Overview

Enter the Playstation. When Sony first forayed itself into the videogame world, no one ever expected the electronic giant to have the same impact that it had already had on the rest of the multimedia world. After five years of steady competition with Sega and Nintendo for bragging rights in the videogame world, Sony's adventurous PS-One eventually propelled itself as the king of the videogame consoles. One of the largest, and most successful, contributors to Sony's victory was a company known then as SquareSoft. In 1997, Square's Final Fantasy VII was essentially the title that gave Sony the competitive edge over its competition, due largely in part to the fact that Sony and Square had exclusive rights to one another. In 1999 Square released Final Fantasy VIII and Final Fantasy IX in 2000 on Sony's flagship console and from then on it was expected that Square would release a big hit for Sony each year. But, as technology moved into the 21st century, it was only a matter of time before videogames did as well. Enter the PS2. When Sony announced the PS2 project, every gamer in the world waited in anticipation for what was expected to be the next big thing in next-generation gaming. A plethora of titles had every gamer drooling and the mere fantasies of what to expect on the new machine were endless. For fans of Square's long-running Final Fantasy series, the expectations were great. Enter the next-generation of Final Fantasy. Nothing about Square's first Final Fantasy project for the PS2 was kept quiet. At every available opportunity, any glimpse or information about the game was likely going to be leaked out. Before it was ever released in stores, Final Fantasy for the PS2 was assured to be a hit. And in 2001, nearly 15 years and four generations of consoles since the original release of Final Fantasy, the world was introduced to the tenth instalment of the legendary series, Final Fantasy X.

Body

Story - 1000 years ago, a great war was waged in the land of Spira. The destruction and chaos of the war spawned an evil known only as Sin, whose only goal was to further devastate Spira and all of its people. For a millennia, Sin's terror would only be opposed by those with the skill and bravery enough to end Spira's suffering. These potential heroes were known as summoners, citizens of Spira with the ability to call forth the powers of legendary summon monsters in an effort to gain strength and courage to eventually call upon the Final Summoning, the only means of defeating Sin. However, the Final Summoning never seemed to completely eradicate Sin, and within several years, "The Calm" of Spira vanished and Sin's rampage of destruction would soon ravage Spira again.

Ten years ago, it seemed as if the High Summoner Braska brought about a new Calm to Spira, but the price paid was very high. Regardless, Spira's new Calm continued unwavering for a long, peaceful time.

In the large city known as Zanarkand, a sporting event known as Blitzball is ready to begin. A large dome is seemingly filled with water and two opposing teams confront each other in a duel of Blitzball. It seems as if everyone has their eyes set on a prodigy, the son of a famous Blitzball player before him. His name is Tidus and he fully recognizes the eyes that are on him. But before the game can reach a conclusion, a terrifying force makes its presence known. Caught in all the turmoil that has suddenly enraptured Zanarkand, Tidus is thrown into battle against this foe. Along with the help of man named Auron, who seems to know Tidus, the two engage in combat, but before a clear victor is assigned, Tidus is plunged into a strange new world in which he knows nothing about. Tidus' journey, however, is just the beginning of the epic role he will play in the future of Spira.

Graphics - From the opening credits, you'll discover that Square and Sony have spared no expense in making sure that Final Fantasy X is the best looking game on the PS2. And, to be honest, it's a crowning success. The characters you meet in the opening credits are nothing short of amazing. They aren't exactly CG model great, but they also aren't super-deformed, blocky, polygonal characters like their PS-One counterparts. You'll notice that each character is made to move and look as real as possible. Even the inclusion of real-time facial expressions is a bit scary, in a sense that you can't believe you're playing a video game. And though the same facial expressions seem a bit odd and funny looking at times, up to this point in videogames, nothing comes close to capturing emotions.

But as good as the real-time character models look, nothing can even compare to CG scenes. From the first CG scene in the event, you'll realize that you are definitely going to see some special things coming out of this disc. Every detail is emphasized in the CG's, from eyelashes, to clothing patterns, to ripples in the water, make no mistake that the true visual achievement of this game are the CG scenes. What's even better is that each individual scene can be replayed and seen again and again in a theatre of sorts in a later part of the game. So now you can spend hours upon hours drooling over the marvellous work the folks over at Square have done.

Not to be overshadowed by the character and CG models, however, are the background and scenery pieces. It seems as if Spira has an offering of the best of all worlds. From the refreshingly light and tropical colours of Besaid Island to the gargantuan and monotonous look of Mt. Gagazet, each place you visit in Spira has its own distinctive setting that sets it apart from the other places. Never will you feel like you're in the same place. Each town or city also has its own feel to it. Besaid Island seems more like an island resort made up of small huts and abodes, while Bevelle is home to mammoth temples and giant buildings. Like the detail given to characters, the background pieces also sport fantastic details. This is probably most evident in the Thunder Plains, where as the name suggests, you'll probably see thunder among other things. But, it's so much more than that, and after roaming your way though the Thunder Plains, you'll realize and appreciate the amount of time and detail given to make the settings come to life.

Also, the monsters, or fiends as they're known, look great and have never been more vibrant and scary-looking. The same can be said about the bosses as well. Magic spells also have a new, refreshing feel to them and after performing a magic spell, you'll feel as though you're seeing Firaga or Ultima for the first time. And the summon monsters...well, let's just say if you though that Final Fantasy VIII and Final Fantasy IX did a fantastic job then Final Fantasy X will blow you away. Everything just looks so crystal clear and Square has definitely given new life to things we may have taken for granted in previous Final Fantasy instalments.

Gameplay - Eye candy aside, it's now time to get to the meat of the game and figure out how this thing plays. Any game can look good, but how it plays ultimately effects what position you take on just how good a game is. Fortunately, Final Fantasy X plays very well, and while it isn't as good as some of its predecessors, it definitely isn't as bad as some either.

First off, Final Fantasy X supports the dual shock and analogue stick, so if you like that route its open to you. But, if you're used to some of the old classics and the D-Pad is more your flavour, that route it also open. Heck, if at any time you feel like you prefer one over the other, both are open for you to use any time, just not simultaneously.

Of course, after you get a feel of which route to take when moving Tidus along, you only know that it's a matter of time before you are thrown in...DUN, DUN, DUUUUUUUN...random battles. The Battle system feels great and often fluid, but you'll soon understand why sometimes it can annoy the heck out of you. First off, the Active Time Battle system that has been used to so much praise recently has been thrown out in favour of a Turn Based System, which means, when it's your turn to go, the small wheel on the right hand screen will indicate when it's your turn to go. This may not sit well with some and it will definitely take some getting used to, but the number of turns you'll eventually get to go in a row determines on how you build your characters, which will be elaborated on shortly. In all honesty, you probably won't ever notice the change anyway. The problem with the turn based system though, is that much of the fiends perform magic techniques and when it's their turn to go, they will use it to the fullest...almost every chance they get. This nuisance can often slow down the fast pace of the battle and can seem to drag on forever. However, the exclusion of the ATB gauge opens the door for a new feature in the battle system, actually a first in the history of Final Fantasy and it is a welcome and much needed addition.

This is, of course, the ability to swap characters in and out of battle during the actual battle. If one of your characters doesn't seem to be doing to well against a certain foe, there is a simple solution for that. By pressing the R1 button, you can cycle through a wheel of characters in your party to replace one of your active members in battle. What's even greater about this new function is that as long as any one of your party members gets an attack in on an enemy during battle, he/she will be awarded the full levelling up rewards at the end of the battle. In essence, each one of your characters can earn the full levelling up benefits in every battle, which in turn means you won't ever have to keep going through a menu to change party members when you want to level up, which in turn means several hours cut down getting everyone to the same level. The character swap is a great addition, and it wouldn't surprise me if this were to become a staple for the future of Final Fantasy.

Now then, speaking of levelling up Final Fantasy X offers a somewhat different approach to the idea of levelling up. Rather than continuously battle for hours upon hours getting every character to level 99, those battles will instead level up each characters sphere level (up to 99) in which you can use that characters sphere level to further improve your party members on the new sphere grid. The grid itself is a large map of sorts containing certain open slots that have abilities such as magic spells, strength up, HP up, and the sort. Basically, the sphere grid is your own way of customizing how you want each character to be. Each individual character starts off on a certain area of the grid in an area that pertains the most to his/her own skills, but when you begin to upgrade your characters, the route you can go is endless. The sphere grid offers a fresh new approach to levelling up and has a pleasant combination of new age formats and old school approaches like the job class system. It can take some getting used to and there are spots on the grid that require certain items and functions that can get frustrating at times, but it is a new and refreshing approach to a classic custom.

Missing from Final Fantasy X is the inclusion of an overworld. Instead, transportation to your desired location is performed automatically by gameplay continuity or by selecting a location from a menu. It seems odd that an overworld is missing and faithful followers might look at this exclusion in a negative light. Make no mistake though; Chocobo's are still around for transport!!!

Sound / Music - Final Fantasy X offers the most comprehensive sound during its initial release. In addition to the customary effects like Chocobo's, magic spells, and such, everything just seems to have been taken to a larger epic scale. Waves, thunder, and rain drops are just a few of the small minor things that really make the sound stand out.

Of course, most of the success of the sound is also dependent on the inclusion of full voice acting and dialogue. I'd venture to say that a little more than half of the dialogue in the game is spoken, and personally, that's a good thing. By doing this, Square is making it known that Final Fantasy is more than just a videogame...it's more an interactive film. Japanese and American voice acting techniques aside, much of the English dialogue in Final Fantasy X is good. While more of the awkward voice moments come from the game's two protagonists, Tidus and Yuna (whose voices at times seemed rushed, forced, or simply out of place), the other supporting characters actually have great voice actors such as Auron and Lulu. Beyond the primary characters, there are also a plethora of background characters and the depth and variety of voices is quite deep.

Final Fantasy is also not truly Final Fantasy without the musical talents of one Nobuo Uematsu. With the help of Masashi Hamauzu and Junya Nakano, Uematsu definitely tries to turn the music into something epic. Using tried and true formulas and even some new experimentations, the music of Final Fantasy X definitely tries to live up to previous standards. At the beginning, you'll be treated to some of those new experiments with a heavy metal song, a first for the Final Fantasy series, but from there, much of the music seems to waver back and forth between trying to tell a story and trying to be something different. Final Fantasy X also continues the recent trend of Final Fantasy games containing a main theme with "Suteki da Ne" (Isn't Life Beautiful) as its theme. It truly is a beautiful song and has many different arrangements of it throughout the course of the game. The opening "To Zanarkand" is also a beautiful piano piece and also sees itself in many different versions throughout. Perhaps the most consistent of the tracks are the "Song of Prayer" tracks. These short, simple tunes, more than any other track, accurately depict the mood and feel of the events in the game. And yes, also returning is a nice new arrangement of the classic Chocobo theme. In any event, the music in Final Fantasy X definitely has the epic feel to it, but isn't nearly as great as Final Fantasy VI, Final Fantasy VII, or even Final Fantasy VIII before it, but it certainly has enough merit to stand on its own as a good soundtrack.

Enjoyment - RPG's and Final Fantasy games are generally something you either like to play or don't. Assuming you do, Final Fantasy X is a definite masterpiece and perhaps the best RPG to date available on the PS2. Like most Final Fantasies, when you start up things seems slow and seem to drag on forever (as you learn to play the game). And, in the case of Final Fantasy X, things really aren't that different. Only difference is, Final Fantasy X offers a new perspective and a new look and you'd be foolish to not just sit back and enjoy the visual feast that your eyes are going to enjoy. If for anything alone, the visuals should keep you intact. However, the story actually doesn't even take too long to build, and sooner than later, you'll find yourself deeply involved with the game.

Also, over at least 70 hours of playing will definitely give you something to do. The story is linear, but there are so many hidden gems throughout the world of Spira that contain interesting bits of information that pertain to the story and are definitely worth looking for. Also included are various mini-games that can take hours just to complete and the quests for ultimate weapons should also keep you playing for days.

To be honest, there aren't very many games that can keep your interest for so long. Final Fantasy X, however, happens to be one of those games that you never want to put down. Enjoyable probably doesn't even begin to describe the fun you'll have playing Final Fantasy X.

Summary

The PS2's bold hit is a new venture for Square. For years it had dominated Sony's previous game console and it was only a matter of time before it conquered Sony's next. However, Final Fantasy X represents a change in the scope of Final Fantasy history. The mere inclusion of voice acting alone emphasized Square's vision of the Final Fantasy series being more than just a game. Clearly, such titles as Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy VIII are epic in adventure, but it is evident that Final Fantasy X is epic in every imaginable way possible - production, advertising, and playing. The changes are subtle and perhaps only the most hardcore of Final Fantasy fans will realize the significance of this change, but make no mistake, this is Final Fantasy in its purest form and this is Final Fantasy in top form. History or not, fans of Final Fantasy will definitely not be disappointed and you'd be hard pressed to find a better game on the PS2 than this one.

Story - Deeper than any recent Final Fantasy, the insane amounts of plot twists will keep you wondering and guessing all the way to the very end...literally. In between the main storyline, there are also developing stories for important key characters. This alone adds so much more depth and meaning to an already deep and rich storyline. (10/10)

Graphics - Fantastic visuals in capturing all the environments. The colours are either bright and emphatic or dark and brooding, which is a good thing. The only problem I have is that at times, things seem too dark or too bright and seem out of place in the context of the overall storyline. The character models are splendid, even though at times graphical deformities occur, though probably due in part to disc capabilities. The CG's, however, more than make up for it and are absolutely the best on any console to date. Finding a game that looks as good as Final Fantasy X is an unenviable task. (9.5/10)

Gameplay - Though not much seems new, perhaps the most revolutionary feature added was the in-battle character swap. Something like this has been needed in Final Fantasy for a long time and perhaps it was ideal that it be introduced to the Final Fantasy series on the PS2. Of course, the new Sphere Grid takes adjustment to get used to, perhaps more so than any previous Final Fantasy game, and can definitely be frustrating and sometimes exceeds below expectations. (9/10)

Sound - The voice acting, for the most part, is consistent and is nothing really earth-shattering. However, at the critical moments when much more is expected from the voice acting, there are huge letdowns. Beyond the voice acting, much of the sound effects really doesn't scream revolution and seem to just be epic versions of their PS-One counterparts. The effort made to include every minor detail possible was greatly appreciated though. (8.5/10)

Music - Though not as great as previous Final Fantasy instalments, the music of Final Fantasy X does have its great shining moments. The opening and ending themes are spectacular and the main theme, "Suteki da Ne" is outstanding. Though some of the experimental tracks fail miserably in this setting (most notably the metal track "Otherworld") the majority of the music is form fitting and are definitely great backdrops for the epic story. (9.5/10)

Enjoyment - Considering you can complete everything in one sitting (and I mean everything) Final Fantasy X doesn't really have much replay factor unless you simply want to relive your favorite moments again. However, considering that Final Fantasy X is so vast and detailed, you'd probably be playing a VERY long time just to complete everything. That challenge alone makes the game more fun and enjoyable. The story should have you intrigued enough, but if not, the insane number of side-quests and mini-games are all there at your disposal. (9.5/10)

Percentage Overall Score: 93%