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A Return to Zanarkand

 
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06-19-14 03:06 PM
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| ID: 1038025 | 3158 Words

legacyme3
Lord Leggy - King of IT
Level: 268


POSTS: 22675/27250
POST EXP: 2003421
LVL EXP: 316284959
CP: 42531.1
VIZ: 2982476

Likes: 4  Dislikes: 0
"This is my story."

Final Fantasy X and X-2 are over a decade old now, and unlike many Final Fantasy games, graphically, they actually hold up pretty well in comparison to other games of their ilk. With this knowledge, keep in mind the main thing improved with the HD Remaster is said graphics. Brought somewhat up to date, Square Enix brings a well loved game and its less than loved sequel ten years into the future, for an older generation of gamers to get nostalgic over, and a new generation of gamers to enjoy.

But the graphics aren't the only improvement. The two games are not HD Remasters of the game you played 10 years ago. Rather, they are an HD Remaster of the International versions of each game, which have never before been released in North America. The International versions add things that I'll get into later, but ultimately leads to a deeper experience.

On top of which, the menu for the compilation also includes Final Fantasy X: Eternal Calm (which is basically a lead-in to FFX-2, to explain how and why Yuna decided to just up and leave Besaid on a whim), Final Fantasy X-2: Last Mission (Also never before released in NA, a playable roguelike sequel to FFX-2, that takes place a few months after the conclusion of X-2), and a 30 minute audio drama named Final Fantasy X -Will- (Which delves into what happens a year after the conclusion of Final Fantasy X-2, and has led many a fan to speculate if there will ever be a X-3, even though all official word has said "no").

With that said, let's just delve into the actual review.

Graphics - 9
I was torn on how I should grade this, because the game is a remaster. Both X and X-2 didn't look bad by any means, but regardless, they received the HD treatment, and it shows. I hadn't played FFX or X-2 in about 7 years, so I was pretty excited to see what the game would look like in action.

I was not disappointed. Rather, I was quite thrilled to see the love that went into upscaling and making more realistic character models. Wakka's hair feels more alive, Tidus has more depth in his face, and Lulu... well let's just say she's nice too. Virtually everything looks better now and there are no more awkward jaggies that I could see.

Upon finishing the games, I grew curious as to how the originals looked, and it felt like I stepped backwards in time. I say FFX/X-2 looked great, and they did, for their time, but the HD Remaster predictably made the originals ten years ago look bizarre.

My favorite graphical update, honestly, was the update to the battle interface and menu interface, as now they look cleaner, smoother, and easier to read. Everything is so crisp and bold, but not obnoxiously so.

All told, this gets a pass with high marks. The goal of the Remaster was to make a more beautiful Spira. Mission successful.

Sound - 10
I'm a little biased when it comes to video game music.

Generally, I don't like it, because they go out of their way to try and give you music that doesn't belong in that time or place. This is less on the developers and more on the composers. It always feels like it's more about the composers than harmony with the game they are composing for.

I've notably never had this problem with a Final Fantasy game.

The graphics weren't the only thing upgraded in this release, rather, the sound was also given a tune up. Originally, there were no plans to remaster the sound as well, but I'm glad they did, and the effort shows. Most tracks only got a light tune up, but some, most notably the Battle Theme, were completely redone from scratch. But at the end of the day, my personal favorite of the game "To Zanarkand" is what brought the point home. By getting a touch up, I was worried the tune would no longer feel the same. That worry vanished once I heard the familiar, yet different melody pop up.

X-2's music upgrades were less noticeable, if there were any at all, but that's not a problem, since X-2's music was fantastic to begin with. "1000 Words" (potential spoilers, you have been warned) in particular stands out in comparison to a terrific sound track.

I loved Final Fantasy X and X-2's music 10 years ago. A decade later, I still love it. Some fans complain that the music is too different from the originals, and complain about it. But people like to complain. If you judge the music for what it is, a beautiful new rendition of very good music, then you shouldn't have a problem. There's nothing wrong with taking chances, like upgrading a sound track. There's even less wrong when that chance ends up making a sound track better, even if it is different.

Another glowing pass for the remaster.

Addictiveness - 9 and Depth - 10
Considering I was willing to come back to X and X-2 over 7 years after I last played this game, I'd say there's a definite draw to it. When you consider the fact that I never beat X-2 all those years ago (I had no patience for the job system, which today, I find fun to deal with, even though it didn't add as much challenge as the younger me thought) it's even more incredible that I was determined to finish it for good this time.

By basing the Remaster off the International versions, they certainly gave me a reason to want to play.

In short, the International version adds the Expert Sphere Grid, the Eternal Calm video, and new bosses to X, and two extra dresspheres, more garment grids, the Last Mission Roguelike, and a creature creator system (which is ridiculously deep, and can add dozens of hours of playtime).

To go on a tangent about X's additions, in particular, the one I was most interested in were the extra bosses. The International version adds a dark version of each aeon (Dark Anima, Dark Valefor, Dark Shiva, etc) and a super boss named Penance. All of these enemies are much much stronger than anything you will fight in the main story line of Final Fantasy X. Dark Valefor, a dark version of the first aeon you get is particularly annoying, even though he's not all that strong compared to the rest of the Dark Aeons. Why? He blocks the way to Besaid Village after a certain point of the game, meaning it's impossible to get into Besaid for whatever reason until you have defeated him. And since you need to power level like crazy to beat him, it can be a little frustrating to be unable to go to certain places. And he's the supposed weakest of the Dark Aeons.

But none of them hold a candle to Penance, who I was most looking forward to facing going into the Remaster. If you don't cheat like a baby and use Yojimbo to solve your problems, Penance is actually a pretty tough boss, that is up there with every other superboss in the history of Final Fantasy. Sporting over 12,000,000 HP (in a game where the most damage you can do with one singular attack, not counting doublecast/overdrives/etc is 99,999) and nearly maxed out stats, Penance can be a problem for even the most experienced of Final Fantasy players.

The Expert Sphere Grid is a nice addition, but some will prefer the original one. Basically, the Expert Sphere Grid has less nodes, and thus, less room to make for max stats. In order to max out your stats, you need to use clear spheres (which you can buy from the Monster Arena) to get rid of old stats, and then use stat spheres (like Strength Spheres) to make the +2s into +4s. The Expert Sphere Grid can make maxing out your stats a laborious chore. On top of having less nodes, all characters start in roughly the same place, and can be developed how you wish. Want Kimahri to be your tank, instead of the useless log he usually is? Go for it. Want Wakka to be your black mage? Sure. Have a strange desire to see Yuna hit harder than a legendary guardian? Be my guest. The Expert Sphere grid is a definite improvement to me. And the best thing is, it isn't forced. You can choose between either grid at the beginning of the game.

I'm less familiar with the upgrades to X-2, however, so bear with me.

The one that will jump out as most people is the Last Mission Roguelike. Rather than be on a separate disk though, it is in the menu, right below X-2, hopefully dissuading anyone from playing it until after the completion of X-2. For anyone who has never played a roguelike, I would invite them to use google (as I could go on for hours about the intricasies of roguelikes as a genre) and come back to this segment later. This handles similarly to Pokemon Mystery Dungeon, actually, though adds the X-2 charm by forcing you to use dressspheres, which can be your best friend or worst enemy, depending on what luck has in store for you on that particular run through the tower. Taking place over 80 floors of a staggering tower (I've only made it to floor 18 as of this review, though I plan to potentially put more time into it another day), the challenge only gets more difficult the higher up you advance.

Also of major note is the addition of the Creature Creator system. You can use it from the start of the game, and if you are dedicated enough, you could play it for hours before you realize that this is only a side game. To put it simply, you start out with a few "pods". You can send these "pods" to anywhere in Spira. Once you send them out, you can instantly round them up. Upon rounding up your "pods", you can find that you have trapped a monster (or in rare cases, using the SP trap, a human). From here you can name the monster, develop it with items or accessories, and have it fight in a monster arena. The monsters you capture can be used anywhere in the game, and can even take the place of all three main characters of X-2. The only downside to using them is that they are always AI controlled, and as such a little more random than players would like. The payoff though, is that they can be ridiculously strong with the right training. I've put about a dozen hours into the system, and only scratched the surface. I doubt I'll ever return to give it another look, but it's a welcome addition all the same.

And all that above isn't even taking into consideration what FFX and X-2 have to offer in their standard formats, as both games are rather deep as far as Final Fantasy games go. The Monster Arena in X, all the small missions in X-2 (100% completion can be a drag, I thought I did everything, but only hit 85% completion by the end of the game), and the upgrades to each game make for a wonderfully deep and addicting experience.

Story - 9 (10 for X, 6 for X-2, 9 for the audio drama)
I look through rose colored glasses at times when it comes to my favorite games. Final Fantasy X is no exception. Boasting one of the single best stories in an RPG to date, the story is just as powerful now as it was a decade plus ago.

At times it can drag, and feel a little unnecessary, but once you get into the thick of the meat of the plot, you will constantly be asking yourself where the writers are going with this. It ends up being a bit cliche at certain segments, but then turns it around and goes beyond expectations and defines itself on its own rules.

Aside from a few jumpy segments where the camera shakes pointlessly, and some unflattering facial expressions, the cutscenes are absolutely beautiful in HD.

I cannot however say the same for X-2, which had at best, a mediocre story, muddled with the same "oh woe is me" bull you can see on cable television.

The premise for X-2's story is good enough, Yuna is searching for someone very dear to her, and that's the entire reason she's on this journey. That's good. But every single side quest seems to come down to "Where is he?" and it can get stale and repetitive after the 80th "We're all connected" speech. The theme itself is one that should be played with, and used as an undertone, but seems to dominate the game, making for a disappointing experience.

More interesting is the subplot that isn't as explored during the main game, namely, Paine's existence, and why she's with the Gullwings to begin with. Rather, you can learn more about her through the Crimson Spheres, which are generally completely optional, and easy to miss. And it's a shame, because as a new character, you are undoubtedly going to be curious who Paine is, since you already know both of the other protagonists.

Unfortunately, she seems to get thrown under the bus at almost every turn, which makes her character development seem non-existent. At the start of the game she's a goth with red eyes and a mysterious past. At the end of the game, unless you actively went out of your way to find a ton of items, she's a goth with red eyes and a mysterious past.

With all the time they spent talking about how Yuna needs to find her special someone, you think they could have devoted more story time to who Paine is.

At this time, I will note there is a story to Last Mission, the roguelike mentioned earlier, though I have only seen a couple of scenes. I am not sure they add much to the story aside from closure on certain people and events. However, it is entirely possible they make up for the lack of character development there. Your mileage may vary.

Moving on from X-2 though, there's one last piece of story to digest, and that's the 30 minute audio drama -Will-. Again, this takes place a year after the events of Final Fantasy X-2. It's hard to say anything, without spoiling anything, so I'll leave this brief.

You pretty much have to know the story of X and X-2 for this audio drama to make a ton of sense. And it does a masterful job of ripping apart what you thought you knew about both stories. As it turns out (I only found this out after watching the drama unfold) there is a novel named "Final Fantasy X-2.5 ~Eien no Daishou~" that takes place between the events of Last Mission and -Will-. The novel sort of explains the divergence from what happened in X/X-2 and what happens in -Will-. If nothing else, I would recommend a look at the synopsis.

But back to -Will-. -Will- follows two new characters, a 17 year old brash girl, named Chuami, and her childhood friend, Kurgum, a sender (someone who sends the souls of the dead to the Farplane, or afterlife) that is starstruck at meeting Yuna, and the guardians.

Without going to into detail, it's actually kind of depressing, and my first impression was that I hated it for taking something I enjoyed and making it less enjoyable. But given time to digest, I understand the point of the audio drama was to make us think, and come to our own conclusions.

With that said, it was well done, even if I didn't like the direction it took.

Difficulty - 1 (6 if you take on all of the bonus content without being a lame cheater)
The main games of both Final Fantasy X and X-2 are easy. No ifs ands or buts about it.

The most challenging thing in X is often your perseverance, since often times, the game can drag if you didn't level appropriately in the past few screens. The game can take upwards of 50-60 hours to beat, and over 120 if your goal is to complete it 100%. The Dark Aeons and Penance can be a challenge for anyone, but aren't part of the main story, thankfully, or several wouldn't get to enjoy the wonder of FFX.

In X-2, the most challenging aspect is easily the job system. It can be a little daunting to get used to, but once you get the hang of changing dresspheres, you will find the game to be a walk in the park. Even the final boss seems like a relative pushover compared to what you face in X.

GRADING
Graphics - 10% (10% of 9 is .9)
Sound - 10% (10% of 10 is 1)
Addictiveness - 35% (35% of 9 is 3.15)
Depth - 20% (20% of 10 is 2)
Story - 25% (25% of 9 is 2.25)
Difficulty - 0% (0% of 1 is 0)
Total - 9.3
Bonus Points - Adding .2 bonus points for a glitch free experience, and for basing it off the International Edition rather than standard. Without the International extras, the game would not have been as fun.

Overall - 9.5
In the end, Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster comes off as a hit. It was a nostalgic blast from the past that I did not mind completing all over again.

In X's case particularly, this is true, as I now own the platinum trophy for it.

The few flaws the compilation has do nothing to detract from the good that said compilation has brought upon us. A long wait for the Remaster was not met with disappointment, as I was warned, but rather, it brought a new appreciation for a great game and it's less impressive (but still fun) sequel.

There's always hope for a X-3, although I doubt it'll ever happen (though -Will- certainly makes me want one)... but even if it doesn't, I can rest easy knowing that this mini series didn't overstay its welcome.

I would recommend this game, not only to new gamers who want a fun JRPG experience, but also to anyone who played the originals and want the extra challenge the International versions provide. For 40 dollars, you definitely get your money's worth. I spent nearly 250 total hours in Spira thanks to this compilation. And they are 250 hours I wouldn't trade away to play other games. Quality in today's market is hard to come by, and that's even more true when the games aren't 60 dollars on release.

Again, if you enjoy anything related to Final Fantasy, play this game.
"This is my story."

Final Fantasy X and X-2 are over a decade old now, and unlike many Final Fantasy games, graphically, they actually hold up pretty well in comparison to other games of their ilk. With this knowledge, keep in mind the main thing improved with the HD Remaster is said graphics. Brought somewhat up to date, Square Enix brings a well loved game and its less than loved sequel ten years into the future, for an older generation of gamers to get nostalgic over, and a new generation of gamers to enjoy.

But the graphics aren't the only improvement. The two games are not HD Remasters of the game you played 10 years ago. Rather, they are an HD Remaster of the International versions of each game, which have never before been released in North America. The International versions add things that I'll get into later, but ultimately leads to a deeper experience.

On top of which, the menu for the compilation also includes Final Fantasy X: Eternal Calm (which is basically a lead-in to FFX-2, to explain how and why Yuna decided to just up and leave Besaid on a whim), Final Fantasy X-2: Last Mission (Also never before released in NA, a playable roguelike sequel to FFX-2, that takes place a few months after the conclusion of X-2), and a 30 minute audio drama named Final Fantasy X -Will- (Which delves into what happens a year after the conclusion of Final Fantasy X-2, and has led many a fan to speculate if there will ever be a X-3, even though all official word has said "no").

With that said, let's just delve into the actual review.

Graphics - 9
I was torn on how I should grade this, because the game is a remaster. Both X and X-2 didn't look bad by any means, but regardless, they received the HD treatment, and it shows. I hadn't played FFX or X-2 in about 7 years, so I was pretty excited to see what the game would look like in action.

I was not disappointed. Rather, I was quite thrilled to see the love that went into upscaling and making more realistic character models. Wakka's hair feels more alive, Tidus has more depth in his face, and Lulu... well let's just say she's nice too. Virtually everything looks better now and there are no more awkward jaggies that I could see.

Upon finishing the games, I grew curious as to how the originals looked, and it felt like I stepped backwards in time. I say FFX/X-2 looked great, and they did, for their time, but the HD Remaster predictably made the originals ten years ago look bizarre.

My favorite graphical update, honestly, was the update to the battle interface and menu interface, as now they look cleaner, smoother, and easier to read. Everything is so crisp and bold, but not obnoxiously so.

All told, this gets a pass with high marks. The goal of the Remaster was to make a more beautiful Spira. Mission successful.

Sound - 10
I'm a little biased when it comes to video game music.

Generally, I don't like it, because they go out of their way to try and give you music that doesn't belong in that time or place. This is less on the developers and more on the composers. It always feels like it's more about the composers than harmony with the game they are composing for.

I've notably never had this problem with a Final Fantasy game.

The graphics weren't the only thing upgraded in this release, rather, the sound was also given a tune up. Originally, there were no plans to remaster the sound as well, but I'm glad they did, and the effort shows. Most tracks only got a light tune up, but some, most notably the Battle Theme, were completely redone from scratch. But at the end of the day, my personal favorite of the game "To Zanarkand" is what brought the point home. By getting a touch up, I was worried the tune would no longer feel the same. That worry vanished once I heard the familiar, yet different melody pop up.

X-2's music upgrades were less noticeable, if there were any at all, but that's not a problem, since X-2's music was fantastic to begin with. "1000 Words" (potential spoilers, you have been warned) in particular stands out in comparison to a terrific sound track.

I loved Final Fantasy X and X-2's music 10 years ago. A decade later, I still love it. Some fans complain that the music is too different from the originals, and complain about it. But people like to complain. If you judge the music for what it is, a beautiful new rendition of very good music, then you shouldn't have a problem. There's nothing wrong with taking chances, like upgrading a sound track. There's even less wrong when that chance ends up making a sound track better, even if it is different.

Another glowing pass for the remaster.

Addictiveness - 9 and Depth - 10
Considering I was willing to come back to X and X-2 over 7 years after I last played this game, I'd say there's a definite draw to it. When you consider the fact that I never beat X-2 all those years ago (I had no patience for the job system, which today, I find fun to deal with, even though it didn't add as much challenge as the younger me thought) it's even more incredible that I was determined to finish it for good this time.

By basing the Remaster off the International versions, they certainly gave me a reason to want to play.

In short, the International version adds the Expert Sphere Grid, the Eternal Calm video, and new bosses to X, and two extra dresspheres, more garment grids, the Last Mission Roguelike, and a creature creator system (which is ridiculously deep, and can add dozens of hours of playtime).

To go on a tangent about X's additions, in particular, the one I was most interested in were the extra bosses. The International version adds a dark version of each aeon (Dark Anima, Dark Valefor, Dark Shiva, etc) and a super boss named Penance. All of these enemies are much much stronger than anything you will fight in the main story line of Final Fantasy X. Dark Valefor, a dark version of the first aeon you get is particularly annoying, even though he's not all that strong compared to the rest of the Dark Aeons. Why? He blocks the way to Besaid Village after a certain point of the game, meaning it's impossible to get into Besaid for whatever reason until you have defeated him. And since you need to power level like crazy to beat him, it can be a little frustrating to be unable to go to certain places. And he's the supposed weakest of the Dark Aeons.

But none of them hold a candle to Penance, who I was most looking forward to facing going into the Remaster. If you don't cheat like a baby and use Yojimbo to solve your problems, Penance is actually a pretty tough boss, that is up there with every other superboss in the history of Final Fantasy. Sporting over 12,000,000 HP (in a game where the most damage you can do with one singular attack, not counting doublecast/overdrives/etc is 99,999) and nearly maxed out stats, Penance can be a problem for even the most experienced of Final Fantasy players.

The Expert Sphere Grid is a nice addition, but some will prefer the original one. Basically, the Expert Sphere Grid has less nodes, and thus, less room to make for max stats. In order to max out your stats, you need to use clear spheres (which you can buy from the Monster Arena) to get rid of old stats, and then use stat spheres (like Strength Spheres) to make the +2s into +4s. The Expert Sphere Grid can make maxing out your stats a laborious chore. On top of having less nodes, all characters start in roughly the same place, and can be developed how you wish. Want Kimahri to be your tank, instead of the useless log he usually is? Go for it. Want Wakka to be your black mage? Sure. Have a strange desire to see Yuna hit harder than a legendary guardian? Be my guest. The Expert Sphere grid is a definite improvement to me. And the best thing is, it isn't forced. You can choose between either grid at the beginning of the game.

I'm less familiar with the upgrades to X-2, however, so bear with me.

The one that will jump out as most people is the Last Mission Roguelike. Rather than be on a separate disk though, it is in the menu, right below X-2, hopefully dissuading anyone from playing it until after the completion of X-2. For anyone who has never played a roguelike, I would invite them to use google (as I could go on for hours about the intricasies of roguelikes as a genre) and come back to this segment later. This handles similarly to Pokemon Mystery Dungeon, actually, though adds the X-2 charm by forcing you to use dressspheres, which can be your best friend or worst enemy, depending on what luck has in store for you on that particular run through the tower. Taking place over 80 floors of a staggering tower (I've only made it to floor 18 as of this review, though I plan to potentially put more time into it another day), the challenge only gets more difficult the higher up you advance.

Also of major note is the addition of the Creature Creator system. You can use it from the start of the game, and if you are dedicated enough, you could play it for hours before you realize that this is only a side game. To put it simply, you start out with a few "pods". You can send these "pods" to anywhere in Spira. Once you send them out, you can instantly round them up. Upon rounding up your "pods", you can find that you have trapped a monster (or in rare cases, using the SP trap, a human). From here you can name the monster, develop it with items or accessories, and have it fight in a monster arena. The monsters you capture can be used anywhere in the game, and can even take the place of all three main characters of X-2. The only downside to using them is that they are always AI controlled, and as such a little more random than players would like. The payoff though, is that they can be ridiculously strong with the right training. I've put about a dozen hours into the system, and only scratched the surface. I doubt I'll ever return to give it another look, but it's a welcome addition all the same.

And all that above isn't even taking into consideration what FFX and X-2 have to offer in their standard formats, as both games are rather deep as far as Final Fantasy games go. The Monster Arena in X, all the small missions in X-2 (100% completion can be a drag, I thought I did everything, but only hit 85% completion by the end of the game), and the upgrades to each game make for a wonderfully deep and addicting experience.

Story - 9 (10 for X, 6 for X-2, 9 for the audio drama)
I look through rose colored glasses at times when it comes to my favorite games. Final Fantasy X is no exception. Boasting one of the single best stories in an RPG to date, the story is just as powerful now as it was a decade plus ago.

At times it can drag, and feel a little unnecessary, but once you get into the thick of the meat of the plot, you will constantly be asking yourself where the writers are going with this. It ends up being a bit cliche at certain segments, but then turns it around and goes beyond expectations and defines itself on its own rules.

Aside from a few jumpy segments where the camera shakes pointlessly, and some unflattering facial expressions, the cutscenes are absolutely beautiful in HD.

I cannot however say the same for X-2, which had at best, a mediocre story, muddled with the same "oh woe is me" bull you can see on cable television.

The premise for X-2's story is good enough, Yuna is searching for someone very dear to her, and that's the entire reason she's on this journey. That's good. But every single side quest seems to come down to "Where is he?" and it can get stale and repetitive after the 80th "We're all connected" speech. The theme itself is one that should be played with, and used as an undertone, but seems to dominate the game, making for a disappointing experience.

More interesting is the subplot that isn't as explored during the main game, namely, Paine's existence, and why she's with the Gullwings to begin with. Rather, you can learn more about her through the Crimson Spheres, which are generally completely optional, and easy to miss. And it's a shame, because as a new character, you are undoubtedly going to be curious who Paine is, since you already know both of the other protagonists.

Unfortunately, she seems to get thrown under the bus at almost every turn, which makes her character development seem non-existent. At the start of the game she's a goth with red eyes and a mysterious past. At the end of the game, unless you actively went out of your way to find a ton of items, she's a goth with red eyes and a mysterious past.

With all the time they spent talking about how Yuna needs to find her special someone, you think they could have devoted more story time to who Paine is.

At this time, I will note there is a story to Last Mission, the roguelike mentioned earlier, though I have only seen a couple of scenes. I am not sure they add much to the story aside from closure on certain people and events. However, it is entirely possible they make up for the lack of character development there. Your mileage may vary.

Moving on from X-2 though, there's one last piece of story to digest, and that's the 30 minute audio drama -Will-. Again, this takes place a year after the events of Final Fantasy X-2. It's hard to say anything, without spoiling anything, so I'll leave this brief.

You pretty much have to know the story of X and X-2 for this audio drama to make a ton of sense. And it does a masterful job of ripping apart what you thought you knew about both stories. As it turns out (I only found this out after watching the drama unfold) there is a novel named "Final Fantasy X-2.5 ~Eien no Daishou~" that takes place between the events of Last Mission and -Will-. The novel sort of explains the divergence from what happened in X/X-2 and what happens in -Will-. If nothing else, I would recommend a look at the synopsis.

But back to -Will-. -Will- follows two new characters, a 17 year old brash girl, named Chuami, and her childhood friend, Kurgum, a sender (someone who sends the souls of the dead to the Farplane, or afterlife) that is starstruck at meeting Yuna, and the guardians.

Without going to into detail, it's actually kind of depressing, and my first impression was that I hated it for taking something I enjoyed and making it less enjoyable. But given time to digest, I understand the point of the audio drama was to make us think, and come to our own conclusions.

With that said, it was well done, even if I didn't like the direction it took.

Difficulty - 1 (6 if you take on all of the bonus content without being a lame cheater)
The main games of both Final Fantasy X and X-2 are easy. No ifs ands or buts about it.

The most challenging thing in X is often your perseverance, since often times, the game can drag if you didn't level appropriately in the past few screens. The game can take upwards of 50-60 hours to beat, and over 120 if your goal is to complete it 100%. The Dark Aeons and Penance can be a challenge for anyone, but aren't part of the main story, thankfully, or several wouldn't get to enjoy the wonder of FFX.

In X-2, the most challenging aspect is easily the job system. It can be a little daunting to get used to, but once you get the hang of changing dresspheres, you will find the game to be a walk in the park. Even the final boss seems like a relative pushover compared to what you face in X.

GRADING
Graphics - 10% (10% of 9 is .9)
Sound - 10% (10% of 10 is 1)
Addictiveness - 35% (35% of 9 is 3.15)
Depth - 20% (20% of 10 is 2)
Story - 25% (25% of 9 is 2.25)
Difficulty - 0% (0% of 1 is 0)
Total - 9.3
Bonus Points - Adding .2 bonus points for a glitch free experience, and for basing it off the International Edition rather than standard. Without the International extras, the game would not have been as fun.

Overall - 9.5
In the end, Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster comes off as a hit. It was a nostalgic blast from the past that I did not mind completing all over again.

In X's case particularly, this is true, as I now own the platinum trophy for it.

The few flaws the compilation has do nothing to detract from the good that said compilation has brought upon us. A long wait for the Remaster was not met with disappointment, as I was warned, but rather, it brought a new appreciation for a great game and it's less impressive (but still fun) sequel.

There's always hope for a X-3, although I doubt it'll ever happen (though -Will- certainly makes me want one)... but even if it doesn't, I can rest easy knowing that this mini series didn't overstay its welcome.

I would recommend this game, not only to new gamers who want a fun JRPG experience, but also to anyone who played the originals and want the extra challenge the International versions provide. For 40 dollars, you definitely get your money's worth. I spent nearly 250 total hours in Spira thanks to this compilation. And they are 250 hours I wouldn't trade away to play other games. Quality in today's market is hard to come by, and that's even more true when the games aren't 60 dollars on release.

Again, if you enjoy anything related to Final Fantasy, play this game.
Vizzed Elite
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Post Rating: 4   Liked By: cnw64, deggle, Eniitan, Yuna1000,

06-19-14 04:12 PM
Eniitan is Offline
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Hey you didn't summon me. And I've been asking you about this!

Anyways....this is a beautiful layed out review leggy....you know I am not always able to read up to 3000 words. But you didn't bore me. You kept on puling me onto more to read. The details were indescribable .... as we all know that you are amazing at reviews. I enjoyed reading this. And I am now happy that you have done it as I have been asking forever. I must thank you, as this is the first that I was able to read this much. ^-^
Hey you didn't summon me. And I've been asking you about this!

Anyways....this is a beautiful layed out review leggy....you know I am not always able to read up to 3000 words. But you didn't bore me. You kept on puling me onto more to read. The details were indescribable .... as we all know that you are amazing at reviews. I enjoyed reading this. And I am now happy that you have done it as I have been asking forever. I must thank you, as this is the first that I was able to read this much. ^-^
Vizzed Elite
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06-19-14 04:15 PM
legacyme3 is Offline
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legacyme3
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Eniitan :

Sorry, I forgot to let you know lol.

I was up last night, finishing it, so I woke up today completely spent and on auto-pilot. Completely slipped my mind.
Eniitan :

Sorry, I forgot to let you know lol.

I was up last night, finishing it, so I woke up today completely spent and on auto-pilot. Completely slipped my mind.
Vizzed Elite
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One Leggy.
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One Dream.


Affected by 'Laziness Syndrome'

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06-20-14 06:10 AM
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      That had to take at least 30 years! That was awesome! Keep it up!
      That had to take at least 30 years! That was awesome! Keep it up!
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This is a great review . Even thou I'm more of a FF7 fun I enjoyed reading it. Thanks and keep them coming
This is a great review . Even thou I'm more of a FF7 fun I enjoyed reading it. Thanks and keep them coming
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Affected by 'Laziness Syndrome'

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