It's fair to say that Square Enix is doing something right.

The game was released for PS3 and XBOX 360 systems; though it's exclusive to PS3 in Japan.  At a suggested Yen price of 9,240 (almost 93 USD dollars), and a suggested Euro price of 59.99-69.99 (between 82-97 USD dollars), it would seem that the suggested USD Dollar price of 59.99 is indeed a blessing for Americans.  That is, if you don't want to buy the over $80 collectors edition, which comes with the game and the textbook-sized hardback game guide.

Sad to say that I haven't had the chance to play this highly praised game; left without a PS3 or an XBOX 360 (yes, I know; I'm behind in the times).  All the same, there's nothing to stop me from digging up as much as I can for you.  The graphics are, of course, amazing; which is almost synonymous with Square Enix these days.  Even the gameplay graphics, usually a good step below the quality of the cutscene graphics, will easily astound with their smooth transitions and remarkable detail.

I'll admit that I was slightly put off when I was first told that the game started out rather linear, with nothing to do but follow the main storyline.  After all, one of the biggest game disappointments of my life was the sequel to Tales of Symphonia, Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World.  For a prequel that was so astoundingly diverse, with so many things to do that it was impossible to do them all in one playthrough, the sequel was disappointingly linear with little character developments, no control over the world map, and no side quests.  With that being said, I was quickly reassured that the linearity of  Final Fantasy XII only pertained to the beginning of the game, and that as the story progressed more control would be released to the player.

The game follows the female protagonist Lightning; who has been referred to as the female, pink-haired version of Cloud Strife from Final Fantasy VII. The story once again takes place in a futuristic science-fiction setting, this time known as Pulse.  Mechanical beings known as the fal'Cie have marked certain humans, known as the l'Cie.  Each l'Cie has a Focus, or task that the fal'Cie wants them to complete in a certain amount of time. The l'Cie are able to summon Eidolons to fight with them; but if a l'Cie dies or fails to complete their Focus, they turn into a monster known as a Cie'th.  If the l'Cie does complete their Focus, then they turn into a crystal; which is why being a l'Cie is seen as a curse.  

If all these terms threw you off, don't worry, you're not alone.  Square Enix has either just plain run out of names for their races, or have decided the simplicity of calling their soldiers SOLDIERs was overrated.  But don't let the difficulty of telling the name of the good guys and the bad guys apart keep you from this game.  So if you haven't already, pick it up for only $54 with tax at Gamestop, and get %10 off of the $35 game guide.

Final Fantasy XII

Teen