Expect These Final Fantasy XII HD Changes

A Final Fantasy XII HD Remaster was a fairly safe prediction to make, given the success of Square Enix’s other PS2-to-current remasters. There’s another simple thing we can see here as well: FFXII HD will be a remaster of the game’s “International Version,” called Final Fantasy XII International: Zodiac Job System.

Take a look at Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy X-2, Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts II, and Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep. All of them received International Version (FF) or Final Mix (KH) re-releases that were kept out of North America, and all of them used their updated versions as foundations in HD remasters. It’s not hard to see where this trend is pointing.

It will be a huge shock if Final Fantasy XII HD stands against the constant pattern. So what’s in that Zodiac Job System release I spoke of? Well, conveniently, I’ve played that game and can tell you just that.

Oh, right, and HD graphics. Duh.

As with any Final Fantasy, reception of XII was kind of divided, and such was again the case with Zodiac Job System. For me? The re-release added improvements that make it the definitive version. It’s tough for me to go back to the regular game, even though I loved it upon first play. If you also played this version of FFXII, share your own thoughts.

If you’re like the vast majority of non-Japanese FF fans and have not played FFXII: Zodiac Job System, however, then get ready to see a lot of fundamental changes when you play Final Fantasy XII HD Remaster. There’s no official announcement, but I’d bet this is probably the version we’re getting. Perhaps it’ll be like FFX, which included the Expert Sphere Grid but also allowed players to turn it off? I suppose time will tell.

More Final Fantasy:

Final fantasy XII International

Double Speed Option

With the touch of a button, you can run and fight at twice the speed. That's a player-friendly quality of life update right there. There's also a New Game + and New Game -, the latter of which allows you to play without the characters gaining experience. Hard core modes for hard core players.
Job Classes

The name "Zodiac Job System" isn't just another case of a Japanese game having a word salad title. It's a direct reference to the biggest change from vanilla Final Fantasy XII.

(Screenshot from a PC emulation using an English patch. FFXII International: Zodiac Job System is officially only in Japanese. The re-release added English voices, but not text.)
Job Classes (continued)

These job class choices are permanent -- you pick when you get the character, there can only be a max of one character per job class, and there is no going back. Each job has its own custom license board with unique abilities and progression possibilities. This leads to...
Better License Boards

In regular FFXII, you could see what was right next to an opened space on the license board, but in ZJS, you can see what every space on the board will become, meaning you can plan further in advance where you'd like to take your character development.
Control Guest Characters

New to this version, you can control guest characters -- even make them your leader if you want to. You can edit their gambits, so they're not acting in their own pre-programmed ways, but doing what you would do. Oh, speaking of Gambits...
New Gambits, and All Unlocked Quick

All Gambits become available for purchase at once, fairly early in the story, whereas they came much more gradually in vanilla XII. As well, there are 16 new gambits to make your team more customized than before.
Control summons

You can take control of summoned monsters now.
Final Fantasy XII International: Zodiac Job System

The original PS2 box art.

This game was only released in Japan. Other Square Enix remasters have used the updated versions every time there's been one to draw from, so I predict this time will be no different.
Your Own Adventure

With added Gambits and the job system, your playthrough is much more your own than in the regular edition of the game. Want Fran to shoot guns? Sure. Think Vaan is more suited to a White Mage than a Knight? Go for it.
Dat Job System

I asked a game shop to give me a poster with this picture, but FFXII Int: ZJS was still new at the time, so they wouldn't give it up. This is just here because I like the image.