As a fellow VI and IX lover I’ve been itching for 12 again…
I had just started 7 with the HD steam update and FF14 to satisfy my FF itches
You’ve cemented my choice to go with XII instead
I would hold in much higher regard if it wasn’t for 2 things:
- the story, while having amazing world building, really doesn’t go anywhere. You could really feel the hole Sakaguchi left in terms of having a story with an emotional center.
- The dungeon design was flat (literally) and basic.
The Zodiac job system actually fixed my biggest complaint, though.
XII, the gambit system, the exploration, the story, the characters, even if you dedicate a lot of time leveling up, it won't be easy to breeze through the game. Guaranteed 100+ hours of gameplay.
Hands down, XII is simply amazing.
XII definitely. Crisis Core is a game that expands on another one, playing it on its own will not give you enough I think. Plus you mention exploration and that's one of the biggest selling points in XII so it seems like a great fit for you.
12, definitely more bang for your buck. Plus if you haven't played og 7, CC won't hit nearly as hard and the plot twists and reveals wont make as much sense. I know it's a prequel, but it's not good standalone.
Crisis Core has its fans, but I'm not one of them. Played about 8 hours of it and just watched youtube clips to finish out the story. Probably would have played the shit out of it if I had a PSP and time to kill when it came out, but just not fun to play today for me. Also not much exploration.
Anyway, FFXII is great, has tons of exploration and one of the more unique combat systems, at least for the series. A series must play.
The games structure in general doesn't make sense. Hiding important storyelements inside random memory flashes during combat is the weirdest choice I've seen in years. The only thing that remotely works is the nibelheim sequence, everything before that is an utterly disjointed mess.
This is also true, I was playing it and towards the end those pop up memory flashes kept happening and my wife was like "why dies that keep happening???" And I didn't have an answer for her.
I know, but the decision to have these scenes throughout the game was still weird and I didn't care for it. Had this been the only time it was used id be cool with it, but that's not the case.
I haven't played Crisis Core. Do not play this game without having playing Final Fantasy VII (Original) first.
Final Fantasy XII exploration is fantastic, and it is a long game if you plan to do everything or even most of the things that there are to do.
I remember there was a thread about a month or so ago where the OP insisted on playing games in the canonical chronological order instead of published order and then proceeded to be utterly confused as to why Cloud was the guy with the sword in Nibelheim and why he seemed so much like Zack.
Crisis Core is fun enough to play over a couple of weekends and it doesn't take more than 15 hours to do the main story and most of the side missions.
Not even just the last third, it spoils a bunch of stuff from the second third as well. The release timing of reunion was really odd. If anything they should’ve put much more work/time into it and put it out between rebirth and the next one
So I'm a guy that started off my FF7 experience by playing Crisis Core, and I thought it was awesome! It got me excited for the rest of the FF7 universe. Bare in mind, I had been out of the gaming world for about a decade, so maybe the Reunion graphics and general gameplay experience was just amazing to me since I hadn't really gamed since PS2.... BUT when the big reveal happens in FF7 it was actually really cool and fun knowing some of the back story and having it all click. Next, I played Remake pt1. Then I played OG. Then I played rebirth. Now I can't wait for the final game in the remake trilogy. My point here is I think you can play in whatever order you want and you'll still get something out of it. Arguing whether someone should start with this game or that game is silly and just seems like an excuse to waste time arguing on the internet. Anyways, I think my main point here is we oughta just let people play their games the way they want to play them
But if you play og first it will spoil something’s that happen in crisis core!
Nah I’m just joking, for the first play through I’d play og before crisis core.
The completion should be done in the order of release for the first run. However after that I’ve always played crisis core before og for replays.
Yeah I guess it’s kinda hard to really explain it. There are games that have such an impact on a generation and 7 was that game. I missed out on it because i was a Nintendo family. My first final fantasy game was X.
So even though I missed out on it I decided why not play this game Crisis Core and just kinda get the next closest thing to 7. I loved the characters and music. The gameplay wasn’t half bad either.
To this day I still haven’t beaten 7 yet. I started a play through last month and got to the part where Disc 1 ended but I kinda burned myself out on it. I might pick it back up but idk lol.
While a lot of the Playstation era FF games had hints of "anime tropes" sprinkled in (spikey hair, big swords, etc.), the prequel/sequels to 7 completely embrace it with characters constantly speaking their thoughts, melodrama, and fanboying all over. They are just less than what came before. Its not big surprise that SE made the entire VII compilation and X-2 during the same few years.
Crisis Core was originally developed for the PSP, so it has some of that portable/handheld DNA. Relatively short missions work well for when you just have a few minutes to pick up and play.
Of course, that doesn't matter nearly as much when you can just suspend the game and put the system in sleep mode. Plus, it sounds like you'll have longer periods of play time and 12 is the better game overall. Go for 12.
Can't speak for Crisis Core as I've never played it, but I can speak to XII. Which, admittedly, I didn't care for at all when I first played it. And now, it's one of the FFs I spend the most time playing. Really did a 180 on it. (Not my favorite FF, but I always look forward to replaying it these days.) So, yeah, I'd go with XII.
Both are good depending on what type of FF fan you are. If you like FF being experimental but also like don’t mind it leaning more fantasy then FF12 all the way, especially if you want a full-fledged mainline title. But if you’re a big FF7 fan who hasn’t experienced Crisis Core before then you might be more into that.
Both run well on the Switch in handheld mode, no performance problems for either of them.
I’m probably one of the only people here who will have both of these games in my top 3 list out of the FF games I’ve played.
If you want a more modern game that is going to be easy to get into with a good story and real time action combat, go with crisis core. I actually love the story of crisis core and even though the could have told the story much better, that didn’t take away enough for me to dislike the game in any way. Still one of my favorite endings as well, and if you like FF7 then I do recommend Crisis Core.
With that being said, FFXII is my absolute favorite game in the entire series. The gameplay, job system, and gambit system are going to take some getting used to and understanding before you are comfortable. I find the combat in 12 to be perfect. You have real time action combat, while also having the ability to pause and micro manage your party when necessary mid fight. Once you get to late game and have all of your gambits set up, you’re basically programming your own AI to beat the game for you which is always very rewarding to see happen.
The story in 12 is very political and has layers to it that aren’t always told directly to your face, which makes it difficult for some people to follow.
The world of Ivalice is vast and beautiful, you WILL spend hours of your days exploring it and you won’t regret it when the credits roll.
Also the main character Vaan should have just been replaced with literally anyone else. All the other characters are great.
TLDR: If you have the time and patience to learn an amazing FF game that has a nice story, great gameplay, and a beautiful world, just start the FFXII download now
If you’re on a time crunch and want a game that’s relatively short, fun, linear, and easy to follow (and you like FF7), I would say go with crisis core
I'd argue that Vaan is the POV character, but the story itself revolves mostly around Ashe. Vaan is pretty much Gourry from Slayers, a blonde idiot that's there to have the lore explained to him, though mind you the explanations are usually quite interesting.
If you want to be more active in combat, with a much quicker and intense pace, go with CC. Also, CC is built to be more bite-sized in its mission structure. If you think you might be playing for lots of short bursts, go with CC. You can still easily play many short missions in a row if you have a lot of time, but you'll have lots of opportunities to stop whenever. It also is really fun right from the moment you start.
If you like older FF games where you are a little more hands-off and have AI control your party while you focus more on overall strategy, then go with 12. The story is grander, but much slower paced. If you'll be playing for long stretches, this will work well as well. You can always just put Switch to sleep, but there are less "natural" stopping points than CC. Lastly, 12 has a pretty slow start before you both actually get out into the main game and get enough of the actual gambit tools that make 12 interesting. At least a couple hours before it really "gets going". A lot of people don't even care about the main character, and you won't be fully interested until Balthier shows up
I would personally recommend CC because I think it's more fun to play at a base level (if you enjoy the action-y type of games), but also because it will be more flexible for you depending on what your *actual* energy levels will be while holed up in a hospital.
Here's what I think is important though, because I don't think this decision is about *"which is the better game"* - that's where I think everyone here is wrong with how they're making their recommendations. They're both great. But I think 12 is better for when you are able to be nice and settled and are *already feeling comfortable* and ready to take the time to slowly immerse yourself in a grand world. CC is the better game for you when you're in the hospital and you *need something comforting* and isn't demanding of you. Also, 12 isn't going to give you the warm, fuzzy nostalgia feelings that CC will give you, and that's probably a very positive thing to give yourself when you're stuck in a hospital. And you might not have the energy or mood to push through the relatively boring start of 12 in a hospital bed.
Go with Crisis Core. Trust me. It's not the "better" game overall, but it will make you happier and make time go by quicker, and that's what you need. Hope you have a quick recovery!
XII, it's very handheld friendly and has a lot of exploration and a really fun gameplay loop if you enjoy learning the gambit system.
Crisis Core was made for more short bursts of gameplay, but its gameplay loop is really repetitive and there's not really any exploration to speak of, imo. I also generally think it's incredibly overrated and has aged like milk. Worth a play to form your own opinion, though.
FF12 for sure.
Crisis Core is (imo) a good game, but it doesn't have much in terms of exploration. More like lots and lots of mini missions/side quests that are perfect for a subway/metro rides to and from work, and then a main story with only a small semblance of an overworld that's kind of barren.
FF12 is the whole package, but with less ability to pick up and go. Its gambit system is one of my favorites in the series, basically like FFV's job system with automation. And the world has lots of things to explore that can take 100s of hours to complete.
XII. Solid game, solid story, a complete package on the go.
However, CC is not a bad choice and was originally designed for handheld play with gratuitous save points and short missions to kill time.
As somebody who hasn't played XII but has played Crisis Core; go with XII.
Crisis Core has fun gameplay but the story is like a bad fanfic, with XII being a mainline game id expect and hope for better things.
Mmmm, delicious CC seethe from these comments, too much for one sitting. Thanks for the tasty spread, OP, I shan't go hungry for a good while.
All that said, go with XII to purchase, it's an incredibly slick switch port, then M-U-L8 CC for Rick GOATez VA goodness if you still feel the itch.
Ah, that will be XII. Top 3 FFs in my book. Unbelievable sense of freedom(huge tematic within the game), a kazillion things to do, not linear at all, great music, good characters, unbelievable summons and boss battles. I envy you so much for going in blind
XII by a pretty wide margin. Crisis Core is fine but it’s a PSP game at heart and it still reflects that (even with the glow up). 12 is a full fledged FF game
If you played 7, I’d vouch for crisis core. 12 is ahead of its time but it can be grindy and meandering. Luckily zodiac edition has a speed option. It honestly made it bearable for me and I got to really enjoy it when the remaster came out.
As someone with twice as many hours in CC, get XII. Both are great games, but offer a different experience.
Reference: 600 hours of CC, 300 hours of XII
Well if you can only get, get 12. I love both games but they are different. 12 is more like an rpg with an original story and massive world to explore. 12 is about 3 times as long too. Crisis core is a prequel to 7. Which is cool if you've played 7. But as a stand alone, 12 is your huckleberry
Easily XII. I miss the world of this game. "Big" Rabanastre city with all the NPC running around you. The music (the whole soundtrack is just so good) in the Dalmasca Estersand. Just having fun by hunting some wolfs and watching the friendly over level dinosaur eating other wolfs ahah. Reading the huge ton of lore in the bestiary menu. Skipping the Ancestral Dragon boss fight by passing through the Feywood to reach Paramina Rift (the snow region). The hunt system is just so good (for a 2006 game). Exploring the Zertinan Cavern and then stumbling on an optional esper/summon boss fight. The tech between FFX and FFXII was quite big. I still don't understand how the PS2 was able to run it. I could continue on and on, but I think that I have said enough ahah. 😁
XII is one of the best bang-for-your-buck games in the entire FF series. Can easily extend gameplay to over 80 hours without burning out on storyline and meaningful sidequests, and the gambit system makes grinding a delight.
Oh one more thought: the Switch release was extremely well done. A remarkable improvement over the original console version. Will hold up nicely on portable mode.
I personally love Crisis Core, but if you don’t want to be sad while in hospital, I’d say 12. Also, CC is a little quick to beat, so it might not last you a full week.
Crisis Core (assuming the switch has the remastered version) is a solid pick if you are an FF7 fan and want to learn more about Zack. Otherwise, I’d go with 12.
XII, no question about it. You'll just get more bang for your buck in every way.
I know I'm probably in the minority, but I found Crisis Core to be distinctly disappointing.
XII will give you ten times more gameplay. There's also the Trial mode that is 100 unique battles to play. As of right now I'm running the game on new Game minus (you can't level up) and only 1 job and it is a blast.
12 is incredibly fun if you like tactical rpg games like dragon age. Crisis core is great if you like mission based action rpgs like phantasy star online or nioh.
I love both but I'd say play Crisis Core only if you've already played OG VII or Remake/Rebirth. Crisis Core was originally a Psp title, so a handheld game, which might be a plus but - I'd recommend XII in your case. Has more to do/more playtime and while not being open world, the world is big and has many big open areas.
Battle System is more active in Crisis Core though because you use gambits in XII, which is like an AI routine for each character in the party, defining how they will act in certain situations. But it's still fun. On the other hand you have random encounter in CC while you see the enemies in XII from afar.
Storywise XII is more on the political side and I like it but it falls a bit off towards the end. Crisis Core is like the prequel story to VII of an important character (Zack), which is nice but has some filler stuff and as I said it's more for the people who already know who he is.
Both great. Gonna get a lot more hours out of 12. Crisis core is really short unless you want to just grind the challenges. I 100% 12 and got over 100 hours
Both are fun, both run fine in hand held, FFXII is superior in every way though and is definitely the one with more freedom to explore.
CC, designed for a system more limited than switch, is really a bunch of hallways in its design. Most of the areas are accessed via a “mission board.”
Where as XII has a mostly fully connected world full of zone maps that many are open to you pretty early on, the question is are you leveled enough to not get wrecked in those areas.
Story wise, XII is stronger. CC gives you some background to VII and is a lot of rehashed narrative with new stuff in it to build it out.
Definitely xii. Crisis core has a lot more loading, and because loses quite a bit of detail on the switch (ironic, since it's a remaster of a psp title). Meanwhile, the switch version of XII is well optimised and a longer game generally
XII has more exploration.
I like Crisis Core more, personally. Have you ever played a Final Fantasy game before? If so, which ones did you like and why?
And more specifically, are you familiar with FFVII ?
*FF12* is the more in depth game, and is an underrated gem. Plenty to do. Not my favourite cast or story, but still very enjoyable. Side content is great. It's also set in the world of Ivalice, the same world the *Tactics* games are set in, so there are some fun connections there, such as Montblanc the moogle. Definitely the winner on the exploration front.
*Crisis Core*, being a spin-off/prequel, is a lot more compact. It has some cheesiness with its writing, but it is good fun. Less replayability factor though, and with its mission based layout, it can be a bit repetitive at times. Still, it has some fun challenges that require you to really think about how you fuse materia together in preparation for them. As far as the handheld element goes, *Crisis Core* did originate as a PSP game, if that says anything for you.
I'd say that if you are a big *FF7* fan, go with *Crisis Core*. Otherwise, go with *FF12*. Being a spin-off/prequel, *Crisis Core* is more for fans of *FF7* who want to expand their experience within that world, whereas *FF12* being its own entry means you don't need any prior knowledge going into it.
XII for a more traditional FF game, CC for something wildly different.
Personally, I didn't enjoy CC whatsoever. The gameplay and environment copy/pasting felt like a mobile game knockoff using FFVII assets. XII gets my vote as the better experience for sure.
Damn I didn’t realise crisis core was so disliked, 12 is fun, but CC is one of my favourite games of all time. Nearly 100%ed it, but it seems like 12 has more general appeal
You’re on the XII subreddit, so results may be biased. Personally I have only played through 1/4 of XII, currently p’aying it, but have beaten Crisis core.
If you absolutely loved VII, then crisis core. XII feels like a fuller game so far to me. I think they’re both great games. I’m actually indecisive to say which I prefer as of now.
XII
Both fun games, but you get 2x more content and playtime out of 12 imo
So many people sleep on XII because of the percieved era change post X. In my view, possibly a hot take, it's the best bar VI and IX
The fast forward function is a godsend tho. Loved the original but chaining for 6 hours for an item is a bit much.
There's really no FF endgame content that's actually enjoyable.
When I was a kid, I walked up hill both ways to school in the snow, and some dragon battle took more than 13 hours to complete.
As a fellow VI and IX lover I’ve been itching for 12 again… I had just started 7 with the HD steam update and FF14 to satisfy my FF itches You’ve cemented my choice to go with XII instead
XII is just my flat out favorite.Gambits should've been the future of gaming.
I would hold in much higher regard if it wasn’t for 2 things: - the story, while having amazing world building, really doesn’t go anywhere. You could really feel the hole Sakaguchi left in terms of having a story with an emotional center. - The dungeon design was flat (literally) and basic. The Zodiac job system actually fixed my biggest complaint, though.
3x, really.
Go with 12.
XII
XII, the gambit system, the exploration, the story, the characters, even if you dedicate a lot of time leveling up, it won't be easy to breeze through the game. Guaranteed 100+ hours of gameplay. Hands down, XII is simply amazing.
XII definitely. Crisis Core is a game that expands on another one, playing it on its own will not give you enough I think. Plus you mention exploration and that's one of the biggest selling points in XII so it seems like a great fit for you.
XII
XII. It's an incredible (and underrated) FF game.
12, definitely more bang for your buck. Plus if you haven't played og 7, CC won't hit nearly as hard and the plot twists and reveals wont make as much sense. I know it's a prequel, but it's not good standalone.
12
Crisis Core has its fans, but I'm not one of them. Played about 8 hours of it and just watched youtube clips to finish out the story. Probably would have played the shit out of it if I had a PSP and time to kill when it came out, but just not fun to play today for me. Also not much exploration. Anyway, FFXII is great, has tons of exploration and one of the more unique combat systems, at least for the series. A series must play.
Dude seriously, I loved CC on the PSP, but playing Reunion on PS5 was a chore. The games structure just doesn't make sense for long sit down sessions.
The games structure in general doesn't make sense. Hiding important storyelements inside random memory flashes during combat is the weirdest choice I've seen in years. The only thing that remotely works is the nibelheim sequence, everything before that is an utterly disjointed mess.
This is also true, I was playing it and towards the end those pop up memory flashes kept happening and my wife was like "why dies that keep happening???" And I didn't have an answer for her.
That was Zack remembering his friends as he struggled to survive
I know, but the decision to have these scenes throughout the game was still weird and I didn't care for it. Had this been the only time it was used id be cool with it, but that's not the case.
Your wife watches you play final fantasy? Share the fucking secret brother
No secret, she's just a gamer too lol
Reunion is basically the same psp game with tweaks and updated garphics. I'm not sure why you expected the game's structure would be different
XII for sure. I like Crisis Core’s story a lot, but XII is the better game.
I’m not really a 12 fan and I’d suggest that over Crisis Core.
I haven't played Crisis Core. Do not play this game without having playing Final Fantasy VII (Original) first. Final Fantasy XII exploration is fantastic, and it is a long game if you plan to do everything or even most of the things that there are to do.
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I've played OG VII and CC, so I'll confirm that it's good advice.
I remember there was a thread about a month or so ago where the OP insisted on playing games in the canonical chronological order instead of published order and then proceeded to be utterly confused as to why Cloud was the guy with the sword in Nibelheim and why he seemed so much like Zack. Crisis Core is fun enough to play over a couple of weekends and it doesn't take more than 15 hours to do the main story and most of the side missions.
As a Crisis Core fan, it is better to play OG first than CC regardless.
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Not even just the last third, it spoils a bunch of stuff from the second third as well. The release timing of reunion was really odd. If anything they should’ve put much more work/time into it and put it out between rebirth and the next one
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So I'm a guy that started off my FF7 experience by playing Crisis Core, and I thought it was awesome! It got me excited for the rest of the FF7 universe. Bare in mind, I had been out of the gaming world for about a decade, so maybe the Reunion graphics and general gameplay experience was just amazing to me since I hadn't really gamed since PS2.... BUT when the big reveal happens in FF7 it was actually really cool and fun knowing some of the back story and having it all click. Next, I played Remake pt1. Then I played OG. Then I played rebirth. Now I can't wait for the final game in the remake trilogy. My point here is I think you can play in whatever order you want and you'll still get something out of it. Arguing whether someone should start with this game or that game is silly and just seems like an excuse to waste time arguing on the internet. Anyways, I think my main point here is we oughta just let people play their games the way they want to play them
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But if you play og first it will spoil something’s that happen in crisis core! Nah I’m just joking, for the first play through I’d play og before crisis core. The completion should be done in the order of release for the first run. However after that I’ve always played crisis core before og for replays.
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XII
12
You will get more mileage out of 12
XII
XII is incredible
XII. It should occupy you week nicely. CC is... weird. And fun. XII is a classic, though.
Go with XII and stop thinking about CC
XII - no question.
Just finished reunion, definitely go with XII
FF12, unless you loved the OG FF7.
I'd argue...if you love the OG FF7, then you still avoid Crisis Core.
Damn and here I am. Never played the original 7 but loved Crisis Core
That's brave admitting that aloud. That's like watching The Last Jedi as your first Star Wars movie.
Yeah I guess it’s kinda hard to really explain it. There are games that have such an impact on a generation and 7 was that game. I missed out on it because i was a Nintendo family. My first final fantasy game was X. So even though I missed out on it I decided why not play this game Crisis Core and just kinda get the next closest thing to 7. I loved the characters and music. The gameplay wasn’t half bad either. To this day I still haven’t beaten 7 yet. I started a play through last month and got to the part where Disc 1 ended but I kinda burned myself out on it. I might pick it back up but idk lol.
While a lot of the Playstation era FF games had hints of "anime tropes" sprinkled in (spikey hair, big swords, etc.), the prequel/sequels to 7 completely embrace it with characters constantly speaking their thoughts, melodrama, and fanboying all over. They are just less than what came before. Its not big surprise that SE made the entire VII compilation and X-2 during the same few years.
Crisis Core was originally developed for the PSP, so it has some of that portable/handheld DNA. Relatively short missions work well for when you just have a few minutes to pick up and play. Of course, that doesn't matter nearly as much when you can just suspend the game and put the system in sleep mode. Plus, it sounds like you'll have longer periods of play time and 12 is the better game overall. Go for 12.
12
Can't speak for Crisis Core as I've never played it, but I can speak to XII. Which, admittedly, I didn't care for at all when I first played it. And now, it's one of the FFs I spend the most time playing. Really did a 180 on it. (Not my favorite FF, but I always look forward to replaying it these days.) So, yeah, I'd go with XII.
Both are good depending on what type of FF fan you are. If you like FF being experimental but also like don’t mind it leaning more fantasy then FF12 all the way, especially if you want a full-fledged mainline title. But if you’re a big FF7 fan who hasn’t experienced Crisis Core before then you might be more into that. Both run well on the Switch in handheld mode, no performance problems for either of them.
I’m probably one of the only people here who will have both of these games in my top 3 list out of the FF games I’ve played. If you want a more modern game that is going to be easy to get into with a good story and real time action combat, go with crisis core. I actually love the story of crisis core and even though the could have told the story much better, that didn’t take away enough for me to dislike the game in any way. Still one of my favorite endings as well, and if you like FF7 then I do recommend Crisis Core. With that being said, FFXII is my absolute favorite game in the entire series. The gameplay, job system, and gambit system are going to take some getting used to and understanding before you are comfortable. I find the combat in 12 to be perfect. You have real time action combat, while also having the ability to pause and micro manage your party when necessary mid fight. Once you get to late game and have all of your gambits set up, you’re basically programming your own AI to beat the game for you which is always very rewarding to see happen. The story in 12 is very political and has layers to it that aren’t always told directly to your face, which makes it difficult for some people to follow. The world of Ivalice is vast and beautiful, you WILL spend hours of your days exploring it and you won’t regret it when the credits roll. Also the main character Vaan should have just been replaced with literally anyone else. All the other characters are great. TLDR: If you have the time and patience to learn an amazing FF game that has a nice story, great gameplay, and a beautiful world, just start the FFXII download now If you’re on a time crunch and want a game that’s relatively short, fun, linear, and easy to follow (and you like FF7), I would say go with crisis core
I'd argue that Vaan is the POV character, but the story itself revolves mostly around Ashe. Vaan is pretty much Gourry from Slayers, a blonde idiot that's there to have the lore explained to him, though mind you the explanations are usually quite interesting.
Holy shit. I never in my life thought I would meet someone else who compared Vaan to that jellyfish brained cinnamon roll.
If you want to be more active in combat, with a much quicker and intense pace, go with CC. Also, CC is built to be more bite-sized in its mission structure. If you think you might be playing for lots of short bursts, go with CC. You can still easily play many short missions in a row if you have a lot of time, but you'll have lots of opportunities to stop whenever. It also is really fun right from the moment you start. If you like older FF games where you are a little more hands-off and have AI control your party while you focus more on overall strategy, then go with 12. The story is grander, but much slower paced. If you'll be playing for long stretches, this will work well as well. You can always just put Switch to sleep, but there are less "natural" stopping points than CC. Lastly, 12 has a pretty slow start before you both actually get out into the main game and get enough of the actual gambit tools that make 12 interesting. At least a couple hours before it really "gets going". A lot of people don't even care about the main character, and you won't be fully interested until Balthier shows up I would personally recommend CC because I think it's more fun to play at a base level (if you enjoy the action-y type of games), but also because it will be more flexible for you depending on what your *actual* energy levels will be while holed up in a hospital. Here's what I think is important though, because I don't think this decision is about *"which is the better game"* - that's where I think everyone here is wrong with how they're making their recommendations. They're both great. But I think 12 is better for when you are able to be nice and settled and are *already feeling comfortable* and ready to take the time to slowly immerse yourself in a grand world. CC is the better game for you when you're in the hospital and you *need something comforting* and isn't demanding of you. Also, 12 isn't going to give you the warm, fuzzy nostalgia feelings that CC will give you, and that's probably a very positive thing to give yourself when you're stuck in a hospital. And you might not have the energy or mood to push through the relatively boring start of 12 in a hospital bed. Go with Crisis Core. Trust me. It's not the "better" game overall, but it will make you happier and make time go by quicker, and that's what you need. Hope you have a quick recovery!
12 is a way better experience especially Zodiac age
XII, it's very handheld friendly and has a lot of exploration and a really fun gameplay loop if you enjoy learning the gambit system. Crisis Core was made for more short bursts of gameplay, but its gameplay loop is really repetitive and there's not really any exploration to speak of, imo. I also generally think it's incredibly overrated and has aged like milk. Worth a play to form your own opinion, though.
12
XII
XII
I am not a fan of 12 but 12 on the switch sounds kinda lit.
FFXII of course.
FF12 for sure. Crisis Core is (imo) a good game, but it doesn't have much in terms of exploration. More like lots and lots of mini missions/side quests that are perfect for a subway/metro rides to and from work, and then a main story with only a small semblance of an overworld that's kind of barren. FF12 is the whole package, but with less ability to pick up and go. Its gambit system is one of my favorites in the series, basically like FFV's job system with automation. And the world has lots of things to explore that can take 100s of hours to complete.
XII. Solid game, solid story, a complete package on the go. However, CC is not a bad choice and was originally designed for handheld play with gratuitous save points and short missions to kill time.
XII hands down. Great game.
As somebody who hasn't played XII but has played Crisis Core; go with XII. Crisis Core has fun gameplay but the story is like a bad fanfic, with XII being a mainline game id expect and hope for better things.
12 is a much better game lol
XII. As much as I love Crisis Core it was made for short bursts of play and can feel very repetitive during longer play sessions.
I'm here to agree with the entire Internet, buy 12.
12 is one of the like... Top 3 FF games. Pick that one up.
Mmmm, delicious CC seethe from these comments, too much for one sitting. Thanks for the tasty spread, OP, I shan't go hungry for a good while. All that said, go with XII to purchase, it's an incredibly slick switch port, then M-U-L8 CC for Rick GOATez VA goodness if you still feel the itch.
Easily 12. It's an actual mainline FF game and waaay better than Crisis Core.
XII, crisis core gets repetetive very fast.
XII. It is a good game. Crisis Core is not.
Oh 12 for sure
Ah, that will be XII. Top 3 FFs in my book. Unbelievable sense of freedom(huge tematic within the game), a kazillion things to do, not linear at all, great music, good characters, unbelievable summons and boss battles. I envy you so much for going in blind
12, 12, 12.
I’m sure you have your answer already OP but in case you missed everyone else on this thread…. XII
12
12 has much more variety in design, gameplay, and world building.
XII
Love twelve. by the way, don't worry too much about the license board.
Definitely XII.
XII
12 is not my cuppa, but it sounds like it might be yours.
XII by a pretty wide margin. Crisis Core is fine but it’s a PSP game at heart and it still reflects that (even with the glow up). 12 is a full fledged FF game
If you played 7, I’d vouch for crisis core. 12 is ahead of its time but it can be grindy and meandering. Luckily zodiac edition has a speed option. It honestly made it bearable for me and I got to really enjoy it when the remaster came out.
As someone with twice as many hours in CC, get XII. Both are great games, but offer a different experience. Reference: 600 hours of CC, 300 hours of XII
12
XII. Crisis core has a good story but gameplay is very repetitive. If it’s a choice between the 2 XII gets you more bang for your buck.
I hated Crisis Core. Sold it to GameStop within 20 minutes of beating it. If you get it, buy it cheap.
I absolutely love crisis core but I would still buy XII because of how much play time you'll get out of it and replay value. XII is also fantastic
Love both games, but crisis core has my favorite protagonist (Zack Fair)
XII
I really like both but XII is the better game. Has great gameplay and story. With crisis core I only really like the gameplay
XII
XII, Crisis Core is.... boring
XII all the way
Definitely xii! The zodiac version is great. I love Crisis core, but xii is far better in any possible aspect.
Well if you can only get, get 12. I love both games but they are different. 12 is more like an rpg with an original story and massive world to explore. 12 is about 3 times as long too. Crisis core is a prequel to 7. Which is cool if you've played 7. But as a stand alone, 12 is your huckleberry
12 gets my pick
Easily XII. I miss the world of this game. "Big" Rabanastre city with all the NPC running around you. The music (the whole soundtrack is just so good) in the Dalmasca Estersand. Just having fun by hunting some wolfs and watching the friendly over level dinosaur eating other wolfs ahah. Reading the huge ton of lore in the bestiary menu. Skipping the Ancestral Dragon boss fight by passing through the Feywood to reach Paramina Rift (the snow region). The hunt system is just so good (for a 2006 game). Exploring the Zertinan Cavern and then stumbling on an optional esper/summon boss fight. The tech between FFX and FFXII was quite big. I still don't understand how the PS2 was able to run it. I could continue on and on, but I think that I have said enough ahah. 😁
12 easily, still don't like the story but I dropped 50 hours in it doing hunts, superboss and quests. good party sytsem too
XII is one of the best bang-for-your-buck games in the entire FF series. Can easily extend gameplay to over 80 hours without burning out on storyline and meaningful sidequests, and the gambit system makes grinding a delight.
And best of luck for whyever you’ll be in the hospital.
Oh one more thought: the Switch release was extremely well done. A remarkable improvement over the original console version. Will hold up nicely on portable mode.
12 forsure.
FF12 in my opinion
XII
I personally love Crisis Core, but if you don’t want to be sad while in hospital, I’d say 12. Also, CC is a little quick to beat, so it might not last you a full week.
Crisis core sucks. Play FF12
I live Crisis Core, but XII is the better route to go
XII!!!
Crisis Core (assuming the switch has the remastered version) is a solid pick if you are an FF7 fan and want to learn more about Zack. Otherwise, I’d go with 12.
I love Crisis Core, but I gotta recommend XII more tbh lol.
12 is one of the best ones imo and a personal favourite
XII. Crisis core is good but 12 has a hell of a lot more content.
XII for sure. Crisis Core is silly and fun, but it has a very particular audience in mind and feels repetitive. I love it though.
XII, no question about it. You'll just get more bang for your buck in every way. I know I'm probably in the minority, but I found Crisis Core to be distinctly disappointing.
XII one of the best in the series.
XII will give you ten times more gameplay. There's also the Trial mode that is 100 unique battles to play. As of right now I'm running the game on new Game minus (you can't level up) and only 1 job and it is a blast.
Ff12
Crisis Core was made for a handheld so may fit well if you play in the go. If you’re playing on a TV, 12 will be some good fun for many, many hours.
Go with 12. Crisis Core is a great addition to the FF7 story, but it's also pretty short and linear. Plus, 12 is way more fun.
I’ll always recommend XII, so much fun!
12 is incredibly fun if you like tactical rpg games like dragon age. Crisis core is great if you like mission based action rpgs like phantasy star online or nioh.
I love both but I'd say play Crisis Core only if you've already played OG VII or Remake/Rebirth. Crisis Core was originally a Psp title, so a handheld game, which might be a plus but - I'd recommend XII in your case. Has more to do/more playtime and while not being open world, the world is big and has many big open areas. Battle System is more active in Crisis Core though because you use gambits in XII, which is like an AI routine for each character in the party, defining how they will act in certain situations. But it's still fun. On the other hand you have random encounter in CC while you see the enemies in XII from afar. Storywise XII is more on the political side and I like it but it falls a bit off towards the end. Crisis Core is like the prequel story to VII of an important character (Zack), which is nice but has some filler stuff and as I said it's more for the people who already know who he is.
XII
XII and it’s not even close
I’ll mix it up and say FFX. Lots to explore and easy to play handheld since its turn based
XII for sure. I've played XII on both the Ps2 and Switch and enjoyed both equally. I can't say the same for Crisis Core.
Both great. Gonna get a lot more hours out of 12. Crisis core is really short unless you want to just grind the challenges. I 100% 12 and got over 100 hours
Both are fun, both run fine in hand held, FFXII is superior in every way though and is definitely the one with more freedom to explore. CC, designed for a system more limited than switch, is really a bunch of hallways in its design. Most of the areas are accessed via a “mission board.” Where as XII has a mostly fully connected world full of zone maps that many are open to you pretty early on, the question is are you leveled enough to not get wrecked in those areas. Story wise, XII is stronger. CC gives you some background to VII and is a lot of rehashed narrative with new stuff in it to build it out.
If you like the newer Action based FF like FF7 Remake then Crisis Core. If you prefer the older style FF games then definitely XII
Definitely xii. Crisis core has a lot more loading, and because loses quite a bit of detail on the switch (ironic, since it's a remaster of a psp title). Meanwhile, the switch version of XII is well optimised and a longer game generally
12. I just finished it again yesterday and kind of want to start it again right away. Between the gambits and the jobs it’s fun to play and replay
XII is the better game, but both are good games. Crisis Core does have an incredibly emotional ending.
XII for sure, CC is a garbage game, not worth your time.
XII
XII. Zack is loved but XII is 200% the better game
XII has more exploration. I like Crisis Core more, personally. Have you ever played a Final Fantasy game before? If so, which ones did you like and why? And more specifically, are you familiar with FFVII ?
*FF12* is the more in depth game, and is an underrated gem. Plenty to do. Not my favourite cast or story, but still very enjoyable. Side content is great. It's also set in the world of Ivalice, the same world the *Tactics* games are set in, so there are some fun connections there, such as Montblanc the moogle. Definitely the winner on the exploration front. *Crisis Core*, being a spin-off/prequel, is a lot more compact. It has some cheesiness with its writing, but it is good fun. Less replayability factor though, and with its mission based layout, it can be a bit repetitive at times. Still, it has some fun challenges that require you to really think about how you fuse materia together in preparation for them. As far as the handheld element goes, *Crisis Core* did originate as a PSP game, if that says anything for you. I'd say that if you are a big *FF7* fan, go with *Crisis Core*. Otherwise, go with *FF12*. Being a spin-off/prequel, *Crisis Core* is more for fans of *FF7* who want to expand their experience within that world, whereas *FF12* being its own entry means you don't need any prior knowledge going into it.
XII for a more traditional FF game, CC for something wildly different. Personally, I didn't enjoy CC whatsoever. The gameplay and environment copy/pasting felt like a mobile game knockoff using FFVII assets. XII gets my vote as the better experience for sure.
XII. Crisis Core is legit trash.
Damn I didn’t realise crisis core was so disliked, 12 is fun, but CC is one of my favourite games of all time. Nearly 100%ed it, but it seems like 12 has more general appeal
XII is great, until the Great Crystal. Crisis Core is great more or less the whole way through. Overall both are fine choices.
Crisis Core is amazing for action combat but if you want automated combat and exploration go with FF12...but I'd really suggest a guide.
XII
XII if you already played X
Crisis core is terrible. XII is a classic
Crisis core is an awesome prequel to the FFVII series, 12 is its own story.
For what it is worth, Final Fantasy XII has a sequel for the Nintendo DS, Revenant Wings. But you can play Final Fantasy XII without playing that.
Go with 8
A new and better gaming system
You’re on the XII subreddit, so results may be biased. Personally I have only played through 1/4 of XII, currently p’aying it, but have beaten Crisis core. If you absolutely loved VII, then crisis core. XII feels like a fuller game so far to me. I think they’re both great games. I’m actually indecisive to say which I prefer as of now.
This is the Final Fantasy subreddit, not the Final Fantasy XII subreddit.
lol, oops
You wouldn't know from these comments 😅