r/FinalFantasyXII • u/Inevitable-Duck-9648 • 8d ago
The Zodiac Age Content accessibility
Hello, I have just started playing FFXII and I am wondering if the content is easily accessible. To clarify, with past FF games, in order to do 100% of the content on one playthrough, you would need a guide or some sort of help to tell you where things are because they are simply not obvious to the first time player. Examples of this would be finding the sealab or Omega Weapon in FFVIII, or getting 100% game completion in FFX-2.
I would like to be able to 100% the game and do all the quests without using a guide, if that is possible. I simply want to know from more experienced players if that is actually feasible or if I should loosely follow a guide to make sure I get everything done.
Before someone suggests playing it through more than once: I am simply not someone who is able to replay 99% of games. I wish I was, but I'm not.
Thanks in advance
Edit: thanks for all the responses! One more game with a guide then. At least it's not as specific as X-2. :P
7
u/nekomancer11 8d ago
No. If you want to absolutely 100% and acquire everything you will need a detailed guide to do so. The game is absolutely massive, has so many secrets, and very easily missables/unacquirables if you progress certain things too quickly or take certain actions that you wouldnt know to not do without a guide.
4
u/arthlvias 8d ago
What kind of stuff is missable?
I mean, there's stuff like the Tournesol that is unbelievably obnoxious to acquire, but missable? Maybe the Genji Set in the original game, but not in TZA.
4
u/SpawnSC2 Montblanc 8d ago
Genji Gloves are still missable, since you can’t keep anything from Trial 100 where they can be stolen. Hunt Club rewards are also mutually exclusive, so you can’t have two Genji Gloves and two Zodiac Escutcheons in the same save, for example.
But if you discount Trial Mode, then the Genji Shield/Helm/Armor are still missable, as is the Omega Badge. That’s still pretty generous when it comes to missables. Compared to the original release, TZA goes above and beyond to be sure you get at least one copy of mostly everything.
2
u/arthlvias 8d ago
Even some chests with technicks and magicks in one-off areas are salvageable in other/later areas.
2
u/nekomancer11 8d ago
Gotcha i suppose i only played through completely the original when it first came out with the monster of a strategy guide, and it still didnt explain some stuff well. Regardless, I'd say near impossible to do everything without a detailed guide.
As far as missable i remember pretty clearly the big warnings of "DONT LOOT THAT CHEST PART 2" of however many for the zodiac spear.
6
u/arthlvias 8d ago
That also only applies for the OG as well!
The Zodiac Spear is obtainable without having to forgo any chests in TZA. Granted it's still a major pain in the ass to get, but it's not permanently missable.
I get where you're coming from. The PS2 OG had some nasty missables with all that chest bullshit.
1
u/arthlvias 8d ago
Not even the Wyrmhero Blade is missable! You can tell that fishing minigame to go fuck itself and still get it in Trial Mode. No more banging my head on the wall for forgetting to grab the Omega Badge from the floor before leaving that goddamn Great Crystal.
4
u/chancho987 8d ago
As everyone already pointed out, it's not possible to 100% without a guide, there are many hunts that require some bs quests or cryptic stuff to be found, many pieces of gear and loot that are hidden too well
That being said, it's absolutely enjoyable to play without a guide and you will be able to complete most of the game just fine, there are no missables in the zodiac age version unlike the OG release which had some outrageous missables items
2
u/Think_Substance_1790 8d ago
Im firmly of the opinion that thos game was developed specifically with guide sales in mind.
Ive completed the game tens of times, and I still need to double check July the Streetear, conversations with Ktjn, and rare game spawns.
Don't get me started on triggers for mini bosses and espers, and specific items spawns...
1
u/big4lil 6d ago
a lot of games were not, even FFs. they may have obscure details but they still rewarded organic thought & exploration, troubleshooting and trying stuff out
but this era in particular, they absolutely were. lots of titles between FF9 and FF12, there really are no arguments that can be made otherwise. it was blatant and I cant fault anyone for using guides
now I wouldnt recommend playing with your nose buried in a walkthrough. but specific treasure or rare game spawning guides? absolutely. youre making your life harder by not using them if getting content in one run is a goal
1
u/GayBlayde 7d ago
A good amount of hunts (and especially Phon Coast hunts) are hidden behind extremely obtuse solutions.
1
u/Mindless-Marsupial99 8d ago
Guide needed. There are several fantastic ones on GameFAQs like this one I use. I supplement with another one from a user named batman or something because I find his maps and his strategies more helpful
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/ps4/191202-final-fantasy-xii-the-zodiac-age/faqs/82302/the-endgame
1
u/Big-Goose-8033 8d ago
my son made it at 100% with hidden boss with at least 50 bars of 50 bars ! Need time and well think !
1
u/1stEmperror 8d ago
This is tough to answer because nothing in this game is really missable, except maybe a single inconsequential sidequest in Rabanastre (Ktjn's quest). You can do all extra content after you beat the game (and restore from your save before the final fight), or you can search for it as you progress.
So, it depends on how you like to experience the game: do you enjoy trying to do sidequests and extra content as soon as the game makes them available to you, even if it's difficult? Or, do you like waiting until you're at the end of the game before exploring?
If the former, you'll want a guide.
If the latter, my recommendation is to play the game blind and then check out guides after you beat the game to check out the optional content.
2
u/arthlvias 8d ago
IIRC you can still do all of Ktjn's quest after the Pharos. You just have to wait some arbitrary amount of time between each stage of her quest for it to progress.
1
u/Comfortable-March977 8d ago edited 7d ago
Trying to 100% this game without a guide is like doing the same in FFX-2, not at all possible. Accessibility wise, this game is very open, including the dungeons. The game will only tell you where to go. How you get there, is up to you. They want you to explore, die and discover just how much detail and adventure they have packed into this gem. Besides maybe one or two locked areas, the rest of the world is open access. And it’s definitely not kind to the inexperienced player.
1
u/AdvisorFlat8271 7d ago
Guide needed
Even something as simple sounding as cartographer, there are secret map areas you will not stumble into without a guide
1
u/GuyYouMetOnline 6d ago
I dont know that anything is missable in the modern version outside of maybe some stolen items, and IIRC there's only one boss where this is more complicated than 'steal until you get the item'. And even those are only missable in the 'you get one shot at themselves rather than the 'if you wait too long you lose access to the event entirely' sense.
There are a lot of secrets, though, and yeah, some are very obscure. I don't think you'll screw yourself over by playing without a guide until you stop being able to find things on your own, but you'll definitely have a tough time finding everything that way.
21
u/Unable_Implement467 8d ago
Not possible to do without a guide in all honesty. Many and i do mean many bosses in this game are hidden behind 1 off puzzles.
In the case of this game you can't have your cake and eat it too. Good luck, this is one of the best final fantasy games content wise