Again, written for Poopgang. I found the “slices” (as I liked to call them) for this one. For some reason I didn’t mind the dithering caused by saving them as gifs.
Format: Playstation 2
Developer: Square Enix
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Release: February 2004
Final Fantasy. One of the oldest videogame franchises that still has that special something. The series began in the early ‘90’s with four nameless adventurers who came from nowhere in particular to bring the clichéd light and harmony back to a nondescript land that had fallen into generic shadow. My, how times have changed. In this, the first true Final Fantasy sequel, the lead characters have names and distinct personalities, like a manufactured pop group, you could say. Rikku, the fun-loving mischievous teeny-bopper, Paine, the mean, moody and mysterious butt-kicker, and Yuna, the neutral balance between the two and the group’s natural field leader.
The beautifully realized world they are fighting to save, Spira, is given a new lease of life in that it is set in the calm, two years after the storm. Although a lot of the locales and towns are identical to that of Final Fantasy X, there is a distinctly different, almost relaxed atmosphere in the air as you travel from place to place, searching for the memory of Tidus. I say relaxed, as for most of Final Fantasy X, the sinister Seymour posed a very real and unnerving threat.
The advantages of it being a true sequel over a brand new stand-alone become clear when you visit Wakka, whose wife is expecting soon and he’s unsure of how to be a good father since he never knew his own parents, and isn’t sure he wants to find out, because his ideal image of them might be shattered if he were to learn the truth. This is some undeniably deep stuff, enriched by the fact you knew this guy from the first game, and you never got to really see this side of him. If only all sequels dealt with maturity and responsibility like this rather than just thrusting more and more over the top enemies or spells upon you.
My favourite aspect of Final Fantasy X-2 is undoubtedly the new Garment-Grid and Dress-Sphere system. It’s the obvious and ultimate culmination of playing “Dress-Up” games when you were a kid. Seventeen different Dress-Spheres, each one original and valid, with the ability to switch between spheres mid-battle meaning you have more options than ever before at your disposal. Need to inflict more damage? Slap on the Warrior outfit and raise some merry hell. Team-mates need healing? Switch to White Mage and neutralize that poison. Want to keep your distance? Use the Gunner Outfit’s button bashing abilities to keep foes at bay.
The art direction also blossoms because of the Dress-Sphere system; each sphere gives the girl a general appearance, which is offset by their own personal style, making for some truly unique fashions. Highlights include the usually timid Yuna as a raging Berserker, the rugged Paine dressed up in the very revealing Lady Luck outfit, the bouncy and light-hearted Rikku looking irresistibly dominant in the Dark Knight uniform, and not forgetting the honourable leader looking simply divine as a Moogle! Overall, it’s a system that is just too much fun to hate it for its simplicity.
Sadly, the only thing that lets this title down is the less than grand musical score and the stoic voice acting. Final Fantasy is renowned for its sweeping, all-consuming orchestral melodies, yet they just don’t seem as prominent in this title. A little under whelming, a tad disappointing, and definitely a schizophrenic affair, the music wants to be quirky and original, but emulating cheesy J-Pop with strings and keys just doesn’t work and detracts immensely from the atmosphere. I got the impression that if Square Enix actually put their balls on the line and went with “Girl Power” J-Pop, it would have worked. The voice acting also slaps you around the face and forcibly removes any believability from the characters voices. Unexcited by their situations and environments, the girls half-heartedly ream off the words written in front of them.
I’d recommend this fully if you played and enjoyed Final Fantasy X, seeing the characters you met in Final Fantasy X in a totally new light was surprising and entertaining, and dealt with not only very maturely by Square Enix, but also at times with it’s tongue wedged firmly in its cheek. Don’t be put off by its “girly” image, the sheer amount of style, substance and depth will keep you up for as many hours as you need to finish it.
Just make sure you catch the steamy communal bath scene side quest. I kid you not. [7]
And I’ve not played a Final Fantasy since then. True story.
