Final Fantasy XII

 PlayStation 2
User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1542 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,062 out of 1542
  2. Mixed: 214 out of 1542
  3. Negative: 266 out of 1542
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Belam97
    Dec 1, 2020
    10
    My first and favorite final fantasy. Maybe the most beautiful of them and original design. Thanks to this game i fall in love with the franchise and start to play ff6,7,8,9,10 and 15.
  2. TARKUSironBLACK
    Mar 22, 2018
    10
    mais de 300 horas gastei nesse jogo 1 obra de arte o game que mais joguei no meun ps2 sistema de batalha que revolucinou a franquia e trouxe 1 nova perspectiva de se jogar ff acho que o jogo nao tem a nota que merece eu acho esse junto com o ff 9 os melhores jogos da franquia esse jogo nao e so belo ele e profundo ,completo trilha sonora espetacular ainda me impreciona que algo assimmais de 300 horas gastei nesse jogo 1 obra de arte o game que mais joguei no meun ps2 sistema de batalha que revolucinou a franquia e trouxe 1 nova perspectiva de se jogar ff acho que o jogo nao tem a nota que merece eu acho esse junto com o ff 9 os melhores jogos da franquia esse jogo nao e so belo ele e profundo ,completo trilha sonora espetacular ainda me impreciona que algo assim rodava no meu ps2 quando se ha empenho coisa assim sao feita amantes de rpgs tem obrigaçao de jogar esse game.… Expand
  3. Lulcy
    Jun 27, 2019
    10
    One of the biggest jump in innovation of the franchise and undeservely hated for daring taking risks. The narrative is underdeveloped in parts but that big jump in gameplay improvements makes up for that.
  4. Leontorres7
    Nov 15, 2018
    10
    A Masterpiece, loved everything about this game, it is definitely a must play!
  5. Red_Spectre
    Apr 17, 2020
    10
    One of my favorite games of all time. Steal from every monster in the game and there are a lot.
  6. Yuri_Fantasy
    Nov 5, 2019
    10
    I can't say this game have the best plot in FF series, but definitely have the best combat gameplay and the best sceneries. A vast world to explore, too huge talking about PS2 games. outstanding cinematics and outstanding magics effects and animations. Rewarding for those that work hard farming and grinding items and skills and exploring everything the game has to offer. All the 250 hoursI can't say this game have the best plot in FF series, but definitely have the best combat gameplay and the best sceneries. A vast world to explore, too huge talking about PS2 games. outstanding cinematics and outstanding magics effects and animations. Rewarding for those that work hard farming and grinding items and skills and exploring everything the game has to offer. All the 250 hours i spended in this game was worth.… Expand
  7. Ramzas
    Nov 19, 2019
    10
    One of the best RPGs I have ever played after I was extremely disappointed with Final Fantasy X. The mature and adult story was enough to convince me that I had something special in front of me. I really recommend this one.
  8. Bazaar34
    Nov 19, 2019
    10
    Tremendous game with an incredible story. The gameplay system is as deep as it gets in the series with tons of customization. The remaster on PS4 is even better but this remains a must play
  9. SamSara85
    Dec 1, 2019
    10
    Loved this game. My favourite in the series and basically the last great Final Fantasy the series has released. It ended with a bang
  10. deathstramding
    Nov 8, 2022
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Masterpiece Masterpiece Masterpiece Masterpiece Masterpiece Masterpiece… Expand
  11. AlexMartelo
    Dec 21, 2019
    10
    El único final fantasy que he logrado completar y el único juego de la saga que me ha gustado. Mi historia con este juego es peculiar, yo había comprado el FF X-2 como para probar que tal, para tener mi primer acercamiento a la saga, honestamente el juego me pareció de lo peor, solo 15 minutos jugandolo y lo saqué de la consola y se lo regale a un primo. Cuando salió FF XII lo miraba enEl único final fantasy que he logrado completar y el único juego de la saga que me ha gustado. Mi historia con este juego es peculiar, yo había comprado el FF X-2 como para probar que tal, para tener mi primer acercamiento a la saga, honestamente el juego me pareció de lo peor, solo 15 minutos jugandolo y lo saqué de la consola y se lo regale a un primo. Cuando salió FF XII lo miraba en las estanterías con mucho prejuicio e incluso a amigos quienes tenían pensado comprarlo les decía que era basura, basado en mi experiencia con el X-2. Un día buscando juegos raros volví a verlo, dije yo, que tal que este sí me guste, que tal que sea diferente al X-2, lo compré y debo admitir, que me enamoró desde el primer segundo, es uno de los juegos al que más horas le he dedicado, más de 200, completado al 100% en todo, armas, cacerias, bestiario etc. Un juego increíble que cuántas veces salga, las mismas veces compraré y algo que me ha gustado es lo excelentemente bien que ha envejecido, tú pones hoy ese juego original a funcionar en una PS2 y quedas impresionado con el apartado artístico. En fin, un juego que sin duda rompió esquemas, creo que los que más aman FF Xll son jugadores que no se identificaron nunca con los anteriores juegos de la saga. Para mi unos de mis juegos favoritos de todos los tiemposdimprescindibles de todos los tiempos.… Expand
  12. Tgh6767
    Apr 28, 2020
    10
    This journey start from a man wants to take his brother right And from that you will explore a wonderful and amazing world with a very good characters and also you will discover another story in this game besides the main story In the end Final Fantasy XII will give the players what they want from any game they think about it
  13. erza_scarlet87
    Jul 12, 2020
    10
    The best jrpg ever

    With adb battle system make game fun more than other jrpgs with turn base system with battle screen ... Story is serious and very deeper in comparison whit other final fantasies. A political , historical with Evil motives for gaining power and dictatorship. Level and environment and details is on another level for ps2 games that is still working even in 9    The best jrpg ever

    With adb battle system make game fun more than other jrpgs with turn base system with battle screen ...

    Story is serious and very deeper in comparison whit other final fantasies. A political , historical with Evil motives for gaining power and dictatorship.

    Level and environment and details is on another level for ps2 games that is still working even in 9 generation .

    Variety of weapons and locations and demons was important part of game ,and make game more fun ... Variety of this game is better than witcher 3 or Skyrim .

    Characters is Great and believable but best part is the game is character development.

    This is the best game that you choose to enter jrpg world.    … Expand
  14. Damos-Insomnia
    Jan 23, 2021
    10
    Quite simply the best game on the ps2. currently re playing it now and still loving every minute of it.. Great G's just pure beauty
  15. Leonx17
    Dec 1, 2021
    10
    My fav ff game by far it's so enjoyable has best bosses and open world in any ff game has like 100+ hours of gameplay value , it's my fav game of all time tbh
  16. Albertomhg
    Mar 9, 2023
    10
    It's not perfect, but it's my favourite game every, despite all his flaws this game feels magic to me, the license board is well implemented and feels great to complete, the combat and gambit system is advanced to his era, side quests are the more satisfying to complete in any final fantasy game, and good story, lore and characters.
  17. LastResource
    Jan 14, 2023
    10
    worth it and glad to play this game again. so much memories and nostalgia within this eleventh game in the series. this collection is great.
  18. MarhadiashaK
    Feb 5, 2010
    9
    Old school hardcore turn-based rpg gamers hate this (minority), while the rest love it (majority). People who hate this is that because they want all FF become FFVII-alikes and hate change. This game is a breth of fresh air from past FF games. The story is heavy and political, not like past FF, which is teen-like, that's why old FF fans hate it. The system isn't like old games, Old school hardcore turn-based rpg gamers hate this (minority), while the rest love it (majority). People who hate this is that because they want all FF become FFVII-alikes and hate change. This game is a breth of fresh air from past FF games. The story is heavy and political, not like past FF, which is teen-like, that's why old FF fans hate it. The system isn't like old games, which is playing menus. For hardcore FF fans, it's a dissapointment, but overall, it's an excellent entertaining game generally.… Expand
  19. JathaineJ.
    Mar 9, 2010
    9
    It's a great game. For a PS2 game the visuals are awesome, you can kinda tell the audio is a bit compressed though... not all that bad however. Much of the music is stellar! The combat system is very customizable whether or not you choose to use gambits (I prefer to use very few gambits as I'd rather not just watch the game, I prefer to interact with it myself for the most part) It's a great game. For a PS2 game the visuals are awesome, you can kinda tell the audio is a bit compressed though... not all that bad however. Much of the music is stellar! The combat system is very customizable whether or not you choose to use gambits (I prefer to use very few gambits as I'd rather not just watch the game, I prefer to interact with it myself for the most part) The game gives you loads of content with the hunts and side-quests. If you want to take a break from the main story, you get plenty of opportunities should you wish to take them. Then there's the story itself, presented in a new way for the Final Fantasy series. Unfortunately subtlety is lost on this generation so many of the players don't appreciate the game's story. If you're not willing to pay attention, this game won't be the one for you but if you really want a gripping story and some of the most memorable characters in the series (Cid, Vayne and Balthier for sure!) get this game!… Expand
  20. ChristienL.
    Nov 1, 2006
    9
    So far (about 5 hours into the game) this is an exceptional example of what an RPG can/should be on the PS2 (hell, it looks like it could belong as a launch title on the 360... the graphics are that pretty.) My main complaints all have to do with control & learning curve. The inability to change look inversion & the control for left/right is a bit irritating, especially since most other So far (about 5 hours into the game) this is an exceptional example of what an RPG can/should be on the PS2 (hell, it looks like it could belong as a launch title on the 360... the graphics are that pretty.) My main complaints all have to do with control & learning curve. The inability to change look inversion & the control for left/right is a bit irritating, especially since most other games allow this & it theoretically should have been an easy thing to put into the game. The learning curve is a bit much.. there's a lot of things to learn from licenses, gambits, "loot", etc.. just so many changes for FFX (I don't count FFX2 as a FF game.. it was that bad). Also the battles are much different. Even after all that though, a few hours in and I love it (minus the controls). The new battle system is fun & as soon as I figure out Gambits, I'm sure I'll love it even more. The only thing stopping a 10 is really the control & learning curve.… Expand
  21. J.F.
    Nov 7, 2006
    9
    About 27 hours of playtime in and I'm hooked. I can't remember the last time I was this enthralled by a console game. My poor PC is going to be lonely for a long time it seems. I'll admit I was a fan of FF X and this one puts it to shame. To shame I say! Graphically ( except maybe the cutscenes and summons) this game is far superior. The License system is like the sphere About 27 hours of playtime in and I'm hooked. I can't remember the last time I was this enthralled by a console game. My poor PC is going to be lonely for a long time it seems. I'll admit I was a fan of FF X and this one puts it to shame. To shame I say! Graphically ( except maybe the cutscenes and summons) this game is far superior. The License system is like the sphere grid but better. Exploration is open ended which is a huge advancement over many linear or "train track" style RPG's. It kind of reminds me of an offline MMORPG which is perfect. I played FFXI online and WoW and this is like having all the expansive content and immersive world without all the irritatating chatter and ninja drama. Love it! My only gripe against FFXII is probably that some of the most amazing gear ( e.g. Uber sword at beginning) is only reachable if you know secrets that could only be found in game guides. Kind of a bummer since I found out too late but that is a minor scratch on an otherwise flawless game. Sound 9/10 Graphics 9/10 Story 9/10 Battle System 10/10 ( Amazing!!!) Overall 93 %… Expand
  22. JimH.
    Feb 19, 2007
    9
    This is my first FF game and I think the graphics and camera work *are* truly amazing, as is the story. I don't like the action, the 'pause and pick' aspect of this. It makes the play disjointed. But all in all this is really enjoyable to play with my young daughter. Many times we come across creatures and go "what the heck is that?!" Final Fantasy XII *is* fantastic.
  23. P.Starr
    Sep 2, 2007
    9
    Mike G. had some interesting comments, until he cited VII and VIII as examples of the heights to which a game like this should aspire. VII and VIII are, to my mind, the worst examples of nonsensical plotting and incomprehensible character "development" in role-playing games around, and to suggest the writing and storyline in the vastly superior XII can be compared to those awful games and Mike G. had some interesting comments, until he cited VII and VIII as examples of the heights to which a game like this should aspire. VII and VIII are, to my mind, the worst examples of nonsensical plotting and incomprehensible character "development" in role-playing games around, and to suggest the writing and storyline in the vastly superior XII can be compared to those awful games and found lacking undermines his credibility as a gamer. These things are deeply subjective, but the reality is that I personally would have a very hard time going back to any other FF game after playing XII; I make that statement based on both the gameplay AND the story.… Expand
  24. Ferret
    Mar 18, 2009
    9
    The game's storyline is not for impatient, action-driven fans. As earlier comments have said, the plot centers on the situation and it's implications on Ivalice rather than the characters. Considering the relative maturity of the characters, I found this refreshing compared to other RPGs. It's not a game for everyone, but a lot of the hate and dislike at it is by no means The game's storyline is not for impatient, action-driven fans. As earlier comments have said, the plot centers on the situation and it's implications on Ivalice rather than the characters. Considering the relative maturity of the characters, I found this refreshing compared to other RPGs. It's not a game for everyone, but a lot of the hate and dislike at it is by no means earned; most seem unable to express that this game was just not for them, citing instead 'I didn't see any story!' when indeed the plot was rather interesting. The game has some pacing problems, but rest assured the storyline is there, and fleshed out.… Expand
  25. JT
    Nov 13, 2006
    9
    This is by far the most challenging, beautiful, and entertaining and thought provoking game I have ever experienced from any RPG manufacturer. And I have been playing video games since I was 3 years old and now am 24. I am pleased to see that they have different strategies to kill monsters by using the Gambit command, by setting up the right conifg. to kill monsters even faster. With the This is by far the most challenging, beautiful, and entertaining and thought provoking game I have ever experienced from any RPG manufacturer. And I have been playing video games since I was 3 years old and now am 24. I am pleased to see that they have different strategies to kill monsters by using the Gambit command, by setting up the right conifg. to kill monsters even faster. With the old Final Fantasies, you would just go beef up your characters and get the best of everything and not use the variety of spells, and special skills (or at least I didn't) to beat up monsters. This makes it a lot more thought provoking besides mashing X on your controller all day. The use of the FFXI battle system and the way monsters can be aggro'd to you is very challenging. I never died on FF 1~10 because of always getting the opprotunity to cure after a battle. Sometimes in this you may find yourself suprised and get clobbered by a monster linking with one that you already have on you! The maps on this game are just like FFXI, you must buy them to view the area, except in this case, if you investigate some areas without a map, it will draw it for you. Very nice so you dont get lost like in Vana'diel (FFXI) if you have no clue where to purchase one. Viewing this world is very beutiful, and give your right analog stick a whirl every now and then and look at the time and thought that they put into every detail. It is worth it just for the eye candy, even if you are in a dank dungeon, or a beutiful city. Cut scenes are once again, over the top in this game and is a nice thing to see and blends in with in game engine very well. Very long cut scenes, but as usual, the best in the business of RPG's. Why I have to give this game a 9 sadly is because of no two player control. Why is there no two player control? I thought it would of been like Secret of Mana from the old SNES console where you can hack and slash your way through enemies. I loved playing that game with friends and family because it's rare to have an RPG that two people can play. There was no sense in why it couldn't be two player and very dissapointing. I figured since it was using the FFXI battle System/engine that it would be simple enough. I guess I am deeply dissapointed in this because I won't be able to play along side my father of our favorite RPG of all time. No big deal though. We will just have to resort to who beat the game the fastest and gloating, instead of teaming up! And last but not least, times change, people change, and games change. This change was for the good of this great legacy of FF that I have been playing since Nintendo. People that don't like to read and learn about how to utilize the new structure will most likely be left in the dust and get frustrated about dying all the time and quit. Well if you don't like reading and learning, this isn't the game for you. For any open minded adventurer, this is it! This game we will look back five years ago and say "now that was ground breaking." Enjoy it as much as I have for the first 3 hours! LoL!… Expand
  26. SandyY.
    Dec 5, 2006
    9
    I have been playing the game for hours and it definitely looks like I am addicted . The game has great graphics and its hard to tell the cutscenes from the movies . Has an ultra-addictive battle system , beautiful chracters but I gave it a nine because it lacks in the character development department and you hardly feel connected. Still love it a lot.
  27. GregG.
    Jan 12, 2007
    9
    Very good game. The graphics in the cut-scenes and during gameplay are amazing. The battle system takes a little getting used to, but the change is refreshing. The only shortcoming of this game, to me at least, was that the voice acting did not match the images at all. But other than that, this game is great, even comparable to classics like FF7 or FFX.
  28. JackC.
    Jan 14, 2007
    9
    Stop whining about something you don't like, it won't make it better. To those who haven't tried it yet, do it. You may like it, you may not. It's an acquired taste.
  29. IsaacM
    May 15, 2008
    9
    This game isn't worth a 10 (no FF is except for FF7) but I really enjoyed the concepts explored here. The story was OK sort of a cross between Tactics and FF9 but nothing to shout out about. The character development certainly needed work, though I enjoyed not really having a main character. What seals the deal for me is the gameplay. The battle system is truly great, with the gambit This game isn't worth a 10 (no FF is except for FF7) but I really enjoyed the concepts explored here. The story was OK sort of a cross between Tactics and FF9 but nothing to shout out about. The character development certainly needed work, though I enjoyed not really having a main character. What seals the deal for me is the gameplay. The battle system is truly great, with the gambit system being awfully complex at first (I found it to be quite useful for getting rid of the grunts in the game without too much effort though) but once used to it a truly inspiring decision. This does defeat the purpose of actually PLAYING the game though. Now I played this on 'Active' mode (I have never played a Final Fantasy on 'Wait' and I don't intend starting now) so I found the battles, even with what looked like easy monsters to beat in a new area, extremely challenging (I dare all you FF fans out there to try and finish this game on Active mode to see what I mean) and the bosses were just plain cruel at times (yes I'm talking about you Bomb King and Zodiark) but as long as you set the gambits up right and build up your characters solidly it becomes truly addictive to play this game completely seamlessly without any pause in the action, though if you slip up in a boss fight you will be mercilessly destroyed. I really liked all the sidequests and have gotten thoroughly sidetracked with these. I've just beaten Yiazmat (yeesh what a painful guy he is to beat it took me 5 and a half hours on Active!!) and I've somehow managed to swallow up 118 hours!! Just got Omega Mark XII to beat and I can finish the game. All in all a very nice little addition to my FF library (7, (Dirge of Cerberus and Advent Children included), 8 (complete with PocketStation), 9, Tactics, 10, 10-2 and 12)… Expand
  30. AlejandroD
    Mar 28, 2009
    9
    I do not understand all the negativity from some of the so called fans of the series. You guys probably think that Final Fantasy started with the part VII. However, this not only has that sense of old final fantasy, but it adds an extra layer of intensity and depth to it. This is truly a great game, not perfect, because it starts very slow, but after a while it is excellent!!
Page:

Awards & Rankings

3
#3 Best PS2 Game of 2006
1
#1 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2006
2
#2 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2006

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
92

Universal acclaim - based on 64 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 61 out of 64
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 64
  3. Negative: 0 out of 64
  1. GamesRadar+
    80
    The story soars, but not so often. The dungeons are long and meandering. The gameplay is effective, but not engrossing. It's a staggeringly well-made game that throws more at you than any other RPG on the PS2... but well-made doesn't necessarily mean "fun."
    Read full review
  2. eToychest
    97
    This is absolutely my favorite Final Fantasy title, a claim I probably would have laughed at two years ago when rumors about the game’s battle system began to circulate.
    Read full review
  3. Gaming Age
    91
    One of those rare games that can be appreciated by both hardcore and casual fans alike, Final Fantasy XII may very well be Square's last great adventure, and a fitting sendoff, for the PlayStation 2.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »