First Impressions:

I’d like to start this review off by saying I’ve been a long time Final Fantasy fan. From playing the old Final Fantasy “III” on Super Nintendo before I even knew what RPGs were, to getting Final Fantasy VIII for Christmas one year on the first non-Nintendo console I’d ever owned, I’ve since fallen in love and played every entry in the series, even so far as to pick up the original Final Fantasy III. However, none could compare to what I felt when so many years later, I saw the announcement for Final Fantasy XII in a copy of Electronic Gaming Monthly. With a totally different feel from old Final Fantasies, and yet still possessing that oh-so-familiar Squaresoft sheen, I was hooked from the word go.

Finally, October 2006 rolled around, and I finally got to play the finished product I’d been waiting for. As soon as I put the disc in my PS2 and fired it up, I was blown away by the production going into the opening video alone, and the seamless integration into the title screen and opening scenes of gameplay were flawless. There was simply no denying it. Square had done it again, and this time they were taking no prisoners.

Graphics:

As usual, Square is at the top of their game when it comes to graphics. Heck, make it the top of everyone’s game. Even if you’re not a fan, there’s no denying that Square makes some of the prettiest games in the business, and the latest Final Fantasy is no exception. The artists have totally outdone themselves this time, going for a very different feel this time around. Akihiko Yoshida of Vagrant Story fame has done the character design for this Final Fantasy, and it certainly shows.

Aside from the typical androgynous male lead found in Vaan, almost all of the characters are shown in a much more realistic light compared to most other Final Fantasies, especially the more recent ones. The styles are more conservative--save for Fran, of the rabbit-like Viera race. Adding to that, the coloring is much more subdued. Gone are the bright pinks and purples of Final Fantasy X’s Yuna, to make way for dull browns, blacks, and grays for a much more natural feel.

To those of you who are fans of such opulence, however, not all is lost! The many environs you and your party will venture to are just as grand and bright as ever. The opening city of Rabanastre alone is a grand, bustling desert metropolis, filled with huge crowds and colorful decorations. The next city too, Bhujerba, floats high in the sky, with gaudy ramparts and bright plant life scattered throughout the streets. These types of areas contrast very nicely with the dullness found in such areas as the dungeons of Nalbina, where all hope is lost, deadened by encroaching darkness and dusty floors.

Finally, the art style on a whole has received a total facelift since Final Fantasy X, and it’s amazing the game even fits on a single DVD. Gorgeous videos that look better than we’ve ever seen are very frequent throughout the game and often quite lengthy, but even the normal graphics put anything else on the console to shame. Final Fantasy XII Is truly a work of art, clearly pushing the Playstation 2’s power to the limit.

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