FFX/X-2 HD Remaster Game Review

Written by Review Crew

October 8, 2015

When the PS2 was still the new console of the season, the game called Final Fantasy X came onto it which became highly popular with the gamers of that age. So popular, in fact, that it not only received 2 animation shorts after 14 years later the same title visits us again on the PS4, along with some nifty bonuses that came up after the initial game release. Will the series still hold up as a great experience even after what seems like an eternity later?

Production: 3/5 (How the game looks, feels, sounds, etc)

Even digital content doesn’t seem to be safe from being eroded by the forces of time. The game’s graphics, despite being remastered for HD can feel dated. This is especially felt when looking at anyone who isn’t part of the main cast. On a positive note though, an alternate score is available for you to listen to so you can have a richer auditory experience through the game. Voice overs are kept as they were but may sound of better quality, though this could be for better or for worse. It really depends how you feel about Tidus and Yuna’s voice acting, since you’ll be hearing them talk a lot.

Those things aside, the environment and other CG movies are things you’ll feel where the effort went as they do look pretty flawless on your 1080p screen.

 

Mechanics: 3.5/5 (How the game works on gameplay)

The game’s pace works on the traditional turn based game but does provide lots of special situations to keep the all-too-familiar setup a bit more interesting. X-2 does provide a moreinteresting twist by making it possible to hack the system while trying to keep things visually appealing and fun with the Dress Sphere System. X-2 also gets the game pace much faster and easier to keep you engaged.

There is one thing I’d like to ask of Squeenix, playing this game many years later: A skip cut scene button. I already know what’s going on, and I don’t need a lengthy review of what looked amazing over a decade ago.

Writing: 4.5/5 (Story, Script, Screenplay)

While the screenplay techniques are pretty dated for the many cut scenes it has, I still like following the story. The game’s writing is still one of the best I could ask for, while the themes and issues it talks about may or may not be that relative to the times, I believe it tackles them beautifully. Issues are multi-faceted, growth is personal, and everyone has a problem of their own to deal with. And ultimately how the story ends as it highlights how valuable what they have achieved is.

Until at least the whole thing with X-2 begins, which was obvious fan pandering to no end. I don’t really agree with how the story progressed from there, but at least it was a bit more fun to play.

 

Features: 5/5 (Unique stuff found on the game, could be art or features unique to the platform)

While there’s an absolute huge amount of tasks, sub-quests, optional bosses and mini-games to do. I’d have to say Blitzball takes the cake on extra content that makes these games more fun. Iwill prefer it over Sphere Break any day. But anyway, yes there’s a lot to do in these games which you can definitely sink your teeth into, but hopefully not too much of your time. Anyone up for the 200 Lightning Dodge challenge has got a lot of spare time.

I find it pretty nifty that you’ll find anything FFX related in one disc, so it’s easy to binge on the jRPG goodness. The games are also the latest version where you can choose what kind of Sphere Grid system you want to use as well as what kind of music you would like to hear. You can also spend some time viewing the in-between movies for FFX and FFX-2 which gets you up to speed as to what happened between the two games.

 

Over-All Play: 3.5/5 (How everything comes together as an experience)

The game really is a testament to games back in the early 2000s. Unfortunately, this could mean that you may be dealing with quite a slow-paced game. You may find yourself wanting to move on to play the game and it’s still busy explaining to you what’s going on. You may also find yourself getting tired of Square-Enix’s demonstration of water animation.

In the end, playing this game may require a thick pair of nostalgia glasses. One might think that they’ll find games that play similarly on mobile, and would require less investment to enjoy. Though on the flipside, the game still plays pretty solid, and offers a lot of alternate things to do which you will rarely find in recent games without it being paid DLC. If you’re looking to simply share an adventure with a colorful cast and a world that direly needs your help, and if you have the hours you don’t mind parting with, this is a wonderful set of games to play.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5

Game review by Allen Silva

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