really did not expect to like it this much.

im kind of a sucker for those pre-rendered graphics that you could find in stuff like ff7 through 9 and though the game isn't completely made of those when it uses them it forces to stop and just look at it. similarly the 3d cutscenes used to mark significant story moments are the most shiniest and prettiest thing ever put on a ps2 disk and they instantly grab your full attention.

didn't think i would like yuna as a character but she turned out to be surprisingly great. i really like the trope of characters having to deal with the weight of the expectations put upon them in general and thought the way she developped really well throughout the game. tidus i thought was a bit annoying but in the end was kind of endearing (though maybe in a somewhat ironic way).

the combat was fun. the way it forces you to use several party members makes it very dynamic (though i kinda feel like you kinda need auron at almost all times with how good he is). the sphere system was interesting. idk how people are feeling about it. i personnally enjoyed seeing your progression and feeling like almost every fight was important.

the biggest problems are a bunch of small stuff that really add up together like the encounter rate being pretty high in some areas and every single minigame (that you need to accomplish to finish the game because i know there is stuff i didnt do like chocobo racing) is absolutely terrible. the worst part is at the end of the game right before the final boss (thats locked behind a 5 minutes cutscene) where you have a chance of dying and having to redo the whole thing again. also, the beginning of the game felt very sluggish, with the story having trouble to pick up and being bombarded with tutorials. there are also some incredibly bad puzzles at several points in the game that bring nothing of value.

though honestly as much as it feels like a cop out i almost want to say that those flaws make the bright spots of the game shine so much more

Like many people, FFX was one of my first JRPGs and it still holds a special place in my heart. Since I didn't grow up on the NES/SNES/PSX era of world maps, it didn't bother me how linear FFX is (at least until the endgame sidequests). Even today, having played a lot more JRPGs, I still appreciate the combat system and the Sphere Grid, and the story in FFX is interesting and still worth thinking about. I've gone back and replayed it several times and I always feel like I'm experiencing something a little different each time. Also, people seem to either love or hate blitzball, but I think it's one of the best minigames in RPG history

Final Fantasy X is largely heralded as the 2nd massively innovative titan in the long running series, and it's very easily to see why. Even past its numerous growing pains. X featured the beginning of many of the functions, and basic elements that we now come to expect from not only each Final Fantasy but most AAA games in general. Fully 3D rendered environments, full voice acting, an entirely linear structure, and a new level-up system never seen in the series are all cemented here. It all makes for a time capsule of a game, that surprisingly holds up incredibly well, especially with the HD remasters.

Final Fantasy X boasts my favorite combat system in the series to date. The sphere grid is an excellently fleshed-out system, which offers the entire potential for a unique experience and party build each play through. It's smartly designed so that each character has a very specifically designated path, yet it still allows every character to explore whatever path they want, meaning no ability aside from Yuna's Aeons is locked to any specific character. This flexibility in how you can personalize your own experience with the game pairs wonderfully with your engagement with the system, as the path you choose to take on the grid can be thought out and plotted in advance, to decide what build you want for each character right at the start. I also just think the combat is very snappy and addictive. Due to how the combat has been changed from ATB to a straight turn-based system, the battles go by within mostly a minute or two. Final Fantasy 100% has its fair share of padding, but i feel that X manages to streamline that experience to an admirable degree. Final Fantasy X is a game that respects your time, more than a lot of RPGs can say.

I'm not the biggest fan of its story. I think in regards to its villain, mythos, and iconography, 7 has this trumped. But the intentional choices in its design are not to be scoffed at. I've only played Final Fantasy 7, 16, and a good chunk of 15, but I think that X's colour pallet is by far my favorite. The aforementioned 3 all have intentionally dark and brooding design choices, so it's so nice to see a brighter and more vibrant Final Fantasy to contrast them. This is a definitive summer game, and it uses its water theme to create some truly beautiful visuals in the FMV cutscenes. I mentioned how I wasn't big on X's story, but what ultimately ended up solidifying the game for me was its characters. Yuna and her guardians each have a specific role in the story, and it's very clear to see they wrote the story with these characters in mind. Each of them would lessen the impact of the game if a single one was taken out, and that only goes to show how much effort was put into making you like each of the characters on this pilgrimage. No matter how small, they each get an arc, which is an effect you lose with the addition of optional characters, something the original Final Fantasy 7 suffered from. I was particularly interested in how Tidus and Yuna's romance unfolded, and it's so nice to see Square actually take the plunge to canonize a couple. The theme of death is portrayed in such a compelling way, as it is woven into the very fabric of the story. Tidus' arc only cements it as one of the most outwardly and devastating finales in all Final Fantasy.

Final Fantasy's first foray into the PS2 era, and it's an incredible one. In many ways a distinct and weird entry into the franchise, X stands out amidst its fellow Final Fantasy games with an unique charm and flair.

In a change from the norm for Final Fantasies, this time we follow a jock! Tidus is a professional sportsball player in the technofuture city of Zanarkand when he's pulled through a vortex and wakes up in the land of Spira where it turns out his home was destroyed thousands of years ago. He winds up tagging along with Yuna, a summoner on a quest to defeat a monster called Sin that terrorizes Spira, joining in her pilgrimage across the world.

X has a lot of aspects that I simply adore. For one, Spira is the most imaginative and frankly weird worlds in a Final Fantasy to date; it captures that feeling that fantasy as a genre thrives on in a way that other more familiar genre settings can't hope to match. I also love its hyper-traditional turn-based battling, which ditches the series' long-standing ATB system in favour of a far more old-fashioned option with clear turn ordering on the side that can be manipulated through skills. I'm also a massive fan of the summons in this game, which are essentially VIII's Guardian Forces done right.

Oh boy this is a game.
The story sucks. Like genuinely sucks. The romance is shallow. Idk how the summoning works or makes sense.
Why is Auron a special ghost?

Idk, watch Yuna do a dance.

Tidus is annoying, whiny, and not real, so as a protagonist he's a bit of a damp squib. Yuna too feels underbaked. Tidus I think would always be bad, but Yuna does feel like a missed opportunity to do or say something within the broader ouvre. Kimahri could use a few more minutes in the oven, and the Mt whateveritscalled segment threatens to be interesting.
Rikku is fine, Wakka is actively atrocious. Not only is he a massive racist, which is fine to position as if the aim is to challenge those views, but he never really shuts the door on that- instead it feels like he gives Rikku and her nearest and dearest the okay because "they're the good ones."
To say nothing of his weapon being a ball.
And to say nothing again because, although pro, Wakka isn't like the Pele of blitzball.

Feels like watching Ronaldo slay god with a sick bicycle kick.

Seymour also comes close to greatness, but frequently dips into tantrum too much to hit the level of a Sephiroth or a Kefka.

To Zanarkand slaps, but the music in 10 is mostly forgettable.

As a day 1 hater, I could talk about all the things I dislike about 10 for hours, but I have to begrudgingly tip my hat to it for stellar combat. It really is one of the best final fantasys to PLAY, even if that doesn't translate into being one of the best to experience.

Lightning plains might be the worst designed area in any ff

Valefor is a dumb fuckin summon

One of the best old Final Fantasy games, Tidus is a very charming character, and his romance with Yuna is done perfectly.

The story is incredible with some tear-jerking moments, and the music is fantastic and fits well with the game.

The gameplay mechanics are solid but a little bit outdated, and the grinding can be a very annoying. Also there are many difficulty spikes which make some parts of the game frustrating.

Still, the game holds up pretty well for a turn based JRPG, and if you're a fan of the genre this is pretty much a must-play.

Final Rating: "Amazing" ~ 9/10.