I decided to replay FFX, specifically the new HD version. This is in part because it was the FF I played longest ago, and part influenced by FFRK and - strangely - the Sims group I had as I had two Yevonites and started thinking about how strange it is that the two most popular FFs are almost exact opposites in plot...

In that, VII is about protecting the planet from dangerous technology, living weapons awaken to protect the planet, even at the cost of life of humans, and at the very end the planet is overtaken by vegetation again.

In X, technology is shunned and considered something that will ruin the planet, there's something going around killing people and they link it to technology usage but that's all lies, and then at the end they're all cool with technology again.

I'm not sure what to take away from that, especially since those two games had similar people working on them, but it amuses me since Yevon would've ironically saved the world in VII, but it's just continues to make things worse in X. Too much excess of anything is always bad, I guess?

But because I played FFX so long ago my memory is a little fuzzy at points. There are parts I remember very well, but others... and who knows what I may feel about it now that I didn't get when I was like... 12 when I first played it. FFX was my first FF, and I loved it at the time, but ended up a fan more of the old school titles (especially IV, VI, and IX), with one of the main reasons being the characters. None of the characters in those three titles annoy me, but uh... well, I guess we'll see if part of the X party members still...

I know that subjectively I shouldn't try to compare FFs and look at each game individually, but that's almost impossible when you know the same series has done something differently in the past or future in this case.





The HD version contains the International Edition upgrades which were never released here originally. It doesn't explain what the difference between these two are so I yolo it and pick Expert.

I love, and by that I mean hate, how long the trademark logo is. Most companies just have something short down there, but that... and then we have to know that it was designed by Nomura, in case the ridiculous hair and costumes by the main cast, complele with belts everywhere, didn't' give it away.



I am unsurprised by the pretty. That is one thing you can always rely on FF for.



I wish I were at the meeting where they decided to make blitzball a major part of the game, so much that even the main character is a star blitzer. While there definitely is an overlap between sports and RPG fans, I haven't really seen it be... that significant.

And why did they decide to make Tidus look like he doesn't realize kids jackets don't fit on adults. Or that suspenders aren't really cool. Or...



I give him the most appropriate and respectful name I can think of.



Scenery porn. I notice there's no trees, or anything remotely resembling nature, in sight though.



I admittedly love this opening. While FF in general has great music, I don't normally extend that to the vocal songs. I like "Melodies of Life" due to how fitting the lyrics are for IX, but I'm not a fan of pop music - or a Latin chorus saying "Sephiroth" over and over - at all so most FF vocal songs I prefer to try to forget.

Here we open with metal and Auron being a badass. It wouldn't even be considered that great if compare to other metal songs, but it's so rare in rpgs that I just can't help but love it. Amusingly it also spoils part of the plot in the lyrics, but the only way you'd even realize that is if you've already beaten it and/or been spoiled elsewhere.



I'm not sure how Fishbait even knows how to wield a sword, he's not a solider like most FF main characters, nor has he had to defend himself in the wild against monsters like Bartz and Zidane.

I also like how I immediately recognize this sword as "hey, that's the best FFX weapon I have in FFRK! And it's the... starting sword. Yeah, I really need better FFX synergy in that game."

... and uhh, is it just me or does it sometimes look like Tidus has cameltoe with his new model. I don't know HOW, but there's no way those are his balls.



Okay, now here's something I do remember clearly from this game: awkward camera panning.



After beating some sinspawn, we get... this, and I am briefly very confused as you're basically swimming in air above the city.

But it seems to be he got knocked out when sin threw him into Spira and I'm just going to guess it's a combination of weird dreams + the sin's toxin bit they reference frequently after this.



Fishbait may be slowly freezing to death, but I stand around for a good while in complete awe of the music.



Bad youtube quality, but they remastered the soundtrack, and I for one love it. I was surprised to see a lot of people saying the original versions are so much better, as every remastered track I've heard so far I've liked better... but I guess it's a mix of some people preferring X's original electronic-y sounds over the more epic sounds they went with this time and pure nostalgia.



I'd say that "even little kids" keep on accusing Fishbait of this, but when I know that little kid can turn into a dragon...

Tidus having a reputation as a crybaby doesn't really bother me, but again I kind of wonder what they were going for with this one. During the PS2 era they kept on making teenage male protags for demographic reasons, even if they weren't the most central to the plot, but I don't think a lot of people playing this want to relate to someone known as a crybaby.

And the most central to the plot part is kind of hilarious here-- Tidus is a lot more important than Vaan, and they do tie Tidus' and Yuna's backgrounds together well, but they keep on hounding home that it's "his story" when... not really. It's more Yuna's story. Tidus just tags along, which in itself wouldn't be a bad thing, but that line just makes it seem like they're trying too hard.



It's here where I really notice some of the character model changes. There are some I really don't like, which I'll get to later, but I do like how Tidus has more detail around his eyes, and they're not purely attractive cosmetic changes for once.



I think I would've preferred the monster that just tried to eat him over being captured by a bunch of people too lazy to make their own language, so they just flip letters around.



Or great, this asshole. Still haven't forgiven you for how creepy you are in X-2, "brother."

Also, why is he the only one who looks like he stepped out of Midgar in the original VII. No one else is rocking the punk aesthetic.

... why do I ever even try to understand fashion in Spira.



I love how the first move he learns is "cheer." I guess "obnoxious HAHAHAHAHAHAHAA" doesn't count as a valid attack.



Hitting shit you don't understand with your fists instead of letting the people with more experience deal with it: Works every time!

I'm disappointed by how short the random battles are atm when the remastered battle theme is just so nice.



I love epic-sounding soaring instrumentals and THAT BRASS.



Is there any reasoning behind the under water bit? Water is everywhere in this game, but iirc, only Tidus, Rikku, and Wakka can breathe under it. Why? Are they wearing invisible oxygen tanks? Did they undergo plastic surgery to get gills?



Tidus further endears himself to the crowd by shoving food in his mouth using only his hands. And then flailing around about it.



Fishbait acts way too cheerful for someone who just nearly froze to death, was almost eaten by a monster, and was kidnapped by people he can't understand who are using him for labor without pay.



Awkward camera angles: even more awkward when the character in question is wearing something skin-colored.



Two questions. Why do you care about that? I suppose she could just not want him to get in trouble, but when they aim to stop a lot of Yevon's teachings...

Secondly, is that why I had to fill it with monkey scat in X-2? As I'm still really confused about that part.

Sin attacks again, Tidus ends up thrown elsewhere and...



BROUGHT TO YOU BY NOMURA. HE LOVES THIS DESIGN SO MUCH HIS NAME IS EVEN STAMPED THERE!



Can I go back to being a captive on a ship where I have to work or else they'll throw me overboard?

If I wonder about Tidus' creation, then I *really* wonder about Wakka.

"I know what would make a character cool! Troll doll toy hair! And an obnoxious, fake speech pattern! And bright yellow fishing waders! And let's go ahead and make him a racist who leads a team of only guys! The fans will LOVE him!

I do think someone with Wakka's particular religious devotion is needed in a game like this, as even if others in the party may follow Yevon, they don't have the same fervor about it. ... but this... I don't know, if I were making this, I'd probably add a Guado companion who would have more connection to what happens later, and you can be devoted without being annoying or racist about it. They do need to show those who dislike the Al Bhed, but I would've made them... not a party member.

(Although I'm willing to bet anything if Wakka had a bish character design instead of that, he'd have hordes of fans regardless, so I'm actually a little glad he looks ridiculous)



Pfft, I do like how they made special animations to show just how much these guys suck.

Although it's weird since the main party doesn't really have many unique animations and typically just stand around when talking.



This somehow makes Tidus feel better and I pretty much lose all hope in him



See, I tried to warn you. He pushed you off a cliff, took you to a secluded area, and then proceeded to do this! Can't trust people who take hair advice from troll dolls.



So, the blitzball version of the Cleveland Browns.

(I don't follow football and don't know if there's a worse team, but since I live in Cleveland, I get to constantly hear about how much the Browns suck and are one of the few teams to never go to the super bowl.)



NOW HE'S FOLLOWING ME, SEND HELP



The options here are amazingly diverse.



Okay I seriously laughed at this as I didn't remember this at all and the idea of a common symbol becoming so serious is both believable and amusingly facepalm.



wait, do high summoners have their own fandom here? Is that why people become summoners, so someone will write slash fic about them?



"I've already worked out how to wear a shirt way too small for me, thanks."

Though seriously speaking most of the stock NPCs are more sensibly dressed than the important characters, but then, there's this guy.



Tidus starts being amusingly blunt, which in turn makes him less annoying.



I must admit, I can't help but like the Yevon designs, as it really stands out amongst other fictional religions. Eerie glowy black symbols and nearly naked statues? who can resist!

Though seriously speaking, this also makes it even more obviously questionable from the start. I do notice this is... corrupt religions aren't exactly uncommon in games, and SE already overkilled it with Xenogears. A lot from Yevon seems derived more from Eastern religions, though, from the monks and room designs, when every other evil religion in a game I can think of is either draws from some pagan black magic cult or Jude-Christianity




... and I find this funny as I was JUST thinking that. I get he's very lost, but his way of introductions are always backwards, like you'd think he should start with this before asking questions which make everyone in the room want to gasp and faint.



I don't know why I always do things like this in games, and there's so rarely ever anything there!



Despite how I feel about him sometimes, I do like Tidus' backstory with his father. Most jrpg heroes don't even have parents, and it's rare to see one openly hate a parent as that's normally a trait given to villains instead.



Only if you're really bad at simple puzzles.

(Okay, admittedly, I do remember the Bevelle Temple being rough, but more because it was so easy to get lost)



Completely breaking sacred customs. Tidus is doing so well to fit in and endear himself to the town!



I know Valefor is popular and considered very iconic, but I've always had trouble finding a giant bird with boobs and an elongated body that endearing. It is incredibly useful in battle, though.

(Ixion, on the other hand... how long until Djose Temple? Ixion for best summon)

This was the first FF with voice acting and it is very... hit and miss, I think most of the voices fit the characters-- I mean, I know they tend to be more popular, but would you really want to hear sexy voice out of Wakka? I'm also all for lisps and other such things that just occur naturally since not everyone can be on the top 10 sexy voice lists.

Yuna though, Yuna is very miss. She talks... like... this... half the time, even in times of urgency or when she's just saying a simple sentence which wouldn't really require any thought in the words. It's not that she's stuttering from shyness or anything, it's just a really strange and unnatural sounding emphasis.



From Star Player of the Zanarkand Abes to being booed by kids.



I know the game won't listen to me, but hey.

And seriously Wakka, do you think it's a good idea to say things about that to someone who is going on a quest to kill themselves?



Can I pass on both?

This has always been among my least favorite aspects of any game Nomura is one of the mains attached to it. Multiple women are always at least implied to be interested in the main character (this, Tifa/Aerith, Rinoa/Quistis), and on top of that, the possible canon ones will always ask the main character to be their bodyguard in some form or fashion, even if they don't need protection or in some cases are even stronger than the guy they're asking. (Yuna asking for him to be a guardian is the most justifiable of the lot, given the circumstances and how it's the norm for all summoners, but Tifa and Aerith?)



For once, I'm hoping he'll listen to Jecht and save us from this awkward dream sequence.



What happened to Lulu's beauty mark?

Lulu is currently my favorite character in this, I'm a bit ahead of where I'll be stopping (I'm at Luca and raging at blitzball) and just damn, she deserves so much better than to end up married to Wakka. Starting from this point, I'll be listing any eligible, still-alive-at-the-end characters that might've been a better choice. At the very end, I'll post the full list and any possible reasons they'd be better than Wakka, so feel free to add your own reasons in comments whenever one pops up!



I'm supposed to leave, but went back into town and the towns people, who were previously amiable, either tell me to get to the docs or call me an unholy horrible sinner. After IX, this wouldn't be surprising at all.

... but coming in from the other direction, XIII? WOW, THIS WORLD FEELS SO ALIVE AND THE CHARACTERS INTERACT WITH TIDUS AND ALTER THOSE INTERACTIONS DEPENDING ON DEVELOPMENTS IN THE STORY, I'M IN AWE

Similarly, after XV, I get the impression I'm going to really be missing Nomura... never thought I'd say that.



Also. Cats. Ish.

I do want to note that when Yuna first goes to leave... well, she takes a ton of luggage with her and /Wakka/ has to tell her it's not a vacation. I had to cringe a little as I do not get the impression Yuna isn't truly prepared for this, is too young, and was likely partially pressured into it due to her father's reputation.



Um

wouldn't it have made more sense to pray at the temple? What is this? Some random ugly ruin with a green metallic bug infestation?



ELIGIBLE BACHELOR #1 is--- er, on second thought, nahh, Kimahri is too attached to his broken horn.

(Still better than Wakka, though.)



More scenery porn + again, I appreciate how I know exactly why there's ruins everywhere due to the whole backstory with how there used to be great cities everywhere, but then Sin came and destroyed most of them. I have no idea why there were ruins all over XIII...

And with that we're off to Kilka. I'm sure we all know that turns out well...