Hey, just so anyone looking through the comments is aware. The PC version just released a patch (1.0.4.0) on April 24, 2020 to add the job reset function and the gambit system expansion for up to 3 sets.
@@gatocoomer8015 O shit, I wasted my money on the Xbox version then. I bought it when in came for the PS4 (steelbook edition), then for the Switch and last week I bought them on Xbox (physical) and PC. I prefer the PC because the boosters, I don't want to do again all that grinding that I made when I played on PS2 (200+ hrs), so much grinding for Zodiac Spear, Yagyu darkblade, Yiazmat, etc.
i am playing this game right now first time in ps2 with the international edition and i cant believe how wonderfull the game looks and runs, i really cant believe this game was made for ps2 , i say this is the most impresive and powerfull game done in that console , the game runs fine, the load times are not too bad, and the world is big , and all fit in just 1 dvd, is impresive again, a tech miracle from that era .
I absolutely agree, I thought the same thing when I originally got it ages ago. How only one disc? How does it look so good? Do I really need that PS3 coming out soon?
I like the combat, leveling, and gambit system. I wish they'd make this type of combat in more of the games. It's a nice middle ground between action combat and standard RPG faire.
The original PS2 version was almost perfect! Zodiac Age is a classic example of fixing something that wasn't broken! Zodiac Age is average at best! People new to FF12 might like it though!
My husband and I love 12- so incredibly fun to play! We also think the gameplay style should have been brought to at least a few more FFs... 12 felt like a true FF while being a totally new and fun experience.
Pretty sure this has been the best comparison video I've ever seen. Good stuff, happy that I went with the switch version over the PC which I was slightly regretting on the way home. Never really gave this entry the appropriate amount of time back on PS2 before life got in the way, excited to give it a fair chance now without being solely locked to my tv.
Thanks for the information, Austin! What I will note is that XII in handheld (1024x576) mode runs at 80% on each axis, same in docked (1536x864). So, this makes it vastly superior to XBC2 in terms of image quality. It is mainly blurry due that that reduction, as well as a post process antialiasing solution to hide jaggies (Digital Foundry). I personally greatly prefer this to many ports we have seen so far, and I'm happy that they didn't opt for dynamic resolutions.
Glad I waited for 12 years to replay this game again for my switch. The Original PS2 version was an amazing and underrated adventure. Seeing these improvements on the switch makes the game even better, I'm okay with the game being easier since these days games of all types come out more often and time may look long but it's pretty short.
9:02 Notice the PC version is over 10GB smaller than the PS4, and then the Xbone shaves off a few GB more. Amazing what devs can do with some extra development time.
The PC Steam version, obviously; custom License Boards (get every single license in a single playthrough!), can customise treasure chests and quest rewards (get the useful but lategame Technicks and Magicks early!), can customise each PC's stats and stuff, can use Cheat Engine to manipulate EXP, LP, gil, HP, etc. I found my self-modded version of Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age to be incredibly fun.
I still have my original copy of FFXII for my PS2. When it released, I was in college. I don't know why I even bother buying the game since I was busy with studying. I never got beyond 3 hours for the game. At lease this time, I may have time to finish what I started.
FF XII Is the FF game that i loved playing the most! The original is one of my favorite games! I love the versatility and the customization of jobs and roles and the freedom that the all in one board offered! I went to play the Remastered and was let down by the static an lack of customization of jobs and roles that I could build by myself in the original version.
As I said before (ahem), this is quite the turnaround. What was the least likely version of TZA to happen, ended up being the definitive one. Good things come to those who wait.
For anyone wondering I'm playing FFXII TZA PS4 disk on PS5 system and it has option to respec jobs and license points via speaking with Montblanc. Judging from the video this option was not available on the PS4 launch so kudos to Square for caring about QoL features :)
I'd probably go with the pc version with the original license board mod. I still have my original ps2 version though which I feel is still good enough since I use pro action replay on is to speed it up already.
I've put upwards of 2k hours (original PS2 release + PC release) on this game, and it is by-far my favorite game. Back in the day I would spend countless hours grinding for multiple Tournsols This video was also very very informative! Good job and keep up the amazing work!
I own all version and I really like the Xbox one x version, the 60fps is awesome. The only issue for me with the PC version is they never fixed the game for people that have a G-sync monitor.
I have the PS2, PS4, PC, and Switch versions. Personally my favorite is with a PS2 on a CRT, with the Switch version a close second. Portable FF12 is amazing.
I have the PS4 version, with one of my favorite steelbooks (love those), hell i have the PS2 steelbook still. I hope the new features come out on the PS4 as well, they gotta right? as well as the DQ XI S features eventually... But man i really want the Xbox One version now, new features and 60 fps on my X? that's worth another playtrough, hell i haven't even gone trough the PS4 one yet... so i'm not picking up the game anytime soon but i'll be on the lookout for a cheaper copy, i feel like supporting this game a lot, i can go for switch and PC even.
Kudan dragon quest features exclusive to switch version, just like Japanese dragon quest 11 it did not get the updates that American and European dragon quest 11 got
It's addendum time, bud. Patch just released on PC. (Great video tho. I bought the Switch version and, paired with an mClassic, it holds up just fine.)
I played the International Edition with an English translation patch on emulator. To be honest, if you increase the internal resolution in the emulator settings, and slightly bump up the saturation and a slight sharpening effect on the textures, it looks pretty damn close to the remastered games. What surprised me was that when I tried doing this to Final Fantasy X, the GUI font got messed up a bit (still perfectly readable, but annoying random pixels in places), but XII had the font still looking perfect, and it benefited from the texture smoothing, so it looked just fine. If I do play the remaster, I'll probably go for the PC version since it has the New Game Plus/Minus settings available right off the bat. Also, I like seeing what kind of mods people make for games like this, so I'd probably be spending a lot of time on the NexusMods site.
I played the Zodiac Age on PS4 and had an absolute blast with it. I'm also a framerate junkie =) This game is ideal for couch gaming, so I wouldn't suggest playing it on PC.
6 is IMO. It doesn't even need to be remastered....but would love a full 3D Remake of 6 done in the style of either FF12 or Octopath Traveler's Engine.
It was this video that made me buy FFXII Zodiac Age on Steam. I have been reluctant for a long time because people compare it to Star Wars a lot and I could not care less about that franchise, yet I adore FF games. And this one is definitely a good choice. Probably helps that I know nothing about Star Wars aside from the comparison made by RABtoons.
I would love to see a 1080p version of the ps2 version that includes all quality of life option but still had the original license board and keeps the balance if the ps2 version while getting rid of the job system.
Also worth mentioning that the PC version has less input lag for the battle menus than the PS4 version. Not a big deal but really hard to go back once you get used to it.
In the original PS2 FFXII you needed to grind a *lot.* The Zodiac versions are much easier, but can shoot yourself in the foot, if you chose a wrong set of jobs (and can't reset them).
PC is probably the best since you can have it all on a good rig, but I've been replaying it on X instead of my Pro copy, and I gotta have the 60 fps. It's lower res, but just looks sharper due to the increased temporal resolution. I hope it gets some nice upgrades on the next gen consoles too.
It's such a BS argument that all of your characters become exactly the same in the original version. 13 years and people are still making it. If all six characters feel the same, it's completely on you. Don't assign the same abilities to every character. Problem solved. And if anything, the original version was harder because you couldn't break the damage limit of 9999. The Zodiac Age is balanced in such a way that hitting for 99.999 removes a lot of the challenge. Anyone will tell you that Yiazmat was a much more difficult fight in the PS2 original, regardless of how you decked out your characters.
Limitation is the key word here. as a kid i would just open every license space for every character because obtaining license points is pretty easy and requires almost no grind. yes its up to you to create the character but usually when people are given the possibility of an easier time with no drawbacks and no "easy modes" then they will most likely take the chance. with the job system forcing you to focus on specific abilites i feel like its more like what the developers had in mind originally. whether the game itself is easier or not is another issue, but that has nothing to do with the license board.
@@Greeny83 well, games are made by humans for humans, and we have propensity to doing things in certain ways. a good game designer understands that and applies it to the game. im not saying the original license board is flawed in that way, but i think the way to achieve the vision of characters that behave differently, for most people, will have to be this limitation. im not blaming the game for it, im not blaming anybody, im just saying its a better solution, and im all for it. im a completionist myself, and even if i wanted to make the characters feel different with the original board, seeing all the empty squares just waiting to be filled would be extremly tempting, especially with the excess of license points. and that's just me.. theres tons of different reasons why other people would end up creating a random build they didnt intend for, or just giving up and completing the board. a new player for example might have no idea what path to go on the board even if they have the intent of creating an unique build for each character, so they might accidently open paths they regret opening. the job system avoids all that.
So should I get this for the switch if I plan on playing it both docked and undocked, or would it just be better to get it on PC and only play it at my PC? I have never played XII but I have wanted to for ages, and honestly with the port of X to the Switch as well I was looking at that and did see your video I just need to rewatch it again to make myself the best comparison.
i like the original systems more than the zodiac / international job system....cause you can master all jobs and that's freakin cool....in zodiac age system when you fully complete all the jobs LP, then you gain so much LP but can't use itu...for what ??...btw Final Fantasy XII is a masterpiece for me...beautiful graphics, beautiful art and fashion in each city, clothes, massive world map to explore, challenging hunt missions, etc....sadly the main story boss fight not to strong as the hunt missions but i'm okay with it
Etrian Odyssey players on reddit: "WHY WOULD I WANT TO PLAY A GAME ON AUTOPILOT?" Sane, rational person: It isnt autobattle. Its programming an AI to do every last step for EVERY situation, prioritizing it all and you STILL have to watch every battle. You wanna babysit your etrian characters EVERY SINGLE BATTLE? Thats fine. I just prefer to skip all the button presses. Sometimes I still gotta step in but if I dont spend hours tweaking my autobattle, there IS NO AUTOBATTLE. The effort put in is the effort you get out.
Man I really want the PC version and I know I'll play it more but I also really would like the ability to change job classes and already own a Switch. It's possible that an update comes to the PC/PS4 version but I don't expect it soon.
@@MrDusuke True but that one was unfortunate cuz it's right in between my favorite Final Fantasy ever Final Fantasy 4 and everyone else's favorite Final Fantasy 6
Sadly they mistreated the creator of the Ivalice world so badly during the production of the original 12 and again during Tactics Advance 2 I dont think he wants to ever work with them again. It was then rest of the original 12 team that worked on the remaster.
@@otherprisma7354 basch and ashe were main characters and square execs kept telling him they needed a younger character to relate to. Had to rework things. Forced to add vahn and penello. He got increasingly sick and mentally distressed before stepping away. Yaizmat is in the game as a tribute to his undying commitment to the game.
I loved this game back on my PS2 and got it again for PS4. It took me a while to build myself the courage to play it again, as I feared my nostalgia was just that.. Nostalgia. But this game, once you get to the Gambits and deciding what you want your characters to do, you really get into it and can get lost for hours. At least, that's how it is for me.
Exactly the same for me. Took me a while to get it again on PS4 after it came out again, after I decided to get it, I got lost again playing it for hours. Fantastic game.
I remember that there was a SNES emulator that several years ago came up with this "feature" and fortunately others got inspired by it. Once you play certain games with the option of speeding up the game with a button is hard to go back to not using it, especially old JRPG games where you have a lot of scenes with text slowly appearing or ridiculous amounts of back and forth grinding.
I just got my Switch version of FFXII The Zodiac Age today and I am so happy with how it looks and plays. I have a Switch Lite so I can only play in 720p, but it’s so gorgeous and on-the-go, I don’t care. This game has never received it’s due. It’s an epic journey with great characters and story. The fighting system takes a little getting used to, but once you know what you’re doing, it’s a blast. I love my Switch version. I have this on PS2, PS4 Pro, Xbox One X, and Switch. So far, the Switch version is my favorite just because it’s portable. If you’re thinking of getting this game on any console or PC, you can’t go wrong. It belongs in any RPG fan’s library.
I’m just looking for a physical copy. I don’t get games digitally unless they are truly digital only (like Star Ocean: First Departure R. Digital only even in Japan), and are a maximum of 10 GB. But I’ve decided to make XII my second Final Fantasy game after VII.
@@paperluigi6132 good call. I also recommend IX and X/X-2. Ix can be gotten physically through import, just as the VII/VIII collection, while X/X-2 are available physically. But do NOT buy C/X-2 used as the only way to play X-2 is with a download code that comes with them game. There are rumors that one of the imported versions actually has both games on the cart, but I don’t know which version (Japan, Asia, Korea, Europe) this might be. Still, all of them are worth owning and playing. Like you, I have them all physically.
I went with the Switch version purely for the portablility since I like to play games on my lunch hour and I travel for a few hours at a time to see my family once a month. Plus it helped soothe my anxiety that I knew I could respec my characters at almost anytime.
Worth mentioning in TZA they added new themes for all the locations and bosses that originally shared themes with others (e.g. Tchita Uplands has its own new theme instead of sharing the Giza Plains theme). This likely only applied to the Reorchestrated setting though.
Addendum comment - Updated APRIL 23 2020: First, DigitalFoundry confirms FFXII is NOT 1080p on Switch. It is 864p. (For those interested though, FFX IS 1080p) Please check out their video for a better analysis on the technical aspects. It isn't my area of concentration so I won't pretend it is. I shouldn't have stated it so factually. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-r9IGpIehFmQ.html Someone has also mentioned in the comments something I left out of the video: The Zodiac Age also lacks the game's opening FMV. But Square did use the 1080p version as a trailer for the game, if you're interested in seeing it here it is. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-rs4-5DxQKXI.html 4/23/2020 - The PS4 and Steam versions of FFXII have been updated & now include the job reset feature and multiple gambit sets of the Switch and Xbox One versions as well as the third soundtrack option. Denuvo was also removed from the Steam version.
This is by far my favorite FF game. The original ps2 version was great, and although I haven't tried the new versions, I think the original had few, if any flaws.
I love this game so much. I know some don't always gel with the story or the gameplay, but the one thing everyone seems to agree on is how strong the art direction is. Because while, yeah, it was really jaggy on the PS2, it was beautiful to look at. So it makes me extremely happy how well that art has held up over the years.
I love how carefully intricate you're in giving us detailed explaination of the game's difference on different platforms much like what I've seen in your Star Ocean First Departure and Star Ocean First Departure R comparison. Keep it up!
I know I'm a few years late, but I just wanted to point out something cool that I noticed in the remaster: In the original game, there were some instances where the game used a slightly low-poly version of the character's models (you can notice it specially in quickening cutscenes, but I remember it in a few story scenes as well). In the remaster, they were all replaced by the high-quality models. Pretty cool!
@@tidus1ph I feel like I had a similar experience. It seemed pretty cool when I first played it, but now XII is one of my favorite video games. The world, the characters, the _music..._ Incredible. Weird how it can take time to fully appreciate something like this, huh?
@@ryo-kai8587 I believe people just don't give 12 a chance it deserves. It was a huge leap going from the beloved FF X battle system into a non turned based system added with 3D exploring. It just doesn't feel like very FF. Not to mention X world building were such masterpiece that going into political setting after that just feels like bad transition. Once you look past that, the game actually holds up very well, it has the core which makes most FF games great.
I own the ps4 version and i put the switch version on a different hdmi chanel and switched between the 2 to compare and honestly i couldnt see much difference. In terms of resolution, colors and texture quality the switch version looks almost identical to ps4. Whatever compression they made to it is honestly not noticeable on docked mode. The only thing i did noticed is that the switch version has *hint* of softness around the characters that create very small, almost unoticeable jaggies. That i have to get close to the tv and squint to see. This is on a 55" 4k display, mind. So u might say the ps4 version is a bit sharper. But seriously.. Switch looks fantastic and portability is a huge plus
I just bought my copy for the Switch yesterday. I hope the PS4 and PC versions also gets the quality of life changes the Switch and Xbox One versions have. But the only thing I wish they added back in all versions of FFXII: TZA is that awesome opening title cinematic the original version have.
If you want to get features like multiple Gambit decks, resetting license boards and carrying over items in NG+, get Switch or Xbox1. If you want to exploit the RNG and farm the Debug equipment with almost zero challenge, get PS4
