Some links of abandoned/unfinished projects.
One JRPG down – another to go? And to think…I bought this game on launch day way back in 1997. Remember it vividly too. Bought in the morning alongside the strategy guide. Then had school and work all day before I could even play. It was my first Final Fantasy game and, really, my introduction to JRPGs. Dunno if I’ll have the fortitude (=patience) to complete this game but hey… 1) it’s free and 2) the music will be nostalgic-lane for me. Let’s go!!!!
It’s been a few weeks and my journey through Ivalice is hardly complete. At more than 40 hours, I’d wager I’m maybe halfway through. But while my recent ventures have been way off the story’s path, the tale itself is an epic and grand one, much as one might expect from any good FF. The trusty screenshot button is one of my favorite additions to this generation of gaming and so I thought I’d share some of the stunning vistas, group shots (I love these) and unique art style that is FFXII. I’m absolutely loving it. Here you go.
I never could put my finger on just why I never completed FFXII. While I haven’t finished any Final Fantasy game after the illustrious FFVII, I quite enjoyed both IX and XII. VIII and XIII didn’t interest me, XI and XIV required an online dedication and XV just didn’t sway me with bros and a car, despite its generally-favorable reviews. Oh, and X – I don’t know why I didn’t finish that either. It was enjoyable the two-dozen hours I put into it.
I digress in a bevy of Roman numerals. FFXII had just a different feel to it; its gameplay was a stark departure, its return to Ivalice from the awesome FFT was a rare revisit of an old theme and the artstyle remains one of my favorites in all of gaming (alongside FFIX’s!). But the reason only just became clear to me: children. I got married in January of 2006 and it’s hard to believe I moved to Maine when the PS2 was still the latest and the greatest. (I don’t care that the 360 came out a few months prior.). As much as I liked the twelfth numbered installment, I never gave it enough time. And as literally every other main entry was made playable on current systems, I just waited for #12 to arrive. As the last of the older titles, it finally has and I’m drawn in again by that gameplay and artstyle. If it is as good as they say, and as my memory tells me, I might be MIA for a while. Perhaps that God Of War: Ghost Of Sparta playthrough may have to wait a little bit!!!
September 7th, 1997. My senior year in college had just begun and I had classes and work in the computer lab after school. I snuck out to the local Electronics Boutique at the mall. I bought Final Fantasy VII. I hadn’t played RPGs much, barely any JRPGs and never touched a FF game. For anyone too young, it’s impossible to understand the potency of this game. I remember the ads. “If it were available on cartridge, it would retail for $1,200.” CD games were new. CG in games was new. Symphonic scores were new. And FFVII blew the doors open on all of it. Holy shit. This was unlike anything we’d ever seen.
So, now while FFVII has been on GameFAQs’ top-100 list for…wait for this…6,099 days, I marvel at the endurance. SIX THOUSAND DAYS. My entire life has changed, the entire gaming industry has changed. The madness and dedication to FFVII has not. And while there’s simply NO WAY the remake can ever live up to our memories of 6,000 days ago…I have no choice but to return to Midgard. Back before there were spoilers (well, there were but you probably weren’t online back then. I was already running sites for two years) all you had to say was Aerith (Aeris). That shit changed the way I looked at videogames.