An incredible, emotional, and epic experience!
STORY (9/10)
I would normally give the story a 10/10, but one thing brought it down. It was cliche. Yes, there were a number of very original plot points, and the story itself is incredible, but the whole main plot idea is a bit overused. Still, it doesn't take away from the enjoyment, and it won't make you hate it unless all you judge on is originality.
The character development in this game is also incredible. The main outline of most of the characters seems cliche (young teen swordsman, shy female spellcaster, mysterious samurai, dark quiet woman, etc), however, you quickly find they each have very original and emotional backgrounds. This is the only RPG to ever make me cry at the end, that's how emotionally attached I was to each and every character.
The background of the story is you play as Tidus. A young athlete from the technologically-advanced city of Zanarkand. However, a mysterious creature attacks you're city, and you end up what appears to be 1000 years in the future. You meet up with a young summoner, one who calls creatures known as Aeons from another world to aid them. The summoner, Yuna, is a young girl who's now the one to defeat the evil force destroying Spira (the land)'s happiness. However, there are a number of major twists to this plot, as well as a wonderful side story of Tidus and the relationship with his father.
GAMEPLAY (8/10)
Gameplay is where FFX fails. It's definitely a more story-oriented RPG. You'd best prepare for a lot of long cutscenes, a ton of FMVs, and very little dungeon-puzzles. If you're more story-oriented like me, it shouldn't bother you too much. They have a good random-battle balance, and the dungeons aren't so long that you'll be spending more time exploring than moving through the plot.
However, if it's gameplay you're looking for, you're bound to be disappointed. The world map found in every FF has been completely removed. The whole game takes place on a large archipelago, mostly a number of towns/villages and a number of caves and fields. Several are mazelike or have "puzzles," but the main thing to do in these dungeons is find items and defeat enemies. There are random battles, but they aren't over-common like in many other RPGs. The only real puzzles in the game are those at the temples. They aren't very hard to seasoned RPGers, but if you're new to the genre, they'll provide a very difficult challenge.
The battle system in FFX is incredible. It's very similar to the usual turn-based/real-time system used in past games, but now it's eliminated the real-time piece. Characters and enemies trade turns depending on the agility of the character. A list on the right side of the screen shows the exact order, changing depending on the attack used. It is a LOT more strategical, and makes you think a lot more. You can also switch out any of your three characters at any time, and still play with the replacement. This makes specializing a lot more useful.
FFX holds your hand for most of the main story, but the bonus dungeon and sidequests will prove to be a challenge to any RPG player. There's also a monster-collecting quest which can allow you to battle new, much harder monsters. It gives you something to do if you've already mastered the battle system.
Overall, the only real good part that everyone will love is the battle system. It's not too easy like many say, it's just really really good. I think it's safe to say it's the best FF battle system to date.
GRAPHICS (10/10)
FFX has some of the most beautiful graphics in any current game. Even several years after it's been released, the FMVs are unmatched, and few games are more attractive than the ingame graphics. The character models feature real-time expressions, and everything just seems a lot more alive. There's not much more to say other than wow!
SOUND (9/10)
This game has an incredible soundtrack. Many consider this to be Uematsu's best work yet. There are several familiar tracks, several strange techno or rock trocks, and a vast number of absolutely beautiful songs. The most famous are the piano intro "To Zanarkand," the ending theme, and the game's 'song' "Suteki Da Ne."
FFX is also the very first Final Fantasy to feature voice acting. They've got some very popular voice actors, like Tara Strong, and the acting and casting is absolutely amazing. It makes a great compliment to the incredible soundtrack, and really brings the game to life.
VALUE (8/10)
Final Fantasy X is a great game. But, unless you absolutely loved the story or want to play it over again, there's not much else to do. There is a bonus dunegon and boss, a fetch/battle quest, as well as ultimate weapons for each character. But none have any significance to the story, or last very long. I only give them kudos for the difficulty level, which for the Celestial Weapons, is near impossible!
OVERALL (9/10)
FFX is an incredible game. It's surely an above-average RPG. Except for gameplay, it exceeds in every area. If you're a fan of great storylines, strategic battles, or even RPGs in general, FFX is for you. It's definitely an experience you won't soon forget.