guys i have an update for the English-localized version of FF12. i got this from the demo reports that was included in Dragon Quest VIII. note that the English version of FFXII may vary from the Japanese version.

A.) FINAL FANTASY XII staff
concept: Yasumi Matsuno (Final Fantasy Tactics, Vagrant Story)
director: Hiroyuki Ito (Final Fantasy IX, Final Fantasy VIII, etc) and Hiroshi Minagawa
character design: Akihiko Yoshida (Final Fantasy Tactics, Vagrant Story)
music: Hitoshi Sakimoto (Final Fantasy Tactics, Vagrant Story, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance)
executive producer: Akitoshi Kawazu (Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, Legend of Mana)
main theme: "Symphonic Poem ~ Hope" by Taro Hakase
Final Fantasy XII theme song: "Kiss Me Good-Bye" by Angela Aki (composed by Nobuo Uematsu)

B.) FINAL FANTASY XII release
Japanese release date: March 16, 2006
NA release date: October 2006
EU and Australian release date: TBA (2006 also)

C.) FINAL FANTASY XII rating
Famitsu rating: 40/40 (perfect)
*first Final Fantasy title to achieve perfect score, 2nd Yasumi Matsuno title to achieve perfect score (after Vagrant Story), and 6th title overall in gaming history to achieve perfect score.

D.) FINAL FANTASY XII gameplay details
- combat takes place on the same screen as exploration screen. there is no transition from exploration to combat.
- monsters can be seen on the field.
- random encounters aren't eliminated. there will be some ambushes, back attacks, etc.
- same music that plays on field will be the music on combat.
- the "Victory!" music still plays after defeating monsters and/or bosses or clearing dungeons/quests.
- there are three party members that can participate in a battle at any one time.
- 5 basic commands in the Command Menu - Attack; Magic; Mist Cart.; Gambit; Item.
- Chocobos, as usual, can be ridden. however, they have a duration and will return to where they were hired after that duration. while on the Chocobo, monsters cannot attack you.
- in reference to Final Fantasy IX, a mysterious phenomenon called "Mist" envelops the entire world, resulting in the use of airships, summons, and magic.

E.) FINAL FANTASY XII graphics
- the game only utilizes half the polygons of Final Fantasy X (resulting in relatively blockier character models) in exchange for more advanced lighting effects and improved, highly-detailed textures.
- more FMV time; improved FMV animation.

F.) FINAL FANTASY XII combat
- combat utilizes "Active Dimension Battle". after selecting a command, there is a delay in actually performing it, much like in Final Fantasy X-2. this is called the "Wait Time", and Item is the only instantaneous command. a normal attack may cost up to 2 seconds, a powerful third-tier elemental spell (like Firaga for example) may take about 6 seconds; the Wait Time varies for the command selected.
- you can cancel the command by selecting another command during the previous command's Wait Time.
- as well as encountering monsters you can now encounter fighting NPCs in the field--remember Diablo II: Lord of Destruction at Act V? you can receive items from them as well.
- there is no money reward from defeating enemies. money can be gained by selling loot to shops (like Ragnarok Online). selling specific items in a specific amount can also unlock rare items from these shops.
- when a character kills a certain monster for a fixed number, the character will acquire improved attack power against that monster in the succeeding battles.
- the party is grouped into three: Leader, which is you; the Party; and the Guest character, which cannot be controlled if you are the Leader. the Guest character is not permanent and will stay until his/her part in the story is fulfilled. the Party is controlled by AI and can be set with commands (more on this later), kinda like Star Ocean 3. the Guest character can be commanded only if you are not the Leader and instead choose to use it.
- the party members can be switched anytime. in the event of an annihilated party, you can switch the entire dead party with the inactive members. Guest characters cannot be substituted.
- EXP and LP are earned after a battle.
- save points are called Save Crystals. these are blue, and will replenish HP/MP and will remove all status effects when touched.

G.) FINAL FANTASY XII ability system
- if FFVII has the Materia, VIII has the Junction, IX has the Stones, and X has the Sphere Grid, XII this time has the "License" system. it looks like a chess board with a larger number of squares, white and black.
- like the Sphere Grid, your character will start at TWO certain point in the board, and will access the next squares as he/she gains enough LP (License Points), similar to the previous FF AP (Ability Points), required to learn abilities.
- each square has corresponding, certain abilities that the characters can learn.
- the reason that the character starts at TWO points is because the License Board is divided into two parts: the upper, and the lower. the upper contains the abilities like stats-raising abilities and active abilities, while the lower is for the learning of equipment and weapons.
- a square cannot be activated when there is no adjacent square activated.

H.) FINAL FANTASY XII magic
- there is a clear division of magic in XII: White Magic, Black Magic, Green Magic, Time Magic, and Arcane Magic.
- White Magic is the usual curative spells, like Curaga and Full-Life. Holy, an attack spell, is still White Magic.
- Black Magic is the usual attack and elemental spells like Fira and Aero.
- Green Magic contains spells that were once domain of White Magic, consisting of status magic like Protect and Sleep.
- Time Magic are those spells that alter target's time, like Haste, Slow, Stop, etc.
- Arcane Magic, the most powerful of all, were once those of Black Magic, causing much powerful status ailments, drain HP/MP, non-elemental attack spells, and gravity spells like Demi.

I.) FINAL FANTASY XII special feature: Mist Cartridge
- Mist Cartridge is the "Mist Cart." command in the Command Menu.
- depending on the character this command accesses either "Mist Knacks" or "Espers". (note: "Mist Knack" is a rough translation of the Japanese version; it may be renamed in the commercial NA release.)
- Mist Knacks are FFXII's Limit Break system.
- Mist Knacks can be learned by progressing to squares on the License Board that contain Mist Knacks. Mist Knacks are specific for one character, and are divided into different levels which correspond to the amount of MP used to perform it. initially, the first Mist Knack learned costs full MP but this will be reduced as newer Mist Knacks are learned, which, this time around, cost full MP.
- Espers are the "summons" of FFXII, in an obvious nod to FFVI.
- Espers can be gained by defeating them. then a character must sign a pact with the Esper, and the character who has signed a pact with it will be the only one who can summon it.
- like in FFX, the Esper, when summoned, becomes an active participant in the battle. however, unlike FFX, you cannot control the Esper and is instead controlled by AI; you can however aid it with items and/or magic. the Esper also has an active duration.
- the summoner's "Summon" command will be replaced by a "Dismiss" command when the Esper is active. if however the summoner does not dismiss the Esper and its time has run out, it will "boost", or insert itself in the turn phase, and will execute a powerful signature attack before leaving.
- see below for the list of FFXII Espers.

J.) FINAL FANTASY XII Gambit system
- the Gambit system is like a macro for the PS2, a set of commands that you will set on Party members that will enable them to react in different, varying conditions.
- the Gambit will feature two components: an action, and a target.
- each character has twelve Gambit slots. each slot can be occupied by a Gambit command, e.g. "Cure Party Leader".

K.) FINAL FANTASY XII Espers
- sorry, no Bahamut, Shiva or Ifrit. (T_T)
1.) Adrammelech (Thunder attack)
2.) Belias (Fire attack)
3.) Chaos (Wind attack)
4.) Exdeath (Magic attack)
5.) Famfrit (Water attack)
6.) Hashmalim (Earth attack)
7.) Mateus (Ice attack)
8.) Queklain (Poison attack)
9.) Shumihaza (Soul attack)
10.) Ultima (Holy attack)
11.) Zalera (Death attack)
12.) Zeromus (Gravity attack)
13.) Zodiac (Shadow attack)

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info taken from:
GameSpot
Wikipedia
FFXII US official site