What stood out the most when Final Fantasy XII launched was its different and refreshing voice acting. It’s a game that has moved away from the pre-rendered backgrounds of the previous games and embraced an open world. At the zenith of PlayStation 2’s reign, Final Fantasy XII launched to incredible sales, quickly becoming one of the best titles on the console. It was a feat that was quickly overshadowed by the launch of PlayStation 3. Yet, over the years, this gem has been played and replayed. Now, more than a decade since its launch, Final Fantasy XII has got a new lease of life in a glorious remaster titled The Zodiac Age.
What’s it about?
Set in the world of Ivalice, Final Fantasy XII is very Game ofThrones -esque with its political storyline and high fantasy setting. The lore flows thick with unpronounceable names, as the small kingdom of Dalmasca is invaded by the Archadian empire. The only remaining heir is presumed dead and the kingdom is scattered. Years later, the story begins with a young lad named Vaan, who’s just the first character you meet in an entire party of protagonists. You join forces with these people and fight against the powerful overlords of Archadia and their judges.
It would take you over 80 hours to fully experience and explore everything that XII has to offer, from the main storyline to solving all the side quests and hunts. The world itself is a work of art, with a combination of magic and technology, complete with Star Wars -like cutscenes and giant flying airships.
When it comes to the game’s characters, several sound distinctly Indian in nature, yet otherworldly, giving the game an exotic feel. Apart from the lacklustre Vaan, the rest of the characters are fantastic: from the gentleman thief sky pirate Balthier, his partner Fran, a tall Viera, to a race of strong female warriors with rabbit ears.
How does it play?
The battle system of XII is a hybrid between real-time and turn-based. You engage an enemy by issuing various commands and watch as your characters execute them. You can choose to micromanage your attacks manually, or you can control one character and assign gambits. The game has thoughtfully added a fast-forward feature to battles, so you can grind through easy enemies a lot faster. Level up and you can unleash powerful magic and devastating super attacks called quickenings, where you have to chain multiple attacks into one massive strike.
Levelling up has been given a lot more depth in the remaster. The remastered version sports gameplay tweaks, as well as a shiny new coat of paint. Where XII does get a bit off is in the lip-syncing and facial expressions. Yet, it’s still a beautiful game that stands the test of time impressively.
Should you get it?
Final Fantasy XII is a feast for anyone who’s been craving a meaty role-playing game to sink their teeth into. If you’ve been waiting to replay this classic, now is the best time. Sony’s got a fun party game for you to dive into with your smartphone. It’s a fun diversion to the usual killing and mayhem that games are all about.
What’s it about?
That’s You! is a quiz show that stars you and four other people. It asks the participants a range of personal questions. But it’s a little more complicated than simply giving answers. That’s You! essentially combines aspects of your best card and party games with a little bit of Pictionary, Cards Against Humanity, Spin the Bottle, Truth or Dare and more. But it’s all been given a slick social scene.
How does it play?
Using Sony’s PlayLink service, That’s You! features over 1,000 questions to answer. They range from seemingly innocent ones, to cheeky and intimate without being invasive. For instance, by drawing out random situations, the game asks you to rate who among your friends or family is most likely to be or do something. Using your smartphone adds that fun layer of privacy, so you can answer the questions like you’re playing cards.
While That’s You! is a barrel of laughs, there is a bit of a learning curve. Incorporating the smartphone is great in theory, but it does get boring and laborious after a while, as repetition sets in. It can also get slightly uncomfortable with people you’re not comfortable with yet.
The graphics are fantastic, with a very bohemian, real-meets-animated vibe, and backgrounds range from fun fairs, fortune teller houses to even a hookah parlour somewhere in Morocco. The sounds and sights are full of life and reflect well on your mobile phones.
Should you get it?
That’s You! is a collection of all the best parts of several party games in one package. It’s a step in the right direction for Sony and we hope to be seeing more PlayLink games like this.
(Julian Almeida is a tech and gaming enthusiast who hopes to one day finish his sci-fi novel)
