Review of the game Final Fantasy X:
I’ll admit it, I’m a little bit of a video game enthusiast. Having said that you can forget any of the stereotypes that come to mind. I’m athletic, I don’t know shit about computers (I used to want to find the internet so I could blow it up), I have a girlfriend and I don’t play D & D (although I’ve always wanted to give it a shot.)
But enough about me. This is what I thought of Final Fantasy X for the PS2.
I remember all the Final Fantasies. From Nintendo and on up the hierarchy of video gameness. I liked Bionic Commando a lot more but I always appreciated the detail and tedium of a good RPG. There’s something satisfying about putting to rest an entire day and all you have to show for it is bloodshot eyes and cramps in your fingers. But at least you found that Mog’s Ribbon in Gizamaluke’s Grotto.
Then it occurred to me. There’s nothing final about this fantasy. We’re already on ten and Squaresoft shows no sign of stopping. It’s the worst misnomer since The Neverending Story. I mean, they only made two of those movies and that’s pretty fucking far from never ending.
It took three movies for Die Hard to finally die which is too bad because Det. John McClane is the man. It took Rocky five but I heard that they’re going to squeeze one more drop out of the Philadelphia hero and make a Rocky VI which already sucks and it isn’t even printed yet. Endless Summer only has two movies to it’s name but they’re both so cool it’s okay. Final Destination 2 just came out in theaters proving that the word “final” is being overused but misused and shouldn’t be allowed in another title until they’re sure that there won’t be a sequel.
But the game is actually really fun.
The main character has cool hair and looks like a guy you’d want to go to lunch with if you worked with him. He’s a star athlete of the fictitious sport Blitzball. It’s a cross between soccer (or football for those of you who speak the Queen’s English) and Quidditch (another fictitious sport) only it’s played in a giant bubble that’s full of water. The rules make about as much sense as US Foreign Policy and I was fucking awful at it. I think the game could’ve done without the mini game. It’s hard and doesn’t really have that much to do with the story that I was all into. In Final Fantasy VIII the mini game was a weird game of cards that reminded me of Magic (I never actually played Magic but it still reminded me of it.) That game was fun mostly because it didn’t take that long (plus I ruled at it!)
It only takes a few hours of sitting through long animation sequences (that still require you to push a button) before the real action starts but it’s peppered with a few fights that break up the monotony nicely. I won’t blow all the plot points for you because that’s part of the fun. The graphics are incredible and I found myself staring in awe at some of the sky scenes. We really have come a long way since Joust. The music is worthy of a concert hall and really plays well with the mood of the game and the characters’ conflict. I found myself humming some of them in the shower. As soon as I caught myself, I stopped and belted out some Clash and I don’t think anyone overheard but I still know. It’s that catchy.
All in all, I thought it was a pretty good game. If you’ve got the time for the whole thing, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Don’t let your new, shut-in status cater to any insecurities that you may have. You’re not a nerd just an open-minded individual who has the time to spend on a epic game. I thought it was worth it but I still think Bionic Commando is better.