Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster review

[Guts]

I guess it depends how you look at it. It was Active Time wasn't it? That's really still more turn based than real time, although I respect that people may disagree there.

My basic point was that FF13 was extremely conservative, and rejected the (admittedly experimental) progressions they made in FF12. Once you got used to the impressive graphics and overall flashy visuals, it felt like a massive backwards step not only for the series, but the genre as a whole. Very depressing because for all its flaws, FF12 showed how the genre could possibly evolve. The game was imperfect (the plot wasn't the most interesting, for instance), but you have to wonder what the next step would have been had they continued down that route.

Well, you could say that FF12's battle system was also Active Time because after all you wait for the turn-bar to fill up just like in the older titles, there just wasn't that transition to the separate battle screen anymore.

But I get what you say, I quite liked FF12 and the refinements they made, but never bothered with FF13 after I saw a few hours of it at a friend's place, I just knew that it wasn't a game for me and to me it wasn't even a Final Fantasy game anymore (corridor, fight, corridor, fight, cut-scene, more corridors and fights, cut-scene etc.).

FF12 could have been even better than it was, but Square bosses got chicken and ordered a number of things changed in the plot, like how Basch was first supposed to be the leading character, but then they shoe-horned Vaan in it to please the prettyboy fanboys etc.

[Hartley Hare]

I thought 12 was perfect in every way and the last true ff game I thoroughly enjoyed and the only one I have played twice. If they could clean this up and re issue I would pay pretty much anything.

[sj33]

I'd be all over a HD re-release of the game too.

It's frustrating that the game gets dismissed by so many people, especially among the Final Fantasy 7-10 crowd (it seems to get a lot of love from the more traditional Final Fantasy crowd, however). It's seen as a bit of a concession to Western RPGs (in that it is much more open world that JRPGs typically are). I personally disagree - it keeps rooted in its focus on character and plot development in a way that most Western RPGs have traditionally overlooked (bar maybe the Bioware games). It just removed a lot of the shackles, having your hand held and taking you from one place to the next with little incentive to explore beyond this.

These restrictions were understandable back in the days when hardware was more limited. Hell, the traditional turn based system came about pretty much due to the limitations in the hardware. I'm not saying a turn-based system should be rejected outright - as you say, FF12 was a bit of a hybrid. But the changes to the formula allowed some real innovation, such as the aforementioned gambit system.

FF14 is a really good example of what could have been - looking at the overall system and how it is implemented. Obviously not everybody wants to play an online game, but the game feels very much like an evolution of the formula presented by FF12. A spiritual successor to FF12 would take that system and apply it to a single player scenario - an appealing thought.

[shaffy_oppa]

There's random moments the girls yell out their battle quotes in Japanese... It's quite clear it's the English voice actresses. It's just so random, at first I thought it was an error and they left in some Japanese quotes.

[MrKirov]

When did you hear it happen? I'll keep an ear out for it

[Panta Rhei]

Its true, Yuna says Zenkai de ikuyo or something pre battle. Its because of the International version, Square brought in the English VA for some things as well back then.

I beat FFX but stopped grinding for the sphere grid, its so damn time consuming. Even with 3 routes full and all Celestial Weapons the hidden bosses are still too strong. There is no mid tier in this game. Even with doing the Don Tonberry trick (99 levels in 2 mins), it still takes ages because you need dem spheres.

Now playing X-2 and I still like it quite a bit, beside the J-Pop crap lies a very fun romp.

FFXIII, lol.

FFXII was what Square should've laid their foundations on. The game was regarded as a classic by both East and West. It was progressive. FFXIII was a corridor game with the same old battle system, but then simplified. The story was pretentious crap again as well (they are Fal Cie, we're L'cie... and may become Cie'th!). It hurled the series back to Square one, and its ****ty sequels damaged the franchise even more. FFXV needs to be one hell of a game.

FFXIV: ARR is excellent. I played the Ps4 betas to death, got past the Sastasha dungeon in the second one, and thinking of a sub.

[shaffy_oppa]

Ah sorry the quotes are in X-2.

Here's some I've heard so far

Tuna
"Korede sayonara"
"Zenkai de ikuyo"
"Yuna, mairimasu"

and from Paine
"Jyaana"
"Sayonara"

apparently they all have some so still awaiting Rikku. It all just adds to the cheese fest and I love it tbh.

[J0e Musashi]

I've got back into this. I've got around 20 hours to make up since swapping over to the Asian version (which was pointless, as it doesn't work on Vita TV, despite it saying it on the box). The X button is still the action button too.

[hudson]

Fancy this on Vita. Any good?

[J0e Musashi]

Mighty good.

[mugetsu]

Fancy this on Vita. Any good?

X is still really good and has plenty content.
X 2 on the other hand has a really good combat system let down by its comedy script and annoying voice acting.

[speedlolita]

Let down, I think you mean enhanced.

[SUMIRE]

I must admit, although still a great game, I wish they never messed around with the music.

[MrKirov]

80 hours on FFX now. All celestial weapons done, just grinding now to level up for the dark aeons. Never liked X when it first came out, too grindy. I'm enjoying it more now, but to me this is when FF started to falter. Ridiculous requirements and more grinding than ever before meant it felt like a different game to me- and I feel the same now.

I loved FFX-2 however. Brilliant battle system, and refreshing to ya something so fun and lighthearted with no end if the world angst (apart from chapter 5!)

Been playing on PS3, but got a copy coming for Vita too, the grinding will be less annoying when I can do it in shorter bursts

Completely agree about the music, as I've already said. Its different, but no better. Not quite sure why they changed it.

[Paddy]

Put about 20 hours in on the Japanese VITA version so far, charming entry in the FF franchise, still looking good with the remastered touches and has those little Japanese-style perks to the character personalities and behaviour. How they went from this to FFXIII in 10 years still baffles. Didn't know developers had to try so hard to write characters badly (or massively out of date stereotypes) with the latter.

Bring back the old charm please Square Enix. One of the major reasons why fans like your older FF entries.