Final Fantasy X-2 is the only game in the series that is a direct
sequel to a previous game. Final Fantasy VII has
spin-off games, but nothing that continues the main story line (so far).
The game stars Yuna and Rikku from Final Fantasy X
and introduces Paine. It has been two years since the events in Final
Fantasy X and Yuna has left her home to join Rikku and Paine as Sphere
Hunters. Yuna found a Movie Sphere of whom she believes is Titus (her
lover boy from X) and seeks out to find out where it came from and if it
is really him.
With Final Fantasy X-2, the Class System makes a huge return with the
invention of "Dresspheres". By equipping a character with a Dressphere,
they can learn various abilities for that Class as well as gain
attribute bonuses. This is very similar to the Class system of
Final Fantasy III, Final Fantasy V and Final Fantasy Tactics.
Graphicly, the game is very similar to Final
Fantasy X. In fact, if you've played through X, you will be very
familiar with 90% of the world...you are still in Spira after all. There
are a lot of improvements to the graphics, especially with the facial
animations. The lips move very nicely with the voices.
The sound is unlike any other Final Fantasy game before. It's a lot
more "fun" and light-hearted...and just downright hard to describe. It's
still a great soundtrack that fits the attitudes of the feminine trio.
Through your adventures, you run into a lot of familiar faces from
Final Fantasy X and you can really see how much
the world has changed. Machina is no longer seen as a bad thing and
there is now a Machine Faction that is building Machines. (I think the
only difference is that Machina uses magic to run while Machines
don't...but I'm not completely sure). There is also New Yevon, who is
trying to remove the bad image that Yevon gave them, and the Youth
League, who is trying to restore Spira. These three groups of people all
have their own beliefs and follow their own ways, which leads to
conflicts that Yuna and crew must deal with.
The Battle System returns to the Active Time Battle (ATB) but it is
no longer a fight between two straight lines (you on one side and the
enemy on the other). Your group and the enemies have a lot more freedom
to move around the Battle (although you can't control where they move
to). It creates a chaotic battle at times, but you get used to it after
you've been through a few of them. In the new system, you can "Chain"
attacks together with your characters and the higher the Chain
(successive attacks on a single enemy) the more damage you deal.
I think Final Fantasy X-2 is a good game, but not a great one. Don't
get me wrong, I enjoyed playing it...I just liked X better. While there
is nothing wrong with it, it did seem there was too much "Girl Power"
going on at times. Even thought the interactions with the characters did
lead to some comical moments. Yuna even says a bad word! :-P Well...not
that bad...she was just copying Rikku. |