Final Fantasy X-2 (PS2)
Publisher: Square Enix Developer: Square Enix
Final Fantasy has had one thing running throughout it's duration, and that was this: None of the Final Fantasy games had anything to do with one another... until now. The big question on everyone's mind was, "Can it live up to the name?" "Would it ruin the franchise?" Well, yes and no. It seems like a Final Fantasy game, but that's only because you know a few of the characters from the previous game. Does it play like a Final Fantasy game? Absolutely not. Sure, the battles are similar, and there's a new weird Sphere system to learn, but the layout is just different. It doesn't follow any particular path, and you're not really on a quest to save the world.
Gameplay: 8
The gameplay is sort of weird in FFX-2. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but if you're used to the turn-based combat of the previous games, then you might be disappointed here. The combat is very fast paced, and it's easy to lose yourself in battle. The lack of tutorials makes things a little difficult early on. The game sort of thrusts you into your first several battles, and it seems to be a lot of mashing X. While pushing X throughout battle will work for awhile, it won't cut it when the game starts getting harder. (This also happens quickly.) ...
Once you get through the intro (at which point you have absolutely no idea what's going on), you're placed on the airship. You're given access to almost every area of the game right from the very beginning. This will be familiar to FFX fans, but some of it won't mean anything to newcomers. You find out that you're a sphere hunter now, and you're working with Rikku (from FFX) and Paine (newcomer) to find spheres around the world. While you can go anywhere on the world map in the beginning, you're told where the "hotspots" are, so you'd probably be better off going to those first. As you complete a few, more hotspots open up.
The newest feature in the game is the removal of the Sphere Grid and the addition of Garment Grids and Dresspheres. Leveling up is a little different, as you gain abilities by having Dresspheres equipped. While in battle, you can change Dresspheres, not only changing your clothes, but changing your abilities as well. It's sort of odd going from a white mage to a gunner, or even a singer in the same battle. Some people also enjoy the morphing effect that occurs when you change outfits, but I personally don't care. If I want to play dress-up, I'll buy a Mr. Potato Head. I do like the idea of being able to change your abilities midway through the battle though. All you have to do is hit L1, and you can move to the next space on the Garment Grid (there are also different Garment Grids). It can be confusing at times, but I think it can be a useful system if used properly.
The layout of the game is different from that of previous Final Fantasy installments. Instead of just going through the story, you are completing missions in each chapter. The game is divided into five chapters, each containing several missions. Each time you embark on a new mission, the game stops, and a screen comes up showing "Mission Time." This looks a bit awkward, and I really think that the game could have worked without breaking it up like that. In any case though, most missions involve finding a sphere in order to solve the questions on your mind. (You're on a search for something, but I won't tell you what.)
Graphics: 10
The graphics in FFX-2 have definitely had an upgrade from the previous game. If you thought the graphics were good in FFX, then you'll really love FFX-2. Everything looks more polished, and things are simply beautiful to look at. Most of the places are familiar in the game, but every scene looks a little more detailed. I was very impressed.
Sound & Music: 7
I'm usually the first one to love the music in a Final Fantasy game, but I was a bit disappointed with this one. Besides the rehashed music from FFX, X-2 only seems to feature teeny bopper techno music in most places. Some of these techno tracks do drone on and become annoying at times as well. None of the music was particularly serious, as in previous games, and I really missed that.
The voice-over acting was a little better this time around, although there were a few spots where the timing was off once again. The voices sounded good though, and characters seemed to match their sound.
Story: 7.5
Final Fantasy X-2 is the continuing story of Yuna, who is basically on a search to find someone. She finds information leading her to believe that the person is alive, and she becomes a sphere hunter in order to find answers. The game has tough challenges and many battles, but it doesn't follow a strict storyline like you'd expect. You simply complete missions to move on to the next chapter. The spheres will tell the story for you.
Replay Value: 8
The game does have a good element of replay value, as there are multiple endings. They've also added a New Game+ mode, where you don't necessarily lose everything if you decide to start over after beating it. It's definitely a wonderful feature to have in a Final Fantasy game.
To buy or to rent?If you're unsure about the game, rent it first to see if you'll like it. It's not a typical Final Fantasy game, so don't expect that. If you do like it however, don't expect to be able to beat it in a rental. You'll probably have to buy it in order to fully experience everything it has to offer.
Overall: 8.0
Overall, the game has familiar characters, but it's just not a Final Fantasy game. It certainly is a good game in it's own way, but it really doesn't follow the "formula" laid out by it's predecessors. It's interesting to play, and it's always nice to see the story continue on, but the mission layout really detracts from the "fantasy" storylines of the past. I still can't stop myself from playing it though.
Additional Information:
Genre: Role Playing
Players: 1
Memory Required: 185K
Rating: T (for Teen)
Extras: Dolby Surround Sound
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