Another welcome addition to Final Fantasy XII is its "Gambit System." Previously, this system was compared to the preset AI commands of .hack or other titles with similar "character macros," but Square Enix has taken that idea to a whole new level. Using the Gambit, gamers can customize the behaviors of their partymates with an unprecedented amount of detail. In fact, you'll be able to program up to 12 separate situations that each individual character can react to and order them into a hierarchy of importance. So if, for example, you want Penelo to cast "Heal" on a teammate that's been wounded to the point of having only half their HP, and then immediately attack the nearest foe, you can do that. Or, you can get even more specific... if you want Basch to use Eye Drops only on Ashe once she's been afflicted with Blind, you can do that too. It's a pretty remarkable little system to say the least, and one that can be switched on and off with the tap of a button (for one character, two characters, or even all of them).

Though it may bother micromanagers, Gambits can be lifesavers in most combat scenarios -- especially those that require quick reactions and a need to focus on the conflict at hand. It's also understandable if the AI-driven behavior is viewed as an instance of the game "playing itself," thereby making it less appealing for action-minded users. But while that's a totally plausible argument in theory, that doesn't make the game any fun -- and without the input of a human who can adapt to whatever situation presents itself, it would result in far too many premature deaths to make it entertaining (which is the whole point of playing a videogame in the first place). In other words, you're encouraged to use Gambits but can't fully rely on them.

One area that's not as easily forgiven, though, is the fact that there are higher level or "rare appearance" monsters that engage you when you least expect it. This means that while you're out smashing Hyenas or other inconsequential foes in the Giza Plains, for example, that a pair of ultra-powerful werewolves may show up and hand you your hairless pelt in just a couple of hits. This can and does happen with a startling bit of frequency too, so unless you're paying attention to the battlefield at all times and are understanding of the target icons and what they mean (blue targets are easy, yellow is moderate, and red is difficult), then you can expect to die with some regularity. If you listen to all the NPC advice in the opening city of Rabanastre, however (learn and use Libra right away! It shows you enemy strengths and weaknesses), and make good use of your flee button, you'll have a much better chance of survival.

One of the most compelling additions to the Final Fantasy XII world is the advent of the License Board. Built on the same concept as FFX's Sphere Grid system, the License Board allows users to customize their characters as they level up in the exact way they see fit. The difference between the two systems, though, is that there aren't any real affinities here. FFX would start each character in specific areas of the grid and leave it up to the user to go from there; whereas FF12 puts everyone's starting point at pretty much the same spot. On a personal level, I miss the focus on "playing to strengths" that Final Fantasy X offered, but still found myself addicted to building a better fighter through the license board. Regardless, it encourages frequent fighting to earn said License Points, and since combat is one of the game's strengths, we're all for it.

Don't think that the story and battle system are all that Final Fantasy XII has to offer, though. The game's visual engine is among the best ever seen on the PlayStation 2, and the incredible amount of detail, activity, and fluidity of everything seen on the screen at once is quite a technical feat. Each and every model, down to the most obscure NPC, has an immense level of attention paid to them -- from their clothes and facial expressions, to their walking and idle animations. It's truly an impressive sight.