Final Fantasy X HD Review (PS4)

Story

Embark on a journey to save Spira from Sin, an entity of destruction.

Tidus is a star player of Zanarkand Abes. During a match, it is interrupted by Sin, a powerful entity of destruction. As he escapes the with his friend Auron, he is thrusted into the unknown world called Spira. Tidus has to find a way to get back home, and that is by joining a summoner's pilgrimage, a summoner by the name of Yuna.

The story is developed by third person perspective throughout most of the game, which is told by Tidus, the narrator himself. I like the story of this game a lot, ever since I first played it on my PS2. Simple, emotional, intriguing, and great story. Foreshadowings are implied throughout the game, but well-handled. Plot twists are also well-handled and not excessive. 

Character developments are fully fleshed out in the game, which includes all main playable characters as well as the supporting characters. My favourite characters in this game are many, but the top favourites will fall upon Tidus, Rikku, Auron, and Jecht. Tidus is a naive and whiny young man to the unknown places and traditions of Spira, where people can easily relate to if they themselves got into the same mess as Tidus got into. Later on he will be much more determined and mature person, making his character growth the most evident in the game. Auron has the most cool-like personality, but his personality when he was young and older can be a good contrast, and it is up to the players to find out why. Rikku is a likable character, with her cheeriness and total devotion to Yuna. The voice actors also did commendable performances for their own roles in the game.

Gameplay

1) Introduction

This game is a HD remaster of Final Fantasy X International, which has new optional bosses like the Dark Aeons and Penance, as well as new abilities and a new Sphere Grid system. The battle HUD of this game is also redesigned, improved and new character models, Trophy support, and others.s This game is available for both PS3 and PS Vita.

2) Exploration and Progression Section

Standard JRPG progression.

Most of the time, you have to progress the game by running towards the destination marker. Occassionally, you have to complete a set of puzzles called Cloister of Trials. Although there are variety, most of them can be completed easily. As you progress in the game, you may have to fight mandatory battles such as fighting regular enemies or fighting bosses. Bosses can be a real challenge in the game, especially bosses at the later half of the game. Provided you upgrade your characters enough at the Sphere Grid and have good equipment, boss fights be easy depending on how well you play and strategise.

Unlike previous Final Fantasy games, there is no big World Map for you to explore as you mostly travel on foot. Late in the game, you may choose to teleport to any previous locations that you have visited. You may also buy items or weapons from various shops available throughout the game.

3) Upgrading Section

Activate nodes at each character's Sphere Grid to increase their stats.

A unique way of leveling system in this game is called Sphere Grid. Sphere Grid consists of multiple large grids connected to each other with multiple nodes that connect to each other. Sone of the nodes are empty, and others have stats increase and Abilities. To activate the specific nodes, you need to use certain Spheres.

For example, to activate a Def +4 node, you need to use a Power Sphere. Certain Spheres can only activate certain nodes, and vice versa. Each character start at different placements of the whole large grid, and you need to progress from node to node. But how you can progress to the next node?

To progress to the next node, you need to get Sphere levels. Sphere Levels is obtained by gaining enough AP, which is obtained by killing enemies in battle. For each Sphere Level, you can progress to the next node by one movement. You may backtrack to previous nodes that you have traveled by using a Sphere Level as well, where you can backtrack up to four activated nodes.

As you progress in the Sphere Grid, you will notice that there are empty nodes to be filled out. To fill these nodes, you need to obtain certain Spheres to fill it out, like HP Sphere or Strength Sphere. They are rare and can only be obtained by doing side quests or opening certain treasure chests.

In this HD remaster version, there are two versions of Sphere Grids. Standard Sphere Grid is the same one used in the original Final Fantasy X, whereas Expert Sphere Grid has lesser nodes to be activated, and different placements of nodes throughout for every characters. Depending on your playstyle, both Sphere Grids may provide benefits or negative impacts to you. As for new players, I highly recommend them to use Standard Sphere Grid. You can only choose what Sphere Grid you want before the start of the game, and you cannot change it to another one midway of the game. If you wish to do so, start a new game.

Weapons upgrading is rather simple, as you can upgrade your weapons by spending a certain number of items. For example, a Firestrike ability consumes four Bomb Fragments. Most of the upgrading materials must be stolen by enemies. This also applies to armour, as armour can be also customised to increase status immunities or increase stats. However, this can only be done if the weapon or armour has enough ability slots to fit each Auto-Ability. Weapons and armours can be bought from shops, or can be dropped from enemies.

4) Combat Section

Classic turn-based system.

The combat plays as turn-based system. Depending on your characters' and enemies' Agility stats, the one who has higher Agility stat will strike first and will have more upcoming turns. Turns can be affected by using certain White Magic or Skills. You may attack using your weapon, use abilities like Black Magic, use items, and many more during the battles.

Each enemy has their own stats, strengths and weaknesses. It is the most efficient way to exploit enemies' weaknesses as much as you can. Enemies may have special abilities, and some of them can be potentially dangerous. Bosses are more dangerous than regular enemies, and should be taken down with proper strategies.

A new feature in the game is called Overkill. Overkill is executed by damaging enemies in great values, and rewards you with higher AP and double amount of items received. For example, Tidus hits an enemy with 9999 damage, allowing him to get an Overkill.

As you progress in the Sphere Grid, you will unlock various abilities with their own categories, such as Skills, Special, White Magic and Black Magic. Skills allocates most offensive skills that may inflict status effects, Special include abilities that may raise your stats in battle, White Magic includes magics that have recovery or defensive abilities, and Black Magic that has purely offensive magics. Depending on your characters' build, it is not wise to use an ability that has the lower stat that your character has at the moment. For example, Tidus should not use any Black Magic as his stats build around Strength, Evasion and Agility. You may go to the other character's grid location to build other stats for your characters, but it is not advisable to do so until you are near to the end of the game.

Unlike most Final Fantasy games, you may now control your summons called aeons directly, like you are controlling a character in the game. You may choose to use normal attacks, Skills, Black Magic, White Magic and their special Overdrive attacks.

Overdrive attacks are special attacks that both party members and aeons possess, and they can deal high damage to enemies if you have enough stats. For the regular playable characters, Overdrive is charged by using a certain mode, such as taking damage. Overdrive modes can be learned as you do certain actions repeatedly. As for the aeons, their Overdrives can be charged in many ways, such as damaging enemies or dodging enemy attacks.

5) Side Activities Section

Many side activities and quests to be done.

You may choose to opt to play blitzball, which is a deep and fun minigame to play with. I will not write an in-depth section of it, since the blitzball minigame is extremely detailed and well-done. You will start the game with your six chosen players with their designated roles, and you may set their any learned Skills. To equip a Skill, your character needs to be at least level 3. Then, the game starts. Each character has different stats, and each stat plays a prominent role in both offense and defense. For example, AT stat is important to break through the player with the ball and steal it. As you play more blitzball matches, you will realise that the blitzball game can be easy or hard, depending on what blitzball players you recruited. You may recruit a variety of blitzball players throughout Spira, bu signing a contract of a number of games and paying them a certain amount of money. Choosing a good blitzball player with good stats is highly recommended.

There are other side quests, such as the quest of Celestial Weapons, Monster Arena, optional Aeons, and optional bosses. There is fair lot of content to be done, so expect long playing time if you attempt to do all of the side quests in the game.

6) Gameplay Conclusion

One of the finest Final Fantasy games.

What I like about this game is the high degree of customisation and flexibility of upgrading your characters, the simplicity yet good combat system, and lots of contents to be done. To be fair, I agree that the game feels linear and too easy for veteran Final Fantasy players. I for one, do not care as I deeply enjoy playing this game. 

Graphics

Superb HD remastering efforts. Some NPCs animations and lip syncs issues, however.

Square Enix did a splendid job in remastering the game in HD, with new character models for most main characters. Detailed looking characters and environments, great monsters designs, and others. The only problems I had is the lip sync sequences for many cutscenes are still off timing, as well as the NPCs in the games have evidently lesser detailed models than the main characters. Some animations by the NPCs can be still awkward. The FMV scenes are still the best in the game.

Sound

Good voice acting and great newly rearranged soundtrack.

The soundtrack sports many newly rearranged pieces, such as Besaid Islands theme, the normal battle theme, and many more. I like most of the newly arranged themes, and I find it is much more pleasant to hear most of the time.

The voice acting is good, with personal highlights on Tara Strong as Rikku, Matt McKenzie as Auron, Alex Fernandez as Seymour, Paula Tiso as Lulu, and others. James Arnold Taylor's performance as Tidus took time for me to like back when I played it on PS2, but he did a commendable job to portray a man who is stuck in an unknown world with bratty attitude. This however, improves more on Tidus' character. I have mixed opinion on Yuna's voice actor, Hedy Burress as her voice feels a bit too forced and soft. This may be due to Yuna's character and according to many sources, the limitations of lip-sync technology back in 2000s as well as the game uses the original Japanese lip-sync animations and the actress herself was forced to fit her voice in. Fortunately, she did much better job on Final Fantasy X-2, and she is one of the main stars in the game.

Replay Value 

High replay value.

The game has high replay value. You can play the blitzball minigame, and it is incredibly fun to play as well as rewarding, as it allows Wakka to learn his new Overdrives. Or, you can fight the many optional bosses in the game, like the Dark Aeons, Penance, Nemesis, and Arena Creation monsters. You may also opt to collect all of the characters' Celestial Weapons and power them up, and many of it requires you to do a number of side quests and mini games.

Conclusion

A splendid HD remastered Final Fantasy game, and it is still one of the best RPGs to play on the PS4.

The original game is still one of the best RPGs that I have ever played back on PS2, and this is still one of the best RPGs on PS4. I am conflicted at the moment. At one side, I am happy to get to play one of my favourite Final Fantasy game on PS4 On another side, I am disappointed that Square Enix had to rely it's older Final Fantasy games to make an impact towards gamers instead of developing much better Final Fantasy games on the PS4 console.

Regardless, I still feel this is a great HD Remastered game, and I personally prefer it than other latest Final Fantasy games like Final Fantasy XIII trilogy. Any new Final Fantasy fans should try out this game, which is a part of the collection of Final Fantasy X|X-2 HD Remaster. Please be noted that the base version of Final Fantasy X HD has two issues, so you must download the latest update to fix this issue.

Score

Story: 10/10

Gameplay: 9/10

Graphics: 8/10

Sound: 9/10

Final Score: 9.0/10

HD Remaster Score: 9.0/10

Pros and Cons

Pros

- Emotional, engaging, and great story.

- Many likable characters with great characteristics.

- Simple yet great combat.

- Easy to learn controls.

- Sphere Grid is a nifty and creative leveling feature.

- Flexibility of upgrading your playable characters.

- Lots of new contents from the original International version for the PS2.

- Many good minigames.

- Blitzball minigame is fun and addicting to play.

- Nice graphics.

- Great rearranged and remastered soundtrack.

- Commendable first voice acting feature of a Final Fantasy game.

- Good HD remastered graphics.

Cons

- Some of the main characters take time to like and relate.

- Lip-sync issues are still present.

- NPCs animations are noticeably dated and old.

- Progression feels linear.

- Lack enough puzzles.

- May be too linear for many RPG fans.

- Combat can be too easy for veterans.

- Need more places to explore compared to older Final Fantasy games like Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VIII or Final Fantasy IX.

- RNG random encounters bug. (fixed by installing an update)

- BGM restart bug after battle. (fixed by installing an update)

**Images are from official Square Enix site.