Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age

 Switch
Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 30 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 30
  3. Negative: 0 out of 30
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  1. Cubed3
    Aug 26, 2019
    60
    On a scale of best to worst Final Fantasy titles, XII sits somewhere in the middle. It exists in a bland limbo of mediocrity. The best qualities lie in its art direction, music and animation. Being able to play with a high speed mode truly illustrates just how slow and tedious the combat actually is and by circumventing it entirely, a huge portion of the experience is compromised but also the overall product is made more enjoyable.

Awards & Rankings

18
#18 Best Switch Game of 2019
49
#49 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2019
25
#25 Most Shared Switch Game of 2019

User Reviews

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User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 153 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 114 out of 153
  2. Mixed: 25 out of 153
  3. Negative: 14 out of 153
  1. RadicalMemers
    Apr 30, 2019
    10
    Final Fantasy XII was a hugely overlooked game back in the day as the PS360 was already present, but it speaks to its strengths that it stillFinal Fantasy XII was a hugely overlooked game back in the day as the PS360 was already present, but it speaks to its strengths that it still feels like a modern game even today. His approach to open world by giving large but varied areas while still feeling like you are making progress is the kind of great feeling that follows you throughout the game.

    The new gameplay changes allows you to have characters who can fill roles that pushes you to level all of them, and the exclusive features such as the ability to reset jobs instead of being locked to one through the whole game makes experimentation easy and enjoyable. For people with not enough time on their hands, the fast-forward feature allows you to make great amounts of progress even on limited time. It was also highly revolutionary with its gambit system, which still is even today one of the few games that made basic programming enjoyable and intuitive as a visual programming language. I have teached kids how to understand programming concepts with this game. This system allows you to program your party members to do actions for you. in short, you are designing their AI by yourself and it works very well, in a very pedagogic manner.

    The story is also a greatly overlooked one, as it follows Matsuno's flavour of political stories that manages to bring out the humanness in people. It's not so much about good or bad people than it is about the environment they live in and the set of beliefs they have. It's the closest you have to a palatable, Game of Thrones-esque storyline in Final Fantasy alongside Tactics. Not to mention the excellent Sakimoto soundtrack re-orchestrated into rousing arrangements, and the stellar VA cast including class A voice actors such as Gideon Emery, Simon Templeman (Kain!) and Nolan North among many others.

    For people who wants an engrossing experience while witnessing an adult storyline that has few of the anime, shonen-bound trappings but a lot of the western literary references (Shakespeare, Dickens among others) in mind, there is no doubt that it is the best Final Fantasy experience you can have on your switch right now.    … Full Review »
  2. PIEridot
    May 1, 2019
    10
    Absolutely one of the best RPGs I've had the pleasure to play. Final Fantasy XII has always been a personal favorite of mine, ever since IAbsolutely one of the best RPGs I've had the pleasure to play. Final Fantasy XII has always been a personal favorite of mine, ever since I played it back on the PS2, and this port certainly holds up. The added job system and numerous quality of life changes like autosave and a fast-forward button make this the definitive way to play this fantastic game. The story may not be the greatest, and the lip-syncing is yuck at best, but those are the only complaints I can really come up with. The re-orchestrated soundtrack is an absolute treat to listen to and the open-world style gameplay remains as my favorite even after all of these years.

    Put simply, I can't recommend this game enough. If you even mildly enjoy RPGs, this game is a must-play.    … Full Review »
  3. 22446688Bb
    Aug 6, 2019
    10
    Final Fantasy 12 is one of the most beautiful things you can see anyone who likes rpg and this thing is really surprising if you wish to beFinal Fantasy 12 is one of the most beautiful things you can see anyone who likes rpg and this thing is really surprising if you wish to be deeper than you are.… Full Review »
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