Final Fantasy X has been released for U.S.
audiences, and as always, there is no shortage of interest and hype surrounding
the highly-anticipated 10th installation to the series. The first Final Fantasy
to be released for the Playstation 2 entertainment system, we’ve been somewhat
cruelly teased with endless screens and information for months. For a while it
seemed the day would never come, and I admit, the first few minutes I held the
case in my hand, I wondered if it would disappear. Nevertheless, the most
important thing we all needed to know is: "Well…. Is it really that good?
Will they keep their hordes of fans coming back for more?" My answer, after
a particularly sleep-deprived period of time, is a resounding YES!
Our story is set thusly: As the story
begins, we are introduced to this optimistic Tidus, star Blitzball player, right
before his tournament in Zanarkand. Yet, it is not long before fate will cast
Tidus into a role beyond his imagination, and into a land 1,000 years ahead of
his time. Now, the proverbial "stranger in a strange land," Tidus must
find a place for himself in a world which knows Zanarkand only as a myth. In
this new place, he meets new companions and allies, including Yuna, a beautiful
and mild-mannered summoner in training. Together, they hold the key to saving
the world.
Let me get this out of the way immediately: The
first hour or so of the game is mostly cinematic, and while some gamers won’t
notice this, other less patient ones may panic and think FFX will be an
interactive movie. Have no fear! There’s plenty of action and random battles to
be had! Perhaps the first thing veteran players of the series will notice about
FFX is the relatively linear progression of the title. However, those players
who think linear means "dull" or "restrictive" might be
appeased somewhat to know that all of those wonderful side quests and secret
surprises are still in full force. While the game rounds out at about 40-some
hours if playing with the sole intention of completing the game, you can extend
that play-time significantly with a number of side quests and mini games. I’ll
get more into these aspects later, but now onto the meat of the gameplay.
The gem of a battle system, while retaining many
familiar elements, adds some new facets to gameplay. Sure, you still have physical
attacks, magic (both white and black), super-attacks (now called Overdrive), and
Aeons as summoned characters. What makes FFX different is that each character
starts out with a particular main trait or focus. For instance, Yuna is our
summoner,Lulu is the black magic caster, and Kimarhi has a trait stealing
ability(sound familiar?). Wakka is especially good at flying monsters because of
his Blitzball hurling attack and Auron’s long history comes into play with many
different talents that he brings to your party. This may sound absolutely
daunting to arrange at
first if you’ve had to commit to your party pre-battle in the past. However, the
beauty of it is that this time, you don’t have to determine your 3 battle
participants previous to battle. Instead, you may switch out characters
mid-battle, and even better, you don’t have to lose a turn doing it. Also,
while you do use weapons and armor in FFX, their role is lesser. The major
factor in choosing and improving weapons is to choose one imbued with special
powers or characteristics. This is especially handy in the event that you
encounter a certain monster that is weak to certain effects. Because you can
change weapons mid-battle, just as you can party members, this also by-passes
that fear that you’re not going to have the right weapon equipped before you
head into battle.
Another major difference is the role of summons
in FFX. Aeons are spirits of once powerful beings which willingly join with
summoners. While players were able to summon during battle, usually the summon
was temporary. In the case of Yuna’s Aeons, once summoned, all players leave the
playfield and the Aeon takes it over from there. In assuming this role, Aeons
were also given more battle abilities, assuming more of an actual player role,
rather than a glorified magic spell. Returning to the list of familiar favorites
are Bahamut, Ifrit (who’s looking rather wolf-like in FFX), and Shiva. In the
beginning of the game, you probably won’t use your Aeons as much as you might
expect, but by the end of the game they will become integral.
Lastly, FFX keeps character point/experience
levels rewarding, and also presents it with quite a new twist. Just when you
thought no one could come up with anything new, we’re introduced to the sphere
grid. Amongst the many things you will collect at the conclusion of a battle,
you will also collect different spheres and accrue sphere levels. Sphere levels
will enable your character to utilize the Sphere Grid, an arcane looking board
with a number of skills and abilities. Your character will be able to move along
pre-drawn paths on the Grid – some of which remain empty until you activate
them. Higher abilities are locked behind "level" locks until you gain
enough experience to progress. The number of moves you are allowed to make is
determined by your Sphere Level. From where your character is positioned, they
can activate the particular nodes they have a sphere for. Spheres you stand on
or one move in any direction can be activated. For example, if you would like to
activate a magic defense sphere for Lulu, you would move to the position and
then activate the node by using a mana sphere. I know – it sounds difficult, but
really, it’s quite painless once you get started. It’s just a matter of mapping
out what direction you would like to go with your character and making your way
to those particular abilities.
I’m sure I’m not the only one who was a bit
caught off guard by the news that the main mini-game (not to mention a good
portion of our lead male’s life) is composed of a little game called Blitzball.
The best way to describe how Blitzball works is a mostly turn-based game of
water-soccer. While you can control your lead character manually, most of the
time you will probably only take action when the ball holder confronts opposing
players. Using stats, you will need to decide whether you can overcome your
opponents to pass, shoot, or continue your progress across the playfield. You
won’t get your first real chance at the game until a couple hours into the game,
but once you progress past the first big tournament, you will then be allowed to
play at save points. From here, you can recruit the characters with the stats
that will help you win.
Along with various side quests, you can also try
your hand at taming and racing chocobos. While never really necessary to
complete, doing such activities can reap rewards, both great and small, for your
party.
The graphical aspects of FFX are, as we’ve come
to expect, exemplary. First of all, the entire presentation of the game includes
and unmistakable Asian influence, and at times Polynesian as well. You
need only to look at Yuna’s kimono inspired wardrobe or some of the smaller
island villages to see these cultural influences. The destructive power of the
water Sin uses is reminiscent of Tsunami – the most deadly forces of nature to
threaten the history of these island cultures. Mannerisms are also familiar,
with the distinctive bow of respect marking some of the character’s more
physical gestures. Cut-scenes have that
trademark Squaresoft beauty – brining back vividly the accomplishments of the
recent feature-length The Spirits Within.
Tetsuya Nomura continues in his tradition of
creating characters who are both easy on the eyes and incredibly enigmatic.
Tidus, a character who has a perpetual feel of youth and innocence, stands out
markedly from past leading males, while Yuna maintains a playful innocence as
seen in characters like Rinoa in FFVIII. Auron takes the reigns as the mysterious guardian with his high collar and scarred right eye, and Wakka is the
BFG of the group. Lastly, Lulu’s features subtly remind me of the look of a
character I greatly enjoyed in The Bouncer, Kaldea Orchid, but in this case.
she’s got more of a corseted and somewhat (for the lack of a better term) gothic
look. But I can go on all day about Mr. Nomura’s art – you’ll just have to
see it for yourself.
It’s no secret I’m a game music aficionado, no
doubt a result of my appreciation of music as a whole. Yes, I’ll fully admit it, I have the orchestrated
FFVIII soundtrack in my 20-CD changer in my car. There’s a reason for this –
it’s really that good. There’s nothing like a good round of Fithos Lusec Wecos
Vinosec every once in a while – it certainly beats the both popular and notoriously overused and overrated
Carmina Burana. Hence, should it have surprised me at all that the FFX score is
equally well-done? Actually, there were a couple surprises in there – namely a
few tracks that were a bit more techno than I’ve experienced in an FF title.
This was especially noticeable in the introduction during Tidus’ Blitzball game.
This new flavor is probably due to the fact that joining Nobuo Uematsu on the
FFX soundtrack are Junya Nakano and Masashi Hamauzu. As in the past, the music
can inspire to battle, or tears. While some tracks are admittedly not as
powerful as others, due to where they are meant to be accompaniment, the entire
score maintains the high musical standards I’ve come to expect.
When all is said and done (and there’s a lot to
be said and done, believe me), Final Fantasy X does more than live up to the
"hype" that has surrounded Final Fantasy as a series. In the same way
I admired Mr. Sakaguchi’s The Spirits Within for bringing perhaps
unfamiliar elements of Asian culture and beliefs to an Western audience, I
admire Final Fantasy X’s emotional and spiritual depth. There is never a time
that we can’t feel the pain and the struggles of our heroes, and like Blitzball
helps the people of Spira forget their troubles, I owe FFX the same respect for
helping me to lose myself into a pleasurable experience in our world.
Gameplay: 9.5
FFX maintains the series’ high standards for cerebral and challenging RPG
gameplay, while managing to add yet more interesting ingredients to the mix. The
game includes a great deal more cinematic content than in the past, but it has
never been the sole purpose of this series to merely be a hack and slash: It has
always made storytelling a priority. Also, the game is more linear than past
players may be expecting, but there are still plenty of side-quests and
mini-games to appease those who require more than just the shortest line from
point A (being the beginning) to point B (the end).
Graphics:
9.9
Graphically, ah yes, and where would we be in a Final Fantasy review without
a graphics review? As always, Squaresoft knows how to inspire awe in us when it
comes to visuals – FFX being most like FFVIII. Cultural influences and a good
use of color make this game a visual masterpiece. Not to mention Tetsuya Nomura
and his par excellence in character design.
Sound: 9.5
Add this soundtrack to my list right now. I’m a big fan of game music, and
have always felt that Squaresoft in particular has raised the bar for
game music. With the same high-quality pieces that will no doubt translate well
into orchestrated renditions, and some surprising new twists, the music of FFX
excels. Voice overs are a welcome addition – for the first time in the series.
Difficulty: 9
If it’s one thing that can be said for the difficulty levels in FF titles,
it’s that these games are not for those you just want to pick up and slash.
While many elements in FFX have become more user friendly, there is still the necessity
to think of every move in an almost chess-like fashion to really excel.
Concept:
9.5
Take a good thing and keep making it better. FFX takes a much lighter turn
in this installment, without losing it’s surreal and deeper meanings. I’ve never
known one of these games not to explore the more metaphysical and spiritual side
of human (and non-human) existence in a way that makes it more of a
thinking-gamers RPG. In addition, FFX continues to surprise with new mini-games
(like the unique Blitzball) and innovative additions to the battle system.
Overall: 9.5
Veteran or newcomer, playing Final Fantasy X may very well ruin many of your
other game experiences. Once you’ve had a taste of the exquisite beauty, solid
battle system, and intelligent story and character development, you may never be
able to accept less.
