I Write Sins not Tragedies
Final Fantasy X‘s main plot is dark. Hidden behind all of the bright and cheery color palates is a very disturbing tale revolving around death, sacrifice and betrayal. Each of the characters settles into the story and has their own stand-out moment. It has some very interesting twists and a refreshing main protagonist in Tidus. He is a cocky young man who wants nothing to do with the adventure that is placed before him. He’s also an outsider to this new world, not exactly a hero of destiny. In fact, he barely knows how to handle a blade. It is interesting to see how his appearance in Spira has such a huge effect on the course of the world.
The fan base tends to be a bit split on Tidus in general. He can go from being very heroic to incredibly annoying in minutes. Part of this could be the choice in voice acting, but I think most of it has to do with this dreaded scene. Regardless, most of the characters have some little quirk that could make them hard to relate to. If players get past those minor issues, Final Fantasy X has some pretty great characters and interesting villains.
When it comes to character development, at first each party member seems to be very one dimensional. However, as the story continues, each one opens up and grows with the narrative. As the journey unfolds, the layers peel back and players are privy to the dark secrets the characters and the world of Spira are hiding.
Final Fantasy X: Game-Play
The time of the top view overworld map has passed. All of the destinations in Final Fantasy X link together and are mere points on a map. Once the airship is acquired, players can either walk from place to place or hop on the airship to revisit areas covered in the story. Instead of exploring the world map and entering dungeons, players control Tidus in third-person perspective as he journeys through parts of Spira on a more realistic scale.
At first, Tidus and company must walk (or ride a boat) to all of their destinations. While en route, players can discover treasure, talk to NPCs, and run into random battles as they aide Yuna on her pilgrimage. Towns and villages transition easily to the ‘open terrain’ where gamers can explore and encounter monsters. While some players like this idea, others are unhappy with the game’s linearity. Also, players don’t actually get to control the airship. Still, there is some freedom when roaming Spira as all the parts connect, so the option to navigate the world map is still there.
As players circumnavigate Spira, Tidus and friends must head into towns and claim summons to move along with the story. In order to get these ‘Aeons,’ Tidus must go through the Cloister of Trials – a sort of puzzle section that involves moving spheres around until the group reaches the final chamber. While the main goal is to reach the Aeon, there is also a secret treasure hidden in each trial. In addition to these tasks, a big part of the game involves fighting battles – as usual.
