Overview

If you were to ask me which role playing game is currently setting the standard for RPG's everywhere, I would have to say Final Fantasy X. Think about a world where everything you believed in was nothing but a dream. The answers to questions you ask are merely excuses. This is the rough outline of Final Fantasy X where the main character takes the form of young Blitzball star Tidus. Although denying it adamantly he is following in his father's footsteps who, according to Tidus, left him and his mother for dust. The amazing city of Zanarkand sets the scene of the opening FMV which is extremely intense, exciting and new.

Body

Graphics - The graphics in this game make it far superior to any other game in it's genre. Not only are the FMV sequences special, but SquareSoft have managed to make simply walking around an art of it's own. What's an even more special thing is, have you ever played through a Final Fantasy and wanted to see certain FMV's again? In Final Fantasy X there is a special cinema where you can purchase the FMV's to watch till you're heart is content! I really think that this aspect of the game is an excellent idea. The graphics for this game are the best I have witnessed up to now. (10/10)

Sound - Not moving away from graphics completely but let's discuss the sound that SquareSoft have produced. In a realistic manner you can't have great graphics without great sound in a Final Fantasy, and Final Fantasy X is no exception. The music suits its environment every single time, and is never at the wrong place at the wrong time. Like the FMV purchasing system, music can also be purchased so that the player can listen to a specific melody from time to time, whenever he/she chooses. (9/10)

Gameplay - There is one flaw the game does have however, and it is something that Final Fantasy fans everywhere will be disappointed in. I am sorry to tell you that the world map in the Final Fantasy series has vanished. Final Fantasy X is literally one big story that you just have to follow through but don't get me wrong, the game's graphics and storyline outweighs the fact that there is no world map so don't fret. I have discovered that Final Fantasy X is undeniably easier to beat than any other in the series. Later on in the game you may find your characters doing damage of well over 100 or even 200 thousand hit points. Another let down to the gameplay is the showdown with the last boss that we all love. The last boss is impossible to be defeated against. Whenever a character is killed by this boss they are instantly recovered by auto-life! Maybe SquareSoft found this a good idea because there is nothing like getting to the end of a game and not being able to beat the last boss. Of course there are a series of last bosses that can be quite difficult so I suppose this makes up for it. I don't find this game taking more than a week of good gameplay to beat which is disappointing to me. After beating the game there isn't really anything to offer to entice the player to start a fresh so it has a low replay value as well. (6/10)

Replay Value - I personally did not find this a very challenging game. With the fact that I have grown up with Final Fantasy from the day I was born, literally as SquareSoft was founded in 1986, my date of birth, it doesn't possess that sense of challenge to the player. If your looking for a sense of challenge it is with the deepest sorrow that I would advise you to spend your money on a bat and ball. (4/10)

Summary

So we have a game with graphic superiority, something SquareSoft can be proud of, and something a Final Fantasy fan can be proud of. However, without a good sense of challenge, and the fact that there is no world map it really does let the game down. Of course there are two sides to every story though, but nine out of ten people I have asked about Final Fantasy X have all indicated firstly that there is no world map and secondly that it is an easy game to beat, and I have to say I agree with them. That 1 person out of the 10 though thought that the graphics and storyline was something special which I have to agree with also so I meet a crossroad. If I were to give a fan a yes or no verdict on whether to buy this game, it would be yes. Try it, you won't regret it.

Percentage Overall Score: 90%