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on with the show...

I've waited for a while to give my review of Final Fantasy X because I did not want to prematurely judge the game as it's held in such high esteem by so many people. To accomplish this feat I played thru it several times before writing my final opinion on the fantasy.

I have to hand it to Squaresoft, they've managed to take name branding to a new level in mega-marketing, Squaresoft can turn any of their titles into an entire line of neatly packaged merchandise due to it's large loyal fan following. Er, not that I know anything about that.

Before I begin my review, I want to speak about a few words about the world of game design and about Squaresoft itself.

Game developers will tell you that fan input is a mixed blessing. The people who desperately want your product and patiently wait for screenshots of it a year before it's final release, the people who count the days down to it's public release with bated breath are the very same people who will rip years of your hard work to shreds with a few short words. For instance?

"This game sucks."

My opinion of Final Fantasy X is that it is essentially the same game as Final Fantasy 7, 8, and 9, meaning Squaresoft has made another impressive game, provided you like Squaresoft games.

Squaresoft's biggest criticism and in some respects greatest strength, is its lack of innovation. Long ago, Squaresoft found a successful formula for making a game for a target audience, and so they have continued to stick with that formula, over new innovations in game design. The results are obvious, Final Fantasy X is just another Final Fantasy.

What this means is that fans of "Square" games will love it, and everyone else? will hate it. That's pretty simple - no suprises here guys, afterall - it's Squaresoft.

So lets take a lot at this newest addition to the Final Fantasy series?

You play a character named Tidus, who seems like a gay water polo player... wait, wrong review?

You play a somewhat unwilling hero who is destined to save the world in his own haphazard way. Along your fantastic adventure you will meet interesting people and visit many extraordinary places. As the game progress?s you will fight increasingly more powerful enemies, some of whom may have once been your allies. Not to fear, because along the way you will be assisted by an unlikely group of powerful allies. You?ll even gain new abilities, magic powers, and weapons of legendary might.

wait? that's Final Fantasy 9? I mean.. 7.. no? Final Fantasy 8? err.. maybe it was Final Fantasy 6?

but seriously...

Final Fantasy X continues all of Squaresoft?s proud traditions, such as tedious leveling up of your characters right before you fight the last boss. Grr...

To be fair, Square produces some of the most visually stimulating scenes ever to grace the console. The problem I have is that I think the Squaresoft?s developers are tired of game design and would rather spend time doing CG work. Essentially turning the game into a movie with long intermissions where you fight things.

Maybe it is akin to writers who really want to direct? hrm, I can relate to that.