I played thru 12 again, on the Switch.

[Taco-Calamitous]

The last time I played it was in 2007, I think, while I was working in Yellowstone. That's a long-ass time ago.

I didn't do hardly any of the hunts, or get any of the optional espers, the first time I played, so I wanted to do all that stuff this time. But Animal Crossing was coming out today, and I still needed to get Ultima, Zodiark, go down in to the "Unknown" level of the Subterra, and do a bunch of hunts that I didn't realize I hadn't done... so I was just like "fuck it" and beat the game yesterday, at like level 80, so it wasn't a challenge at all.

I DID beat Gilgamesh this time. I had watched one of my friends playing the part with him, and I was like, "Whoah, Bender was in this game?" So I wanted to get to him. But man, he was a bitch. Probably didn't help that I kept on trying to fight him with the game sped up, lolol (I spent the majority of the game like that). The last Esper I got was Chaos, and the last hunt I did was Ixion. Those two fights were also annoying. Also, the traps on the ground everywhere where they both were was annoying. And I looked at what I'd have to do to get to Ultima, and I was like "Nope." Maybe I'll go back and try those things at a later date. I'm not really a completionist, tho. I play games while they're fun/cathartic for me to play, and if they stop being fun, I kinda stop playing them.

But yeah, still a fun game, with a cool fantasy setting/aesthetic. Love the moogles now, 12/13 years later. Also don't mind Vaan anymore. When this first came out, I resented that they added him on to appeal to Japanese kids or whatever, but now, I'm just like, "eh." I just ignored Penelo and him once I didn't have to use them anymore. Balthier is still the best part of this game, though I also have a greater appreciation for Fran this time, I think (though I never used her. She had a lower level than Vaan and Penelo, lol...)

What about Ashe and Basch, tho? A closer examination of them, they were kinda one-dimensional, tbh. Ashe was all like "I got to do this thing!" and was determined, angry, and mopey a lot. Basch was all like "I am Honorable Warrior Guy," and endured all the shit he had to go through stoically. He was cool, but yeah. Vaan kinda had more personality and dimensions than they did, if I'm being honest. And he apparently was added later, so...

I still really like this game. Mostly for the aesthetics. Kinda a cool war story going on in the background, too. I'm also a lazy gamer, and 80% of the time, you just have to run somewhere and kinda manage your characters while they fight, just to make sure they don't die, or whatever. That's fine with me.

[Xanatos]

I really need to replay this one, the last and only time I played this was like 8 years ago, I think. It's one of my favorite games in the series, and unlike Final Fantasy VIII really love what they did with remaster. Will most probably play it on PC, looked at some of the mods on Nexus recently and there's some really cool stuff. Mostly character wise, some of the mods make characters so vibrant by improving their faces and clothes. It will be a good opportunity to finally tackle Yiazmat as I didn't do that the first time around.