Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings for the DS is the sequel to Final Fantasy XII for the Playstation 2, set a year later, when the protagonists have become inexplicably more adorable.
Revenant Wings doesn't fit snugly in any genre, but it plays quite a bit like a real-time strategy game, especially a cute one like Pikmin. You have a number of leaders, who can summon a wide selection of cute little monsters to lead into battle. You direct each squadron, telling them where to go and whom to attack. Once the fighting gets furious, it can be a challenge to send individual units at individual bad guys, so your success relies more on top-level decisions than micromanagement.
Each leader has a set of powers, predetermined by the character's level. You can assign each character a "gambit," which just indicates which power they should use at every opportunity. You can also tell them to use non-gambit powers in battle, which can get exciting when all hell is breaking loose.
This system works just fine; in particular the integration of the stylus is smooth and natural. It could be just a bit more compelling, though. It doesn't quite have the Pavlovian appeal of the older "Fight/Magic/Item/Run" menus, nor the strategic intricacy of the turn-based tactics games. Still, the novelty is not to be underestimated.
There's a story here, of course, and it's the now-familiar mix of mystery characters, major threats, and dorm-room existential musings. The characters are particularly well-drawn, though, from the treasure-hungry Filo to the detached know-it-all Tomaj.
If you've got a DS, you like RPGs, and you don't mind trying something new, there's really no reason not to pick up Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings. It's a solid chapter in a classic franchise.
–Lore Sjoberg
WIRED Strong all around, from story to art to gameplay
TIRED Nothing stands out as particularly brilliant
Price/maker: $40, Square Enix
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