‘Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age’ turns a great game into a masterpiece

Nostalgia has an odd way of making us see any old video game as a “timeless classic.” Never mind the fact that if we were to employ modern standards to objectively judge such games, we’d probably come away thinking most of them are absolute trash.

Back when it was released in 2006, “Final Fantasy XII” proved controversial. It didn’t feel like a true “Final Fantasy,” some said. Its main protagonist was stupid and ineffective, others claimed. I myself wasn’t its biggest fan.

Fast forward to 2017, and we now have “Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age,” a high-definition remaster of the game plus a number of tweaks. And while it carries over some of the original’s issues, I find myself seeing the core experience in a new, more favorable light.





A long time ago, in a fantasy realm far, far away…

The war between the vast Archadian and Rozarrian empires has brought all manner of ills to those caught in the crossfire. Case in point: after a particularly brutal invasion, Archadia subjugates Dalmasca, the tiny kingdom sandwiched between the two nations. And so Princess Ashe assembles the freedom-fighting Dalmascan Resistance, whose objective is to rid their kingdom of Archadian rule.

The premise is a departure from the usual “Final Fantasy” fare involving angsty youths saving the world from a cosmic threat. Instead, “Final Fantasy XII” opts for political maneuverings and intrigue. It feels a little more grown up, so it stands to reason those expecting teenage melodrama would be disappointed.

The story does falter towards the end, where it reverts to typical fantasy nonsense about enchanted swords and magic rocks. It also stumbles in its choice of central protagonist. The orphan Vaan begins the game as a sympathetic individual. As soon as the more interesting characters are introduced, however, he is reduced to a nincompoop who frolics in the background while the adults make all the world-changing decisions.

When you get down to it, this is Ashe’s story. The entire game revolves around her and her bravery, sacrifices, and growth as a leader. Thankfully, most of the members of your JRPG party are just as memorable: the suave sky pirate Balthier; the enigmatic rabbit woman Fran; and the tormented soldier Basch. The only other character as useless as Vaan is his childhood friend Penelo.

Together the six of them travel around the beautiful, enormous world of Ivalice. In another departure from preceding “Final Fantasy” titles, “Final Fantasy XII’s” game world is not strictly linear. You can go anywhere, anytime – provided you’re strong enough to meet its hazards head-on. Ivalice’s snowy mountains, scorching deserts, mist-coated swamps, bat-infested caverns, ancient ruins, and more are chock-full of secrets; returning to a previously explored location might yield unexpected treats, while defeating a once-impossible boss might reveal a path that was inaccessible to you earlier. Some of the tougher secrets will require strict attention to environmental details and communication with Ivalice’s inhabitants to figure out.

Speaking of communication, there’s a lot of talking in “Final Fantasy XII.” While the preponderance of fantasy jargon will fry your brain, the language used by these fictional people sounds so classical it’s like music to the ears. It just adds another layer of mystique to the whole experience.





A fruitful gambit

“Final Fantasy XII” gets even weirder where combat is concerned. You control one character and are accompanied by two A.I.-governed party members. At any time you can switch characters and party members.

What action a character performs depends on their Gambits – a set of if-then statements that tell them how to automatically react to specific events or stimuli. For example: “Fran, if a party member’s health dips below 50%, heal them with a potion.” Or “Balthier, if you encounter a monster weak to fire, attack it with a Fira spell.” Or “Ashe, if a monster casts Slow on you, cast Haste on yourself.” And so on.

This allows you to “program” your party to the point that it has an answer to most problems tossed its way. Eventually, this removes the need to push any buttons, letting you focus on the other aspects of battle, such as positioning.

With your party essentially playing the game for you, does this make combat boring and brainless? Not at all.

Battle can be extremely relaxing, making grinding less of a chore and more of a gratifying pleasure cruise. Imagine sweeping through a map and watching your party effortlessly take out all foes thanks to your meticulously designed Gambit combinations. It’s exceedingly rewarding.

Combat can also be challenging. The fact is, not all your Gambit combinations will work on all monsters. Strategy therefore comes into play when you have to figure out how to modify your Gambits to prove effective on, say, a gigantic boss that bombards you with status ailments. So never get too attached to your Gambit choices, as situations will require you to change them, time and again.

By the way, those bosses are magnificent. From hulking stone tortoises to vicious dragons, these monsters will test your ability to adapt to change and think outside the box. There are also 40+ special monsters that you have to hunt down for various clients, giving you plenty of things to do when you want a break from the main story mission.





License to be more awesome

Killing monsters earns characters experience and License Points, allowing them to develop their attributes and abilities. And here is where “The Zodiac Age” improves “Final Fantasy XII” in a major way.

License Points are used to purchase new abilities on a License Board. In the 2006 version of the game, every character has the same License Board. This means that eventually, all of them will own the same abilities, and therefore feel generic across the board.

On the other hand, “The Zodiac Age” incorporates the Zodiac Job System from the 2007 Japan-only special edition of “Final Fantasy XII.” This lets you select two jobs for each character. Each job comes with a different License Board and therefore different abilities. So a Black Mage’s spells won’t be the same as a Time Mage’s. The Bushi wields katanas, the Machinist guns. The Foebreaker dons heavy armor, the Monk light armor. You’ll thus end up with a party of diverse characters possessing unique strengths and weaknesses, making each of them stand out in their own special way.

Figuring out the best job combinations for your particular strategy is a blast. I only wish “The Zodiac Age” had gone one step further and given players the ability to change classes and reallocate License Points.

My other favorite tweak: the fast-forward feature which speeds up gameplay. “Final Fantasy XII” 2006 was painfully sluggish, making a trek across an entire desert a torturous time killer. Now that your party can run and fight two or even four times quicker than normal, traversing the game’s giant locales can be accomplished in seconds.

As for the overhauled visuals? They enhance the charm of an already beautiful game, revealing gorgeous details and sharp colors previously obscured by yesteryear’s lower resolutions. “The Zodiac Age” even comes with a lovely, re-orchestrated soundtrack, which you can switch out for the old anytime you wish. The voice acting remains top notch, and sounds a little less like the actors are speaking from inside a box. The Japanese voices are also an available option if that’s your thing.

Other improvements include faster loading times, an auto-save feature, trophy support, and a Trial mode.




A great game is now a masterpiece

“Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age” has done something remarkable: it has made me fall in love with a game I was originally apathetic towards. It retains all the elements that made the 2006 release great: the memorable characters, impressive semi-open world, innovative Gambit system, and more.

But the tweaks, as minor as they seem, significantly improve the game. The incorporation of the Zodiac Job System adds a new layer of depth to combat and character development; the fast-forward feature speeds up travel and battles; and the augmented graphics and music are the icing on an extremely sumptuous cake. This, ladies and gentlemen, is a remaster done right, and I couldn’t be any happier. — TJD, GMA News


Rating: 9.5/10
Platform: PlayStation 4