Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy XII were the only two single-player games in the series to appear on the Playstation 2. At five years apart, these classic role-playing games couldn’t be any more different in spite of being from the same popular Final Fantasy series. So which one is better? Let’s compare Final Fantasy X with Final Fantasy XII.
Graphics
Advantage: Final Fantasy XII
For most of the lifespan of the Playstation 2, Final Fantasy X was the best looking role-playing game on the system. The beautiful environments and detailed character models were unmatched of years.
The five year gap really made the difference for Final Fantasy XII. As good as Final Fantasy X looks, Final Fantasy XII is significantly better. If you are looking for a game that will show off the power of the Playstation 2, you can’t do any wrong with Final Fantasy XII.
Story
Advantage: Final Fantasy X
Final Fantasy X is the most story-driven game in the series. For that reason, you got an engrossing adventure with well-developed characters. You will have a hard time finding a better story in the role-playing genre than Final Fantasy X.
Final Fantasy XII has an equally as engrossing tale as Final Fantasy X. However, bad pacing and slow development really hurts it. The story of Final Fantasy XII never quite grabs you and pulls you in.
Characters
Advantage: Final Fantasy X
Because of its heavy emphasis on storytelling, Final Fantasy X has plenty of memorable characters. Tidus, Yuna, Auron, Riku and Lulu are among the most popular Final Fantasy characters.
In contrast, Final Fantasy XII has barely any memorable characters. This is because they get so little development time except for Ashe and Basch. Even then, both aren’t in the same league of popularity as the characters in Final Fantasy X.
Setting
Advantage: Final Fantasy X
The world of Spira in Final Fantasy X is beautiful with its mix of water-filled environments with high-tech buildings. You will truly feel like traveling across an exotic land.
Final Fantasy XII’s world of Ivalice feels less original. The reason for why is because the medieval steam punk setting has been used in other games before, mainly Final Fantasy Tactics and Vagrant Story.
Dungeon Exploration
Advantage: Final Fantasy XII
The dungeons in Final Fantasy X are very linear. You barely get the chance to stray off the path and explore on your own as the game will be constantly pushing you forward to the next story point.
Final Fantasy XII’s dungeons are massive and full of multiple paths. You can spend hours off the main path to explore one intriguing and mysterious area after another. Final Fantasy XII is easily better than Final Fantasy X in terms of dungeon exploration.
Combat System
Advantage: Final Fantasy X
Final Fantasy X got rid of the Active Time Battle system the series is known for a more traditional turn-based one. Timing still plays a great role in Final Fantasy X, however, as you still need to strategize based of when the enemy’s turn is up next.
Final Fantasy XII marks the return of the Active Time Battle system and may be the most streamlined iteration yet. Similar to Final Fantasy XI, players attack automatically. In addition, they can set AI for all the other actions. The hands-off experience does not sit well with many gamers who wanted more direct control. Thus, despite getting rid of random encounters, Final Fantasy XII’s battle system isn’t as well renowned as the one found in Final Fantasy X.
Length
Advantage: Final Fantasy XII
Final Fantasy X is constantly pushing you towards your goal, thus you can beat the game fairly quickly for a role-playing title. Although Final Fantasy X has some secrets, most of them are so frustrating that they aren’t worth trying.
Even if you run straight through, Final Fantasy XII is longer than Final Fantasy X. Add in numerous side-quests and you get one of the most content-rich games on the Playstation 2. Don’t be surprised if you ended up spending hundreds of hours with Final Fantasy XII.
Overall
Advantage: Final Fantasy X
Even though you can’t go wrong with either Playstation 2 game, Final Fantasy X edges Final Fantasy XII due to a more engrossing story and arguably better combat system.
