shops, but they can also be found in chests.
[edit] Loot
Final Fantasy XII is also the second Final Fantasy to largely do away with fiends carrying and dropping Gil, the currency of the Final Fantasy world. Some monsters drop Gil in small quantities, though it is more commonly procured in other ways. Enemies in the game drop "loot", which exists only to be sold for Gil at vendors around Ivalice, with few exceptions. One notable exception is the Teleport Stone, used at Gate Crystals to instantly transport the party from one region to another. Selling more types and quantities of loot also opens up a new Bazaar option in shops, which will make available special bundles of goods for sale at a lower than usual price, though the actual contents may be unknown until the purchase is completed.
This also marks the first Final Fantasy where treasures are random. Chests, their contents, and their spawning on the field are all randomized between a small set of possible items, Gil, or rare items.
[edit] Plot
[edit] Setting
The story of Final Fantasy XII is set in the world[2] of Ivalice in an age where "magic was commonplace" and "airships plied the skies, crowding out the heavens". At this time, the use of magicite, is common and widely utilized in magic spells[9] or to power airships; a popular form of transportation in Ivalice[10]. Ivalice is divided between three continents[11]; Ordalia, Valendia, and Kerwon. Ordalia is located on the western part of Ivalice. The Rozarrian Empire makes its home in the vast plains inland, as the eastern part was largely desert[12]. Valendia is the home of Imperial Archadia, where vast and lush plains dotted the landscape[13]. Central to the story, however, is Dalmasca, a small kingdom between the two continents and Empires. Located in the middle of the Galtean Peninsula, Dalmasca's hot and sunny climate differs from the cold environs of Kerwon and the lush plains of Valendia and Ordalia[14]. During this time, Ivalice is beset in a war between the forces of Rozarria and Archadia. Caught between the two powerful Empires are Dalmasca and other small nations and kingdoms that have since fallen into subjugation to the Archadian forces.
According to the game developers, design inspiration comes from the mixture of many medieval Meditteranean countries. This is prominent throught the architecture of the many Ivalice cities in-game, and the many races that populate the region. [15] The art team visited Turkey, which influenced the game’s Mediterranean–style setting. The developers also used styles and deco from other sources including areas in India and New York City. [16]
[edit] Characters
Final Fantasy XII has six playable characters.
- See also: List of Final Fantasy XII characters
Vaan (ヴァン Van?) Vaan is an orphaned Hume street urchin who lost both his parents in a plague when he was twelve years old and his only brother, Reks, during the Archadian invasion of Dalmasca. He makes a living as the prosperous shopkeeper Migelo's assistant, running various errands, and as a cutpurse stealing from Archadian soldiers and citizens. He is cheerful, carefree, and energetic, and among his friends of many young orphans throughout Rabanastre, he is considered a leader. Vaan dreams of someday becoming a sky pirate in command of his own airship. [17]
Ashe or Ashelia B'nargin Dalmasca (アーシェ・バナルガン・ダルマスカ Āshe Banarugan Darumasuka?) is a determined and independent 19-year-old Hume princess fighting to liberate her kingdom, Dalmasca, from the Archadian Empire. In addition to being the leader of the Dalmascan resistance movement (under the pseudonym Amalia), she is the sole heir to the throne. Her father and eight brothers were killed during the Archadian invasion, along with her husband, Prince Rasler of Nabradia. Ashe seeks not only freedom for her country, but also vengeance against the Archadian invaders and the traitorous Dalmascan captain Basch, who assassinated the king at a treaty signing before the monarch could complete Dalmasca's conditional surrender. It was announced following the king's death that Ashe had taken her own life.
Basch fon Ronsenberg (バッシュ・フォン・ローゼンバーグ Basshu fon Rōzenbāgu?) is a 36-year-old Hume who formerly served as a captain in the Dalmascan Order of Knights. After the defeat of the greatest part of Dalmasca's forces at the Battle of Nalbina Fortress, the King of Dalmasca sued for peace and was invited to sign a treaty at Nalbina. When the Order of Knights learned that the Archadians were setting a trap and planned to kill the king as soon as the treaty was signed, Basch and Captain Azelas Vossler led an assault on Nalbina Fortress to save their liege, only to be captured in the attempt. Basch's identical twin brother, Gabranth, an Archadian Judge, assumed Basch's identity and slew the Dalmascan king as well as Vaan's older brother, Reks, who found out about the crime. As a result, Basch is regarded by the Dalmascans as a traitor and was said to have been executed, though in reality he was held captive in the dungeons beneath Nalbina.
Balthier (バルフレア Barufurea?, Balflear in the original Japanese language version) is a 22-year-old Hume sky pirate who pilots an airship named the Strahl around the skies of Ivalice. He and his Viera companion, Fran, prefer to remain outside of the war between the kingdoms of Ivalice. He is the son of Doctor Cid, whom he left behind along with his real name and his Judge title when he saw that his father was slowly losing his mind to obsession over his research on Nethicite.
Fran (フラン Furan?) is a member of the rabbit-like Viera race and is also Balthier's partner aboard his airship. Although her preferred weapon is the bow and arrow, she is also quite competent with a variety of other weapons and notably proficient in grappling and fencing. She is also the mechanic that maintains the Strahl. Fran is the only non-Hume (human) character of the main cast.
Penelo (パンネロ Pannero?) is a Hume orphan who works in the Rabanastre bazaar and other various shops under the guardianship of the prosperous Bangaa merchant Migelo, a friend of her parents. She lost her brothers in the war with the Archadian Empire, but she was adequately trained to fight before her brothers died. She had been with Vaan ever since his family died in the plague before the war, and eventually accompanies him in their journey to keep an eye on him.
[edit] Story
Final Fantasy XII takes place mostly in the kingdom of Dalmasca, a small city-state in Ivalice. A neutral party in the past wars between its neighboring kingdoms of Archadia and Rozarria, Dalmasca was ultimately conquered by Archadia and reduced to the status of an occupied state under Archadian rule. Vaan, a street urchin living in the Dalmascan capital of Rabanastre, attempts to steal from the royal palace, in an attempt to "take back" Dalmascan treasures from the Archadians. However, resistance forces lead an assault on the royal castle, and Vaan is caught between Archadian troops and Dalmascan insurgeants. This leads to a chance encounter with Ashe, the deposed princess of Dalmasca and leader of the resistance movement.
Archadian Judge Magisters, leaders of the Judges who first appeared in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, are featured prominently in the story. They are the supreme enforcers of Archadian law, and number five total: Gabranth, Ghis, Drace, Zargabaath, and Bergan.
[edit] Development
Developed from 2001 to 2006, Final Fantasy XII cost approximately 4 billion Japanese yen (about 35 million USD) [citation needed] to produce with a crew of more than one hundred people. Yasumi Matsuno, originally announced as both producer and director, was forced to bow out of both roles midway through the creation of Final Fantasy XII due to health concerns. In his place, Hiroyuki Ito and Hiroshi Minagawa took over directorial duties, with Akitoshi Kawazu assuming the role of the executive producer.[18] Matsuno remains credited for "Original Work/Scenario Plot/Supervision". Hitoshi Sakimoto was the music composer for the game, and series veteran Nobuo Uematsu contributed one new composition — the vocal theme, "Kiss Me Good-Bye", performed by Angela Aki. Renowned violinist Taro Hakase provided performances for Symphonic Poem "Hope", which served as a promotional theme along with "Kiss Me Good-Bye".
In early stages of development, the main character was to be "big and tough", but as development continued and targeting demographics were considered, he became more effeminate. With the casting of voice actor Kohei Takeda, who also did motion capture for the part, he became less so and more "active, upbeat bright and positive".[19]
Veteran translator Alexander O. Smith was involved with the English localization of the script. Smith had previously worked on the localization for Vagrant Story as well as several other Final Fantasy installments. The voiceovers were directed by Jack Fletcher, who had previously directed the voiceovers for other Final Fantasy games as well.
Square Enix officially released the game in North America on October 31, 2006. The game was available in two versions — the standalone game (with an MSRP of $49.99) and a "Collector's Edition" for an additional $10. The Collector's Edition is an exclusive title offered only by GameStop and EB Games. This edition includes the original game packaged in a metallic case along with a special bonus disc, which contains Final Fantasy XII developer interviews, an art gallery, four U.S. and Japanese trailers and a featurette entitled "History of Final Fantasy", which gives a brief overview of most released and upcoming Final Fantasy games.
Changes to the North American version of the game include the addition of widescreen 16:9 support and additional scenes that were left out of the Japanese version due to rating issues. [20][21]
[edit] Audio
[edit] Voice actors
[edit] Japanese version
- Kouhei Takeda ... as Vaan
- Yuna Mikuni ... as Penelo
- Hiroaki Hirata ... as Balflear
- Rika Fukami ... as Fran
- Mie Sonozaki ... as Ashe B'nargin Dalmasca
- Rikiya Koyama ... as Basch fon Ronsenburg
- Nobuo Tobita ... as Vayne Carudas Solidor
- Yuka Imai ... as Larsa Ferrinas Solidor
- Akio Otsuka ... as Judge Gabranth
- Chikao Otsuka ... as Doctor Cidolfus Demen Bunansa
- Norio Wakamoto ... as Al-Cid Margrace
- Takayuki Sugo ... as Reddas/Judge Zecht
- Akio Nojima ... as Marquis Halim Ondore IV
- Masaki Terasoma ... as Vossler York Azelas
- Yasuyuki Kase ... as Prince Rasler Heios Nabradia
- Hideki Tasaka ... as Reks
- Hidekatsu Shibata ... as Emperor Gramis Gana Solidor
- Ryunosuke Obayashi ... as Judge Ghis
- Yôsuke Akimoto ... as Judge Bergan
- Yoko Soumi ... as Judge Drace
- Ryūzaburō Ōtomo ... as Judge Zargabaath
- Yoshiko Sakakibara ... as Jote
- Yukana Nogami ... as Mjrn
- Narumi Tsunoda ... as Venas
- Tamio Ōki ... as Gran Kiltias Anastasis
- Shiro Saito ... as Migelo, Dalan
- Yoshisada Sakaguchi ... as Garif Great-Chief
- Seiko Tomoe ... as Gerun King
- Kōji Ishii ... as Ba'Gamnan
- Daisuke Gōri ... as Gilgamesh
- Takehiro Koyama ... as Kytes
[edit] English version
- Bobby Edner ... as Vaan
- Catherine Taber ... as Penelo
- Gideon Emery ... as Balthier Bunansa
- Nicole Fantl ... as Fran
- Kari Wahlgren ... as Ashelia B'nargin Dalmasca
- Keith Ferguson ... as Basch Fon Ronsenburg
- Elijah Alexander ... as Vayne Carudas Solidor
- Johnny McKeown ... as Larsa Ferrinas Solidor
- Michael Rodgers ...as Judge Gabranth
- John Lee ... as Doctor Cidolfus Demen Bunansa
- David Rasner ... as Al-Cid Margrace
- Phil LaMarr ... as Reddas/Judge Zecht
- Tom Kane ... as Marquis Halim Ondore IV
- Nolan North ... as Vossler York Azelas
- Andrew Philpot ... as Prince Rasler Heios Nabradia
- Yuri Lowenthal ... as Reks
- Roger L. Jackson ... as Emperor Gramis Gana Solidor
- Mark Wing-Davey ...as Judge Ghis
- Gary Martin ...as Judge Bergan
- Julia Fletcher ... as Judge Drace
- Simon Templeman ... as Judge Zargabaath
- Michelle Arthur ... as Jote
- April Stewart ...as Mjrn
- Anita Carey ... as Venat
- Nick Jameson ... as King Raminas B'nargin Dalmasca
- Dwight Schultz ... as Gran Kiltias Anastasis, Dalan
- John DiMaggio ... as Migelo, Gilgamesh
- Michael Chinyamurindi ... as Garif Great-Chief
- Bernice Stegers ... as Gerun King
- Steven Blum ... as Ba'Gamnan
- Conner DeMita ... as Kytes
- Chris Edgerly ... as Havharo
[edit] Musical score
The vast majority of the game's soundtrack was composed by Hitoshi Sakimoto, with vocals (both English and Japanese) for "Kiss Me Good-Bye" by Angela Aki.[22] The score was originally to be composed by Nobuo Uematsu,[23] who noted that Aki's style of playing the keyboard as she sings reminded him of Elton John, which is one of the reasons he chose her.[24] Only the English version would be featured in both the Japanese and North American versions of the games.
The soundtrack was released on the 31st of May, 2006 in Japan with a price of ¥3,990 bearing the catalog number, SVWC-7351~4. The soundtrack consists of 4 CDs with 100 tracks. The soundtrack also includes some tracks which were featured promotional material, but not in the final version of the game. The recording comes in a DVD-style package, complete with images from the game printed on each disk. The box also includes a 28-page informational booklet. The CD single for Aki's single for the game, "Kiss Me Good-Bye", was released on the 15th of March, 2006 with a price of ¥1,223 bearing the catalog number ESCL-2810. A limited edition was also released with a price of ¥1,500 bearing the catalog number ESCL-2808 and featuring a DVD containing the "Kiss Me Good-Bye" music video.
[edit] Reception
Final Fantasy XII sold 1,764,266 copies on its first week in Japan, almost equaling the sales of Final Fantasy X in its first week.[25] The total number of copies sold stood at 2,150,671 after five weeks of release.[26] A Square-Enix conference report stated that Final Fantasy XII has sold more than 2.38 million copies in Japan as of May 24, 2006.[27]
Final Fantasy XII has shipped 1.5 million copies in North America as of November 6, 2006, one week after its October 31st release.[28]
[edit] Critical response
On March 16, 2006, Final Fantasy XII became only the sixth game ever to receive a perfect 40/40 score from the Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu, as well as the first Final Fantasy game and the first PlayStation 2 title to do so. It is also the second Yasumi Matsuno title to garner a perfect score, the first being Vagrant Story. It was praised for its graphics, scenarios, game system, and the freshness it brings to the Final Fantasy series.[3]. The game was critically acclaimed by many reviewers outside of Japan even before its release in those territories. It was praised for its seamless transitions between FMV segments and the in-game engine.[29]
Final Fantasy XII was voted number one for Best Art Style on IGNs weekly Top Ten.[30] The game scored a 9.5 on IGN.
The American release of Final Fantasy XII received, out of a possible top score of 10 in each case, a 10 in the November 2006 issue of Official PlayStation Magazine, a 10 in the November 2006 issue of Play Magazine, an 8.5, 9.0, and 9.5 in the November 2006 issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly, a 5.0 out of 5 from Gamepro (and labeled as an Editors Choice), a 9.0 from GameSpot, a 9.5 from IGN, a 9.25 in the November 2006 issue of Game Informer, and a 9.5 in the October 2006 issue of PSM (magazine). It is also the only numerical Final Fantasy entry to receive a perfect 5 out of 5 on X-Play when it recently ran its "Final Fantasy" themed episode on November 1, 2006. As of November 18, 2006, Final Fantasy XII has a collective score of 93.1% on Game Rankings [31], making it the second highest rated Final Fantasy behind Final Fantasy VI (94.0%) and equal to Final Fantasy X (93.1%).
[edit] Legacy
On September 13, 2006 Famitsu magazine announced three new titles from Square Enix. One of these included a title named Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings, which will appear on the Nintendo DS. The game will be a sidestory to Final Fantasy XII, starring Vaan and Penelo, now sky pirates roaming the skies.[32]
[edit] Merchandise
Sony Computer Entertainment Japan released a special Final Fantasy XII package, which included a PlayStation 2 game system, model: SCPH-75000 FF, the Final Fantasy XII game, a standard DualShock controller, and a vertical console stand. The special edition package was released in Japan alongside the game on March 16, 2006.[33]
The renowned Japanese third-party manufacturer Hori also released Final Fantasy XII memory cards on the same day as the game's release. The memory card is a standard 8MB card, colored white and has its own case priced ¥ 3,660. Stickers of various Final Fantasy XII characters are included.
Suntory Limited produced "Final Fantasy Potion" — a drink containing such ingredients as royal jelly, chamomile, sage, thyme, and marjoram. The drink has a unique taste; it is very sweet, but at the same time possesses a bitter herbal aftertaste. The drinks became commercially available on March 7, 2006 in Japan and come in 120ml bottles with a retail price of ¥ 191. Suntory also released a Final Fantasy XII Premium Box priced at ¥ 600, each containing a 100ml bottle with a decorative plastic topper and a Final Fantasy XII collector’s card. There are a total of six tops and twenty-seven cards to collect. Final Fantasy XII Potion was a limited edition product, and is no longer available.[34]
Game peripheral maker Logicool (the Japanese version of Logitech) released a special edition Final Fantasy XII controller alongside the title on March 16th. This white cordless controller comes stamped with the Final Fantasy XII logo and includes a convenient LCD cleaner.
Book publishers Studio BentStuff released three ULTIMANIA books — Final Fantasy XII Battle Ultimania and the Final Fantasy XII Scenario Ultimania on June 16, 2006, and Final Fantasy XII Ultimania Ω on November 24, 2006. The Battle Ultimania provides a complete analysis of the new battle system, explanations of all the licenses attainable, every item, every monster and a hand catalogue with all conditions. The Scenario Ultimania on the other hand provides a walkthrough chart of the main scenarios in the game, profiles on all of the characters and areas of the world, along with walkthroughs of all the sub-events and a full map marked with all hidden items. As a bonus, both the books also include separate interviews with the developers of the game. The Ultimania Ω includes voice actor interviews, the complete story of Final Fantasy XII including additional character profiles, a collection of artworks and illustrations, the complete play guide and a novelette by author Benny Matsuyama who wrote the fiction Maiden who Travels the Planet in the Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Ω Guide.
[edit] References
- ^ a b Square Enix (2006). FINAL FANTASY XII IN STORES OCTOBER 31, 2006. Retrieved on 13 August 2006.
- ^ a b Official North American FFXII Website. - Ivalice > Races > Hume, "Many different people inhabit the world of Ivalice." Square Enix (January 6th, 2006). Final Fantasy XII Official Website. Retrieved on 2006-09-01.
- ^ a b Lumb, Jonathan (March 8th, 2006). FF XII Scores Perfect In Famitsu. 1up.com. Retrieved on 2006-08-13.
- ^ Jim Cordeira (September 13th, 2006). Final Fantasy XII kicks off at DigitalLife. Gaming-Age.com. Retrieved on 2006-09-13.
- ^ Square Enix (September 14th, 2006). Final Fantasy XII Cosplay Contest 2006. Square-Enix.com. Retrieved on 2006-09-14.
- ^ 1-Up (October 3rd, 2006). Pirates Claim US Final Fantasy XII Leaked. 1up.com. Retrieved on 2006-10-10.
- ^ IGN (October 16, 2006). Twelve Days of Final Fantasy XII. Retrieved on 2006-10-16.
- ^ Anoop Gantayat (March 16th, 2006). Final Fantasy XII Playtest. IGN.com. Retrieved on 2006-09-02.
- ^ Sage Knowledge 12 of 78 (Hybrid Gator Bestiary entry) Magicite - Common name for stones containing magickal power, or as it is commonly manifest, Mist. Square-Enix. Final Fantasy XII. Square Enix. PlayStation 2. (in English). 2006-10-31.
- ^ Sage Knowledge 14 of 78 (Steeling Bestiary entry) Airships - Currently, they are one of the most popular forms of transporation in Ivalice. Square-Enix. Final Fantasy XII. Square Enix. PlayStation 2. (in English). 2006-10-31.
- ^ Sage Knowledge 29 of 78 (Sleipnir Bestiary entry)
Ivalice - The region consisting of the three continents of Valendia, Ordalia, and Kerwon, blessed throughout with verdant natural landscapes and climatic conditions supporting a great variety of life. Square Enix. Final Fantasy XII. Square Enix. PlayStation 2. (in English). 2006-10-31. - ^ Sage Knowledge 30 of 78 (Urstrix Bestiary entry) Ordalia - Continent on the western edge of Ivalice. The vast plains in the interior are home to the great Rozarrian Empire. To the east of Rozarria, the land is arid and largely desert. Square Enix. Final Fantasy XII. Square Enix. PlayStation 2. (in English). 2006-10-31.
- ^ (2006) Studio BentStuff: Final Fantasy XII Scenario Ultimania (in Japanese). Square Enix, 44-45. ISBN 4-7575-1696-7.
- ^ (2006) Studio BentStuff: Final Fantasy XII Scenario Ultimania (in Japanese). Square Enix, 48-49. ISBN 4-7575-1696-7.
- ^ Hirohiko Niizumi (November 19th, 2003). Final Fantasy XII gets star treatment in Tokyo. Retrieved on 2006-11-02.
- ^ Final Fantasy XII Interview (November 19th, 2003). Retrieved on 2006-11-02.
- ^ Stephen Coleman (August 1st, 2005). Final Fantasy XII in Japan. IGN. Retrieved on 2006-09-02.
- ^ Anoop Gantayat (August 1st, 2005). Changes to Final Fantasy XII Staff. IGN.com. Retrieved on 2006-09-01.
- ^ IGN Staff (November 20th, 2003). Final Fantasy XII Q&A. IGN.com. Retrieved on 2006-09-02.
- ^ Alfonso, Andrew (September 23, 2006). TGS 2006: Final Fantasy XII Dev Team Interview. IGN.com. Retrieved on 2006-11-4.
- ^ Adams, David (June 28th, 2006). Final Fantasy XII Gets U.S. Date. IGN.com. Retrieved on 2006-08-14.
- ^ Anoop Gantayat (July 30th, 2005). Square Enix 2005: FFXII Songstress Revealed. IGN.com. Retrieved on 2006-09-01.
- ^ IGNPS2 Staff (June 12th, 2003). Nobuo Uematsu on Final Fantasy XII. IGN.com. Retrieved on 2006-09-01.
- ^ Anoop Gantayat (March 16th, 2006). FFXII Jacks Shibuya. IGN.com. Retrieved on 2006-09-01.
- ^ Japanese Sales Charts, Week Ending March 19. media create (March 24th, 2006). Retrieved on 2006-08-14.
- ^ Weekly software sales for 4/10 - 4/16. media create (April 20th, 2006). Retrieved on 2006-08-14.
- ^ Square Enix Conference Report. GameWatch (May 24th, 2006). Retrieved on 2006-09-01.
- ^ Square Enix (November 6th, 2006). Square Enix Announces Record Shipment With Final Fantasy XII. Square-Enix.com. Retrieved on 2006-11-07.
- ^ Albiges, Luke (April 18th, 2006). Final Fantasy XII. Eurogamer. Retrieved on 2006-08-14.
- ^ IGN Staff (July 18th, 2006). Top 10 Tuesday: Best Art in Videogames. IGN.com. Retrieved on 2006-08-14.
- ^ Final Fantasy XII Reviews. gamerankings.com. Retrieved on 2006-11-17.
- ^ IGN Staff (September 21, 2006). TGS 2006: Final Fantasy XII Update. IGN. Retrieved on 2006-09-21.
- ^ Anoop Gantayat (January 6th, 2006). Final Fantasy XII PS2 Coming. IGN.com. Retrieved on 2006-09-01.
- ^ Anoop Gantayat (January 19th, 2006). Final Fantasy XII Drink Dated. IGN.com. Retrieved on 2006-09-01.
[edit] External links
- Official North American Final Fantasy XII site
- Official Japanese Final Fantasy XII Site
- Final Fantasy XII US - fansite
- Final Fantasy XII at PlayStation.com
- Final Fantasy XII at the Final Fantasy Wiki.
[edit] Reviews
- Metacritic: Final Fantasy XII
- PS2 RPG Site: The Next Generation of RPGs, Whether You Like It Or Not
- PS2.ign.com: Final Fantasy XII Review
- GamersPlatform Final Fantasy XII Review