For those of you not familiar with the series, let me give a brief overview. Even though all the titles are sequential and bear the same name, they really have nothing to do with each other. Each is set in its own fantasy universe and has its own story and characters. The gameplay, for the most part, is very similar, taking elements found in most console role-playing games. However, as most fans of the story will tell you, it’s often more about the story itself then the gameplay.

The story may seem somewhat familiar at first. The main character, Vaan, is a young man on the verge of adult-hood about to get caught up in a rebellion against a large Empire. He is quickly joined by a self-described leading man, who happens to be a scoundrel of an airship pilot, and his strange creature side-kick. Before long, they are to rescue a princess from a massive flying fortress. Along the way, dead friends will reappear as sort of blue-tinted ghosts. Yes, there is even the hint of longing for power, a “dark side” if you will. Okay, so the story has some elements that may seem oddly familiar, yet they tap into some basic themes that are found in many classic tales. This

Final Fantasy tends to focus purely on the main plot with little deviation to the character’s subplots. Sure, each character has an important role to play, but it is explored as part of the grander story-arc—that of trying to destroy the evil Empire and free the kingdom of Damalsca, both of which are located in Ivalice. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because it was the setting of Final Fantasy Tactics Advance and even ol’ Montblanc from that title makes an appearance here, but that’s about where the connections end.

Now, let me give you a bit of a background on myself. I’ve played most of the Final Fantasy games in one form or another. I’ve enjoyed most of them, but invetiably I end up getting frustrated with certain elements of the games and, unless I’m really into the story, I tend to leave them half completed. By the time I get the desire to get back to playing, I’ve completely forgotten what the story was about and so, once again, I have no interest in completing the titles. Final Fantasy XII is a different beast; I couldn’t turn it off!

The biggest complaint that I’ve always had and one that has frustrated me to no end has been removed: random battles. You see, normally while running around with your group of characters, randomly an animation will play and you will enter battle. There was really no way to stop these random encounters and you were usually required to fight the battle, even if your opponents were hopelessly outclassed. This time around, all the enemies are visible as you run around the world. Much like a PC role-playing game, or even an MMO, you can see enemies at all time; there are no random battles! In addition, all combat is in real-time and takes place in the world. There is no little animation where everyone is transported to the battle screen, you fight when and where you are! Now, you can pause the game while issuing orders to your teammates to give you a little more strategy behind your fighting, but it still all plays out in real-time.

Another new introduction is the license board. Similar to the sphere grid from Final Fantasy X, the license board is where you unlock all the abilities and items for each character. No longer can you simply find a new sword and start using it, you must acquire the license to do so. You also need licenses to allow your characters to use magic spells, equip armor, weapons, accessories, and even add some new abilities called techniques. Licenses even grant bonuses from additional hit-points for your character, to increased attack and defense when your hit-points are at a critical level.

Graphically, to say this game is impressive would be an understatement. This is the best looking game I have ever seen on the PS2 and I am amazed that six years after its release that the system can still pull off such feats. The pre-rendered video work by Square-Enix is, as always, top-notch and astounding, even though most of the story is played out using the in-game graphics. I was a little disappointed with the variety of monsters, however. There is a rather limited number of creatures in the game which, as you progress to new areas and they get stronger, simply change color or change textures. While I understand the reasons for this from a budget standpoint, I’d have liked to have seen more variety in monsters as they ones that are there are, once again, very pretty to look at (or run away from, depending on your point of view…). Another complaint is the lack of variety in many of the characters. I had a difficult time, especially early on, telling the differences between many of the characters because all the men looked very much alike; apparently long hair and side-burns is the latest fashion trend in Ivalice.

The Final Fantasy series has always been known for great music, and this title is no exception. Each region has its own theme associated with it and seems to work wonderfully. There is a reason why soundtracks for the series sell so well and there are even concerts which feature nothing but the music from the various titles in the franchise.

There are those of you out there who do not need to read this to know to pick up this game, in fact, you’ve probably been camping outside your local retailer all night and have called in sick to work to start playing. For those of you on the fence, or may me new to the series, you could not pick a better entry into the franchise. This is the best Final Fantasy game I have ever played. While some of the others may have featured more engrossing stories, the gameplay cannot be matched. Run, don’t walk, or maybe get in your car and drive within legal limits to your nearest store and pick this one up. Then set aside anywhere from 50-100 hours to play this game. It’s long, but the time will fly by and you’ll enjoy every minute of it.