Final Fantasy X-2 - Hype, Dress-Up, Bender

Thanks to 1UP for its illustrated primer to Final Fantasy X-2, illustrating the PS2 RPG sequel that debuts in the U.S. on Tuesday. Advance press reviews vary somewhat, but fan reviews of the import version have been overwhelmingly favorable, with the GameFAQs messageboards also harboring a handy pre-release guide to "give you a feel of how the game is played". 1UP illustrates the 'dress-up' angle of FFX-2 well with their expose of "the new Job system and the costumes it entails", showcasing the Cher-like variety of outfits Yuna, Rikku, and Paine wear, and finally, Futurama fans may rejoice, because Bender himself, John Di Maggio returns in FFX-2 as the voice of Wakka. Update: 11/16 15:48 GMT by S : GameSpy has just added their own review of the game, giving it 3/5 ("It's not quite what you may be expecting.")

Comments

Re:So wheres the limit

[Yaztromo]

I wonder when Square will finally have the dignity to put the Final Fantasy name down for good. Capcom is bad, but Square somehow is becoming worst in their desire to never ever let go of FF. Though their games are much higher quality, it irks me that fans still give these games at much credit that they do since they really are nothing impressive. I'll be amazed when I see an FF game do something new, and not just pretty graphics and FMV. I wonder if FF had no FMV, if as many people would buy it...

I wonder if movie theatres stopped showing movies, if anyone would continue to go.

Think about your argument for a minute. The movie-going experience hasn't really changed in the last 100 years -- you go, sit in a seat, eat popcorn or junior mints or whatever, and watch and listen. And that's it.

And yet, roughly 100 years later, movies are more popular than ever. And to think that in that time all they've "innovated" was adding voice and colour!

People (myself included) keep buying the Final Fantasy series not for the gaming qualities of the series, but for the story. It's the experience that matters with the FF titles -- and every time I finish one of them, the experience has been worth it. It's not a game you can just pickup from time to time and play a bit, like, say, the Grand Turismo series, or pretty much any sports game -- anymore than you can watch just the first 15 minutes of Lord of the Rings or Star Wars now and then.

I personally find that the Final Fantasy titles take a very balanced approch to game elements vs. story elements. If you got rid of the story elements altogether, of course few people would want to buy the games -- the story is, after all, the entire point!

Yaz.