Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age

« Final Fantasy XII’s willingness to be different and innovative has left it feeling every bit as modern and poignant now as any new JRPG on the market, and it remains my favourite game within a series that I hold very precious to me. »

« Final Fantasy XII The Zodiac Age gets its reputation from Final Fantasy XII being such a smash hit, along with incorporating the revisions in the International version. Add to that the updated graphics and orchestrated score, and you have what could safely be considered the definitive Final Fantasy XII experience. While not much can be done for the compressed voice work that was carried over, it's a tradeoff for having an updated version that offers a lot more than is worth getting hung up on part of the game's audio quality. I'd recommend this version any day of the week. »

« I always thought Final Fantasy XII is way ahead of its time when it was first released. Playing the remaster version has cemented that thought. The game still feels fresh and modern even after a decade. Everything I had ever expected from a modern day JRPG is still present in Final Fantasy XII - the open-ended exploration, well-designed interconnected areas, sprawling cities with various NPCs which change as the story progresses on, and seemingly endless side-quests and optional enemies, dungeons and hidden treasures. Final Fantasy XII is nothing short of a timeless masterpiece that I cannot recommend enough. »

« An excellent remaster of one of the most underestimated episodes of the series released at the dawn of old-gen consoles. Veterans will appreciate the number of new features and newcomers can taste this great Japanese RPG with beautiful visuals. [Issue#277] »

« Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age took one of the best games ever created and made it even better. The addictive gameplay, sophisticated story, and enormous yet immersive world have never been more enjoyable. In the end, this is one must-have remake. »

« Stunning graphical overhaul aside, Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age delivers several gameplay-improving mechanics never seen in North America. While balance is still occasionally wobbly, there’s no doubt that Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age is a masterclass in the light but deliberate touch necessary to take something great and make it even better. »

« Final Fantasy XII has aged well. The things that made it unique, especially the Gambit system, still feel fresh. And the Zodiac Job System and High Speed Mode are great improvements that make the game more convenient for newcomers and fresher for fans who have already played it. »

« Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age is a remaster done right. The core content remains the same, but the changes in various systems add a new layer of discovery... Not every facet of the game has aged well, but the clever combat and fantastic cast earns this entry its status as classic RPG, and the Zodiac Age is the best way to play it. [Aug 2017, p.152] »

« One of the top 3 worst FF games ever made if not number 1. The story is bland, the voice acting is bland, the combat is non existent, the music is forgettable, is this even FF? Thank God for x4 speed otherwise I wouldn't have made it through. The gambit system is a problem. A mechanic that takes all the gameplay away from you? I beat every boss without pressing a single button which is absolutely bonkers for a single player JRPG. And if you say, "Just don't use gambits." that's like saying don't use any of the unique gameplay mechanics of any FF game. It's a core mechanic and I used it as intended. I did have a little bit of fun setting up the gambits and testing them when I got more tactics options, but once you get your white mage's gambits locked in, the game plays itself. Just have your white mage heal and cure status effects and you'll never lose. If the characters and story were interesting it would soften the blow from the boring gameplay. Vaan is useless, why is he the main character? He does nothing to drive the plot forward. People like to dunk on Tidus from FFX but at least he drives the plot forward. At least the story evolves and unfolds as he does. The story almost gets interesting right at the final confrontation, but it ends abruptly. Such an incredibly boring game on all fronts. »

« Un JRPG classico rivisitato in chiave moderna, che migliora l’esperienza originale di Final Fantasy XII con grafica rimasterizzata, audio aggiornato e il sistema Zodiac Job che aggiunge profondità e strategia al gameplay. La storia di Vaan, Ashe e dei regni di Ivalice è epica e ben strutturata, con intrighi politici, battaglie per il potere e **** **** sistema di combattimento, basato su Active Dimension Battle con licenze e job, permette grande libertà tattica, premiando pianificazione e scelte strategiche. Le esplorazioni, le missioni secondarie e i dungeon sono ben progettati, con varietà e sfide stimolanti. La colonna sonora rimasterizzata esalta i momenti epici e crea un’atmosfera coinvolgente.Alcuni cali di ritmo e la complessità del sistema di job possono risultare inizialmente ostici ai nuovi giocatori, ma gli appassionati del genere troveranno un titolo profondo e gratificante. »

« For me, Final Fantasy is at its best when it has a compelling character-driven story. For that reason Final Fantasy XII is already on shaky ground due to its politically-driven story and generally weak characters. After the first couple of hours the story becomes a snoozefest, and even the more interesting characters couldn't keep me invested. Prior entries had fun combat systems, but XII falls short here. The Gambit system is neat, but progression and battles feel like a bit of a chore that you automate away. Thankfully this version has 4x speed so I was able to power through. Speaking of powering through, the game's environments and dungeons feel MMORPG-like and padded. At first the large scope is cool compared to prior entries, but it gets old fast. Overall I found myself playing this on 4x speed just to finish it, but I don't remember much. The side quest hunts were kind of fun, and the cities had some charm but it's not enough for me to recommend this to anyone but the most diehard RPG fans who let the story take a back seat. »

« Na minha opinião, o MELHOR final fantasy lançado, foi o jogo da minha infância, joguei cerca de 250 horas de muita diversas, jogo com uma história fantástica e jogabilidade muito inovadoras na época e até hoje. O sistema de GF foi o que mais gostei, o fato de você invocar eles e andar com os mesmos em batalhas e fora de série !! »

« El sistema de combate es una de las grandes novedades de este Zodiac Age (pulido al máximo y sintetizado para aportar pura alquimia). El perfeccionamiento de las clases es un guiño a lo mejor que originó la saga. Las horas añadidas que presta para completar el 100% y todos los detalles extra aportan una experiencia de lo más razonable. La trama, a caballo entre la Guerra de las Galaxias, el Spagetti Western y el esoterismo ecológico es adecuada. Lo mejor, sin duda alguna, el sistema de desarrollo de personajes y de armas que te permite superar las 100 horas con satisfacción y sin tedio. Lo malo, porque no lo peor (eso no existe en esta maravilla), la trama (resulta manida y simplona en comparación con las grandes intrigas políticas de la saga como VI). El tema es que este Final Fantasy te demuestra que la historia principal es solo una más dentro del imperio y de la inmensidad que te queda por descubrir una vez la superas. Y ese mundo, a diferencia del de Spira, está más vivo que nunca. »

« It's incredibly strange. The systems (gambits and licenses) overly complicate the game if you don't understand them well. The combat didn't convince me; I prefer turn-based or action-based, but not a hybrid. The story is interesting at first, but then it declines significantly, and by the end, you just don't care anymore. The characters are very inconsistent, especially the protagonists, who are the worst I can remember in a video game. Quite disappointed after coming from XVI. »

« Ce final fantasy est sûrement mal aimé parce qu'il fait le pont entre l'aspect rpg et a-rpg des final fantasy récent, ce qui est dommage, le jeu a tellement à offrir à celui qui lui donne sa chance. »

« Longtemps resté dans un tiroir, j’ai enfin pris le temps de me plonger dans Final Fantasy XII avec sa version The Zodiac Age.Pour parler de cette version, je commencerai par évoquer les nouveaux paramètres et l’ajout du mode vitesse x2/x4, qui a été pour moi une aubaine pour parcourir le jeu et en profiter malgré un temps limité.Graphiquement, ce remaster ne révolutionne pas les yeux. Il n’y a pas de refonte majeure, mais rien de choquant non plus pour nous sortir de l’immersion ou nous rappeler les années passées. Mention spéciale aux cinématiques, comme toujours, qui restent simplement magnifiques.Quant au jeu en lui-même, même en 2025, j’ai passé un excellent moment à le découvrir. Son univers et son scénario m’ont particulièrement marqué. J’ai été surpris par l’écriture des personnages, qu’ils soient alliés ou ennemis : chacun a un intérêt, un objectif et un vécu qui justifie ses actions, à quelques exceptions près.Là où le jeu m’a un peu déçu, c’est au niveau du gameplay. Comparé à d’autres Final Fantasy, même si je ne suis pas spécialement friand du tour par tour, ce système dynamique manque d’interactivité de notre part. Une fois les gambits bien paramétrés, il ne reste finalement que peu de choses à **** n’ai pas exploré l’endgame, qui semble bien plus complexe.Bref, j’ai passé un très bon moment sur ce jeu. »