Tech Review: Final Fantasy XII

An orphan boy who dreams of becoming a pilot, a rouge pirate and his alien sidekick and a deposed princess join the fight against the Empire and Lord Va- no, Lucas hasn't tossed out yet another remake of A New Hope, rather Square Enix has released the twelfth installment of their world-renowned Final Fantasy series for the PlayStation 2. Final Fantasy titles have a lot to live up to-each one is expected to be the definitve role -playing game of its generation. Does Final Fantasy XII make the cut? In a word-yes.

The tale centers on Vaan and the fate of his homeland, the fallen kingdom of Dalmasca. The storyline begins slowly, and after the first few hours you might find yourself somewhat underwhelmed. Don't be fooled. As the storyline unwinds you will find yourself increasingly captivated by beautiful cut scenes, well written plot and a unique soundtrack until the world of Ivalice comes alive and you find yourself participating in a tale of truly epic proportions.

The most significant difference between this game and its predecessors is a move from turn-based to real-time combat. Although veterans may initially worry the change eliminates the vital strategic legacy of Final Fantasy, in practice the combat menu allows for detailed micromanagement during difficult fights. In addition, the player can set-up an A.I. system that can be trusted with most of the rudimentary elements of combat. Named the gambit system, this handy feature alleviates much of the repetitive grind all too common in most RPG titles.

The ability to use skills, magic and equipment is acquired with "license points" gained in combat, while the skills, spells and items themselves are purchased in stores. Because each character starts with similar skill sets and has access to the same advancement, you find yourself capable of completely customizing each character. The kicker is that higher level skills don't become available until late game, and it is often frustrating to purchase licenses for skills or items that will not appear in stores for another 10 hours of gameplay. However, there is a method to this madness-FFXII forces players to diversify their skills.

The name of the game becomes balance-balance in the characters, in your team and between the world of Ivalice and the real world, lest you find yourself losing the latter completely.