Final Fantasy XII The Zodiac Age

90%
Game Brain Score Based on 4,038 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Final Fantasy XII The Zodiac Age Game Cover
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FINAL FANTASY® XII THE ZODIAC AGE improves upon the classic FINAL FANTASY® XII, now more beautiful and easier to play than ever. The high-definition remaster introduces several modern advancements, including reconstructed battle design and a revamped job system. Players both returning and new to the game will experience a grand adventure that spans the world of Ivalice in an entirely fresh and imp…

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Reviews

90%
Audience ScoreBased on 4,038 reviews
story620 positive mentions
grinding351 negative mentions
  • The revamped job system and gambit mechanics provide a unique and engaging combat experience.
  • The world of Ivalice is beautifully designed, with rich lore and diverse environments that enhance exploration.
  • The remastered graphics and music breathe new life into the game, making it visually and audibly appealing.
  • The story can feel convoluted and lacks emotional depth, with some characters being underdeveloped.
  • The combat can become repetitive and automated, leading to a lack of player engagement during battles.
  • The game features frustrating RNG mechanics for obtaining certain items and completing side quests, which can be tedious.
  • story1,940 mentions

    The story of *Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age* is a complex narrative steeped in political intrigue and war, set in the richly detailed world of Ivalice. While some players appreciate its mature themes and character development, others find it convoluted and lacking emotional depth, particularly criticizing the protagonist Vaan for being less impactful compared to other characters like Ashe and Balthier. Overall, the story is seen as a mixed bag, with engaging elements overshadowed by pacing issues and a focus on side quests that can detract from the main narrative experience.

    • “Final Fantasy XII is a beautifully crafted RPG that offers a rich story and an expansive world to explore.”
    • “The characters are well-developed, each with their own unique motivations, and the intricate political plot adds depth to the narrative.”
    • “It's a grand tale filled with immersive world-building as well as a story centered around geopolitics and war, and your party finds themselves in the center of this massive conflict.”
    • “The story is bland to my taste, and Vaan and Penelo are some of the most annoying FF characters ever, and you are stuck with them for several hours.”
    • “The story is a mess, with numerous plot holes, and the main character isn't really even part of the story.”
    • “The story is overly complicated and lacks focus, making it difficult to care about the characters or their motivations.”
  • gameplay730 mentions

    The gameplay of "Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age" is characterized by its innovative gambit system, allowing players to pre-program character actions, which can lead to a more automated experience. While some players appreciate the depth and customization options provided by the job system and the ability to speed up gameplay, others find it can become tedious and overly simplistic, especially in later stages. Overall, the game offers a unique blend of real-time and strategic elements, appealing to those who enjoy a more MMO-like experience in a single-player RPG.

    • “The gameplay features an innovative combat system that blends real-time action with strategic elements, making battles dynamic and engaging.”
    • “Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age stands as a masterclass in game design, bringing together a world of political intrigue, vast landscapes, and innovative gameplay mechanics.”
    • “The gambit system is a gameplay/combat mechanic that I haven't seen in a game since... the sudden booming trend in auto players like Vampire Survivors?”
    • “Having to buy them all individually (and god, there are a lot of them) is dumb and brings nothing of value to the overall gameplay; on the contrary.”
    • “The gameplay, with the innovative gambit system, also means that combat can become automated to an unbearable and boring degree.”
    • “A lot of my gameplay experience is just holding down the left stick and watching as my units kill things effortlessly, and I'd be fine with that if it was just the basic enemies, but this extends to nearly every single boss as well, with most dying in less than half a minute.”
  • graphics567 mentions

    The graphics of "Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age" have received widespread praise for their stunning visual overhaul, particularly in comparison to the original PS2 version. Many reviewers highlight the game's beautiful art style, rich environments, and improved textures, which contribute to an immersive experience, although some note that certain aspects can feel dated or lack model variance. Overall, the remaster successfully enhances the game's visuals, making it a visually appealing title even years after its initial release.

    • “The graphics and music are stunning, creating an immersive atmosphere that draws you in.”
    • “The enhanced visuals breathe new life into the diverse environments of Ivalice, from the bustling streets of Rabanastre to the serene plains of Giza.”
    • “For a game that originally came out in 2006, the graphics hold up very well, especially at a higher resolution and frame-rate.”
    • “But when the environments are more subdued, the visuals tend to suffer, as there's very, very little model variance among enemies, and it's really hard not to notice you're just fighting recolors of something you've already seen every time you enter a new zone.”
    • “The graphics are dull, the storyline drags on so much but what makes it worse is the mass of travel between the story; it feels like it's done to make the game last longer.”
    • “Unfortunately, the graphics have not aged well, even in the remaster.”
  • music505 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, particularly for its orchestral remastering by Hitoshi Sakimoto, which enhances the immersive experience of the game. Players appreciate the option to switch between the original and reorchestrated soundtracks, with many noting that the music effectively complements the game's atmosphere and storytelling. While some find the music less memorable compared to other entries in the Final Fantasy series, the overall quality and variety of tracks are generally praised, making it a significant highlight of the game.

    • “The music is composed by the god-tier composer, Hitoshi Sakimoto, of Final Fantasy Tactics, Vagrant Story, Odin Sphere, GrimGrimoire, Dragon's Crown, Valkyria Chronicles, and more.”
    • “The music is superb; it feels appropriately cinematic, and the boss themes in particular were something I loved.”
    • “The remastered soundtrack is beautiful and all the quality of life improvements from the PS2 version make it that much more enjoyable.”
    • “The weakest part of the game is, uncharacteristically for FF, the music.”
    • “The music is pretty standard and doesn't have the usual FF quality that I would expect; it's way down on my list of FF soundtracks.”
    • “For music, FF12 is the worst among all FF series in my opinion... I actually had to turn off the BGM in my playthrough and play soundtracks from another sci-fi game to keep myself 'awake' while playing the game.”
  • grinding353 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that while it can be tedious, the introduction of 2x and 4x speed options significantly alleviates the monotony. Some players appreciate the grind as a satisfying part of the gameplay, especially when combined with the gambit system that automates combat, while others find the reliance on grinding for gear and levels to be frustrating and reminiscent of MMO mechanics. Overall, the remastered version has made grinding more manageable, but it remains a central feature that may deter those who prefer a more streamlined experience.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “No grinding, no random encounters, no mini-games like racing or breeding; the few exceptions are high-end bazaar goods and stealing/poaching in some cases.”
    • “The expansive open world filled with nothing but enemies, the obscene backtracking, obnoxious dungeon design, and insane grinding required to hunt for certain mobs or chests all serve to make playing FF12 an often painful experience, to the point that I would consider it unplayable if the quadruple speed was not available.”
    • “End game = grinding *for days* a 2% drop from a chest that itself has an extremely small chance of appearing, so you can get a necessary item that is necessary for beating the game.”
    • “The grinding aspect and the countless hours to get certain items and summons leaves nothing to be desired in a FF game.”
  • optimization99 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its smooth performance and stability on higher-end systems, while others report significant issues on lower-end PCs, including stuttering and lag. Many users noted that despite the game's visual enhancements, it struggles with optimization, particularly in terms of audio quality and graphical settings not improving performance. Overall, while some players enjoy a well-optimized experience, others face frustrating technical challenges that detract from gameplay.

    • “The game did not have any crashes; it was optimized very well.”
    • “As far as optimization and the port, it's one of the few Final Fantasy ports on Steam that actually runs really well.”
    • “This port is amazingly optimized; I'm five hours in and I can run every second of it at 60 frames a second on high with a 1050 Ti 4GB.”
    • “The game is badly optimized, so expect to use high TDP to hit consistent FPS even on low settings.”
    • “Game suffers from insane lag/stuttering, even at lowest settings.”
    • “Opening cutscene FMV had extreme slow-downs and stuttering, to the point where it was unwatchable.”
  • character development63 mentions

    Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting a significant lack of depth and progression for most characters, particularly the main cast. While some appreciate the character designs and the mechanics introduced in the Zodiac Age version, they feel that the storytelling and character arcs are often inconsistent or underwhelming. Overall, while there are moments of strong character development, particularly for a few characters, many players express disappointment in the overall execution and depth of character narratives.

    • “Zodiac Age reworks the whole character development system, introducing 12 jobs and different progress boards for each job.”
    • “I would recommend this game to anyone and everyone, especially if you are a fan of a fantasy game with a great story, character development, and engaging plot twists.”
    • “It has a layered story, amazing character development, complex but forgiving RPG mechanics, and deep character customization.”
    • “There's really never any character development as a group.”
    • “I think the 6 main characters really lack character development; they should have had more story time so people could know them better and become more attached, but sadly no, even until the end I don't really care much for what will happen to them, except for Balthier and Fran.”
    • “The character development and storyline were rather weak for Final Fantasy standards.”
  • stability61 mentions

    The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing constant crashes and freezes, particularly during specific areas or cutscenes, while others report a smooth experience with no significant issues. Many users noted that the game runs well on PC, but there are persistent complaints about bugs and glitches, especially on certain hardware configurations. Overall, while some players enjoy a stable gameplay experience, a notable portion of the community faces frustrating technical problems that hinder their enjoyment.

    • “It runs great on my PC and looks fantastic.”
    • “FF12 TZA is a fantastic port to PC that runs great and honestly has aged very well since its original release.”
    • “So far, the game runs great at max settings and 60 fps on an old Gigabyte AMD Radeon HD 7950 3GB coupled with an i5 3950K and 16GB of DDR3 RAM.”
    • “I can maybe play for five minutes before my screen freezes and crashes.”
    • “Constant game crashes and graphics freezes make it virtually unplayable on a high-end rig.”
    • “I got maybe an hour into the game, struggling through crashes, freezes, and bugs the whole time, and none of the purported fixes by anyone worked.”
  • replayability42 mentions

    The replayability of "Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age" is highly praised, with players appreciating the diverse job system that allows for various character builds and team combinations. The inclusion of new game modes, speed options, and modding capabilities further enhances the experience, making it easy to revisit the game multiple times. Overall, the game offers significant replay value, appealing to both new players and veterans alike.

    • “The job system is really fun and adds some replayability to a game you'll want to revisit from time to time.”
    • “But it seems to have quite a bit of replayability, both in terms of different job combinations and team builds, as well as new game+.”
    • “There's so much replayability with this game it's just hard to play it one time and never play it again; you have to run through the game with different job setups.”
    • “The fact that you are able to choose a role for each character and organize your teams based on their skills has added a lot of replayability.”
    • “There is a lot of replay value in this game, but if you have close to 100% cleared it in the past (on the PS2), then the zodiac job system really won't add enough to the experience to justify paying $50 for it.”
    • “After finishing this game, I must say there is a considerable amount of replay value and the 2x and 4x speed options make any of the tedious, level grinding elements of the game a pleasure to actually play through.”
  • emotional37 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising the remastered score by Hitoshi Sakimoto for enhancing the game's atmosphere and emotional depth, while others criticize the story and characters as bland and unengaging. Many players feel a lack of emotional connection to the characters, despite a few touching moments, leading to a perception that the narrative fails to deliver the emotional resonance typical of earlier Final Fantasy titles. Overall, while there are glimpses of emotional potential, the execution leaves many feeling disconnected from the story and its characters.

    • “The remastered score by Hitoshi Sakimoto breathes new life into the game, its orchestral arrangements perfectly complementing the game’s epic scale and emotional depth.”
    • “The interwoven relationships and personal journeys create a deeply emotional connection, making every triumph and setback feel personal.”
    • “Every character in the party has an arc that is closely connected with the main plot, which serves to make their arcs satisfying to observe and the payoffs are emotionally gratifying.”
    • “The first 80% is a boring story, forgettable music, and an obnoxiously bad protagonist.”
    • “Boring story, mostly unlikable characters, annoying battle system.”
    • “Ffxii has a boring story, where there is almost no character development.”
  • atmosphere31 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its stunning graphics, immersive sound design, and a beautifully re-recorded orchestral score that enhances the emotional depth of the story. Many reviewers highlight the unique and captivating ambiance of the world, with each area offering its own distinct feel, reminiscent of classic titles like "Vagrant Story." While some critiques mention a lack of engagement with the story or gameplay, the overall consensus is that the atmosphere is a standout feature that draws players into the experience.

    • “The graphics and music are stunning, creating an immersive atmosphere that draws you in.”
    • “The re-recorded orchestral score enhances the emotional impact of the story and complements the game's atmosphere beautifully.”
    • “Final Fantasy XII is an odd entry in the mainline franchise that represents the height of Square Enix's robust writing, fabulous character personalities, incredible world building, unique monster design, and with an immersive atmosphere to pull it all together, to create one of the richest experiences you can find in the JRPG genre.”
    • “The world/atmosphere: the world is kind of bland.”
    • “The story is sub-par to other games in the franchise but I get lost in the atmosphere.”
    • “Atmosphere - 1/5”
  • humor28 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding the dialogue sharp and character interactions amusing, particularly with characters like Balthier who often break the fourth wall. While certain moments, such as over-the-top combat scenarios and quirky side events, elicit laughter, others feel flat or overshadowed by the game's serious themes. Overall, the humor can be hit or miss, with some players wishing for more consistent comedic elements throughout the experience.

    • “The dialogue in FF12 is surprisingly sharp; character conversations seamlessly flow between serious, subtle, evasive, and humorous moods thanks to strong performances and scripts.”
    • “It is clear that Balthier was meant to be the main character and even jokingly refers to himself as 'the leading man' constantly, which I think is kind of funny in retrospect, as if Matsuno is just telling you that yeah, Balthier is the actual main character.”
    • “Many of the character's personalities were pretty funny and well written (Balthier, I'm looking at you lol).”
  • monetization4 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized for feeling like a generic cash grab, lacking the depth and quality of earlier titles. Players express frustration with repetitive animations and a perceived dumbing down of gameplay, suggesting that the focus on monetization detracts from the overall experience.

    • “If only modern games had the same depth and quality instead of being generic cash grabs.”
    • “I'm now starting to wonder if Final Fantasy 15 was dumbed down in reaction to the original hatred of this game... I'm not sure, but it makes a hell of a lot of sense having grinded through this stupid Square Enix cash grab.”
    • “Limit breaks exist as well... which means watching the same long animations over and over again. It just adds to the sleep-inducing nature of the rest of the game.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
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Play time

100hMedian play time
170hAverage play time
60-200hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 33 analyzed playthroughs

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