Yeah, while technically true that Gambits were optional, I wouldn't want to imagine playing with them completely turned off. The game was definitely built for them.

Originally Posted by Ryuukishi Funny that you ask... FF12 is my favorite in the series and probably my second favorite game of all time after Mass Effect 2. Guess it takes all kinds.

You are the exact opposite of me, I can see that 9 was a little too calculating, but 12 was a train wreck for me. The characters weren't really fleshed out (or just sickening in the case of Penelo), the license board was unrewarding, and the summons in the game were useless, even the hidden ones.

I too love 9 as a throwback until the terrible ending. I've played disks 1 and 2 numerous times, but always stop partway through disk 3 because it just goes weird and I stop caring.

12 really rubbed me the wrong way at first, but eventually I got addicted to finding the optimal setup for my Gambits and just feeling badass for being able to steam roll enemies with tactics I devised. I also really liked the more political story (same reason I enjoyed Tactic's story), as it was a nice change of pace. The characters could use some work, but Balthier just stole the show so I didn't really care about the others being less interesting.


Think I'm gonna give Baten Kaitos Origins another chance. If it doesn't pick up soon though it's getting set aside for good though.

Advertisement

Register for free to remove this ad

Originally Posted by Zmonkay eventually I got addicted to finding the optimal setup for my Gambits and just feeling badass for being able to steam roll enemies with tactics I devised.

That's how I felt, there was just a special joy in setting up your Gambits so you could just steer the party from fight to fight and watch them take the enemies apart. I also thought the cast was pretty great for a Final Fantasy game apart from Vaan who is as bland and stupid as everyone says. Basch and Balthier are all time great FF characters IMO. Outstanding English voice work all around too.

I loved the gameplay in 12 but I didn't like the story at all. It was both confusing and totally forgettable for me. It also felt like it ended totally abruptly.

That said, I really enjoyed 12 overall. I used gambits to keep my buffs going the way I wanted, and then selected spells by hand for my magic users. Worked great.

I really liked the political aspects of 12 more than most of the other FF stories. 12 is definitely up there as my favorite along with 6.

Chris Avellone on Knights of the Old Republic 2:

The issues with K2 are my fault, and no one else's. Looking back, I would have taken more care to focus on the elements of the game that mattered the most: the story and characters, and removed the mini-games, for example (those were a waste of time) and also cast away many of the cut scenes (they cost too much time to do technically, despite how much we liked them). I also would have downscoped the cast and done what we've done on titles after that - made a smaller, more reactive cast and kept the central character pillars (Kreia, Atton, Mira, Visas Marr). I would have kept T3-M4, regardless.

But my heart still blames Lucasarts, of course.

Wait a minute here...

Mira was a central character?

Originally Posted by Ryuukishi That's how I felt, there was just a special joy in setting up your Gambits so you could just steer the party from fight to fight and watch them take the enemies apart. I also thought the cast was pretty great for a Final Fantasy game apart from Vaan who is as bland and stupid as everyone says. Basch and Balthier are all time great FF characters IMO. Outstanding English voice work all around too.

Basch, IMO, is one of the better FF characters. I like the whole thread of seeking redemption with him.

Originally Posted by momouchi I really liked the political aspects of 12 more than most of the other FF stories. 12 is definitely up there as my favorite along with 6.

I also like the political plot as a change-of-pace from the usual.

Originally Posted by Indignate Wait a minute here... Mira was a central character?

Yeah, I'll admit that Mira is an odd choice over, say, the Handmaiden.

I'm assuming that 1: in Chris Avellone's dream world, Mira's role would be expanded. I remember reading an interview about Planescape Torment where Avellone (I think) said that Ignus was one of his favourite characters even though he's widely regarded as the worst companion. Avellone (or whoever the the interview was with) said that there was a lot of cut content for Ignus, who was supposed to have a much greater role in the game. And 2: Mira was chosen specifically because of how readily she becomes a pupil of the Exile over all the other characters.

Gabranth's confrontation at the tower was like, dramatic perfection. Not even Vaan could ruin it, and oh did he try.

Originally Posted by The Crotch But my heart still blames Lucasarts, of course.

Same. I loved the KOTOR series and its a shame there wasn't a true continuation of the universe. They could pull a Mass Effect-esque consequence system from the KOTOR 2 to my imagined sequel. That kind of choice system would fit perfectly with the universe.

Apparently there was some book that made a proper KotOR 3 irrelevant or some shit.

I've also heard it was pretty crap, but that's my automatic assumption about any book based on a movie or game, anyway.

you mean you aren't into the rich lore of starcraft?

Actually, those books would probably be an improvement.

Hard to write anything worse than Wings of Liberty.

Well, Crotch... Project Eternity might actually make the 3.5m mark at the rate they're going.

They've got at least $100,000 in PayPal funds as well right now, but some of that will go towards covering failed payments from the kickstarter itself.

Regardless, I can't see them not making 3.5.

Only 140 more backers for a new level in the dungeon, woot!

Josh Sawyer: "oh god base attack bonus how did i get here i am not good with 3.x anymore"

DnD doesn't really work as a spectator sport, does it?