Final Fantasy X

Final Fantasy X is the first installment of the Final Fantasy video game series released on the Sony PlayStation 2. The game was released in Japan on July 19, 2001, in North America on December 18, 2001, in Europe on May 24, 2002, and in Korea on June 4, 2002. Final Fantasy X is the first Final Fantasy game to be released in Korea. It is also the first Final Fantasy game ever to spawn a direct sequel, hence Final Fantasy X-2.

Final Fantasy X marks the graphical transition to fully three-dimensional graphics due to the Sony Playstation 2's extra graphics capabilities, instead of pre-rendered backdrops. A map is provided to prevent the player from getting lost. Although storyline is the game's main focus, many critics believe that the game is centered solely on graphics, and that as a result the story was less than perfect. Final Fantasy X is also the first in the Final Fantasy series to sport voice acting. Voice acting is the most controversial addition in the Final Fantasy series. Critics have complained about the voice acting in the English version of the game. Tidus, voiced by James Arnold Taylor in the English version, was supposed to be impulsive and energetic, but most of his dialogue lines are considered to have ended up sounding somewhat lackluster and Americanised. Hedy Burress's Yuna performance is likewise sometimes considered grating; many have accused her of attempting to synch her spoken dialogue with the CGI character's lips—which were programmed to speak, not English, but Japanese. (Most find no complaints with the rest of the cast, but Tidus and Yuna are the game's central characters.) Critics also panned the minigame Blitzball, based heavily on the Captain Tsubasa series of videogames.

Gameplay

Final Fantasy X's battle system is called Conditional Time Battle and was designed by Toshiro Tsuchida, in place of Active Time Battle. Conditional Time Battle is very similar to ATB, except that, instead of ticking off the passing time between attacks (which in Final Fantasy IX could take up to five seconds), the game simply skips that time and lets the next person attack, leading to rapid and fluid battles. The game also provides a graphical timeline along one side of the screen, allowing the player to quickly determine which characters and enemies are going next--an important feature, since certain attacks and abilities will cause the user or recipient to delay or hasten their next turn. Finally, though the game only allows the player to use three characters at once, the player is able to instantly rotate any in-play character for one of the other four. This is a huge step away from any of the previous Final Fantasies, because players no longer find themselves up the creek sans paddle if their party layout is wrong. Furthermore, leveling up is no longer a chore, since the player is no longer forced to fight every battle with half the party (or more) sitting on the sidelines. It is possible to involve all seven characters in every battle you fight, should you choose. This system was so practical that a similar one, the Garment Grid system, was devised for Final Fantasy X-2.

Final Fantasy X's leveling system is also original. It is called the Sphere Grid system. Instead of gaining the same stat bonuses at every level, each character simply gains a Sphere Level, which lets them take a single step on the game-board-esque Sphere Grid and unlock various bulk-size stat bonuses. The Sphere Grid system also allows the characters to deviate from their traditional classes, such as making summoner Yuna a physical powerhouse and Auron a healer (though, since all portions adjoin to each other in a circular manner, all characters technically have a predetermined course).

Geography

The world of Final Fantasy X is called Spira. It is composed of one continent and several islands. Basically life in Spira is simple, because the technological civilization was destroyed by an evil being known as Sin.

Zanarkand is located on the north edge of Zanarkand. The Ronso tribe lives there.

• Bevelle: This is the center of the religion of Yevon. It is also Yuna's birthplace.
• Macalania Woods: Macalania Woods borders Macalania Temple, one of the temples of Yevon, and Calm Lands.
• Bikanel Island: This is the center of the Al Bhed tribe, and is the location of the Al Bhed capital, Home.
• Guadosalam: This is the home city of the Spoiler warning: Plot or ending details follow.

The majority of Final Fantasy X's story takes place in the world and era of Spira, but it begins in Zanarkand, the city that never sleeps. Tidus, a native of Zanarkand, is a 17-year-old blitzball star. When Zanarkand is suddenly attacked by an evil force known as Sin, Tidus fights alongside the mysterious character Auron against a fragment of Sin, a Sinscale. While they are victorious, a catastrophe occurs and Tidus wakes in the midst of ruins- the ruins of Zanarkand. Tidus learns he has been teleported to Spira, a beautiful country with a dark history.

Spira's driving force is the religion of Yevon, devout to the extreme in fighting the use of any weapon-based technology (called "machina"), and waging a perpetual war against the entity known as Sin. Tidus soon learns that the Zanarkand he is from was destroyed some thousand years in the past. Sin was forced into remission ten years ago, by a force comprised of High Summoner Braska, the warrior Auron, and Jecht. Tidus wonders if the Auron he knows could possibly be the same in this new era, and if the man called Jecht could actually be his father, assumed dead at sea ten years ago.

Tidus is picked up by a group of Al Bhed, who speak a cipher of his language (which can be translated by collecting items in the game), and who freely use machina as they are exiled by Yevonites. He meets the energetic young Al Bhed girl Rikku, who is the daughter of Cid, also of the Al Bhed. Rikku speaks his language, and informs Tidus that Zanarkand was destroyed a millenia ago. Tidus is incredulous, and Rikku tells him since he was in contact with Sin he must be suffering the adverse effects of Sin's toxin. Tidus is brought aboard the Al Bhed ship, but after only a short time is swept out to sea in another attack from Sin.

This time, Tidus is washed up near the small town of Besaid, where he meets Wakka, apparently a blitzball player and captain of the local team (the Besaid Aurochs). Wakka takes Tidus with him to the town, where he is introduced to most of the rest of the playable cast through various levels of blundering explained away by Tidus's "amnesia". Yuna (of Bevelle, and daughter of High Summoner Braska) has just completed her initiation as a summoner of Yevon, one who is charged to defeat Sin. She sets out on her quest, along with guardians Wakka, Lulu (also of Besaid), and Kimahri Ronso (of the Ronso tribe). Later, the guardian Auron joins the party, as does Rikku of the Al Bhed. Ultimately, the party will confront Sin, unravel the mysteries of its perpetual return, and figure out exactly how Tidus and his father Jecht figure into all this.

Many of the characters in the world of Final Fantasy X appear in the sequel hinted at in the intermission video "Final Fantasy X: Eternal Calm". The sequel, Final Fantasy X-2, stars an exclusively female party, composed in part of Yuna and Rikku.

Tribes and Races

• The Guado race: Guados are similar to elves, except that they have sharp, clawlike fingers. Seymour Guado is a Maester of Yevon, but his role changes quickly in the game, and Seymour is exposed as more than just a benevolent religious leader.
• The Ronso race: The Ronso race is a race of Masashi Hamauzu and Junya Nakano. One song is a piano solo called "To Zanarkand", played at the prologue of Final Fantasy X. A notable song is Suteki Da Ne, which has four versions. The vocal versions (band and orchestra versions) were sung by Japanese folk singer Nakano Ritsuki, later known as Rikki. Suteki Da Ne is sung in Japanese both in the Japanese and English versions of Final Fantasy X. A number of critics prefer the orchestra version over the band version, and some others have the reverse. The song title "Suteki Da Ne" (素敵だね) loosely translates "isn't it beautiful." Variants of the aforementioned themes appear throughout the soundtrack.

Characters

Tetsuya Nomura was the character designer for Final Fantasy X. He designed the characters in a manner similar to the way he designed the cast of Final Fantasy VIII. The scenario designer was Kazushige Nojima, who resigned in 2003.

Playable Characters

• Tidus of Zanarkand - Tidus is a skilled player of blitzball, Spira's most popular sport. He is the male lead of Final Fantasy X. In battle, his weapon of choice is a longsword, and his particular prowess is versus agile foes. Tidus was voiced by James Arnold Taylor, who (contrary to previous reports) is not Michael J. Fox. His legendary weapon is the Caladbolg. Tidus also appeared as a non-playable character in Kingdom Hearts.
• Yuna of Bevelle - Yuna is a summoner (although not in Final Fantasy X-2, where she takes the predominant role) and the female lead of the game. Her class allows her to fit the traditional cleric/white mage role of the party, as well as being able to summon powerful magical entities (aeons). Her weapons are a variety of staves, with her ultimate staff being the Nirvana. It is Yuna's responsibility as a summoner to journey to every temple, acquire the aeon there, and ultimately summon the Final Aeon to defeat Sin; the other party members are merely to safeguard her passage. Voice actor Hedy Burress provided the voice for Yuna.

Note: At the beginning of the game, as Tidus is yanked out of Zanarkand, Auron looks down at him and intones, "This is your story"—a theme echoed during the game's prologue, in which the only two lines of dialogue are Tidus's: "Listen to my story. This may be our last chance." Once Tidus arrives in Spira, however, the quest shifts focus to Yuna's pilgrimage to defeat Sin, and appears inclined to remain there.

• Auron - The enigmatic Auron is a powerful warrior, attacking with his blades with stunning force. Ultimately, Auron can wield the Masamune, a frequently recurring weapon in Squaresoft games. Auron's quiet, mysterious, and dangerous nature helped make him very popular with fans, and he will appear in the upcoming game Kingdom Hearts 2. (This has been confirmed.)
• Wakka of Besaid - Wakka is a blitzball player from Besaid who meets Tidus after he washes ashore and serves as Tidus's first good friend. Wakka is fiercely loyal to the Yevon religion, and introduces Tidus to the Yevonite teachings. His weapon is a blitzball, useful against aerial enemies, and his ultimate weapon is the blitzball World Champion. Voice actor , who also voiced Bender from Futurama, provided Wakka's voice and also Kimahri's voice. Wakka also appeared as a non-playable character in Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy X-2.
• Kimahri Ronso - Kimahri is Yuna's most faithful guardian. He has known and protected Yuna since she was a child. In Kimahri's class one can see echoes of the dragoons of older Final Fantasy games (weapon choice, a jump attack) and of blue mage classes (the lancet ability lets him learn enemy attacks). Kimrahi's Spirit Lance is his ultimate weapon, and it can be noted that spear or lance weapons have been a staple of the dragoon class for some time. In terms of gameplay, Kimahri is the only character lacking a pre-determined course on the Sphere Grid, allowing the player to choose his abilities and talents from the get-go.
• Lulu of Besaid - Lulu is another of Yuna's guardians. Lulu is a black mage, and uses a variety of dolls as weapons. Her ultimate weapon is the Onion Knight (notable both for being a character from an earlier Final Fantasy game, and being the result of dodging a maddening 200 consecutive bolts of lightning on the Thunder Plains). She is initially very skeptical of Tidus's participation in the quest, and of his "amnesia", but even the grumpy Lulu ultimately accepts Tidus's involvement in the party.
• Rikku of the Al Bhed - Originally named "Ryukku" in the Japanese version, her name was changed to Rikku for the North American version. Rikku helps Tidus when he first arrives in Spira, but then disappears from the plot for a while, becoming the last character to join the team. Rikku has a variety of clawlike weapons, her ultimate equipment being the God Hand. Rikku's class is most similar to that of a thief from earlier Final Fantasies, combined with the Alchemist job of Final Fantasy V. Rikku's ability to steal, use a subset of items that no one else can, and mix two of any item for greater effect, makes her one of the most versatile characters in the party. She was voiced by Tara Strong of Powerpuff Girls fame. Rikku reappears as a playable character in Final Fantasy X-2.

Nonplayable Characters

• Cid of the Al Bhed: It is traditional in the Final Fantasy series that each game should have a character named Cid, who in many roles controls an airship on behalf of the party. In Final Fantasy X, this role is fulfilled by Cid of the Al Bhed, Rikku's father and Yuna's maternal uncle.
• Isaaru: A summoner, like Yuna, travelling to temples scattered across Spira until he is ready to battle Sin, with his brothers Pacce and Maroda as his guardians.
• Pacce: Isaaru's brother/Guardian.
• Maroda: Isaaru's brother/Guardian.
• Dona: Another summoner, and a rival of Yuna.
• Barthello: Dona's guardian, and an admirer of Auron.
• Luzzu and Gatta: Two members of the Crusaders who were sent to the ill-fated Operation Mi'ihen. One of them will have been killed, depending on player choice.
• Seymour Guado: He is the maester of the Guado, and has an affection for Yuna. Seymour's supposed benevolence is exposed later in the game, as Seymour becomes an increasingly twisted character. Seymour can be played once, during a battle in Operation Mi'ihen.
• Maester Mika: A maester of Yevon, who has ruled for 50 years.
• Clasko: A Chocobo breeder.
• Brother: Rikku's brother.
• Tromell: A Guado, friend of Seymour.
• O'aka: A merchant who sells weapons and items. He asks for money when the player meets him early in the game, and if the player gives him enough, his prices for the items & weapons he sells will be lower later in the game.
• Wantz: O'aka's younger brother. He will help the player if the player helped O'aka. He first appears in Mount Gagazet.
• Belgemine: Friend of Yuna, who trains her throughout the story with aeon battles.
• Rin: Another merchant, who always has the lowest prices. Runs "Rin's Travel Agency".
• Kinoc: Friend with Auron, Lives in Bevelle.
• Jecht: The father of Tidus. Braska's guardian.

Major Enemies

• Sinspawn Gui
• Spherimorph
• Crawler & Negator
• Seymour Guado with 2 Guado guardians, and later Anima.
• Wendigo
• Evrae
• Seymour Natus & Mortibody
• Evrae Altana
• Defender X
• Seymour Flux & Mortisorchis
• Sanctuary Keeper
• Spectral Keeper
• Yunalesca
• Seymour Omnis
• Sin
• Braska's Final Aeon
• Yu Yevon
• Dark Aeons
• Penance (appears after all the dark aeons are defeated)
• Nemesis
• Ultima Weapon (in Omega ruins, found before Omega Weapon)
• Omega Weapon (in Omega ruins)

Aeons

There are a total of ten aeons in Final Fantasy X (although the Magus Sisters act together as a team and therefore can be counted as one aeon, leaving a total of eight aeons in the game). Of these, Anima, Yojimbo and the Magus Sisters are not necessarily acquired in a normal game, but the player can gain them through sidequests.

• Valefor: Obtained after the Cloister of Trials in Besaid Temple. Special attack: Sonic Wings. Overdrive: Energy Ray and Energy Blast. Energy Blast can be obtained in Besaid Village.
• Ifrit: An aeon who deals with fire. Obtained in Kilika Temple. Special attack: Meteor strike. Overdrive: Hellfire.
• Ixion: Obtained after the trials in Djose Temple. A Unicorn who uses electricity. Special attack: Aerospark. Overdrive: Thor's Hammer.
• Shiva: A lady that uses ice attacks. Obtained during the first fight with Seymour Guado. Special attack: Heavenly strike. Overdrive: Diamond Dust.
• Bahamut: A very poweful aeon. Obtained after the trials in Bevelle Temple. Special attack: Impulse. Overdrive: Mega Flare.
• Anima: Obtained in Baaj Temple, Anima has the most powerful overdrive of all. The player has to find all the destruction spheres from all the trials and use them in the trials to find a hidden treasure. The player must revisit Highbridge before he or she does the trials in Zanarkand, and after the trials in Zanarkand are completed, the boss must be defeated. After that seven squares should be displayed in the first room; light up all the squares and the player will find the destruction sphere, which is used to find the treasure. The player must then go to Baaj Temple, jump into the water, fight Geosgaeno, then enter and stand in front of the statues. If all the statues are lit up, the player will receive the aeon Anima. Special Attack: Pain. Overdrive: Oblivion.
• Yojimbo: Obtained in the Cavern of the Stolen Fayth. The player must confront Lulu's old summoner, fight Yojimbo, defeat him, and then enter the Chamber of the Fayth and pay 250'000 gil to get him. If the price is tripled (750'000), the player will get 2 teleport spheres as well. Yojimbo has only 4 attacks: Daigoro (his dog will attack), Kozuka (he throws knives), Wakizashi (one of the best attacks in the game, he draws his sword and slices all enemies sometimes only one of them), Zanmato (the best attack in FFX; it can kill any enemy, including bosses). Yojimbo's attacks cost gil; the player cannot chose the attack. Pay him more gil and his attacks will cause more damage.
• The Magus sisters: Three very powerful sisters. Ride a Chocobo to the right of the entrance from Macalania, interact with the feather and then enter Remiem Temple. The player must already have both Anima and Yojimbo to obtain the Magus sisters (3 sisters, summoned as one). Talk to Belgemine, fight all of the aeons and then enter the Chamber of the Fayth. The player must have the Flower Sceptre (obtained after defeating Bahamut) and the Blossom Crown (obtained after capturing some monsters for the monster arena). The sisters have the longest overdrive, compared to the others. The player's control over the sisters is somewhat limited; there are options in battle to command them to "Fight", "Do as you will", "Help each other", "One more time", "Go, go, go". One notable thing is that the Magus Sisters previously appeared as major enemies in Final Fantasy IV.

Game history

Final Fantasy X was the code name for an N64 demo by Squaresoft, released after Final Fantasy VI. Its purpose was to demonstrate the graphics capabilities of the N64, and allowed Squaresoft to consider whether Final Fantasy VII should be developed on the N64 or PlayStation. Squaresoft decided on the Playstation for its larger data storage capacity and texture memory, and has since released subsequent titles exclusively on Sony platforms, until recently with games for the GameCube and Gameboy Advance.

The demo featured characters from Final Fantasy VI as 3D models in combat. The "X" was used to represent a variable, not the numeral ten, and bears no relation to Final Fantasy X for the PlayStation 2. The demo was later known as "Final Fantasy SGI."

See also

• Final Fantasy
• Final Fantasy X-2