The Dynast-King's Legacy

Dear Followers,

Phew. Thankfully I have last minute memory skills and remembered to return my PSEO textbook before I was charged. So clutch. As I walked out of Coffman, snow flakes slowly dancing to the ground, I couldn't shake an overwhelming feeling of emptiness. Usually the U is bustling with activity, with college kids flooding the walkways and chatter filling the air. This is one of the few holidays I have spent at home, so I guess I'm not really used to such a vacancy. I can't help but wonder if everybody went back home or if they were just tucked away in the Stadium Village restaurants. I could really go for some Cane's fried chicken right now.

Back home my PS2 waits for me, Final Fantasy XII loaded in the disk tray, ready for action. Speaking of which, Final Fantasy XII gets bashed like crazy on forums for some reason. As far as I'm concerned, Final Fantasy XII is incredibly underrated. The game is expansive. Not only does the main story run for a good 40-50 hours, but the amount of side quests, optional hunts, and unlockable secrets could easily keep you busy for 100+ hours. While many complain about the Active Dimension Battle system, I find the ability to freely roam and engage monsters without having to endure annoying load screens or battle cinematics incredibly liberating.

While many play off the Gambit system as an uninteractive way of conducting combat, the system brings, for me, a whole new level of customization to each of your characters which allows you to shape them into specific roles like never before. In addition, mixing and matching gambits in order to optimize your combat abilities involves an immense amount of planning, experimentation, and strategizing. Apart from the actual gameplay however, I find the world of Ivalice to be fascinating. The dialogue in Final Fantasy XII, playing on anachronistic speech mannerisms and folklore, is engaging and creatively unique. In addition, the mixture of characters within and outside of your party create a very functional narrative dynamic.

After a journey through the Pharos with what I consider the best party in terms of raw statistics, Basch, Asche, and Vaan, I am nearing the end of my journey, with only Vayne Solidor and Judge Gabranth between me and a beautiful ending cinematic. The only complaints I have for Final Fantasy XII are that the License Board tiles are hidden from view until adjacent tiles are unlocked, making the process of planning incredibly difficult, and that the Zodiac Spear only appears in the Necrohol of Nabudis if you don't touch four randomly picked treasure chests. Now I only have a 1/1000 chance of picking up such a powerful weapon!

Wow, I had no intention of even talking about Final Fantasy XIII when I began writing... Oh well. Happy non-religiously affiliated holidays everybody!

I Pray 'Tis Sharp Enough,
Noel