Final Fantasy X-2 (2003)

Final Fantasy X-2 is a long awaited first sequel to Final Fantasy X. It turned out all right in my opinion. But here's how I rate it (all spoilers mark in red):

Issues I had with the game:

A Sequel!! Why oh why!!!

I believe that Final Fantasy X was a wonderfully done yet short game. In my eyes I didn't think it needed a sequel. The ending was wonderful and incredibly meaningful. The game itself had a very deep meaning. I loved it. The game needed to end because the fact that ending was so open ended was great...It got you thinking. It was far too open ended that it went crying for a sequel [Spoiler] The part with Tidus coming out of the water was great. It left loose thread…"was Tidus in the Farplane...Or back in Spira? What happen??"[/Spoiler]

Outfits

Please *huffing and puffing* get me some water before I faint. The outfits in this made me want to smack SquareEnix. Yuna's image took a complete 180. You can see her butt cheeks through the super short shorts and as much chest as possible without rating this game Mature. Rikku also had a sexually suggestive outfit (or lack of). She runs around the whole world in a bikini top and a super short mini-skirt with thong straps sticking out the top. Paine's outfit struck me as really, really cool looking but pull one of the straps and she spills out. SquareEnix made a smart business choice in dressing the girls like they did. The Videogame business is male dominated along with its consumers. So basically SquareEnix made the outfits so the game would sell to horny teenagers and horny adults. *sarcastically* Great job Square! You showed half of Yuna's butt!!!

Lame Ending

Yes. L-A-M-E. Lame. In the bad ending (or the moderate ending however you look at it) Yuna's emotions were completely and TOTALLY UNREALISTIC. She gets done saving the world for everybody and she's cheering "Brother faster" smiley and fluffy as ever. Not how someone would act after a situation like that. A person would be quite tired, have things to say, and stay awhile.

And if you unlocked the good ending (I use the term "good" very, very loosely) you get to see Yuna hugging Tidus. This leaves you feeling "huh...what the hell?" How did Tidus get back here? And somewhere in there should have been a kiss. And an "I love you". I guess we can leave that to the perfect ending...WRONG!!! The perfect ending is the one that frustrates me the most. First of all it wasn't even a FMV (cutscene). Square didn't have enough money to conjure up one last FMV...I find that hard to believe. Second they meet in Zanarkand...their "special place". Wasn't their special place in the spring in Malcalania, when they first expressed their feelings for each other and made out? And third:

The reason Tidus came back was totally half-assed. "It was our love and bond". It was lame and cheap. I think that I need a little more better of an explanation then that...I mean they put more into the sidequests then the ending. They needed to be more creative. And there needs to be a nice kiss to fade out the scene *cries*. [/spoiler]

Things I praise about the game:

Battle system YAY!!!

The battle system in my opinion is great, well thought out, and not half-assed like some of the things in the game. I personally thought SquareEnix would just take the battle system from the last game (a great battle system) So I was surprised when I played this game for the right reasons. The battle system features an edited version of the world famous, balanced, nostalgic CLASS SYSTEM. AND GUESS WHAT!! THE GOOD ALMIGHTY LEVEL SYSTEM IS BACK. The battle system contains the garment grid, which lets you change your class in the middle of battle (sometimes useful, sometimes who cares?). The battle system has adopted the ATB (Active Time Battle) aspect from Final Fantasy VIII, which I found cool and added realism to the battles. And now the characters don't stand in one place they can start from pretty much anywhere in the battle screen, and when they evade, they don't jump back and go back into that spot. They stay in the place they jump back to. It is little aspect of the game but a nice one in my opinion. The equipment system puzzles me though. Why did they put in the Iron Duke and Cat Nip…not needed? I could understand if you wanted to beat the Cloister challenge. But once you have these pieces of equipment the normal battles aren't even fun or anything near it. The battle system although not completely balanced is more realistic, challenging and overall fun. *pats SquareEnix on the back*

Pretty!!!

This game has amazing graphics and even more amazing FMVs. The towns although most of them reused, are great. They gave a great facelift to Kilika. It looks really good now. Although I was disappointed they never made a big established city of Bevelle. They said it was the biggest city in Spira, yet they never really showed it be so. Enough about Bevelle. I think the show have utilized the face movement system a little more then they did because when the characters mouths moved without the facial enhancement the mouths were moving but the voiceovers were off. The graphics impressed me none the less and the FMVs improved a slight bit, but nothing really noticed too much but the untrained eye or player. Graphics are sweet still.

The New Characters

The characters are cool and a need in this sequel. Paine adds great comic relief to the squad (at least in my opinion). She is very Auron-like but with a little mix of Lulu, (and even looks like them mixed too. Gets you thinking a little bit doesn't it? Auron and Lulu?) but has more of a sense of humor (sometimes) less aloof and harsh (ehh…maybe not harsh). For those of you deprived of Final Fantasy X, Paine is funny-sarcastic, a little aloof, a bit harsh in her actions and words, tells it like it is and often gives you the pessimistic side of things. She is incredibly helpful and informative. Leblanc and gang although, arrogant and rude provide most of the comic relief in the story and I had a lot of fun playing the game when they were in it.

How this game rates in terms of categories:

Graphics 9.5/10

Although the normal voiceovers (without FMV or face movement) could use some work the graphics, of Final Fantasy X-2 are supreme compared to many other videogames. The FMVs are thrilling and filled with lighting and attractive colors but there weren't enough of them. But overall SquareEnix did a great job on them.

Gameplay 8/10

The battle system is wonderful a little unbalanced but not the less good. The field screen kind of got me a little flabbergasted. Why did she need to jump? Every time she jumped or failed to make a jump she moaned and made the oddest and most sexually perverse noises. There is limited play in the field screen just like most Final Fantasies. Jumping I might say again is not needed. I want swimming back. Gameplay is good but could use some work.

Replay Value 10/10

This is defiantly one of the ones you can replay over and over. Because of New Game Plus you are able to start off with all the items, accessories, key items, dresspheres and Garment Grids. Trust me a great majority of the people who play this game won't be 100% complete with the story itself, max out the battle system, get all the Al Bhed Primers or even get all the dresspheres in one pass of the game. This game was designed for replay and designed well for it.

Plot/Story 5/10

Absolutely not up to standards of what I've seen SquareEnix do with plot. The story itself lacks depth and substance and could be quite boring for the male sex sometimes. Since it is a cast of three girls, it can be like that. Some of the scenes also lacked substance, confused me, and some of them were just plain unnecessary. These scenes are retarded and make me feel retarded watching them in the first place. If you didn't play Final Fantasy X the story is going to be really hard to follow for you poor, poor souls. But the story is filled with funny times and quirky moments; the story lacks depth and DEFIANTLY could use work.

Characters 8/10

The characters are cool, refreshing, and fun. Yuna annoys me sometimes especially when she tried to act like the annoying and less mature Rikku. But throughout the story you'll see both Rikku and Yuna's characters still continuously molding from the Final Fantasy X and through the current game (again something else you'll miss if you didn't play Final Fantasy X. But at the same time you'll see Paine change too. Paine is a needed character to give the game seriousness along with Shuyin and Lenne. But the other members of the Gullwings are just idiotic and plain. Meh. The other characters in the story (the other main characters) do the same thing YRP does (Yuna, Rikku, and Paine). This mold change ideas and affect the story. The story itself lacks depth and so does some the characters.

Overall: 8.1

I strongly suggest (if you haven't already) play Final Fantasy X before you play this game or you are going to be lost. This game is a must play for all who have played Final Fantasy X and a play for all RPG and Final Fantasy Lovers.

Be sure to check out our complete list of other Final Fantasy Reviews.