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History of Final Fantasy: Return to Ivalice (Final Fantasy XII)

History of Final Fantasy: Return to Ivalice (Final Fantasy XII) - Article

by Taneli Palola , posted on 18 February 2017 / 12,731 Views

Final Fantasy has always been a series that changes with each new entry. Naturally, there are always certain elements that carry over from one game to another, but from the very beginning of the franchise at the hands of Hironobu Sakaguchi it has never just played things safe. From gameplay additions, to different visual styles and stories, the series has constantly tried new things. More often than not, it has also done so successfully.

In terms of doing things differently, none had perhaps been quite as massive a departure from all the previous games in the series as Final Fantasy XII. Almost every aspect of the game, from its gameplay, visual style and music, to the characters and story was different from anything the main Final Fantasy series had ever done before. In short, it continued the tradition of constant change the series had become known for.

 

Matsuno's Gambit: Final Fantasy XII

 

Final Fantasy XII began development in early 2000, with Final Fantasy Tactics and Vagrant Story writer and director Yasumi Matsuno at the helm. He created both the game's story and its original concept, and together with Final Fantasy IX director Hiroyuki Ito was set to direct the game. The two were actually handpicked by Hironobu Sakaguchi for the project. Unfortunately, Matsuno had to leave the development team halfway through due to health issues and was then replaced by Hiroshi Minagawa as director going forward.

The music for the game was mostly composed by Hitoshi Sakimoto, who had previously also worked on Final Fantasy Tactics. Hayato Matsuo and Masaharu Iwata provided a few tracks each, and Nobuo Uematsu created the game's main vocal theme, “Kiss Me Good-Bye”. Sakimoto said he found it difficult to follow in Uematsu's footsteps and ultimately decided to not even try to create music similar to Uematsu's, instead composing his own style of music.

 

One of the most notable new aspects introduced in Final Fantasy XII was its battle system. The game effectively got rid of the turn-based battle system found in most previous games in the series and implemented a real-time battle system called the “Active Dimension Battle” system. FF XII was also the first game in the series to not include random encounters. Instead every enemy is visible on the overworld at all times. A battle begins when the player gets close enough to aggressive monsters to aggro them or attacks passive ones. 

Another new element the game introduced was the gambit system. In essence, it allows the player to program each character to act in a specific way during different situations in battle. Each gambit essentially has a target (enemy, ally or self), action, and the condition in which the action is used. For example, a character can be programmed to heal an ally with a cure spell whenever his or her HP falls below 60%.

 

However, the gambits aren't necessary to play the game, as players can choose to manually control each character's actions instead if they so wish. The action can be paused during battles, allowing the player to select a character's next action from a menu that is similar to previous games in the series. It also features new versions of summons (called Espers) and limit breaks. None of the traditional Final Fantasy summons return; they were wholly replaced by ones created specifically for the world of Ivalice.

Players can also improve characters in two different ways. The first is the usual leveling up through gaining experience points, while the second is a feature called a licence board, where players can unlock new skills, increased attributes, weapons and armor by spending licence points, which are also earned by winning battles.

 

Although many familiar elements common to the series were removed from Final Fantasy XII, it does feature numerous allusions and callbacks to the series' past. For example, while the Espers in the game were given entirely new designs and names not seen in earlier titles, the old names did make a return as the titles of various imperial airships, including Leviathan, Shiva, and Bahamut. Moogles also make an appearance, most notably Montblanc as the leader of the hunter's guild which you can join.

Final Fantasy XII took a lot of its visual and design inspiration from medieval Mediterranean architecture, culture, and art. This can be seen in the look and style of many of the game's locations, and in some cases even the language used. Hideo Minaba, the game's art director, has also mentioned that they tried to incorporate elements of Arabic culture in the design of this particular title. To achieve these things the art team actually spent time in Turkey looking for inspiration for Final Fantasy XII's visuals.

Final Fantasy XII also differentiates itself from most of the other games in the series with its storyline. The stories in Final Fantasy titles have usually ultimately been about saving the world from some all-powerful god or something to that effect. Final Fantasy XII on the other hand is a much more politically influenced tale, which on the surface tells the story of a small sovereign nation called Dalmasca, caught between two massive empires on a path towards war.

 

However, beneath the political intrigue and human war lies a story about mysterious immortal beings called the Occuria, who have been pulling the strings of human history for as long as they have existed. The entire war of expansion by the Archadian empire turns out to be just a front for the battle between the Occuria and humanity, after one of the immortal Occuria goes rogue and sides with humans against its own kind.

In hindsight, one of the most interesting aspects of the game's development revolved around the main characters. In Matsuno's original vision the main protagonist was supposed to be Basch, but at some point later during development this was changed when Vaan and Penelo were created. The team has stated that this was done because earlier games with older, tougher main characters such as Vagrant Story hadn't been very successful, and that this title's target demographic would prefer a younger, more upbeat main character.

 

Most of the main characters are genuinely excellent, with relatable motivations and distinct personalities that make each of them likable. The side characters are also generally very well written and have their own interesting storylines that work alongside the main plot and often weave in and out of the overarching story at various points.

The game's localization was also an interesting endeavour, as the English version actually reinserted certain scenes that had been removed from the Japanese original for political reasons. The producer of the English localization, Alexander O. Smith, also intentionally hired voice actors with theatrical experience in order to avoid the type of flat acting found in many other video games at the time. 

 

The localization went much smoother than that of Final Fantasy X, thanks in large part to the extended time allowed for it (it took over two years in total and began while the game was still in development). The varied accents were also an entirely new addition for the English version. As a result, the Viera for example were given Icelandic accents to give their speech a slightly alien quality, while citizens of Rozarria seemingly have Spanish accents. This was just one of many changes made to the various characters, nationalities, and text in general during localization.

Final Fantasy XII was released in Japan on March 16, 2006, in October of the same year in North America, and in February 2007 in Europe and Australia. This made Final Fantasy XII - at the time - the title with the longest development time in history,  at least as far as released games were concerned, spanning a period of over five years. Of course, this record has since been broken many times, including by Final Fantasy XV, which began development in 2006, the same year that FF XII was released.

Upon release Final Fantasy XII received critical acclaim and quickly became one of the series' best-selling releases, reaching sales of almost 6 million units. It also saw a re-release titled International Zodiac Job System, which made various changes to the original's gameplay, including the addition of a job system.

 

The Best Part

 

The story and (most of) the characters. Final Fantasy XII's plot successfully juggles numerous different story threads at once, not just those surrounding the actions of the main characters, but also the increasing tension between the two empires, rebellions rising up in the smaller nations, the changing allegiances of various characters and nations, and much more. The story also manages to create a sense of importance to the events, as they are made out to be a continuation of things that took place hundreds, even thousands of years before the game itself.

Apart from a few exceptions that I will talk about in a moment, the characters of Final Fantasy XII are very well written and memorable. The excellent voice acting and writing also certainly helps in making these characters stand out. There are some absolutely magnificent performances in the game, even with characters that have very little screentime.

 

The Worst Part

Some of the utterly obtuse requirements for getting certain weapons, armor, and Espers can get really frustrating at times. For example, you can actually miss out on one of the game's best weapons if you open any one of several specific chests in the game. There is no indication of these chests being in any way special or connected to something else in the game, but if you open even one of them, the weapon is basically gone for good. Fortunately the re-release fixed many of these issues.

The weakest aspects overall are Vaan and Penelo, because of their almost non-existent connection to the main story. They simply serve no purpose for the main storyline. I don't even dislike them as characters, unlike a lot of series fan. I just see the two as completely pointless and forgettable. It's very easy to see that they were created when the story had already been created and the game had been in development for some time. Every other character has a reason to exist and a connection to various events in the past that justifies their part in the story, but Vaan and Penelo are just war orphans who happen to tag along with the characters that matter, mostly by complete chance.

 

Does Final Fantasy XII Still Hold Up?

 

Yes, despite these shortcomings I think Final Fantasy XII is a great game. Most of the characters, story, gameplay, music and visuals are all still very much worth your time. However, there are some things that hold it back from being among the very best entries in the series. They don't hurt the game too much, but regardless they must be acknowledged as the flaws they are.

The story, which delves deep into the history of Ivalice, creates a world that feels genuinely massive, with important events taking place not just where the main characters happen to be, but all around the world. It creates a sense of a world that is alive, one where events don't happen just when the player is around. The story also feels different from any other Final Fantasy game, with the possible exception of Final Fantasy Tactics.

On top of that it also explores various themes, such as loss of family, escaping one's past, the nature of religion and gods, and many others. Final Fantasy XII also somewhat subverts the common motif found in the series of crystals being a source of great power, as here the goal of the main characters is actually to prevent their use and fight against those who would use their power.

 

The role of gods and religion is especially prominent in the game's underlining themes, perhaps unsurprisingly considering Matsuno's previous titles such as Final Fantasy Tactics exploring similar concepts. The gods of the world of Ivalice are shown to be living beings with their own goals, which they seek to accomplish by using other creatures to further their plans under the guise of benevolence.

Most of the characters are also excellent, with interesting storylines and personalities. They are well written and have clear arcs that see them grow and change as events of the plot unfold. The voice acting is much more grounded and the dialogue and style of the acting makes characters feel more realistic, lending weight to their actions and opinions. When they speak, it's easy to see them as the characters, rather than just actors saying the lines in a studio somewhere.

Of course, as mentioned earlier, some of the characters aren't quite on that same level. Even though I still don't see them as truly bad creations, Vaan and Penelo simply have no reason to be a part of the story. Their actions have no bearing on the overarching storyline, and their parts are almost completely inconsequential. All they really do is take attention away from the other, more interesting characters. The game's main villain is also slightly on the forgettable side, as he generally stays behind the scenes and is often relegated to just the occasional mention by other characters. He's not bad, but there are several minor villains who simply outshine him, with Cid being an especially memorable bad guy.

 

The gameplay is overall fun, although some aspects of it don't come together as well as the developer likely wanted. The gambit system is an interesting new addition that for the most part works very well, and allows for a lot of unique combinations and playstyles. However, the downside is that if you know your way around the system well enough, you can basically make the game play itself through all but the most difficult battles.

The system was intended as something for players to use so they wouldn't have to micromanage every tiny detail during battle (fights can get exceptionally hectic at times), but instead it achieves the opposite and leaves the player with little-to-nothing to do while the characters take care of everything by themselves.

 

Visually Final Fantasy XII is one of the best looking games on the PS2. The characters and environments have a lot of detail and still look great today. The visual design is also excellent, as every single location in the game has its own distinct look that makes it immediately recognisable. They all look like there's a long history and cultural development behind them, which also extends to the way the people living there speak and act. Clearly a lot of thought that went into designing the look of each location, and by doing so the developer has created a world that feels alive and lived in.

The soundtrack is very different from what most people had been used to with the Final Fantasy series, thanks in large part to Hitoshi Sakimoto being the main composer for the title and Nobuo Uematsu only providing one track for the game. Regardless, the music is more than worthy of being in a Final Fantasy game. There aren't necessarily many tracks that you'll remember after you stop playing, but the score nonetheless fits the game extremely well. 

Final Fantasy XII is a game that had the potential to be a genuine masterpiece, but perhaps due to Yasumi Matsuno having to step down during development it doesn't quite reach that level. The changes that were later made to his original vision were generally to the game's detriment, with the most notable example being the inclusion of two new characters to replace Basch as the main character.

Still, despite its unfortunate shortcomings, Final Fantasy XII is definitely a great game. It just could have been even better. There are so many great and interesting things going on beneath the surface of Final Fantasy XII that make it worth playing. Its weaknesses are ultimately negligible, even if at times some of them can become frustrating. Regardless, if you haven't yet played Final Fantasy XII, I can easily recommend that you do so, although at this point it's probably best to wait for the HD remake.

 

Fun Fact

Final Fantasy XII actually makes a direct reference to Yasumi Matsuno in one of its many side quests. In the game there is a hunt for a monstrous wyrm that is often considered the most difficult boss in the entire game. The wyrm's name is Yazmat (Yiazmat in the localized version), which is a direct reference to YASumi Matsuno. The entire storyline surrounding the quest is about a group of moogles seeking vengeance against the wyrm that killed their mentor. It's not difficult to make the connection between the quest and Matsuno's departure from the game's development team.

Additional sources:
Wikia
- Final Fantasy XII Ultimania Omega


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21 Comments
fluky-nintendy (on 19 February 2017)

I loved this game a lot. The cons I had at the time were:

  • Vaan and Penelo obviously,
  • The game would get very hard in those last espers and you need to grind a lot in order to be significantly strong to beat the worst bosses.
  • Did not like the ending at all, thought it lacks climax. Neither like the main villain.
  • The game was beautiful for the PS2, but my slim PS2 would turn on that fan noise from the moment I started playing and heat a lot. This was the worst problem playing the game for me. But thankfully that will change once I get this version.
  • +6
Eric2048 (on 18 February 2017)

This is one of the best Final Fantasy's in my opinion. Looking forward to the HD remaster.

  • +5
deskpro2k3 (on 18 February 2017)

"Return to Ivalice" is going to be a raid in Final Fantasy XIV

  • +4
Darashiva deskpro2k3 (on 18 February 2017)

I'd like to say it was an intentional allusion on my part, but I honestly had no idea. I did read that Matsuno was working on something Ivalice related for the game though.

  • 0
weaveworld (on 19 February 2017)

And again thank you for the article, good stuff!
As much as I had anticipated this game at the time I was kind of disappointed with the lead character and didn't enjoy the 'skill tree' in the American version. I hardly ever felt a connection with the characters and so I got lost a bit in doing side quests and lost track of the actual story.
Right now, in hindsight, having played the FF's that came after XII, I am glad I will be able to play this game again as a remastered version. Looking forward to dive into it again and see if my memory serves me wrong. Can't wait for the release... again. Of course this article helps build up that anticipation!

  • +3
Darashiva weaveworld (on 19 February 2017)

You're welcome. I actually liked Final Fantasy XII much more the second time I played it. Not sure if it was me understanding the battle system better or getting a better grasp of the story, but playing through it a second time was much more enjoyable than when I first played through it.

  • 0
invetedlotus123 (on 19 February 2017)

In terms of gameplay this is a masterpiece. In terms of visuals its a masterpiece. In terms of storytelling it sucks. In terms of characters charisma its terrible. I mean, Basch had much more to give to the story than Vaan and even then Basch turned into an object character very fast. The man didn`t even have lines after mid-game... If they wanted a young protagonist Ashley was a much better fit.

  • +3
StarOcean (on 18 February 2017)

Ah, yes, FF12 -or as I call it: Star Wars Original Trilogy, Final Fantasy Edition. I do love the game though. 3rd or 2nd fave in the series

  • +3
miqdadi (on 18 February 2017)

A well written article I must say, this is still my all time favorite FF game

  • +3
Keybladewielder (on 19 February 2017)

This is my 2nd favorite Final Fantasy after FF6. Its world is amazing both in lore and design (much better than those corridors from FF10), I loved the characters (with the exception of Vaan and Penelo). Balthier is one of my favorite characters form any video game. The gameplay is amazing and Gambits are a great addition that allow for incredible levels of customization. The hunts are some of my favorite side-quests. Great game.

  • +1
The Fury (on 20 February 2017)

It suffers from for things however, lack of true FF feel and certain traditions. It's roaming combat gave it a hugely different feel from the rest of the series making it stand out in a way. Yet, FF12 is truely a great game. It's charm, design and character beat most FF games easy. Can't wait for the Zodiak Edition.

  • 0
ZODIARKrebirth (on 19 February 2017)

Not my favorite ff game, but the best esper in the game inspired me for my avatar name;)

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think-man Ka-pi96 (on 19 February 2017)

XII is much better than XIII.

  • +1
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think-man Ka-pi96 (on 20 February 2017)

Everyone favours one final fantasy over another. I was against XII aswell at one point, then when i really gave it a chance i found it to be a great game. Not the best FF but much better than over half of them (2,3,5,13,15,11,14) imo of course :P

  • +1
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