Final Fantasy

I know this is an unpopular opinion, but I thought X-2 was a fantastic game. Gameplay-wise, it slapped. The battles were fast-paced and fun and still had that classic turn-based feel (perhaps the last FF game that really did, come to think of it). The story added so much depth to the world, specifically regarding spirituality and the physicality of memories, that it made X a better game.

Honestly, I wasn't too sweet on X when I first played it. After the hits of the PSX era -- especially IX, which was just wall-to-wall awesome -- X was a letdown for me, even though it was a good game. I was expecting more from the first PS2 game. In hindsight I realize that was just my own misplaced expectations. IX was a love letter to fans like me, a perfect way to wrap up the era, and X began something new, something different.

X is an interesting one for me. It 'reintroduced' me to the series. I grew up on VI, VII, VIII, & IX. X came out in middle school for me and I never picked up a ps2. Fast forward ~20 years, I meet my wife and X is her second favorite which got me to pick the series back up. Aside from sentimental, I enjoyed it. I wouldn't say it's top of the list for me, but it's good game play and story. I think the sphere grid was a cool concept. The temples felt misplaced to me.

Unpopular opinion, but I think the voice acting was good considering it's the first for the franchise and what else was being put out back then.

I loved FFX, I think it still holds up, and it is still in my top three of favorite games of all time.

The Zanarkand piece of music stands out to me as really beautiful. But I love the whole soundtrack and have listened to it many times.

I do wish it had a New Game+ :-)

I actually loved the sequel, FFX-2. So when I first got it and started playing it, it got to the part where it introduced Dresspheres. And I was like “WTF?” And put the game back on the shelf for over a year.

My sister got into the games and I decided to give the game a second chance and play it together. I loved it. So weird, and the dressphere system is actually pretty cool.

• Yes, still stands the test of time. I skipped this in my youth, only played it for the first time.. no, wow, it's been ten years since then. Still, I played it long after the initial release and it played fine.
• I would rate this right below VI-IX (and FF7R, if we are including it).
• There was a piece of music I especially loved. I wish I knew the name. A choir piece that played right after the party collapsed under an icy lake or something like that.
• This is where they dropped the world map and the series never recovered from that. Spira did not feel like a full world the way the older ones did, just a series of corridors. I've never understood why the world map was abandoned. It's amazing how non-linear the old games felt, even when they had like 3 optional side quests, and I credit the free roaming on the world map much of that.