Final Fantasy X

I rented this game today and just beat that tentacled stone boss. So far, I'm really enjoying the game and consider it to be my favorite in the series, with a just-right level of difficulty and awesome 3D boss fights, most notably that one with the jellyfish where Tidus and Rikku have to flank it.

Any thoughts?

Well, I could never bring myself to play any more than I did because I loathed the dub.

Not a problem for you, then?

Despite it not being one of the wildly popular Final Fantasies to like, I thought X was one of the better installments in the series. I loved watching Tidus' and Yuna's character growth and I thought the character and world design were both interesting and solid.

The dungeons were a bit dull, except for the Cloisters, but they were at least pretty to look at. Most Final Fantasy dungeons are dull, so it wasn't a surprise.

I found the sphere grid to be an interesting mechanic, and I really enjoyed using it. My only beef was with the illusion of choice - yes, you can take a character outside their designated path, but then they'll be "underleveled" compared to characters that were "supposed" to take that path. Kimahri is probably the biggest offender. I always take him along the thief path, so he can steal valuable spheres late in the game during a Dual Boss fight, but he's never that valuable in battle otherwise. Rikku has a similar problem, but that's more because she joins so late and doesn't get a chance to catch up.

Better than the sequel, though.

I thought the writing was fine, and the combat mechanics were not bad. The thing that bothered me was the linearity. As others have pointed out, it's essentially the Pipe Shooter of the Final Fantasy series.

On the other hand, I never used a guide, and apparently missed some aeons, so perhaps there was more leeway for control than I realized.

edited 7th Sep '09 6:46:58 AM by Desertopa

It makes a rather linear series look like a Wide-Open Sandbox. Then again, the older FFs were pretty open near the end anyway.

On the other hand, the Sphere Grid was a pretty good Elite Tweak.

edited 7th Sep '09 6:53:54 AM by Kinkajou

Great game. The world is fascinating, even though certain characters are awful. I love the streamlined battle system, and the sphere grid is addictive.

It's up there among my top 3. And I even liked the sequel too, for different reasons (much faster-paced, great battle system, rather bubbly and fun).

Don't let the Fan Dumb hear you, Cidolfas.

I liked the fact that Take a Third Option was one of the best explored themes.

Just finished the Oblitzerator boss fight. That was an amazing boss. Come on, who's fought a deranged ball serving machine before?

Ah, yes, I remember that boss. I brute forced my way through after lightning didn't work the first time. I was quite annoyed when I heard that lightning worked if you used it multiple times. (If you've fought the boss, you know what I mean.)

edited 7th Sep '09 12:28:19 PM by Ironeye

Ah, Final Fantasy X.

Let's see, I remember buying a PS 2 and getting this game and Grandia II. And I mentioned to a friend online that I was finally playing Final Fantasy X.

They response was "That game is an insult to everything that is Final Fantasy and Square is dead to me."

Gotta love the Final Fantasy Fan Dumb. I mean, I use statements like that as a seal of approval now. And I quite liked the game when I finished it, though the insane melodrama started to wear on me towards the end. I actually liked Final Fantasy X 2 better for not taking itself so damn seriously (bribing me with a Job System helped too).

I enjoyed the hell out of it. I probably played it about 20 times, and if that's an exaggeration, then it wasn't intentional. That's my official estimate.

Not my favourite game though. I just know it and the characters extremely well.

There's something about X's aesthetic that really appealed to me. Maybe it was the fact that Spira was fucking gorgeous or the quality of the soundtrack, but it just makes me wanna play through it again and again.

edited 3rd Nov '10 6:02:08 AM by Electivirus

I love the sphere grid. Gotta be the best level up system I've ever seen.

Despite this, I haven't played much of the game. Stopped just before the first Blitzball match. I should remedy that.

The less Blitzball there is in your life, the happier you'll be.

^ What he said.

I dunno; every time I play the game, I generally consider doing Blitzball... then I get to the part of the game where you can do it, and the mandatory parts frustrate me to no end.

Linearity was eh but not necessarily game breaking.

Combat was good(considering it's pretty much FF Tactics without being able to move around, screwing it up is pretty much impossible) but fighting normal enemies becomes boring near the middle. Luckily boss battles are pretty awesome.

Don't ask me about the writing, I pretty much think every mainline FF game is bad in this regard. I did like that they actually have a good explanation as to why your humans can go toe to toe with a god-like entity.

Like every other FF game the soundtrack is great.

Voice acting is pretty meh, and I'm one of the people who already acknowledge the laughing scene as intentional Narm. Especially in regards to high-summoner doormat and her......... inappropriate pauses in the middle of sentences.

edited 3rd Nov '10 11:03:21 AM by JotunofBoredom

The more Blitzball there is in your life, the happier you'll be.

Fix'd.

Excellent. I love FFX. I could play it over and over again and not get bored. X has an indescribable atmosphere which makes it so fun to play and so mystical every time you play it. It also has some of the best environments. Thunder plains, macalania woods, besaid island... set a level of fantastical immersion that few other Final Fantasies have accomplished.

The cloister trials are quite fun. The only thing I don't like is blitzball. I'd much rather just have more places to explore than even bother with that particular minigame.

edited 4th Nov '10 8:52:33 AM by Shichibukai

I really like the combat system. I like the idea of having the entire party present for the battle, and just swapping in the fighters you need. Trading characters midbattle is just...neat, and allows the characters to specialize in their own distinct abilities without having to worry about "Well, what if no one in the party is a Black Mage and then run into a threat where they need a Black Mage? Sod it, we'll give everyone magic."

I also liked Tidus a lot more than most people tend to. He seemed real to me, like someone ripped away from everything he's ever known and struggling to figure out what he's supposed to do in a world where everything right down to the gestures people use is strange and alien.

Tidus seemed like a ditz to me.

I also always ended up taking Kimahri along the thief path.

Blitzball...ehh.

The Sanctuary Keeper is a hellacious pain in the ass, and I was never able to get all of the damned Celestial Weapons.

The first time I played, I hated Blitzball.

The second time I played, I vowed I would learn how to play. Once I did, I actually enjoyed the crap out of it, but I had to actually dedicate myself to it. I can see what that would probably be a huge turn off to people.

I want to kill the guy who came up with blitzball.

Overall I like X, even though Tidus is a douche (though he gets better in Dissidia), Wakka is a tool, Yuna is a doormat and Khimari is FREAKING USELESS! Still, Rikku is cute, Lulu has boobs, and Auron is the coolest character in the game, so it evens out. Personally I take Khimari partway into Lulu's sphere grid, then double back into Tidus's, so I can get him into Auron's grid as soon as I get a lv 2 key sphere.

I hated the costume design in this game, (captain Lucil's outfit makes my eyes bleed), and I especially hate how its aesthetic crept into the future installments, but I like the environments. Also, the summons are tied with XIII as the best in the series IMO. Plus I love how you finally get to piss all over the damage cap. Always funny hitting a mook for several thousand times its max HP.

All things considered, its probably number 6 on my list of FF games. 5th spot goes to its sequel. And no, i'm not going to bother making excuses, I like it for the fanservice. I'm a guy, sue me.

I just stopped at the lightning temple when I realised I wasn't having any fun and I wanted to kick most of the characters in the face repeatedly.