May it be my shifting tastes, my lack of maturity, or my reluctance to go past Final Fantasy X during my younger years, but FF12 continues to surprise me year after year. In fact, I'm one of the not-inconsequential number of people who went from "I got this day one and hated it with all my heart" to "I can confidently say it is one of the best Final Fantasy, if not the very best I've played". Such a turnaround happened seven years ago for me, and it keeps happening to many people around the world.
I think a lot that comes with this transition is that FF12 is a game that requires a level of engagement that was never needed from the fanbase before, and probably a sign of Matsuno's handprints all over the game. FF12's story and themes doesn't remove itself from the world it is set. It doesn't use Ivalice as a complimentary piece to the story, but as an integral part of it. The storyline becomes much more than the sum of its cutscenes. It is an everything that accompanies it at every step of the way.
It's very interesting in a way, and I think FF15 made me more receptive in figuring out the way a story is built and how it intersects with other parts of the universe it exists in. This is not a FF15 bashing thread though, I just think it's an important point of comparison for me:
Social groups and politics
What I've come to appreciate in FF12 over FF15 is how it doesn't remove itself from the class politics that undoubtedly exists whenever you put a story of kings and men. Noctis' story is the story of a legend. A predetermined, god-backed journey to save the world from a world-ending threat. FF15 doesn't spend an ounce of irony on questioning his worth. He was born to do it, and so he shall. Even further, any mention of his people is something that is largely performative, he thinks about them but he doesn't see them, he doesn't live through the same kind of oppression that they face. Mostly because FF15 saw fit to completely shelter us from Insomnia, so whatever happens inside is hearsay or reports. Even then, all of Noctis' close entourage is a privileged one so we don't get to hear it from the people we seek to protect and save.
Final Fantasy 12 couldn't be further from this situation. It is unquestionably a game that pits various social groups in the middle of political unrest. Rabanastre' annexation by the Empire makes us see the misery and pain of the people first-hand through the lens of a street urchin. It doesn't sugarcoat what they have to live through, as segregation, brutality and racism against non-hume races is being openly displayed. FF12's focus on building the world gives the framework needed to shape the story in a convincing way. Taking the time to engage with NPCs is enough to be assured of it:
It's also a focus that gives voices to various types of opinions, from people who supports the empire, to those who seeks to topple it. It isn't a clear-cut landscape of the Big Bad against the forces of good. Which also is something that is invariably etched into Ashe's struggle to liberate Dalmasca. Her quest isn't automatically assumed to be benevolent, especially as her privileged position isn't just hand-waved away like your cookie-cutter fantasy game. Ashe was removed from the throne, but she isn't assumed to have lived the same kind of struggle as the people living in Dalmasca during the period of annexation. In fact, Vaan directly says to Ashe: "Before, I didn't even know what you looked like. And the Prince -- I barely knew there was a prince", as a subtle message on how his experience will always be starkly different from hers. They have not lived through the same things. It also comes from an incredible cutscene by itself that clearly explains Vaan's behaviour and motivation, something that people keeps acting like it never existed and keeps parroting his "I want to be a sky pirate" line. Vaan repudiates the romanticizing of Reks' sacrifice, preferring to find his own answers rather than hide himself behind his thirst for revenge.
The Empire is also far more ambiguous despite its cruelty. Larsa's role against the machinations of Vayne shows that there are different factions even within the Empire. Vayne's role, as insidious and evil as it looks, seems to serve a purpose that, while done through horrific manners, has some basis in truth. Even within the Judges, their allegiance goes beyond blind subservience. It's only slightly related but it makes it funny to remember a thread on the old forum, which blasted FF12 for not allowing us to fight every judge like it was an episode of Naruto. Some of the judges weren't even against us! That people could unironically think that characters with different kinds of motivation isn't as important as cool people in armor to beat up makes me wonder if that's the kind of thing that the JRPG audience even wants anymore. All kind of politics happening in a fantasy game just seems to get removed more and more, and it seems to work well in terms of reception.
Even the lousiest Final Fantasy used to have a story of political ramifications. It's what shapes the characters in those games to have depth, Cecil's loyalty to the Empire, Shinra's cruelty against Avalanche's branded eco-terrorism, Alexandria's conquest, slavery and genocide against multiple races. This stuff is done away more and more, with the welcome exception of FF14.
Engaging the player through meaningful dialogue
It's weird to say this, but the way you get to experience the struggle of the people couldn't happen without a character like Vaan who lived and survived in this struggle. Vaan is in many ways essential to the kind of world Ivalice wants to be. Even more, his position as someone who lived there allows for the NPCs to be more relevant than ever. That's why the more a player is investing themself into exploring and talking inside the world of Ivalice, the more they are rewarded with a richer, more diverse Ivalice. You need to take the time to listen to the experiences of people, just like in real life. Exploring the lowtown of Rabanastre gives a lot of opinions about the least privileged among the social makeup of the kingdom. This is why this game has so many dialogues that keeps changing after every story beat ! It tells you that the more you want to know about this world, the more you'll get to have a better understanding of what's going on around you.
You get to know how the Empire is a racist one through numerous dialogues, which clashes with the multi-cultural hub that Rabanastre is
You also get to know how the Lowtown (previously a warehouse) was repurposed as a way to segregate the poorest and give easy access for the army to round them up if the Empire decides to get rid of them.
It also sheds more light in the existing chasm in the times before the annexation that leaves the way for the middle and upper classes to be complacent about the fate of this city.
There's many stuff that you get to read that makes up a convincing world that is essential for the story to communicate its depth.
And it just goes on and on. I could speak about how the voice acting effectively communicates the difference in terms of culture and origins, with Rabanastre mostly sporting american english whereas Archades has mostly a received pronunciation like a lot of fantasy stories. There is also the Viera who has an icelandic accent, and Bhujerbans with Sri Lankan accent. Meanwhile, I still don't know where Dino comes from in FF15, who mysteriously sports a New York City accent that no one else seems to have.
The dialogue and subjects also completely changes from city to city, exploring Bhujerba is not the same as exploring Rabanastre, they are two cultures with a different history. The supposedly neutral city of Bhujerba shows the story of a hub with equal citizenship to all, you even get to learn that the Moogles are the ones who first settled here and built the city, who still live here with the respect they deserve.
This is the kind of consistency and attention to detail that I've come to appreciate. But I think one fundamental way to enjoy Final Fantasy XII to this fullest extent is to realize that maybe one playthrough isn't enough to realize it.
The re-discoverability of Final Fantasy XII
The level of craft on display when it comes to Final Fantasy XII has had never been replicated before or since this game in the Final Fantasy series, with the exception of MMOs by virtue of being a live service.
There comes a point where I think a huge aspect of what makes me enjoy this game isn't that I gave it a second chance, it's that I took the time to sincerely engage with another reading of the game. It's akin to reading a book for a second time: you got the gist of it, but reading it again with your initial knowledge makes you understand and appreciate where it tries to go, and I think that's a huge quality when it comes to a video game. To have the level of depth that makes several readings of the game necessary not to get the full picture, but to have a close understanding of where it tries to go, and why is something that I appreciate more and more. I'm less into comfort food and more into fulfilling experiences at this point in my life.
A huge aspect of the game is for events in the future to shed more light in what happened in the past. It is especially true with the case of such an ensemble cast. You can't pick up on everything happening in one go, it's simply not possible when it's a story that has roots in every aspect of its universe rather than using it as a fancy backdrop. It also has another aspect, that I consider to be a quality, and it is the fact that all characters joins your party from the beginning of the game. You don't have to deal with characters being introduced at the end of the game and losing focus on the narrative, giving itself more space to expand and unravel in more complex ways.
Playing this game more than once made me realize how little I knew, and made me pick up things I would have never picked on. Something that I wouldn't say about many Final Fantasy out there, which are all a case of "what you see is what you get".
Here's one detail thing that I deeply enjoyed, Gabranth can't seem to face people without his mask. Everytime he takes it off, he comes off as a considerably weaker person that lets his emotion show, especially when his loyalty to the Empire is being questioned both by his brother and Vayne. And it's true, Gabranth' loyalty is wavering because he himself knows that it is just a mask to hide what he feels, and how he believe what kind of kingdom Archades should be, as he deeply respects the pacifist ideals of Larsa.
Replaying this game today has been an even more enlightening experience as to what kind of game Final Fantasy XII wants to be. An intricate, multi-layered game that applies into all facets from the story to the world-building and gameplay. It doesn't settle for any less than offering the depth that can only be fully understood and assimilated through several playthroughs. And it does so while still retaining player freedom, something that was largely forbidden in Final Fantasy X. It was the evidence that a sprawling JRPG like this could still tell engaging and complex stories while leaving the keys to the player on how to experience it. You couldn't play this game with the baggage of previous FF and expect it to work out. It was another breed entirely, something that was closer to Tactics Ogre and Final Fantasy Tactics. I realize we will never get another single-player Final Fantasy like this, not because of quality, but because it is fundamentally different from the rest, and players has largely spoken about the kind of adventure that they want to have instead. It doesn't matter, however, as the core of this game is one that values world-building, freedom and writing, something that can be replicated regardless of budget. Final Fantasy 14 is largely one of those, as its inspiration of FF12 and other Matsuno games shows everywhere, and there is a reason many people values the story, lore and characterization of this game even more than they do for other games in the franchise.
I strongly believe that Final Fantasy XII was in many ways ahead of its time, but it also came out at the right time. It was allowed to be made in an era where it could deliver on what it set out to do with no cutbacks. Some games will, and already are receiving accolades for things that FF12 already succeeded in 12 years ago, but I'm glad I got to experience this game and value it for what it is even as its achievements will be lost to history. An excellent game that I'm going to enjoy discussing about for the next 12 years.
I think a lot that comes with this transition is that FF12 is a game that requires a level of engagement that was never needed from the fanbase before, and probably a sign of Matsuno's handprints all over the game. FF12's story and themes doesn't remove itself from the world it is set. It doesn't use Ivalice as a complimentary piece to the story, but as an integral part of it. The storyline becomes much more than the sum of its cutscenes. It is an everything that accompanies it at every step of the way.
It's very interesting in a way, and I think FF15 made me more receptive in figuring out the way a story is built and how it intersects with other parts of the universe it exists in. This is not a FF15 bashing thread though, I just think it's an important point of comparison for me:
Social groups and politics
What I've come to appreciate in FF12 over FF15 is how it doesn't remove itself from the class politics that undoubtedly exists whenever you put a story of kings and men. Noctis' story is the story of a legend. A predetermined, god-backed journey to save the world from a world-ending threat. FF15 doesn't spend an ounce of irony on questioning his worth. He was born to do it, and so he shall. Even further, any mention of his people is something that is largely performative, he thinks about them but he doesn't see them, he doesn't live through the same kind of oppression that they face. Mostly because FF15 saw fit to completely shelter us from Insomnia, so whatever happens inside is hearsay or reports. Even then, all of Noctis' close entourage is a privileged one so we don't get to hear it from the people we seek to protect and save.
Final Fantasy 12 couldn't be further from this situation. It is unquestionably a game that pits various social groups in the middle of political unrest. Rabanastre' annexation by the Empire makes us see the misery and pain of the people first-hand through the lens of a street urchin. It doesn't sugarcoat what they have to live through, as segregation, brutality and racism against non-hume races is being openly displayed. FF12's focus on building the world gives the framework needed to shape the story in a convincing way. Taking the time to engage with NPCs is enough to be assured of it:
It's also a focus that gives voices to various types of opinions, from people who supports the empire, to those who seeks to topple it. It isn't a clear-cut landscape of the Big Bad against the forces of good. Which also is something that is invariably etched into Ashe's struggle to liberate Dalmasca. Her quest isn't automatically assumed to be benevolent, especially as her privileged position isn't just hand-waved away like your cookie-cutter fantasy game. Ashe was removed from the throne, but she isn't assumed to have lived the same kind of struggle as the people living in Dalmasca during the period of annexation. In fact, Vaan directly says to Ashe: "Before, I didn't even know what you looked like. And the Prince -- I barely knew there was a prince", as a subtle message on how his experience will always be starkly different from hers. They have not lived through the same things. It also comes from an incredible cutscene by itself that clearly explains Vaan's behaviour and motivation, something that people keeps acting like it never existed and keeps parroting his "I want to be a sky pirate" line. Vaan repudiates the romanticizing of Reks' sacrifice, preferring to find his own answers rather than hide himself behind his thirst for revenge.
The Empire is also far more ambiguous despite its cruelty. Larsa's role against the machinations of Vayne shows that there are different factions even within the Empire. Vayne's role, as insidious and evil as it looks, seems to serve a purpose that, while done through horrific manners, has some basis in truth. Even within the Judges, their allegiance goes beyond blind subservience. It's only slightly related but it makes it funny to remember a thread on the old forum, which blasted FF12 for not allowing us to fight every judge like it was an episode of Naruto. Some of the judges weren't even against us! That people could unironically think that characters with different kinds of motivation isn't as important as cool people in armor to beat up makes me wonder if that's the kind of thing that the JRPG audience even wants anymore. All kind of politics happening in a fantasy game just seems to get removed more and more, and it seems to work well in terms of reception.
Even the lousiest Final Fantasy used to have a story of political ramifications. It's what shapes the characters in those games to have depth, Cecil's loyalty to the Empire, Shinra's cruelty against Avalanche's branded eco-terrorism, Alexandria's conquest, slavery and genocide against multiple races. This stuff is done away more and more, with the welcome exception of FF14.
Engaging the player through meaningful dialogue
It's weird to say this, but the way you get to experience the struggle of the people couldn't happen without a character like Vaan who lived and survived in this struggle. Vaan is in many ways essential to the kind of world Ivalice wants to be. Even more, his position as someone who lived there allows for the NPCs to be more relevant than ever. That's why the more a player is investing themself into exploring and talking inside the world of Ivalice, the more they are rewarded with a richer, more diverse Ivalice. You need to take the time to listen to the experiences of people, just like in real life. Exploring the lowtown of Rabanastre gives a lot of opinions about the least privileged among the social makeup of the kingdom. This is why this game has so many dialogues that keeps changing after every story beat ! It tells you that the more you want to know about this world, the more you'll get to have a better understanding of what's going on around you.
You get to know how the Empire is a racist one through numerous dialogues, which clashes with the multi-cultural hub that Rabanastre is
You also get to know how the Lowtown (previously a warehouse) was repurposed as a way to segregate the poorest and give easy access for the army to round them up if the Empire decides to get rid of them.
It also sheds more light in the existing chasm in the times before the annexation that leaves the way for the middle and upper classes to be complacent about the fate of this city.
There's many stuff that you get to read that makes up a convincing world that is essential for the story to communicate its depth.
And it just goes on and on. I could speak about how the voice acting effectively communicates the difference in terms of culture and origins, with Rabanastre mostly sporting american english whereas Archades has mostly a received pronunciation like a lot of fantasy stories. There is also the Viera who has an icelandic accent, and Bhujerbans with Sri Lankan accent. Meanwhile, I still don't know where Dino comes from in FF15, who mysteriously sports a New York City accent that no one else seems to have.
The dialogue and subjects also completely changes from city to city, exploring Bhujerba is not the same as exploring Rabanastre, they are two cultures with a different history. The supposedly neutral city of Bhujerba shows the story of a hub with equal citizenship to all, you even get to learn that the Moogles are the ones who first settled here and built the city, who still live here with the respect they deserve.
This is the kind of consistency and attention to detail that I've come to appreciate. But I think one fundamental way to enjoy Final Fantasy XII to this fullest extent is to realize that maybe one playthrough isn't enough to realize it.
The re-discoverability of Final Fantasy XII
The level of craft on display when it comes to Final Fantasy XII has had never been replicated before or since this game in the Final Fantasy series, with the exception of MMOs by virtue of being a live service.
There comes a point where I think a huge aspect of what makes me enjoy this game isn't that I gave it a second chance, it's that I took the time to sincerely engage with another reading of the game. It's akin to reading a book for a second time: you got the gist of it, but reading it again with your initial knowledge makes you understand and appreciate where it tries to go, and I think that's a huge quality when it comes to a video game. To have the level of depth that makes several readings of the game necessary not to get the full picture, but to have a close understanding of where it tries to go, and why is something that I appreciate more and more. I'm less into comfort food and more into fulfilling experiences at this point in my life.
A huge aspect of the game is for events in the future to shed more light in what happened in the past. It is especially true with the case of such an ensemble cast. You can't pick up on everything happening in one go, it's simply not possible when it's a story that has roots in every aspect of its universe rather than using it as a fancy backdrop. It also has another aspect, that I consider to be a quality, and it is the fact that all characters joins your party from the beginning of the game. You don't have to deal with characters being introduced at the end of the game and losing focus on the narrative, giving itself more space to expand and unravel in more complex ways.
Playing this game more than once made me realize how little I knew, and made me pick up things I would have never picked on. Something that I wouldn't say about many Final Fantasy out there, which are all a case of "what you see is what you get".
Here's one detail thing that I deeply enjoyed, Gabranth can't seem to face people without his mask. Everytime he takes it off, he comes off as a considerably weaker person that lets his emotion show, especially when his loyalty to the Empire is being questioned both by his brother and Vayne. And it's true, Gabranth' loyalty is wavering because he himself knows that it is just a mask to hide what he feels, and how he believe what kind of kingdom Archades should be, as he deeply respects the pacifist ideals of Larsa.
Replaying this game today has been an even more enlightening experience as to what kind of game Final Fantasy XII wants to be. An intricate, multi-layered game that applies into all facets from the story to the world-building and gameplay. It doesn't settle for any less than offering the depth that can only be fully understood and assimilated through several playthroughs. And it does so while still retaining player freedom, something that was largely forbidden in Final Fantasy X. It was the evidence that a sprawling JRPG like this could still tell engaging and complex stories while leaving the keys to the player on how to experience it. You couldn't play this game with the baggage of previous FF and expect it to work out. It was another breed entirely, something that was closer to Tactics Ogre and Final Fantasy Tactics. I realize we will never get another single-player Final Fantasy like this, not because of quality, but because it is fundamentally different from the rest, and players has largely spoken about the kind of adventure that they want to have instead. It doesn't matter, however, as the core of this game is one that values world-building, freedom and writing, something that can be replicated regardless of budget. Final Fantasy 14 is largely one of those, as its inspiration of FF12 and other Matsuno games shows everywhere, and there is a reason many people values the story, lore and characterization of this game even more than they do for other games in the franchise.
I strongly believe that Final Fantasy XII was in many ways ahead of its time, but it also came out at the right time. It was allowed to be made in an era where it could deliver on what it set out to do with no cutbacks. Some games will, and already are receiving accolades for things that FF12 already succeeded in 12 years ago, but I'm glad I got to experience this game and value it for what it is even as its achievements will be lost to history. An excellent game that I'm going to enjoy discussing about for the next 12 years.
