Final Fantasy X Review

Sony and Squaresoft team up once again to create yet another Final Fantasy game. The series, which originally began on the Nintendo Entertainment System, makes its first trip to the PS2. Would this game end up being a bust or a classic?

FFX’s graphical nature is not one to be taken lightly. Square worked hard on making this look the best it could possibly be and they did. The faces look real, the clothing is detailed to each fiber and move in the wind or when the characters move, and the cutscenes intensify these graphics greatly; it looks more real sometimes than things do on television. The special effects in FFX couldn’t look any better, flames burst with force from attacks or explosions and weather effects make the ground look wet and rain splashing in a nearby lake. This game is just unbelievably beautiful.

Final Fantasy X’s sound department is no joke either. There are some great musical scores that tie in well with FFX’s universe. Slashing blades and the firing of weapons seem just too good. You can hear splashes in water, the crackling of thunder, and chirping of birds like it was happening right there with you. The voice acting was very well done. Unlike in the first 9 Final Fantasy games where there was little to no voice talent at all. Final Fantasy X has the greatly needed acting that was needed in FFVIII and FFIX. This improves on all of the previous versions dramatically.

Final Fantasy X plays like all the others, a simple turn-based RPG that is very difficult to master. You need to train your characters and use a sphere grid to increase their statistics. This grid takes some getting used to as well. Movement is simplified and the cameras don’t give you any major problems during gameplay. It may take a while to master, but with 70 hours of game here, you will have plenty of time to do this.

This game has some similarities to the characters from previous FF’s, but these characters differ greatly by their personalities and their actions throughout the game. It would be better for them to change the battle features of this game, but that is just something that we will have to live with, at least until the next Final Fantasy game. With an original story and some colorful characters that reside in it, this is definitely a new experience for all of the FF players out there.