Final Fantasy XII Remaster Brings Zodiac Jobs To PS4 Next Year
Not all Final Fantasy titles are created equal. Some, like Final Fantasy VII and its characters, are forever memorialized in gaming history. The pre-VII titles, while pixelated by today's standards, also enjoy renown, especially among veterans. Final Fantasy XII might not exactly be one of the best, though it certainly won many accolades, but it will, perhaps, be more remembered for the many gameplay changes, some of which found their way to later titles. PlayStation 4 owners will soon be able to experience those when the "Final Fantasy XII The Zodiac Age" lands on the console in 2017, with that so-called Zodiac Job System in tow.
Final Fantasy XII deviated quite a lot from its predecessors while, at the same time, also drew upon newer elements, particular those from Final Fantasy X. Players are able to rotate the view 360 degrees instead of being stuck to certain angles. Unlike the rather comical disproportionate rendition of characters when walking in world map, FF XII renders everything to the proper scale of characters. FF XII also did away with the sometimes exasperating random monster encounters, displaying monsters visibly on the screen and giving players the option to avoid them. The game also introduced a "gambit" system that allows players to somewhat program the AI of characters to perform certain actions during battles under different circumstances or conditions.
But perhaps the most advertised new gameplay mechanic was the License System, which was revised into the Zodiac Job System in the international version of the game. The Final Fantasy series was once famous (or infamous) for its class-based system, or jobs. More recent titles since FF VII have de-emphasized those to some extent, though traces do remain. The License system is such a remnant, with the Zodiac modifying that to limit it to 12 jobs based on a sign of the Zodiac.
The remastered version takes all of those and adds even more modern goodies for players, like auto saves, PS4 trophy and share support, and, of course remastered HD graphics and soundtracks.
Final Fantasy fans with PS4's will have to wait for quite a while though. Sony isn't saying yet when in 2017 the remastered version will launch, but those lucky enough to be at E3 this year can get a taste of it for themselves. Even worse for PC gamers, however, as there is no word if it will receive a port, making Final Fantasy XII the last non-MMO title without a presence on Steam.
SOURCE: Square Enix