This review contains spoilers

The story is a master piece when it comes to JRPGs. It is dark and depressing, with a seemingly impossible enemy to defeat. The world of Spira is beautiful and fully realized. The game tackles some topics about false religious pilgrimages, and political intrigue. These topics are rarely executed well together especially at the time of 2001, but FFX does so flawlessly.
Combat is turn base, having up to three party member at once. You will gather up to 7 party members in total and can swap them during battle. As you level up you will gain exp, and progress in a Sphere Grid. The grid is essentially an advance talent tree system that characters can complete and overlap each other with enough exp, gaining their respective abilities. There is crafting in the game for one weapon and a few stats on one piece of gear. Your real goal is to find the ultimate weapons and armor for each character, which have their own multi step quest/event to get.
I only have two minor complaints. One is Tidus dialogue during combat seems like its voice acted by an entirely different person. It is not, but the tonal direction of this is jarring, hearing his voice in cut scenes, "This is my story," In a serious tone, to "I am a guardian now!" in a child-like voice adds an annoyance to combat encounters. Thankfully he doesn't say it all the time, but grinding levels is essential for RPGs like these, so you will hear this dialogue more than once in an hour of combat. The other, is the total party members. There are all very cool in their own right, and with mostly strong stories for each. But for story progression you really only need three strong leveled characters to beat the game with. Which makes it less worth while to level all of them.
The world of Spira is a place one can easily lose themselves in. The conspiracies of both religious and political, are nearly perfect with being intertwined together. Having an overabundance of characters that are well thought out are great for story, but make it tedious to level them all and somewhat unnecessary. Thankfully you can avoid it if you like to.
Overall FFX is one of the best in the series and should be played by any who like in depth story, and good turn based combat.

Reviewed on Apr 20, 2022


1 Comment


2 years ago

Well said. One thing I would like to point out reading your review is how Tidus behaves. In battle and in front of others he is very flippant and over the top because in his world he is a super big sports star and he is used to being over the top and the center of attention so he carries that attitutde with him. The tonal difference is that when he monolauges he is speaking in his true nature and at first in the journey is is extremely self absorbed. Him repeating this is my story on and on is a clear indication of his self worth and ego. When in fact that it is very much NOT Tidus's story but Yuna's. It also affects him because of his strained relationship with his father thinking he is worthless that makes Tidus project so much onto others. Only after the pilgramige and what Yuna goes through and sacrifices does he start to drop the "my story" and trying to prove his father wrong. Great game. Truly the last great FF game IMO.