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Is FFXII worth playing?
The Grey GOAT
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Registered User regular
I should say replaying, because I actually have advanced pretty far in the story (Right after you visit the capital and get the Strahl back), unlocked quite a few espers, done all of the regular hunts, and found a few of the special weapons. But here's the problem, when I play Final Fantasy Games, I like to have my party with all the top gear possible (I did it in 7,8 and Tactics spent about 80 to 100 hours average). Yet with FFXII, a lot of it turns out to be an ENORMOUS grind/fetch quest to the point where I'm turned off by the game. I mean, don't get me wrong, I really like certain things about the game, the graphics and presentation to me is amazing. I even don't mind the gambits so much. Once your party gets strong enough, it actually becomes really fun. But given the time you spend running all over the place, you forget what the story is even about.
But, my biggest gripes are:
1. It seems like magic, except for healing....is rather useless. Does there become a point in the game where attack magic becomes more helpful?
2. Some quest/hunts feel like they are IMPOSSSIBLE to accomplish. I.E. hunting for rare monsters that only appear under certain conditions. Is it even worth my time or will I spend 40+ hours running around waiting for events to happen?
3. Some really powerful items, I.E. the Venetian Shield (I think) can only be found in the Great Crystal and even then the chest might not have the item. Are these even possible to find or do I need to keep loading my save game until I get lucky?
4. Certain items like the Zodiac Spear, can only be found by not opening certain chest. Are all the good items as complicated as this to find?
If anyone can let me know their thoughts on this game that would be cool. I really want to give this game a chance, but given the amount of time I have already put into it 90+ hours, I just wanna know if my goal of obtaining the really good items is gonna take well over 200 hours and any helpful tips that might make this game more enjoyable. I own the original version released in America BTW.
But, my biggest gripes are:
1. It seems like magic, except for healing....is rather useless. Does there become a point in the game where attack magic becomes more helpful?
2. Some quest/hunts feel like they are IMPOSSSIBLE to accomplish. I.E. hunting for rare monsters that only appear under certain conditions. Is it even worth my time or will I spend 40+ hours running around waiting for events to happen?
3. Some really powerful items, I.E. the Venetian Shield (I think) can only be found in the Great Crystal and even then the chest might not have the item. Are these even possible to find or do I need to keep loading my save game until I get lucky?
4. Certain items like the Zodiac Spear, can only be found by not opening certain chest. Are all the good items as complicated as this to find?
If anyone can let me know their thoughts on this game that would be cool. I really want to give this game a chance, but given the amount of time I have already put into it 90+ hours, I just wanna know if my goal of obtaining the really good items is gonna take well over 200 hours and any helpful tips that might make this game more enjoyable. I own the original version released in America BTW.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
"Faster, Faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death." -HST
"Faster, Faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death." -HST
The Grey GOAT on
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Is the endgame stuff worth it? I dunno, depends on how much you enjoy playing the game. I will say though that as far as question one goes, buff magic>healing magic>offensive magic.
2. Well, loike other FF games, if you want to complete every detail it is going to take you a while and quite a bit of effort.
3. Strategy guide? FAQ? Just have a plan before you start playing, plan out what character is going to do what and use what weapons. It is a bit more effort but leads to a better game experience imo.
4. The spear requires you to not open 5 certain chests/groups of chests. You don't miss out on much. It is the only item I know of like that. If you really want an item that is a % based chest drop just save before you open the chest.
I am playing through FF12 right now, and have FFX started past all the bull shit intro stuff. I haven't regretted a minute of my replay, it has been much better than most of the games coming out recently.
hth.
As far as your predicament - you would probably just be better off beating the game with the stuff you have and not worrying about starting over, etc.
Critical Failures - Havenhold Campaign • August St. Cloud (Human Ranger)
As usual it's about balance. If you level up normally with moderate grinding, you'll get decent equipment all the way through to the end boss. Only then should you spend the time to grind for the best stuff, if you so choose. Trust me, it's far easier this way. Just keep progressing.
Magic is very useful against enemies weak to it, including some of the tough bosses. Of course if you never use it you won't find this out. And you probably won't be inclined to use it without having the triple MP granted you by having three quickenings, so look at that license board on GFAQs.
I did some of the specific condition quests by looking at a guide and they're not so bad if you know where you're going and what you're doing. I fought the gil turtle thing (it has to be raining) and it didn't take that long to trigger him.
I think besides the Zodiac Spear, everything else is either easy to get at some point or you have to keep loading the game until you get it. Once again I have to say you can't let yourself be troubled by not having the greatest thing at all times. You can do the hardest content in the game without all of the legendary weapons.
Offensive magic is indeed pretty much useless, the buffs/debuffs can be a godsend though.
I really should go back and at least attempt Omega Weapon. I was getting burnout by grinding to 99 so I decided to finish the main story and haven't went back.
I just started up the gambit sequence and went to sleep, work, sleep and woke up to three lvl 99 characters. Then started it with the rest of them. Took a week of not playing - but they are all lvl 99 now.
Critical Failures - Havenhold Campaign • August St. Cloud (Human Ranger)
1. Offensive magic is very situational. Healing and defensive magic is essential. Buffs, dispels, removal, cleansing, etc are hyper critical. Also, debuffs are effective in most fights. So...if you're wanna pewpew things with fireagawagaoheyoheyohaga it's not that awesome. But every other spell is gold.
2. Some of the stuff is obscure but can be figured out with in-game hints. If you find this painful there are 7 thousand zillion faqs for the game. The one by Split Infinity is so detailed it'll make you cry.
3. Reload abuse on chests are a must have if you want to keep ahead of the item curve. If you don't then just play normally because the stuff you struggle to get now is easily available later (with exceptions). I spent like 4 hours save/reloading to get some early badass items today. Your choice.
4. It's a Final Fantasy game, the uber items are complicated to get. It's always been that way. The Zodiac Spear is in the running for the best weapon in the entire game so they made it a bitch to get. Yes, every super weapon in the game will take a) an faq or b) a lot of experimentation to get.
I was done with my first playthrough in roughly 160 hours, all optional crap completed scept filling my log. Once you have the knowledge the game is pretty slick, until then you need to pay attention to what npcs and your log says. My advice? get a spoiler-free faq...something that only has crafting tables and drop/steal lists for example. You'll still need to do the legwork but it'll save you time and frustration.
Took my about 17 hours to make a freaking Tournasol :P
EDIT: Also, you fuckers who auto-leveled and whatnot are girls. Getting to 99 is easy. The game has a few incredibly (almost stupidly so) good grinding spots. Took me like 2 hours to go from 60 to 80, moved to another spot and then got to 93ish in the same time. That was all I needed for the optional bosses and super hunts.
Currently playing: GW2 and TSW
Tofu wrote: Here be Littleboots, destroyer of threads and master of drunkposting.
I liked the game well enough and spent something like 220 hours on it. I did most of the things in the game and took my time but missing some significant things near the end of the game, especially with the Great Crystal. I didn't do the last couple hunts (because it literally can take 4+ hours to beat each one, as in the battle lasts for 4 hours). I don't like using a FAQ unless I really have to.. I heard people who spent 250 hours to 300 or more to get everything. I was happy with the things I had and if I went any further it was going to tip my game experience into too-obsessed or crazy territory.
Magic can indeed be useful, the spell that quarters of halves the life of the enemy up to 9999? And a few other black magic spells. But especially the support and heal type.
Where were you grinding? I was doing the lv60 Curaga Bats trick, and while the EXP was good, it got tedious after a while.
This is the second time I've heard this. Someone please tell me about the fights that last 4+ hours because as far as my playthroughs have gone there's only 1 and that particular fight doesn't need to be done in one sitting. You guys may not be recalling correctly.
Currently playing: GW2 and TSW
Theoretically it is totally possible, though. I could see someone playing a low level, no chest run through of the game, and then at the end going around to open everything and getting a nice surprise. That is how you would find it without being told.
That sort of thing is how people got the Goblin summon in FF2 in the age of no easy guides.
I might go back to FFXII, now I have finished work, but I traded Rogue Galaxy.
I didn't like the whole hunter bit of FFXII because you have to do so much shit to get there and back to reap any rewards.
Look up the Negulmuur autoleveling FAQ, it's really easy to do after finishing Draklor. But the game is a joke anyway, so I wouldn't level up to more than 80, and even then you only need to do it for Omega XII.
<ProfMoriarty> oh yeah. one time I PMed a picture of my penis to a forumer, and then I got a PM from Thanatos saying "nice girth"
Isn't beating Omega more about judicious use of Reverse than anything else?
Some of the last few hunts take a good while to take down. Id say around 2 hours per. The FINAL hunt has taken me around 10 or more hours and hes nearly dead but god Ive explained this a million times. Its a bitch, but its FUN. Not a bad type of bitch. I loved it.
There's two. Hell Wurm and Yiazmat. Hell Wurm has roughly 9 million HP. Yiazmat has 50 million. It's required to beat Hell Wurm to have access to Yiazmat. Both of them are in the "you don't need to do it all in one sitting."
It's still into the realm of "obscene."
:P
Currently playing: GW2 and TSW
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I (now) use the buff/debuff spells religously and the offensive spells sparingly. I personally don't have the patience to fill out the log, and I would have been severely disappointed if I missed out on the zodiac spear.
Hi. Sorry you skipped most of the game. Also, your definition of 'dungeon' seems...off.
Anyway: I enjoyed FFX for the story. I enjoy FFXII for the gameplay.
Currently playing: GW2 and TSW
I know I know "lolopinions", but are you sure you don't mean FFXII for the story and FFX for the gameplay?
Noooo. FFXII has like, a pretty 'meh' storyline. I found myself getting into FFX's plot more. But after playing FFXII I struggle with FFX's battle system. It seems so...outdated. Plus, the optional crap in FFX was painful as all hell. I hate minigames so much.
Currently playing: GW2 and TSW
i got all the skills maxed out 1/4th through the game, 80% of them being useless. i didnt even have to change the gambits for bossfights, i was jsut watching my character run form one enemy to the next doing all the decissions alone, thats right, i didnt even have to MOVE them...
and moving they were a lot, through infinite areas completely void of anything worth exploring but the exit.
the music and graphics were nice, but thats about the only positive thign i can say about the game.
just about the only meat the game has is hunting.
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NNID: carmofin
3DS: 2852 6971 9745
Throw me a PM if you add me
For those reasons alone it is one of my favorite Final Fantasy games.
It sounds like you'd have a problem with RPGs in general.
I have a hard time thinking of RPGs where 80% of the skills aren't useless. And by "useless," you really mean unused by you, since they are all viable ways of playing through the game. Kind of a hollow complaint since so many games across genres are packed with options that many people won't use, and yet everyone gets to play it slightly differently.
What's enjoyable about other RPGs that FFXII lacks? In FFX you have to select "attack" every time you want to attack. How exciting! At least XII does the mundane garbage for you. The thing that is enjoyable about it is setting up a well-balanced team with a well designed AI system, taking control when you need to and coasting otherwise.
Think of it like Tower Defense: If you had to shoot at the minions it'd just be like any other shooter. The fun part is setting up the automatic turrets and watching them do the work for you.
Noooooo, I don't think it's a hatred of RPGs, as those were the problems I had with it too. Who cares if you do the exact same button press 90% of the time? That's true for every single genre. See goomba: Press Jump. See zombie: Press Shoot. It keeps you at least semi-focused and engaged on what's going on. After 10 minutes of setting up gambits, I was free to read a book instead of pay attention to anything that was going on in the game. At least constantly putting the right pegs in the right holes in FFX made me feel like I was actually involved.
Jumping on goombas and shooting zombies still involves other dimensions, though. The difference is in FFXII you could read a book while grinding (I guess, assuming you were in a place with lots of spawns?), in FFX you could read a book but you'd have to tap O with the other hand.
And like I said if you were playing the game right and not simply grinding, you'd be taking a lot more control. You still have to explore, find things, solve puzzles, progress.
Another thing: you said after 10 minutes of setting up gambits you were done. But you don't start with any of the useful gambits! Were you really engaged and having a great time in the early parts of the game, or did it get better as you got more gambits?
Pokemon Safari - Sneasel, Pawniard, ????
No, the start was the best part and the only part I actually enjoyed. I had thought things would progress into a story or battles would get deeper and force more strategy from there as your options opened up. Instead, I got the complete opposite. Once you got Quickenings and you learned that they could one-shot bosses, that was pretty much the beginning of the end. By the time you got out of the one-shotting phase, then you had almost all of the useful gambits.
Also, I like how you're equating grinding to playing. Some of us actually go through these games without stopping to level constantly. I know, it's crazy, but there are ways to get through RPGs without bullheadedly powering past everything.
I wouldn't go that far. Although the plot is based more in pulp fiction than any of the previous games in the series, it still has the same old trappings of
A) Some stupid magic maguffin mineral that is important for no reason
C) Feigned attempts at making the plot/world sound much deeper than it actually is
I will concede that the game has what is probably the best dialogue (and voice acting) in the entire series, but it is still the same kind of contrived, superficial pap that is typical in most of Square's games. It starts out really, really awesome, but quickly devolves into a series of clichés and missed opportunities.
The beginning 20 minutes of the game shows one of the main characters
Yeah, it is. But you still need to be able to survive if you fuck that up, and he can two shot you even when you are pretty high level.
I mean, reverse+decoy should cover it.
<ProfMoriarty> oh yeah. one time I PMed a picture of my penis to a forumer, and then I got a PM from Thanatos saying "nice girth"
You silly bitch, why not just use GameFAQs.
<ProfMoriarty> oh yeah. one time I PMed a picture of my penis to a forumer, and then I got a PM from Thanatos saying "nice girth"