Final Fantasy XII

[Ikse]

From Nov NPD

Final Fantasy XII on the PS2 was the second best selling game for the month, with an amazing 896K units sold. That's the best launch of a Final Fantasy game yet, and there are some big shoes to fill there.

Great to hear!

[AdamJW]

Question for toythatkills:

Sorry I'm not toythatkills, but those double EXP things are sold in

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Old Archades its one of those fat Seeqs who's by the first entrance/exit as you go in. if you havent got to that place yet they can also be pinched in the field area just after the phon coast, and before Old archades. You sound like you should be though if you are carrying those kinds of levels.

[Jusatsushi]

Cheers Adam, I don't care who answers as long as I get them! As soon as this dungeon is out of the way I'll go check it out! I've got the double SP things equipped at the moment, but those will be far more handy!

[AdamJW]

I used to keep my 3 inactive members with the double Lps items on, and the 3 active ones wth the double Exp thingies on to keep them all earning plenty of bonuses.

I could probably goback to my last save, and try for those hidden rare game, but I'm a bit FFed out at the minute.

Out of interest whereabouts are you upto you?

[Jusatsushi]

I'm saved at the 90th floor at Ridoranda.

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The dungeon was an absolute bitch to get through without esunaga, and that area with the different coloured warps had me headscratching for ages till I realised you had to hit the switch relevant to the skill you had blocked earlier. I kept getting sent to that ****ing horrible area where you just had to fight ghouls till the doors opened! Got me a few level ups though I guess!

[AdamJW]

You're well on your way then, but I won't say anymore than that.

[Jusatsushi]

I don't want it to end! Good thing I've still got a load of hunts to do...

[AdamJW]

Once you are where you are though its a bit of a bitch going out and coming back in again, so I just kept on steam rollering on when I got to that area and saved some of the hunts till after.

I'm trying hard here not to say anything that will spoil it, but I was like you I didn't know if I was disappointed by the ending, or I was more disappointed because I was at the end - if you know what I mean. Probably the latter.

Its some game though and I just hope Zelda has a similar affect on me when I get that because I may be converted back away from my strategy games and back to games with open areas, and what have you - if they are all as good as FFXII.

Its a real meaty challenge and I was worried at first that it would be a bit of handholder like alot the newer RPGs around these days, but it wasn't - which is pretty cool to me. Now for Dawn of mana and Rogue galaxy then I'll consider getting something next gen - perhaps.

[Ikse]

I am at the same place you are speaking but haven't entered the dungeon just yet, on the outside. However, is it fairly obvious when you are right near the final area of the game? I'd like to save it as late as possible, then complete it, but then load off that save and do all the side quests. I'm guessing it will be, since it was like that in all previous FF's.

[JU!]

I'm still playing think i need to start playing more, just don't have time in the final year of uni

[AdamJW]

I am at the same place you are speaking but haven't entered the dungeon just yet, on the outside. However, is it fairly obvious when you are right near the final area of the game? I'd like to save it as late as possible, then complete it, but then load off that save and do all the side quests. I'm guessing it will be, since it was like that in all previous FF's.

Spoilers:-

Thats what I did after 115 hours worth, but its ok anyway because

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it lets you out again at some point, but its best to go into that area when there's still some kind of a challenge to be had, or it gets a bit boring if you're breezing through. Plus the last few hunts don't carry many things that enable easier transit through the final stages like they do in the earlier parts of the game

.

[GordonJ]

I finished this a couple of weeks ago now, everyone was around level 65 (and I'd clocked up just over 100 hours) when I completed it.

I've got the strategy guide now so I've started my second play through (only just finished the Raithwall tomb)

[Largo]

Same, cleared it about a week ago at level 58 or so, but thought sod this and now back to getting all the content, such as tournesol and wyrmhero blade, up to level 90 now with all espers but zodiac, since hes one big rigged s.o.b. id recommend if you have cleared to reload and clear all the marks etc, its a good time filler and such, also you can sort of play the whole thing again with perhaps the other 3 characters you left at level 10...in my case anyway heh

FF12 though has really hit me on how the FF worlds do have their limit, back in the 7 days it always felt there was something todo during the open ended part - even if it was just fly aimlessly around in the highwind, but in 12 i find that by the time ive got all the odds and sods to get the ultimate swords etc, then ive already killed most of the challenges along the way - which is a bit of a shame, still yazmat and omega to defeat though!

[Ikse]

Just finished it and what an excellent addition to the series, definately up there with my favourites. Sad its all over, but I have the hunts and rare game to go back to. Regarding the ending credits,

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anywhere to see those pieces of art in more detail?

[toythatkills]

Finished, in about 69 hours. Absolutely excellent game. Still got my save outside the final area, so I can go back and do the stuff I've not done later. I missed a few rank VI hunts, and the higher ones too.

The last dungeon and the final bosses were all fairly easy in the end at level 65.

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I had Bubble Belts on which gave my characters around 8500HP each! To be honest though, I'd rather that than spend 2 hours watching cutscenes and struggling through 3 bosses only to have the last one kill me (and with no energy bar, so I couldn't even tell if I was close.)

That kinda thing would make me put the game away and not finish!