Final Fantasy. Those two words used to conjure up gaming excellence in the minds on thousands of gameplayers around the world. The game got so popular in Japan, that the government asked Square to release FF 7 on a weekend, so kids wouldn't ditch class to run out and buy the game, and then not show up for the next week of classes.
The request turned out to be well-founded, as the game became the first PS game in the US to sell a million copies, and total sales of the game in its debut week in the US exceeded the totals of any movie opening that week. However, while FF 7 brought in new fans, others faithful to the series didn't dig it as much, and 8 only served to further divide the gamers. 9 was a step in the right direction, the gameplay started to come back, but it was a bit too childish, and while Vivi the black mage was cool, having the main character be some kid with a tail just turned me off.
That brings us to FF X, which by all means has become a smashing success. It's been such a success, that Square decided to release an "International" version of the game, something they hadn't done except for in the case of FF 7. The version of the game I am reviewing is the International version, since I have a Japanese Playstation 2. It's the only way I can play the game short of borrowing someone else's machine, so if my Sphere Grid sounds different than the one you've heard about in the American version, it's because it is. Also, the International version of the game lets you play in either English or Japanese.
The story's similar to all the other FF games, but seriously, you saving the world is how they're all going to end up. The slight twist with this one is that they're sending you forward in time 1000 years. You are Tidus, a star blitzball player for the Zanarkand Abes. (I don't know how they came up with the team names.) One night during a match, something huge comes in and destroys the city. You get out, as this huge fish-like thing sucks you and your traveling companion, Auron inside. After several confusing situations, you end up on the beach of a strange land with a bunch of strange people. Here you find out about your city being destroyed 1000 years ago, and you get caught up in the pilgrimage of a young summoned girl named Yuna. Where she goes, you will follow.
For the first time in FF history, all the characters are done with voice actors. This makes for some mind-numbingly bad sequences. By and large, they're ok, but I seriously wish you could skip through the text, or shut off the voices.
The game does let you cut the people off, but the animations of them talking continue, which doesn't actually speed anything up. What's the point of that? It's like they're admitting the voices are bad. Some of the scenes you can't skip through. This is a bad thing. There are moments in every Final Fantasy game where there is just HORRID dialogue. Putting voices to that dialogue only makes it worse. I mean, that one scene with Yuna telling Tidus to laugh, and then making him laugh out loud, is the single WORST scene ever in a video game. And then they replay it in a flashback later. Brilliant. I say, keep the voice actors, but for the taunts in battle only, or make every cutscene in the game something you can skip through.
The combat system, which was a serious downer in FF8, is pretty nice. ATB is gone, and instead, you've got what amounts to a turn based version of the ATB system. Now you can figure out what your action is instead of waiting for your bar to charge up, and hoping the enemy isn't going to smack you. This is cool because now you can look and see if you can try and pull off that attack before you decide to raise your dead party member.
Effects are added by customizing your weapons with items you get off of enemies. You can make your armor ConfuseProof, or get healed once you get hit by Fire attacks. Basically, it works a lot like adding Materia into your weapon slots back in FF 7. Only difference is, this time around, your weapons don't gain anything in strengths. They all hit the same, the only differences are the number of slots they have, and the bonuses they come equipped with to start.
Towards the end of the game, some of the add-ons get downright ridiculous. For example, right now I have Rikku equipped with a weapon that will basically kill any monster that isn't Deathproof in 1 hit. Earlier in the game, Wakka was stoning everything he hit. If you're into combos, you can have one character equip a weapon with ZombieStrike, and then just cast Life or hit them with a Phoenix Down to finish the job. Basically, there are a number of ways to work a 1 or 2 hit kill onto most of the enemies in the game.
Once you do start earning that AP and gaining levels, you'll want to head onto the Sphere Grid to use your levels. Instead of gaining the stock HP + 75, Str + 3, etc. etc. stats, you determine the path your character will take in order to advance themselves. You will activate these nodes within the Sphere by using "Spheres" gained in battle. (Is your head going in circles yet?) For example, if you picked up a Power Sphere in combat, you would be able to use it on a Node you currently occupy on the grid, or one adjacent to your current position to gain that ability, say, "HP + 200" or "Str + 2".
Other Spheres will unlock locks on the grid, places bonuses in empty nodes, or allow you to jump to different, non-sequential portions of the grid. The system is kind of nice, but isn't designed with the novice RPGer in mind. Especially since, in the non-International version, you can't have two characters share the same Sphere by default. In the International version, you're able to share sphere nodes with as many characters as can hit them. Lesson to be learned: If you have to get one, get the International version. You always get more stuff. Always. It's like a Collector's Edition of the game.
Also new is the Summoning system. A bit like the Summons in FF8, you can upgrade your individual summoned helpers. You can upgrade their abilities much the same way you'd upgrade your weapons, and you can add new abilities for them in the same way. In FF8 you used their EXP, in FF X you will use spare parts. Some of the Summons look really cool, while others, like Valefor, are just a waste of time. Bahamut has one of the nicest uses of contrasting colors I've ever seen. His Overdrive move is just amazing.
Another little difference is your character's Overdrive move. In previous FF games, your charge move was always determined by how much damage you took. In FF X, you'll learn new Overdrive techniques. You can set it up to charge up once you kill an enemy, once you become affected by a Status Effect, or when a party member takes damage. Whatever seems to be happening the most.
Aside from the voices, though, the game's biggest drawback is its extreme linearity. One of my friends who tested on this, and FF8, called this the most linear FF game ever. I have to agree. You don't get a world map or anything until JUST BEFORE the final battle. (I mean JUST BEFORE. You reach the final boss and can either choose to fight him, or explore new places.) So, basically, pretty much anything you wanted to go back and check out, you don't really have the option of doing for a good 35-40 hours. Odds are, once you get to those new places once you can finally move about on your own, you will find yourself woefully underpowered and overmatched with the monsters there.
As usual with an FF game, the graphics are insanely good, they just need to work on that lip-sync thing a bit more. The character designs are all right, though watching Auron dangle his wrist does get fairly annoying throughout the course of the game. None of the characters are useless, like oh say, Cait Sith from FF7. (Although Kimahri does come close.) Sound is all right, but you get the feeling you've heard much of this before. My favorite track of the bunch so far is the music in Zanarkand, which is a remix of a familiar FF track.
If you haven't bought this already, pick up a copy, and if you have a Japanese PS2/Universal station, get the International version. With at least 40-45 hours of gameplay, you may get a little tired of the battles, but the game itself is enjoyable enough for you the journey to be pleasant all the way along. This is what you should expect from your $50. Either owing to the game's rampant popularity, or the fact that they're hurting for cash and don't have time to design something entirely new, this is the first FF that will have a TRUE sequel minus some characters, plus some guns, and minus a lot of Yuna's clothes.
Anyway, if the gamer in your life hasn't played this one yet, you might want to find 'em a cheap copy on Ebay, and show 'em some love this wintertime.
