“final fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age” is a remaster of the original PlayStation 2 version, “Final Fantasy XII,” and now it has come to the PlayStation 4. To be clear, this is not a full remake from bottom to the top, but this has a graphic upgrade of the video game and the additions of the international version of the game. This review will be based on the remastered version of the game and the items that players should expect before playing it.
The graphical difference is like night and day
The remastered version of this great video game has gotten a big upgrade in terms of graphics.
With today’s resources, Square Enix has definitely not squandered and it made a lot of improvements that it truly deserves. When players compare the original version and the remastered version side by side, it will be like night and day due to its immense improvements
One of the noticeable improvements is the graphical correction of a certain character in the video game, which looked hilarious due to a misconception of the human anatomy. Another improvement is the facial animations of all characters in it, which makes it more animated compared to the first. Also, the lighting of the remastered version is way better compared to the first one, which shows more colors this time around and is pleasing to the eyes.
Better license boards, smoother gameplay, fast forward addition
The most important feature that “Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age” added was the much needed fast forward feature. Players will be able to fast forward the game with the L1 button and they can also choose from the settings menu the speed, which is 2x or 4x. This is such an improvement because a lot of the dungeons, fields and some areas of the game are quite large, and it tends to get boring for longer periods of time especially if they are grinding for License Points or LP, money, loots, and more.
Another awesome feature is the license boards, which came from the international version of the game and was only available in Japan previously. They also made it possible that players could choose two jobs this time around instead of one that could really give a lot of possibilities for them to customize on their own. From the 12 jobs on the board, they can go from pure melee class, offensive magic, support magic, range, or even a mix.
There is also a new auto save feature, which saves the game on an auto save slot before entering another room. This is especially helpful when players forget to save before entering a dangerous situation. This auto save could save them from hours of long travels and grinding to be only defeated in another area.
The only gripe I can find in this game is the wonky camera controls of the game. When Vaan, the main protagonist, sticks to a wall, the camera does not follow my directions and give an awkward view of the area. I would have to do a 360 twirl on my right joystick to bring it back again, which frustrated me a bit, but I finally found my way getting a way around it.
A grand adventure in the land of Ivalice with one annoying and rebellious kid
“Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age” is one of the best stories ever told in the “Final Fantasy” franchise and it tells a compelling story of a prince trying to win back his country from the clutches of a power-hungry empire. While Vaan is the poster boy of this game, I treat his story as a side story, although he has most of the scenes instead of Amalia and the rest of the gang. They all have depth and players could relate to almost every one of them, well, Vaan could be relatable, but most fans of the franchise might find him annoying at best.
The original score and voice acting on both languages are superb
As all “Final Fantasy” titles in the great franchise, this one is no exception in its greatness in its musical score.
With a DLC that improves its musical background, the game’s journey is almost magical, even in battle. Players will get motivated, even when grinding due to the magical, and soothing and sometimes exciting music.
In terms of dubs, this game has the best English dubs as well. My usual preference in voice dubs would usually be English due to the perfect voice acting and the suave voice of a certain Sky Pirate. The Japanese dubs are great as well, and it does not fall behind the English version.
Replayability value is way high
In terms of replayability, this game does it perfectly with its perfect grinding system and the fast forward feature. Players will have no problems in grinding and maximizing their LPs with the new fast forward feature, and it will not be a drag anymore compared to the original version.
This game also has a new game plus feature, which is not that bad, but it is also not that great.
With a few missteps in the game like an annoying male protagonist and a bit of frustrating camera control, “Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age” still holds a strong position in the franchise. My final score for this game would be a solid 8 out of 10 points.
Check out the "Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age" Launch Trailer here:
