One of the best RPGs for the PS2. Gripping story, stunning graphics, you won't be disappointed with this game.
And I must say – this game is simply amazing!
The story starts out with the main character, Tidus, who gets thrown into the conflict as Sin approaches and destroys his city. We’re transported into a world rich with life, drama, and danger. At first your goal seems simple enough, yet as you travel through the various regions and meet new companions, the story becomes far more involved and complicated. The members of your party all have different backgrounds and personalities. Tidus is our cheerful and jocklike hero. He’s charismatic, yet sometimes he comes off as being whiney. Wakka is his gregarious friend, who also happens to be a fellow blitzball player (this game happens to be the most popular sport in the FFX world). Yuna is the young summoner who is fated to fight the evil Sin like the summoners who have gone before her. Specializing in white magic, this character carries about her a certain sadness along with a strong determination to achieve her goal. Lulu is another sorceress that we meet, specializing in black magic. She is a bit harsh at times, preferring to keep her distance from the others. Kimahri is a silent, lionlike warrior creature who is sworn to protect Yuna. Rikku is an extroverted individual, her best attribute probably being her aptitude at theft. I wasn’t particularly fond of her, for she often came off as being a bit too peppy and annoying. Finally, there’s Auron, who is my favorite character from the game. He’s a strong swordsman and very knowledgeable companion, obviously a guy with a complicated and tragic past.
Anyway, on to the gameplay! There’s a really great variety of material in this game – everything you would expect from an RPG and then a bit more. There are plenty of different moves, magic attacks, and items to collect. The leveling system allows you to gather experience points and then strategically spend them on an extensive sphere grid of general character advancements and special abilities. This allows you to build your characters following the skill path that you see fit, and it keeps the character-growth aspect of the game interesting. The battles are spectacular, particularly when Yuna summons her magical creatures called aeons. You’re given complete control over the powerful aeons, and they come in handy for the major battles. In addition to fighting, there are puzzles to solve throughout the temple, special weapons to collect, and optional games to play (blitzball and chocobo races).
As far as the graphics are concerned, everything in this game is visually appealing, to say the very least. From the backgrounds to the character designs to the battle animations to the cinematic cut-scenes, everything is just beautiful. Adding to the visual splendor is the game’s excellent soundtrack. My only complaint about the sound is that some of the English voices are a bit irritating. Overall, considering its alluring and action-packed story, amazing graphics, and awesome music, FFX excels in all respects. It’s one of the best RPGs for the PS2 – a definite must-have for any fan of the genre. Seriously, if there is one RGP that you need to play for this console, it’s Final Fantasy X.