Support NeoGAF

[Schorschi]

Gambit

 

[FoxMcChief]

I think 12 and 16 are both bad. They’re the only two main line entries I will never likely beat.

 

[DonkeyPunchJr]

Gambit system was awesome, I’m sad they haven’t used it in anything else. I think it would’ve been a perfect addition to all the remakes/remasters of the old turn based FF games.

All you do in those old games is make the same braindead simple choices over and over. Might as well let me automate it to my exact specifications.

 

[Fart Knight]

Jaction man the greatest hero of them all.

 

[kiphalfton]

WTF is the gambit system? If you're talking about the slow crappy combat system in FFXII, I can't understand why?

The best part of action RPG's is not having to wait for a stupid gauge to refill in order to attack, or for the enemy attack animation to end so you can fight back.

 

[a multicultural team of v]

I'm playing FF12 now and yeah I love it too. "I dont do anything the game just controls my party wah wah" guess what every damn game today is like that, except at least with FF12 you can completely customize their AI.

I wish they really expanded on it, adding the ability to have a single gambit have two conditions would make things way more complex but really open up the possibilities.

 

[jimmypython]

Love the gambit system, so much potential shown by the first (and only) iteration. a shame they didn't follow up with more refinement. For example, they could solve the "game just plays itself" by limiting the gambit for the player controlled character, and making it a party member management tool.

 

[Fbh]

7Remake still has my favorite combat system in the franchise.
Gambit was ok, I don't like the MMO feel though and still not a fan of the entire point being to program the game to play itself.
XV was trash.

I'm only like 4 or 5 hours into XVI, so far I think the combat is enjoyable but I'm starting to worry it will never get a whole lot more complex or challenging. The intro of the game seems so focused on reminding you about all the accessibility options and ways to make everything even easier, but it's like they forgot about the rest of the audience that has actually played an action game before.

 

[Azelover]

I really don't like the Gambit system. I got used to it, but it just wasn't fun to me. Utmost respect to those that love it.

 

[Valonquar]

FFXII was the best final fantasy with the worst final boss \ ending.

 

[wvnative]

WTF is the gambit system? If you're talking about the slow crappy combat system in FFXII, I can't understand why?

The best part of action RPG's is not having to wait for a stupid gauge to refill in order to attack, or for the enemy attack animation to end so you can fight back.

I literally do not get the love for 12's combat, it was slow and crap. Far more boring than actual turn based battles or full action.

 

[ShadyAcshuns]

Agreed. XII was great.

 

[KimDongHwan]

The actual best combat system has to be FFX, snappy, thoughtful, brilliant.

 

[DonkeyPunchJr]

I literally do not get the love for 12's combat, it was slow and crap. Far more boring than actual turn based battles or full action.

It’s a lot better with fast forward in Zodiac Age.

And I think it’s much better than most turn based JRPGs. Anything is better than sitting there like a dumbass picking “attack” from a menu over and over until you win.

 

[Solidus_T]

I think both XII and XVI are great. You don't have to choose between them; they are both great games in their own way

 

[Durin]

Still my favorite mainline Final Fantasy.

Automate out the basic or boring stuff you don't want to do, and then cycle between characters to make the important choices. You can speed up the turn ramp speed to whatever you're comfortable with, and the job board is one of their better progression systems with the Zodiac Age version.

I liked FF16, but I wished you could do more with your party members, and the skill + loot progression and crafting were unsatisfying.

 

[diffusionx]

I don't like any of it.

FFXII's combat system is so bad that people prefer programming an AI script to not do it.

 

[Fuz]

I always found funny that people name that system "the gambit system from XII" like it was born there, when it actually was already used in old CRPGs.

 

[RoboFu]

15 wasn't really action though. its was more...a sped up ATB with the illusion of action.
You really couldn't attack until you ATB for that action was filled.
FF7R is the same thing.

 

[Muffdraul]

I loved the gambit system because it absolutely put you in full control of every member of your party at all times. They would never perform any action unless you had given them a specific gambit to make them do it. There was no 'black box' A.I. crap, unlike every other FF since then, where you only get to control one character and at best influence the actions of your sub-characters. If I had my way the gambit system would have basically become standard for FF and evolved from there.

 

[Soltype]

Yeah it's the best, it's there if you want to use it or you can play it old school and pick everything yourself.

 

[The artful mincer]

Yeah it was pretty cool. Odd that they spend all those resources developing it to never use it again but that's apparently what Mainline FF should do according to some.

 

[Hero_Select]

I hate 12 with a passion.

That being said. I much prefer the combat in X, 13 Trilogy than to 15 and 16.

 

[Hudo]

Gambit

FF12 is the second-best FF ever made. So I agree with you completely.

 

[Ploopmonster832]

FF12 was the only non tactics FF i enjoyed and I'm sad theres nothing else similar

 

[Katatonic]

15 is still that hybrid action setup which is not fun IMO. Same reason I can't get too into 7 Remake.

16 is pure action and I love it.

12 is my least favorite of the FF's I've played. I remember buying it at launch to play on my fat PS3 and was so bored by the bland characters and combat system when compared to X.

 

[Edellus]

I liked the gambit system in FFXII, but I would've enjoyed a bit more of necessary input. Something like disabling gambits for your current controlled character, perhaps?

Combat in FFXV was alright. I didn't experiment much with the magic system and I defaulted to using always the same weapons, so I can't say I went deep into the battle system.

I really, really enjoy FFXVI, and I'm doing my best to exploring it's combat as much as possible.

I can sort of compare XV's and XVI's combat systems, which I enjoyed XVI's more. But XII's is just way too different.

 

[Icymanipulator]

If 16 would have had a party and gambits I would have gotten it. As a single member 3rd person action game I just have no interest.

 

[Captain Toad]

Setting up Gambits in 12 was fun. But, once you got them, the game just plays itself.

FF16 combat is tons of fun, but too easy. FF15 is just boring and feels meaningless .

 

[NecrosaroIII]

FF12 was the only non tactics FF i enjoyed and I'm sad theres nothing else similar

FFXIV, which had many of the staff from 12 on its dev team.

 

[kunonabi]

I don't like any of them. When you give me a party of interesting characters with a variety of classes, abilities, builds, etc. I want to actually have control of all of them instead of them being just glorified drones.

 

[BacklashWave534]

I think 12 and 16 are both bad. They’re the only two main line entries I will never likely beat.

100% agree. I though what they did with VII remake was pretty decent but i prefer turn based overall.

 

[A.Romero]

Don't like XII, I tried back when it came out and one or two years ago with gamepass and it just wasn't fun enough for me.

I like XVI but it doesn't really feel like a FF game. Doesn't matter, though. I'm enjoying it.

Old FF style cannot exist in this day and age, there is no way it could make the investment back.

 

[diffusionx]

Don't like XII, I tried back when it came out and one or two years ago with gamepass and it just wasn't fun enough for me.

I like XVI but it doesn't really feel like a FF game. Doesn't matter, though. I'm enjoying it.

Old FF style cannot exist in this day and age, there is no way it could make the investment back.

I don't see why it cannot exist. Turn-based games seem to be very popular. A huge one launched literally yesterday.

 

[Raonak]

Nah, I love 16s combat. It's the first FF game where getting into battles is actually fun and not just a chore to get through. The fact that every type of attack is avoidable is good combat design. It's easily my favourite ARPG combat engine.

If they ever make a sequel, they should increase the difficulty and add a couple more combo variations and add a DMC style gauge and it'll be perfect.

15s combat is not great. It's moment to moment combat extremely limiting. So much of it is reliant on bars filling up and random events that happen. And the hold to dodge system is so unsatisfying. Personally I never felt like I 'got' the combat.

 

[Griffon]

Imo, the FF7Remake ATB system should be the standard for every numbered FF.

 

[Filth]

i miss turn based final fantasy :/

 

[Exentryk]

Love the gambit system. Probably the most fun I've add with any FF combat system.

Shame it hasn't been used again somehow. Give me even more in-depth gambits as I found the ones in the original a little limiting when I played the Zodiac Age.

 

[Myths]

Don’t care about 15, but 16 is my type of game from presentation to script. So much of it reminds me of what I’d expect the 12 team to produce with a penchant for chucking out more anime tropes than they’d care to include.

The gambit system dealt with some commonplace tasks that I shouldn’t have to exercise motor control to address while providing players with its ADB for precise control over pausing if and when needed — not so different from the series’ staple ATB actually (i.e. flicking on/off ATB in the Settings menu).

Never understood complaints when the developers provide you the option to do things your way — ways that deliberately accommodate traditional methods of approach for flexibility.

I think 12 and 16 are both bad. They’re the only two main line entries I will never likely beat.

Interesting, they’re the two games I place right up there I’d say. Very, very similar in script and presentation so I’m not surprised if one gets dinged then the other does by extension from the fan base.

 

[SkylineRKR]

Gambits? awesome. You can play manual, but you can also set AI commands. You can turn off the gambits at leisure. You have the option. Personally I like seeing a battle play out as planned, like going into a fight with zombies and having a gambit active with Revive on enemies, or or oil/fire combos on Flans. You're managing a lot once a battle changes, or enemy types change. The Zodiac was especially great with speed up, if I wanted to grind materials I set it to 4x speed zoning in an out, rather painless.

FFXII in general is extremely well done. Its dialogues and VA are fantastic and quite mature. I loved the Vagrant story style it went for, I like Ivalice stuff in general.

FFXVI misses a good incentive to battle, like a style rating, good loot or rare weapon drops.

 

[SidViscous]

The gambit system was like a combination of an idle game and a basic Lua scripting language, I loved it but presumed most folks hated it which is why it never came back, but given how "Action RPG" Square-enix is going with FF, I'd just be happy for turn-based ATB bars again!

 

[balls of snow]

WTF is the gambit system? If you're talking about the slow crappy combat system in FFXII, I can't understand why?

The best part of action RPG's is not having to wait for a stupid gauge to refill in order to attack, or for the enemy attack animation to end so you can fight back.

Instead we wait for a stupid gauge to empty before doing some real damage to a boss.

 

[A.Romero]

I don't see why it cannot exist. Turn-based games seem to be very popular. A huge one launched literally yesterday.

Very different game from classic FF and a totally different market. I wish we had production bugets for those games

There are turn based RPG's in the market and their sales could not match the investment required to FF production values. They do, however, match AA investment which is what we usually have in that space.

 

[Werewolf Jones]

The actual best combat system has to be FFX, snappy, thoughtful, brilliant.

In exchange the worst mini games, side quests and super bosses.

 

[Amish Prince]

I think 12 and 16 are both bad. They’re the only two main line entries I will never likely beat.

This is a bad opinion. 12 is goated.

 

[wvnative]

The actual best combat system has to be FFX, snappy, thoughtful, brilliant.

 

[cash_longfellow]

Gambit system legit took away any feeling of having control over the game. Makes it feel like an action/rpg/srpg sim in my mind. It’s interesting and has its moments. But I didn’t really enjoy it personally.

 

[Schorschi]

Thank you for your replys, it is very interessting to see, that gambit is so kontroverse. I like 15,16, too, but the combat is too fast for me, perhaps i am too old for this type of action for my 58 years

 

[kiphalfton]

It’s a lot better with fast forward in Zodiac Age.

And I think it’s much better than most turn based JRPGs. Anything is better than sitting there like a dumbass picking “attack” from a menu over and over until you win.

That's what I figured, since there's no way people are talking about vanilla FXII.

Inb4 somebody says "but action RPG's are just mashing X"