All I got to say is, I will never get chills like I did when you get closer to Zanarkand with Fleeting Dreams playing in the back ever again. No video games have been able to do that to me again.
I agree, I was so fucking excited and unsure of what was going to happen at the end of Yunas pilgrimage, and when you walk into zanarkand the vibe is AMAZING.
I'm with you there. No game has hit me in the feels more than FFX. There have been plenty of RPGs with great story telling since then, but to this day I can replay FFX over and over again and that ending will still make me weep like a baby. lol
I always love FFX video essays because I always feel like I realize something new from listening to others' thoughts. One of my favorite thoughts I had that I haven't seen someone else express regards the parallel between Tidus and Yuna and their respective daddy issues. Tidus starts off rejecting his father, and Yuna starts off blindly embracing hers. By the end of the game, Tidus has to accept his father, and Yuna has to reject hers (symbolically at least by rejecting the path he walked with the Final Summon) in order for them to break the cycle together. A cycle that was started and maintained by a father (Yu Yevon) and his child (Yunalesca) as well.
X excells in the way the MULTIPLE story twists and turns are gradually portrayed. You have a LOT of emotionally impactful moments, such as: The "Sin is Jecht" moment The "Yuna has to die" moment The "I will fly. Believe" moment The "Undead maesters lead a corrupt religious system" moment The "I am a Dream" moment The "Wait, there is no final aeon?" moment The "Now, this is it. Now it's time to choose" moment The "Don't stop. It's okay. It's been long enough" moment The "I'm sorry I couldn't show you Zanarkand" moment The "Never forget them" moment...
Why did i read that “Now this is it. Now it’s time to choose” moment in Auron’s voice and I didn’t even mean to lol it’s crazy how much of an impact this game had on me
FFX was my first final fantasy game. It was the best game experience of my life and no other game has beaten it. This game 'stuck' with me the rest of my life, that is how awesome it was. I was so disappointed that Square didnt just copied the battlesystem and did not use the same devopers, same writers, same engine etc for an new game or sequel (excluding ffx2). It just was something magical, and I just wished the series had stuck with it.
@@Malnaxe FF7 was my first which led to 8,9 & 10. Tried to emulate the older ones but never stuck with em. Didn't finish 10 because life got a little hectic around that time 😭. But I'll never forget getting my PS2 at Sears with my dad and choosing FFX and restarting the game over and over again to show off how insane the graphics were to my cousin.
I can't think of another game that cultivates a vibe more powerfully than this one. The sorrow and fatalism of the world, the deeply moving music, the lush environments, everything. My late-night sessions playing FFX at age 19 during a lonely winter break from college are one of those experiences where I know for a fact it was just as magical at the time as the nostalgia makes it seem. I knew it was something special. Even the degenerate grind for the ultimate weapons with a *printed out* walkthrough is a fond memory.
I first completed FFX in the year of our lord 2003. I was a ripe 13 years old and at the time, my interests in gaming weren't nearly as strong as they are today. I hadn't experienced a truly gripping narrative, and the GCN/PS2 were the first generation of consoles I was able to actually get games and explore what gaming was (I was introduced to gaming 5 years prior, and had briefly had a hand me down NES as well as an N64, but my family was poor and I had precious few games with which to cultivate any passion). Upon finishing X, I wiped tears away from my face, and as Tidus (tide-us, as in "tide", i.e. water) hurled himself over the airship, I realized my love for whatever this was I discovered took flight with him. Thank you, Final Fantasy X, for enrapturing a new teenager in a heartfelt, passionate world he was unaware of. One where imagination never dies.
FFX saved my life when I was young, I literally wouldn't be here if FFX didn't open my mind the way it did. Thank you Square and the 100s of hardworking talented folks who made such an incredible piece of art. 23 years later I'm still here and 23 years later FFX is still legendary.
It was actually already confirmed auron looked so old in Final Fantasy 10, They were literally confused on what his final age was supposed to be. They fixed him in the remaster by making him less wrinkly and old looking, making him look more like he’s an actual 35 year old.
I've replayed X maybe 20 times since I first played it in 2002, so many memories with this game. When I first played it, I sucked at grinding, so by the time I reached Evrae I was severely underleveled and had to grind Bombs on the airship for 2 weeks mindlessly after school just to not die to him lol. Imagine my surprise when right after Evrae, you land in Bevelle and have to go through the gauntlet of enemies without healing!! We got the game when it first released and by the time I beat Yunalesca (which took several years, btw, keep in mind I was only 8 years old when I first played it) the disc was so beaten up by the optical laser that the cutscene that is supposed to play after you leave the temple, the one where Sin is just floating there in the sky, it never played! Since at that time we didn't have a lot of money, I would basically replay the game several times trying to see if it was glitched and if anything I could do would fix it. I replayed this game so much I knew every monster's name and stats by heart 😂 It wasn't until college when I got a job that I was able to buy a new PS2 with mods and get a fresh copy of this game and finally beat it after over a decade lol. Nowadays I have the Omnibus in Japanese, I love it that much.
we need FF X Prequel that told stories of spira 1000 years ago on great war betwen Bavelle and Zanarkand, will be epic. The reasons why Yu Yevon who is spiritual leader on zanarkand choose to become SIN and punish spira for next thousand years? Because of his ambition, despair, revenge or anger?!
If I could wish just one game intro existence it would be this. The entire Machina War gets frustratingly little detail (justified because the church of Yevon has to hide their hand in it). We could see Yu Yevon as a sympathetic character before the pending destruction of his home drove him mad with hatred for WarMachina, see what Zaon and Yunalesca were like before 1000 years of sending other summoners to their deaths hardened her heart so completely. Give us origins for the Guado, Ronso, Hypello and Al Bhed tribes. I have a lot of other ideas in mind for this. Maybe someday if I have time, I'll write a prequel fanfic.
@@WhiteFangofWar I want duo protagonist like FF X. 1. heroine modern young summoner from zanaekand, and young enthusiast hero from bevelle who hate zanarkand (super power country, not only for technology, but also magic) and he hate the war too, absolutely will be epic. 😁
@@chresna1 I pictured Yunalesca and Zaon being the main characters, but some new ones could work too. Also this is the time period that Shuyin (aka broody violent Tidus) and Lenne existed in.
This game is a remarkable achievement. I play this game once every ten years, for the exact reason NSP mentioned at the very top of this excellent video: I want to forget. I want to forget as much as I possibly can, because this game is so emotionally endearing that I try to recreate that first feeling to the best of my abilities. Once every ten years bro.
You really brought it home with this video, just like the play through! Great job, NSP! You already know how much this game means to me! Glad we all got to have fun on the play through stream!
As a Westerner, I find romances like FFX and VIII, where the two people meet by chance and fall in love, to be far more interesting and relatable than the Japanese trope of loving someone from a young age and waiting for many years for them to reunite with you, or the trope of childhood friend becomes romantic partner bc their friendship is so strong.
FFX was my first FF game and to this day is my favorite and the title I consider the best. In a series in which character, story and theme take the forefront, I consider FFX to be peak in all of those aspects.
Had no idea what this game was when initially bought it at GameStop so many years ago. Had no idea of the joy and emotions it would bring to me. I still go back to play it every few years or so. Such an amazing game and story. I’m currently on my first playthrough of the OG FF VII. Then back to another run of FF X and maybe even X-2!
My favorite game of all times and the main reason why FF became my favorite IP ever Edit to me Auron aged because he lived on the Dream Zanarkand for years in there even the dreamed souls summoned by the Zanarkand Fayth can be "born" age and even eventually die
Words cannot describe how much I absolutely adore this game. Final Fantasy X was my first true JRPG experience and even today, 22 years later, the emotional gut-punch ending still brings me unexplainable sadness, even knowing thar X-2 will undo the events. Tidus and Yunie were my first proper exposure to a genuine, heartbreaking love story, the combat system solidified my love for turn-based rpgs, the Sphere Grid ticked the completionist mentality of mine in so many ways, the music still lives Rent free in my head to this day, to the point where some tracks have NEVER left my Spotify On Repeat playlist. There are only 3 moments across of forms of media that never fail to choke me up: The ending of The Walking Dead: Season One between Lee and Clementine, that devastatingly heartbreaking scene between Kaim and Lirum in Lost Odyssey and of course, the goodbye scene between Tidus and Yunie. I also didn't realise at the time but I 100% relate to Tidus' issues, my own dad left my mom when she was pregnant and I've literally never met him, any guy she was with when I was growing up was a raging alcoholic, so the abandonment and drinking struggles resonated with me, even if at the time I didn't click on. This was a fantastic video. I'm in the same mindset, as much as I'd lose my mind at hearing X-3 was coming, I also don't want them to tarnish what we have. We DO NOT need a world in which Tidus has his head blown off by a bomb as well as him and Yunie's relationship being super shaky. No thanks.
After watching that intro, I already knew this would be my no.1 game of all time. This is the only game where I put in extra hours to complete. From the arena, to celestial weapons, to armors (grinding for ribbon, break hp limit, etc.), to super bosses, to summons, and complete sphere grids.
I’ve played through FFX more times than I can remember. I’ve logged probably 1000s of hours into this game and have an analysis/video essay about it coming soon as well. Its story and characters are so well written, and very nuanced. Tidus is such a great subversion of the classic carefree protagonist with his own unique trauma and relationships, with his father, his mother, his friends and his ultimate fate as a simulacra of a real person. Every character in the main cast has depth to them that gets revealed slowly all throughout the course of the story and that’s what I love about this game. It also doesn’t hold back any punches and will make you cry like a baby when things are finally said and done. And also it’s a great critique of religion and dogmatic belief, that one should question everything and the world around them.
Thank you for elaborating on why this one is mine and so many others' favorite in the series. The most unique setting, the best battle system, and some of the most memorable characters ever. 'Church bad' is just as overused as 'kill God' in JRPGs, but this is given a lot more nuance. The church of Yevon *does* do some good things, giving the people hope for tomorrow and helping to organize the summoner's pilgrimage. But they are based in Bevelle, the nation responsible for Sin's existence, and many of their actions work to conceal that truth, refusing to confess, attempt penance or atonement for what their war unleashed on the world 1000 years ago.
The ending to X made me cry from the sheer beauty of it. The way the score, the scenery, and the bittersweet themes mixed down into this perfect melange in a way so few other games have before or since still gives me a nostalgic ache. But I also have no doubt that the ending hit that hard because of the journey before it, and now looking back on it I wonder how I ever managed to do it. It was a gargantuan game despite the linearity of it being a point of criticism back in its time. I also remember there wasn't much fondness about FFX either because people were largely hung up on FFVII's greatness. That made me resentful towards FFVII fans for a long time, before I realized I could enjoy things even if other people thought they were bad lol. I'm glad that more people than ever now understand what a remarkable game FFX actually was. My only hope is that one day it gets a more worthy remaster, one that doesn't use subpar assets. I wouldn't dare hope for a FFX Remake, even though that might be pretty neat. :) Thank you for the video and the trip down memory lane ♪
Oh I completely agree! Chapter 5 onwards ...and *that moment. Incredible story, characters you can't help but love, deep themes, wrapping up a massive arc from 2 previous titles and 2 franchises. What a game...and the whole relationship between N/Noah and Mio..sooooooo good.
All the xeno games are incredible. Had a xeno marathon that started last year and i 0finaly got around to going through all the xenosaga games, episode 3 is an absolute masterpiece and its a shame that it didnt get the recognition it deserves! Episode 1 and 2 are good, they are not the best games out there but the reward you get in episode 3 is huge
Definitely see the parallels. The original story concept for FFX was that for some reason everyone was dying at age 17, similar to how Xenoblade 3's people only got 10 years of life, or how the upcoming Expedition 33 looks.
NSP watching your recent playthrough of FFX inspired me to play it again even though I’ve finished it about 6 times. It’s my 2nd favourite FF behind VII. I remember way back in 2001 when it first released I was in awe of the graphics and being the first FF to have voice acting. The ending still makes me cry to this day
Just discovered your channel via an algorithm recommendation and you pretty much nailed every single point why ff10 is such an incredible experience. I truly hope, as you do, that squex comes back to that kind of jrpg someday. You’ve gained a subscriber!
The saddest part really is that the HD version isn't a fully optimal way to play the game. Really hope we someday get another update that fixes the issues with the models and brings back the more expressive facial animations.
Thankfully the PC version has mods that restore PS2 Yuna, Tidus and Wakka models. They certainly contrast w/ the higher poly models of the Remaster but damn if their faces look 100x better. Especially Yuna.
The ending where Yuna is whistling into the sea is very heartbreaking. A lot of people seem to miss the point of the whistling part, where in the scene where they had the "awkward laugh" (which was on purpose), Tidus said "just whistle and I'll be there".
I would absolutely love a prequel game of jecht/braska/auron’s journey. Especially if they just decided “you know what, let’s just make it an alternate timeline” and let the story have a different potential ending. Hell, maybe include like 4 different endings. Canonical/bad/good/???
This game came out my sophomore year of high school. I was enchanted by it but resisted the urge to play it given I had other commitments. In 2019, while I was in Japan, I finally played it on switch. I was so impressed, moved and in love with it. It's such a beautiful piece of art about the ephemerality of life. The ending will never fail to make you cry. One of the all time great games.
My first playthrough of Final Fantasy X was in 2017 on the PS4 and since then it is one of my favourite games ever. You summed up perferctly why FF X is still a great game and worth playing 👍👍
Yeah beyond the nostalgia (having played it back in elementary and high school in the 2000s after FF7 and FF8), no other FF game appealed to me as much as as FFX and X-2. Beautiful stories, characters, voice acting, music (spent hours learning a piano rendition of Suteki Da Ne in high school), gameplay (especially the switch character battle mechanic that allowed us to use ALL our characters in a boss fight), vibe (Besaid, Kilika, Macalania, Zanarkand), and presentation. Edit: game rewards and Blitzball 💣👌
On the point about Wakka being able to look into Rikku's eyes and tell she is an Al Bhed. I think that it's very possible that he genuinely wouldn't even know that. Al Bhed are known for always wearing some kind of facial covering so it might not be common knowledge to most Spirans.
This is my most fave game EVER, truly catapulted me into the JRPG genre. I enjoyed your retrospective very much. Really love the discussions on the uniqueness of the love story and the real-world implications of bias and racism!
I watched some of your latest playthrough and it was such a great exp! Such a trip down memory lane. FFX was my first FF and although not the favorite in the franchise, it still has a very warm spot in my heart. Whenever I replay the game, I can't bring myself to do the final bosses haha. The OST is also one of the best that Uematsu has delivered imo and I'm really happy that we have this game still as fresh and relevant as it was 2 decades ago. I do hope that part 3 stays as a script but used for a different entry. We really don't need another sequel for this game. It was a great wrapped up story that really should've stayed on its own.
Dude, this was an incredible video. This game was definitely the last Final Fantasy masterpiece by Square Enix. A game that perfectly meshed different forms of art into a game that would live on in the minds of so many for decades. Although we have had standout FF entries since then, there hasn’t been an FF as consistent of an experience as FFX. As always, great video!
It was a masterpiece because it was the last FF game made by SquareSOFT. Sadly, it's never been the same since the SE merger and Sakaguchi's departure.
*FF is Sakaguchi*. It has never been the same since he 'left' SE. He may have been more in the background w/ FF10 development, but his continual oversite meant it would stay true to what fans LOVE about FF. And you summed this game up so well and explained much of what I've tried to others about recent FF failings. Some thoughts (this is too long but oh, well): First, the combat. I'd say the PS2 FF era has the best overall combat systems (FF10/10-2/12) and FF10 has the best combat in all of FF. It is practically perfect. A good challenge for beginners and flexible enough for veterans, plus superbosses that challenge the most hardcore of us. It is TACTICAL, quick, creative and TURN-BASED. You can't button-mash your way thru here; it is imperative you utilize everyone in the party and multiple skills. Damn, I wish we'd gotten a few more games w/ this combat system! Speaking of party, it is a wonderful cast of characters. I'll always give Nomura credit, he is an incredible character designer and scenario writer. He sucks at directing, terrible at combat decisions, horrible w/ overall story development. IMHO, FF7R is an abortion while FF15 was just plain bad. But the characters here are wonderful, w/ highly varied, relatable backgrounds and great design. And like you pointed out: depth. They are far from cliche, despite initial impressions. FF has always had great music and this is one of the finest. God, it is so good. Long live Uematsu. The Zanarkand theme is so beautiful and sad. Hearing it w/ "Listen to my story..." is chilling. And I hate how 'linearity' became a bad word. Do people complain that books or movies are linear??? But you pointed out many great differences between this and FF13's linear story. I feel one more important thing to point out: in FF10, ALL summoners have to visit each fayth, then reach Zanarkand. Of course you'd do this the most efficient, linear way. It made perfect sense. In FF13 they have NO IDEA where to go, so making the game a single corridor felt jarring in context of the game's plot. I could go on and on but the reality is- FF died when Sakaguchi left the company. I absolutely love FF12 but can see why it turned so many off. It's a shame its development was so turbulent. And corporate interference forced Vaan and Penelo on us. FF13 had bright spots but many glaring faults. FF15/16 aren't FFs at all. I will never accept an action game as a true FF. Anybody who says, "WeLl FF wAs OnlY aBoUt StoRy anD MOogLe AnD CHoCObo," are clueless. Part of the appeal of FF IS THE TURN-BASED COMBAT for millions of us. And the stories were heartfelt and meaningful, something the last few entries have sorely lacked. There's a reason FF16 has sold poorly and it's not because of limited installation base (both FF7 and FF10 had SMALLER installation bases and sold MASSIVE numbers. They were considered system *sellers*), but because SE has abandoned longtime fans in search of an audience that's already inundated w/ action games. I hope you are right and SE looks to FF10, and earlier entries, to remember why it's so beloved.
FFX was the reason I bought my first PS2 and started playing games on something other than the gameboy. I watched my brother play through it and fell in love. My first games were FFX and FFX-2. The story, the characters, the love between Tidus and Yuna. No other game has come close.
I enjoyed the segment on FFXIII vs FFX linearity. I like when people bring it up cuz I do think that FFX did it better but I feel like thinking about why that is really helps people realize what problems they actually have with XIII rather than blindly hating it for being a hallway.
Guys, I've played through FFX three times and I have been waiting my entire life for another Final Fantasy like this one. While I enjoyed XII, there hasn't been a Final Fantasy I've *loved* since then. It's been a sad twenty years. While I haven't played XVI, I highly doubt it's the one to rekindle my love for Final Fantasy.
No game has ever been able to reach my Soul like Final Fantasy X. Prayers for an open world MMO for Spira. Perhaps during the time before Tidus arrived. Would be a dream come true.
Here's my story: I owned FF7 since its inception yet I only played to where you name Barret. At the time, I was new to JRPGs and just hated the style (boy, did I not understand how much more fun the game got after you have more moves than Attack and Ice). I never played it again. When I turned 11, Kingdom Hearts came out and became my favorite game ever. I got a huge man-crush on Cloud and Sephiroth. After playing the hell out of that, I asked for FFX as I played a demo and was excited to play an up-to-date FF game since Kingdom Hearts was heavily based on that. I played this game twice in a row, I loved it so much! I remember how hard my first playthrough was as I ran from a lot of battles. I got all the way to Jecht and couldn't beat him. Upon replay, I focused on levelling my party and completely crushed the main game. I remember becoming so obsessed with magical and rare weapons, accessories, and items. I would make journals of lists and sketches of so much equipment, along with character stat cards out of my school note cards. I would make up my own D&D style games involving elements I drew or imagined. After FFX, I got into X2 and FF12, all fun but didn't touch X, though I did really enjoy 12. One day when getting into using whitestrips (no longer recommend) I thought of passing the time waiting by playing something new and I can be patient with. I found my old FF7 game and decided to play it, giving what I considered old FF a try. My mind was first blown when the main character was Cloud - one of my favorite FF characters from Kingdom Hearts! Still not satisfied, I renamed him "Sephiroth", my true favorite character. I remember playing until you run into President Shinra and he starts talking about Sephiroth... WHAT!? He's from this game also? I first thought he was talking about Cloud, who I named Sephiroth, but it became clear he was talking about another Sephiroth. I promptly restarted my game, keeping Cloud's name as is. To this day, I don't know my favorite FF experience. FFX was my first in this series, and with the story and gameplay elements, it may still be fondly remembered as my favorite (I still have a save I occasionally load up to work towards beating the Dark Aeons - definitely farther than I ever gone before). Yet, there is FF7 as a much later game in my past rivaling FFX, as I had a new first experience when playing that. The story and music from both 7 and 10 are still my favorites in the whole series. These 2 games are so different yet hard to choose which experience I prefer. Both have a lot of love and a lot of hate publicly. I feel more connected to Yuna and her guardians slightly than Avalanche and 10 had more emotional plot twists and drama, despite how heavy 7 was. The growth system in 10 is so fun and addicting too. The amount of end-game material may also be more in 10. The intro song and how it's also the final fight song! FFX is just so epic, it may stay my favorite game of all time, beating out also Kingdom Hearts which was my favorite game when I played it.
Favorite game I've ever played, I replay it yearly and it never gets old. The only downfall is that I don't think I'll ever play another game that makes me feel the way FFX did for the first time. Truly a life changing experience. Great video, now I want to start a new playthrough!
It's my favorite game in the series for all the reasons given. Itemization, a variety of gameworld-interaction, best characters imo, best story imo, best music imo. The actual sphere grid was incredible as it was far more complex than the superficial clones we've seen since. Going back to previous locations to learn something new altogether or to unlock a previously inaccessible item or dungeon. Learning a new language. The memory spheres telling the story that came before. It's a little painful thinking back on playing this game over 20 years ago and thinking that this was only the beginning of what SE would have to offer...;;
I think FFXIV is stifled by it's length and the pacing due to the number characters and story threads (such that it even perhaps deconstructs this reality at various points), a robust or noble effort to be sure but is no doubt unsurprisingly less compelling overall. I do think to achieve such a great story like this is so brilliantly difficult, this is no doubt worsened considerably by the need for novelty. I absolutely agree with the sentiment however that FFX is one of the greatest stories ever written, the utility of the videogame format certainly helps but it's mostly the fantasy centred yet also familiar and foundational, nuts and bolts writing that will be very difficult to match up to or surpass, though I still think it's possible, It may not be for a while however, in or outside of Square's FF franchise. certainly FFXVI was mostly a lesser impressive entry, perhaps there's some kind of adulteration or stifling of creativity or risk that comes with a firm becoming as big as Square is now, that said the pedigree or expectation they maintain is still very high. I guess we'll just see what comes next. Great video.
“Jecht didn’t choose to walk away from Tidus,” but he was basically an absentee father despite being physically there because of the drinking, celebrity, and his lack of relating to Tidus.
Just started this video. My favorite game of all time even now in my 30s. I remember being 10 playing this when it first came out and knowing it was about to change my life
I've only played the first main series final fantasy game through, my experience with the franchise is mostly through playing some of the spin offs, but this video was excellent. I did play through about 10-15 hours of FFX many years ago, just enough to understand what you were talking about with the game mechanics and story. And I have been spoiled on the story, but this video makes me want to go back and finish the game. I can see how FFX is different from every other final fantasy before it, especially being that it was the first to launch on the PS2. There's a great tonal shift in the art style like you mentioned and while I'm sure it may not have been as well received for breaking the mold of the western influenced fantasy settings at the time, the fact that the creators defended the East Asian inspiration demonstrates that they had a clear vision for how they wanted the world to look. The fact that the ATV system is done away with as well just shows how polished and well done the game is. I can feel the love you have for this game and I really enjoyed watching this video.
I absolutely love this game. Favorite game of all time. But while i know it's accurate to call him tee-dus, i absolutely hate it and will always call him tie-dus
FFX is still my favourite game of all time. I initially played this game when I was a kid and absolutely loved it. Played it again two years ago and grew to appreciate this game even more. It is a classic and timeless masterpiece. ❤
I remember going through Final Fantasy 10 three times and the third time was the charm! I finally won that first Blitzball championship and I remember being Estática!! It is still one of my favorite FF I will always be moved by the story and the comerodery and believe me it had the truly best ending next to FF8! I also really loved FF12 too❤
Final Fantasy X is probably my most played, favorite Final Fantasy that I've never beaten. I hope to fix that soon, because there was always so much I related to in this game. From religious guilt and breaking from toxic cycles, fighting prejudice, and parental trauma. It's a fucking masterpiece of a game for sure, but I've always held off calling it my favorite because I've never actually finished it. I always get to Sin and the fear of losing my time with these characters I've loved, has always stopped me in the past.
Man, you nailed so many things in this video. I can't think of anything I disagreed with. I have not played this game as many times as some, but I still get hit in the feels when I do. Knowing the story really doesn't matter in this game. It's almost like the party themselves. They know what they are moving towards, but try not to think about it. When those moments come up, it is when reality sets in, and you recall what's at stake. X is not my number 1 Final Fantasy game, but it's damn close. I'll still say it's probably the best of the series. The last of the Squaresoft era.
I never even finished this game (I was like 9 years old and had no idea what I was doing) but I still remember being just blown away by the graphics, the level of detail, and the real beauty and heart that went into designing it. This video has inspired me to start playing :). Thank you, and great job!
When we try to capture and repeat the excitement from a first time experience its easy feel disheartened or disappointed when we fail. Its good to keep in that truly great experiences have the power to change us from what we were to what we are. Also as we age, our perspective changes and matures, so concepts that we once found intimately relatable now fail to reach us in the same way. So even if Square Enix did manage to recreate a new game with the potential to impact us like FFX, it may only reach younger, or less experienced players in such meaningful way.
Looooooove love this game with all my heart. Looooove your presentation and breakdowns here bro 🙏 What a story, such great concepts in every way. This game actually imprinted so much about spirituality / religion / love/ memories. The power of the mind and the heart. These writers are really on to something. True geniuses . I will never get over it.
Tactic against Yunalesca nah don't really remember other then holy water. What I really remember was: Auron: Now! This is it! Now is the time to choose! Die and be free of pain, or live and fight your sorrow! Now is the time to shape your stories! Your fate is in your hands! Young Me: plz just let me win Yunalesca 😭
I played and beat the game twice when it first came out, and I didn’t realize it until going through all the deep dive Resonant Arc episodes recently that Final Fantasy X is, and may well always be my favorite narrative of all time in any medium. Incredible.
Well done. One of the best. I feel as if the tale of Spira has been told, but X2 left us with a lot of developments and I think there is potential there for something amazing. I know I'd play it in a heartbeat, especially if they ensured a great combat system that was as thoroughly engaging as this one was
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All I got to say is, I will never get chills like I did when you get closer to Zanarkand with Fleeting Dreams playing in the back ever again. No video games have been able to do that to me again.
I agree, I was so fucking excited and unsure of what was going to happen at the end of Yunas pilgrimage, and when you walk into zanarkand the vibe is AMAZING.
I'm with you there. No game has hit me in the feels more than FFX. There have been plenty of RPGs with great story telling since then, but to this day I can replay FFX over and over again and that ending will still make me weep like a baby. lol
Yeah man same. I knew, but didn't want it to be true. They did a great job of putting us in Tidus' shoes.
I wish they had done this with the climb to Mt Gagazet too
Aurons speech before yunaleska does it for me.
I always love FFX video essays because I always feel like I realize something new from listening to others' thoughts. One of my favorite thoughts I had that I haven't seen someone else express regards the parallel between Tidus and Yuna and their respective daddy issues. Tidus starts off rejecting his father, and Yuna starts off blindly embracing hers. By the end of the game, Tidus has to accept his father, and Yuna has to reject hers (symbolically at least by rejecting the path he walked with the Final Summon) in order for them to break the cycle together. A cycle that was started and maintained by a father (Yu Yevon) and his child (Yunalesca) as well.
that's such an amazing point, you just made me appreciate my favourite game even more ❤
X excells in the way the MULTIPLE story twists and turns are gradually portrayed. You have a LOT of emotionally impactful moments, such as:
The "Sin is Jecht" moment
The "Yuna has to die" moment
The "I will fly. Believe" moment
The "Undead maesters lead a corrupt religious system" moment
The "I am a Dream" moment
The "Wait, there is no final aeon?" moment
The "Now, this is it. Now it's time to choose" moment
The "Don't stop. It's okay. It's been long enough" moment
The "I'm sorry I couldn't show you Zanarkand" moment
The "Never forget them" moment...
The "I'm sorry I couldn't show you Zanarkand" moment gets me every time. Even watching reaction videos to the ending.
Your comment gave me chills, so I thumb up
also "kimahri alone."
"Never forget them" especially. (FFX-2 is not canon to me 😅)
Why did i read that “Now this is it. Now it’s time to choose” moment in Auron’s voice and I didn’t even mean to lol it’s crazy how much of an impact this game had on me
FF10 will always be a masterpiece of art and gaming. Easily one of the best, most memorable and most inspirational games / stories ever. 🔥🔥👍👍💪💪
FFX was my first final fantasy game. It was the best game experience of my life and no other game has beaten it. This game 'stuck' with me the rest of my life, that is how awesome it was.
I was so disappointed that Square didnt just copied the battlesystem and did not use the same devopers, same writers, same engine etc for an new game or sequel (excluding ffx2).
It just was something magical, and I just wished the series had stuck with it.
Did you play the Witcher 3? I recommend it. It's amazing
@@matthijsquekel4161 Witcher 3 and FFX and both in my top 5. You have good taste lol
You've got my community hyped for me to play through this gem! X was my first PS2 game but I never finished it! 👀 I think i gotta fix that
STREAM THAT SH!T BRO
ahhh so thaaaats why ff vii is your favorite ff
@@Malnaxe FF7 was my first which led to 8,9 & 10. Tried to emulate the older ones but never stuck with em. Didn't finish 10 because life got a little hectic around that time 😭. But I'll never forget getting my PS2 at Sears with my dad and choosing FFX and restarting the game over and over again to show off how insane the graphics were to my cousin.
Wadaya mean you never finished it???
Go play that thing!
YOU NEVER FINISHED IT? Wow, you should get around to it :)
I can't think of another game that cultivates a vibe more powerfully than this one. The sorrow and fatalism of the world, the deeply moving music, the lush environments, everything. My late-night sessions playing FFX at age 19 during a lonely winter break from college are one of those experiences where I know for a fact it was just as magical at the time as the nostalgia makes it seem. I knew it was something special. Even the degenerate grind for the ultimate weapons with a *printed out* walkthrough is a fond memory.
I first completed FFX in the year of our lord 2003. I was a ripe 13 years old and at the time, my interests in gaming weren't nearly as strong as they are today. I hadn't experienced a truly gripping narrative, and the GCN/PS2 were the first generation of consoles I was able to actually get games and explore what gaming was (I was introduced to gaming 5 years prior, and had briefly had a hand me down NES as well as an N64, but my family was poor and I had precious few games with which to cultivate any passion).
Upon finishing X, I wiped tears away from my face, and as Tidus (tide-us, as in "tide", i.e. water) hurled himself over the airship, I realized my love for whatever this was I discovered took flight with him.
Thank you, Final Fantasy X, for enrapturing a new teenager in a heartfelt, passionate world he was unaware of. One where imagination never dies.
*Ahem* Teedussy? You thought I wouldn't notice, didn't you? Well, I noticed.
FFX saved my life when I was young, I literally wouldn't be here if FFX didn't open my mind the way it did. Thank you Square and the 100s of hardworking talented folks who made such an incredible piece of art. 23 years later I'm still here and 23 years later FFX is still legendary.
I’m happy you’re still here to partake in this world. Much love to you
It really made me open my mind back when I was brainwashed into a religion that was making me hate myself.
I know how you feel, much love to you!
@@manuelmialdea5127 Exact same situation here.
It was actually already confirmed auron looked so old in Final Fantasy 10, They were literally confused on what his final age was supposed to be. They fixed him in the remaster by making him less wrinkly and old looking, making him look more like he’s an actual 35 year old.
I've replayed X maybe 20 times since I first played it in 2002, so many memories with this game. When I first played it, I sucked at grinding, so by the time I reached Evrae I was severely underleveled and had to grind Bombs on the airship for 2 weeks mindlessly after school just to not die to him lol. Imagine my surprise when right after Evrae, you land in Bevelle and have to go through the gauntlet of enemies without healing!! We got the game when it first released and by the time I beat Yunalesca (which took several years, btw, keep in mind I was only 8 years old when I first played it) the disc was so beaten up by the optical laser that the cutscene that is supposed to play after you leave the temple, the one where Sin is just floating there in the sky, it never played! Since at that time we didn't have a lot of money, I would basically replay the game several times trying to see if it was glitched and if anything I could do would fix it. I replayed this game so much I knew every monster's name and stats by heart 😂 It wasn't until college when I got a job that I was able to buy a new PS2 with mods and get a fresh copy of this game and finally beat it after over a decade lol. Nowadays I have the Omnibus in Japanese, I love it that much.
Feels like a waste that we never revisited CTB (Conditional Time Battle) and character swaping mid-battle. I really enjoyed these!
God, I love that system. It's my all-time favorite combat. Just like we got 6 ATB games, I wish we'd gotten at least 1 or 2 more CTB.
we need FF X Prequel that told stories of spira 1000 years ago on great war betwen Bavelle and Zanarkand, will be epic. The reasons why Yu Yevon who is spiritual leader on zanarkand choose to become SIN and punish spira for next thousand years? Because of his ambition, despair, revenge or anger?!
That would actually be amazing
If I could wish just one game intro existence it would be this. The entire Machina War gets frustratingly little detail (justified because the church of Yevon has to hide their hand in it). We could see Yu Yevon as a sympathetic character before the pending destruction of his home drove him mad with hatred for WarMachina, see what Zaon and Yunalesca were like before 1000 years of sending other summoners to their deaths hardened her heart so completely. Give us origins for the Guado, Ronso, Hypello and Al Bhed tribes. I have a lot of other ideas in mind for this. Maybe someday if I have time, I'll write a prequel fanfic.
@@WhiteFangofWar I want duo protagonist like FF X. 1. heroine modern young summoner from zanaekand, and young enthusiast hero from bevelle who hate zanarkand (super power country, not only for technology, but also magic) and he hate the war too, absolutely will be epic. 😁
@@chresna1 I pictured Yunalesca and Zaon being the main characters, but some new ones could work too. Also this is the time period that Shuyin (aka broody violent Tidus) and Lenne existed in.
@chresna1 I just wanted a run through Spira with Jecht, Auron, and Braska. That's the prequel I want
"STAY AWAY FROM THE SUMMONER" - crazy old lady
YOU’RE A BAD MAN!
best line in the game.
I have to run back to her at least 3-4x every playthru. 🤣
21:44 Let's not forget Junya Nakano, who's song is currently playing in the background.
I'm just a games journo from Brazil. I wish I could support more good creators like you more. Thanks for the great content you produce, NSP.
Thank you so much!!! I greatly appreciate this 🥹❤️
This game is a remarkable achievement. I play this game once every ten years, for the exact reason NSP mentioned at the very top of this excellent video: I want to forget. I want to forget as much as I possibly can, because this game is so emotionally endearing that I try to recreate that first feeling to the best of my abilities.
Once every ten years bro.
You really brought it home with this video, just like the play through! Great job, NSP! You already know how much this game means to me! Glad we all got to have fun on the play through stream!
As a Westerner, I find romances like FFX and VIII, where the two people meet by chance and fall in love, to be far more interesting and relatable than the Japanese trope of loving someone from a young age and waiting for many years for them to reunite with you, or the trope of childhood friend becomes romantic partner bc their friendship is so strong.
FFX was my first FF game and to this day is my favorite and the title I consider the best. In a series in which character, story and theme take the forefront, I consider FFX to be peak in all of those aspects.
FACTS.. FFX still one of the best and most unique games of all time!!
Had no idea what this game was when initially bought it at GameStop so many years ago. Had no idea of the joy and emotions it would bring to me. I still go back to play it every few years or so. Such an amazing game and story. I’m currently on my first playthrough of the OG FF VII. Then back to another run of FF X and maybe even X-2!
My favorite game of all times and the main reason why FF became my favorite IP ever
Edit to me Auron aged because he lived on the Dream Zanarkand for years in there even the dreamed souls summoned by the Zanarkand Fayth can be "born" age and even eventually die
I love this longer format. Thank you for covering this timeless classic!
I think Final Fantasy X was one of the most unique Final Fantasy Games. It focuses different cultures, lore, even better romance, and it's World.
Words cannot describe how much I absolutely adore this game.
Final Fantasy X was my first true JRPG experience and even today, 22 years later, the emotional gut-punch ending still brings me unexplainable sadness, even knowing thar X-2 will undo the events.
Tidus and Yunie were my first proper exposure to a genuine, heartbreaking love story, the combat system solidified my love for turn-based rpgs, the Sphere Grid ticked the completionist mentality of mine in so many ways, the music still lives Rent free in my head to this day, to the point where some tracks have NEVER left my Spotify On Repeat playlist.
There are only 3 moments across of forms of media that never fail to choke me up:
The ending of The Walking Dead: Season One between Lee and Clementine, that devastatingly heartbreaking scene between Kaim and Lirum in Lost Odyssey and of course, the goodbye scene between Tidus and Yunie.
I also didn't realise at the time but I 100% relate to Tidus' issues, my own dad left my mom when she was pregnant and I've literally never met him, any guy she was with when I was growing up was a raging alcoholic, so the abandonment and drinking struggles resonated with me, even if at the time I didn't click on.
This was a fantastic video. I'm in the same mindset, as much as I'd lose my mind at hearing X-3 was coming, I also don't want them to tarnish what we have. We DO NOT need a world in which Tidus has his head blown off by a bomb as well as him and Yunie's relationship being super shaky. No thanks.
After watching that intro, I already knew this would be my no.1 game of all time. This is the only game where I put in extra hours to complete. From the arena, to celestial weapons, to armors (grinding for ribbon, break hp limit, etc.), to super bosses, to summons, and complete sphere grids.
FFX is the best story ever told in gaming. It deserves a film, a remake, another sequel, the whole franchise experience
Ffx is one of the very few games i actualy enjoy grinding in
I’ve played through FFX more times than I can remember. I’ve logged probably 1000s of hours into this game and have an analysis/video essay about it coming soon as well. Its story and characters are so well written, and very nuanced. Tidus is such a great subversion of the classic carefree protagonist with his own unique trauma and relationships, with his father, his mother, his friends and his ultimate fate as a simulacra of a real person. Every character in the main cast has depth to them that gets revealed slowly all throughout the course of the story and that’s what I love about this game. It also doesn’t hold back any punches and will make you cry like a baby when things are finally said and done. And also it’s a great critique of religion and dogmatic belief, that one should question everything and the world around them.
Thank you for elaborating on why this one is mine and so many others' favorite in the series. The most unique setting, the best battle system, and some of the most memorable characters ever. 'Church bad' is just as overused as 'kill God' in JRPGs, but this is given a lot more nuance. The church of Yevon *does* do some good things, giving the people hope for tomorrow and helping to organize the summoner's pilgrimage. But they are based in Bevelle, the nation responsible for Sin's existence, and many of their actions work to conceal that truth, refusing to confess, attempt penance or atonement for what their war unleashed on the world 1000 years ago.
The ending to X made me cry from the sheer beauty of it. The way the score, the scenery, and the bittersweet themes mixed down into this perfect melange in a way so few other games have before or since still gives me a nostalgic ache. But I also have no doubt that the ending hit that hard because of the journey before it, and now looking back on it I wonder how I ever managed to do it. It was a gargantuan game despite the linearity of it being a point of criticism back in its time.
I also remember there wasn't much fondness about FFX either because people were largely hung up on FFVII's greatness. That made me resentful towards FFVII fans for a long time, before I realized I could enjoy things even if other people thought they were bad lol. I'm glad that more people than ever now understand what a remarkable game FFX actually was. My only hope is that one day it gets a more worthy remaster, one that doesn't use subpar assets. I wouldn't dare hope for a FFX Remake, even though that might be pretty neat. :)
Thank you for the video and the trip down memory lane ♪
Play Xenoblade Chronicles 3 people, feels like it has a lot of the lifeblood of FFX. Amazing games, both of them.
Oh I completely agree! Chapter 5 onwards ...and *that moment. Incredible story, characters you can't help but love, deep themes, wrapping up a massive arc from 2 previous titles and 2 franchises. What a game...and the whole relationship between N/Noah and Mio..sooooooo good.
All the xeno games are incredible. Had a xeno marathon that started last year and i 0finaly got around to going through all the xenosaga games, episode 3 is an absolute masterpiece and its a shame that it didnt get the recognition it deserves! Episode 1 and 2 are good, they are not the best games out there but the reward you get in episode 3 is huge
Definitely see the parallels. The original story concept for FFX was that for some reason everyone was dying at age 17, similar to how Xenoblade 3's people only got 10 years of life, or how the upcoming Expedition 33 looks.
NSP watching your recent playthrough of FFX inspired me to play it again even though I’ve finished it about 6 times. It’s my 2nd favourite FF behind VII. I remember way back in 2001 when it first released I was in awe of the graphics and being the first FF to have voice acting. The ending still makes me cry to this day
Just discovered your channel via an algorithm recommendation and you pretty much nailed every single point why ff10 is such an incredible experience. I truly hope, as you do, that squex comes back to that kind of jrpg someday. You’ve gained a subscriber!
The saddest part really is that the HD version isn't a fully optimal way to play the game. Really hope we someday get another update that fixes the issues with the models and brings back the more expressive facial animations.
Thankfully the PC version has mods that restore PS2 Yuna, Tidus and Wakka models. They certainly contrast w/ the higher poly models of the Remaster but damn if their faces look 100x better. Especially Yuna.
The ending of 10, and the lake scene, are the best scenes in video games period
The ending where Yuna is whistling into the sea is very heartbreaking. A lot of people seem to miss the point of the whistling part, where in the scene where they had the "awkward laugh" (which was on purpose), Tidus said "just whistle and I'll be there".
I would absolutely love a prequel game of jecht/braska/auron’s journey. Especially if they just decided “you know what, let’s just make it an alternate timeline” and let the story have a different potential ending. Hell, maybe include like 4 different endings. Canonical/bad/good/???
This game came out my sophomore year of high school. I was enchanted by it but resisted the urge to play it given I had other commitments. In 2019, while I was in Japan, I finally played it on switch. I was so impressed, moved and in love with it. It's such a beautiful piece of art about the ephemerality of life. The ending will never fail to make you cry. One of the all time great games.
A step up in technology at the time for an FF, the Music story environments characters gameplay, all incredible. The perfect game
My first playthrough of Final Fantasy X was in 2017 on the PS4 and since then it is one of my favourite games ever. You summed up perferctly why FF X is still a great game and worth playing 👍👍
just stayed up all night beating jecht for the first time, it became my favorite FF before i was even done honestly
This was my first FF game, so it always holds a special place. The story and characters always resonated with me more than any other video game.
Yeah beyond the nostalgia (having played it back in elementary and high school in the 2000s after FF7 and FF8), no other FF game appealed to me as much as as FFX and X-2. Beautiful stories, characters, voice acting, music (spent hours learning a piano rendition of Suteki Da Ne in high school), gameplay (especially the switch character battle mechanic that allowed us to use ALL our characters in a boss fight), vibe (Besaid, Kilika, Macalania, Zanarkand), and presentation.
Edit: game rewards and Blitzball 💣👌
On the point about Wakka being able to look into Rikku's eyes and tell she is an Al Bhed. I think that it's very possible that he genuinely wouldn't even know that. Al Bhed are known for always wearing some kind of facial covering so it might not be common knowledge to most Spirans.
This is my most fave game EVER, truly catapulted me into the JRPG genre. I enjoyed your retrospective very much. Really love the discussions on the uniqueness of the love story and the real-world implications of bias and racism!
I watched some of your latest playthrough and it was such a great exp!
Such a trip down memory lane.
FFX was my first FF and although not the favorite in the franchise, it still has a very warm spot in my heart. Whenever I replay the game, I can't bring myself to do the final bosses haha.
The OST is also one of the best that Uematsu has delivered imo and I'm really happy that we have this game still as fresh and relevant as it was 2 decades ago.
I do hope that part 3 stays as a script but used for a different entry. We really don't need another sequel for this game. It was a great wrapped up story that really should've stayed on its own.
I just finished FF VI and IX recently absolute highs of the series. And now I'm ready to start X
Totally agree, FF10 is a very unique experience in general, it structure, mechanics, story structure And world, a true masterpiece in gaming.
No movie or book or show has made me cry, this game brings me to tears every time
Dude, this was an incredible video. This game was definitely the last Final Fantasy masterpiece by Square Enix. A game that perfectly meshed different forms of art into a game that would live on in the minds of so many for decades. Although we have had standout FF entries since then, there hasn’t been an FF as consistent of an experience as FFX. As always, great video!
Thank you so much bro! I think I need to do more essays like this 🙏
It was a masterpiece because it was the last FF game made by SquareSOFT. Sadly, it's never been the same since the SE merger and Sakaguchi's departure.
Wow. What a bittersweet video this is. Thank you Night Sky Prince.
*FF is Sakaguchi*. It has never been the same since he 'left' SE. He may have been more in the background w/ FF10 development, but his continual oversite meant it would stay true to what fans LOVE about FF. And you summed this game up so well and explained much of what I've tried to others about recent FF failings. Some thoughts (this is too long but oh, well):
First, the combat. I'd say the PS2 FF era has the best overall combat systems (FF10/10-2/12) and FF10 has the best combat in all of FF. It is practically perfect. A good challenge for beginners and flexible enough for veterans, plus superbosses that challenge the most hardcore of us. It is TACTICAL, quick, creative and TURN-BASED. You can't button-mash your way thru here; it is imperative you utilize everyone in the party and multiple skills. Damn, I wish we'd gotten a few more games w/ this combat system!
Speaking of party, it is a wonderful cast of characters. I'll always give Nomura credit, he is an incredible character designer and scenario writer. He sucks at directing, terrible at combat decisions, horrible w/ overall story development. IMHO, FF7R is an abortion while FF15 was just plain bad. But the characters here are wonderful, w/ highly varied, relatable backgrounds and great design. And like you pointed out: depth. They are far from cliche, despite initial impressions.
FF has always had great music and this is one of the finest. God, it is so good. Long live Uematsu. The Zanarkand theme is so beautiful and sad. Hearing it w/ "Listen to my story..." is chilling.
And I hate how 'linearity' became a bad word. Do people complain that books or movies are linear??? But you pointed out many great differences between this and FF13's linear story. I feel one more important thing to point out: in FF10, ALL summoners have to visit each fayth, then reach Zanarkand. Of course you'd do this the most efficient, linear way. It made perfect sense. In FF13 they have NO IDEA where to go, so making the game a single corridor felt jarring in context of the game's plot.
I could go on and on but the reality is- FF died when Sakaguchi left the company. I absolutely love FF12 but can see why it turned so many off. It's a shame its development was so turbulent. And corporate interference forced Vaan and Penelo on us. FF13 had bright spots but many glaring faults. FF15/16 aren't FFs at all. I will never accept an action game as a true FF. Anybody who says, "WeLl FF wAs OnlY aBoUt StoRy anD MOogLe AnD CHoCObo," are clueless. Part of the appeal of FF IS THE TURN-BASED COMBAT for millions of us. And the stories were heartfelt and meaningful, something the last few entries have sorely lacked. There's a reason FF16 has sold poorly and it's not because of limited installation base (both FF7 and FF10 had SMALLER installation bases and sold MASSIVE numbers. They were considered system *sellers*), but because SE has abandoned longtime fans in search of an audience that's already inundated w/ action games. I hope you are right and SE looks to FF10, and earlier entries, to remember why it's so beloved.
FFX was the reason I bought my first PS2 and started playing games on something other than the gameboy. I watched my brother play through it and fell in love. My first games were FFX and FFX-2. The story, the characters, the love between Tidus and Yuna. No other game has come close.
I enjoyed the segment on FFXIII vs FFX linearity. I like when people bring it up cuz I do think that FFX did it better but I feel like thinking about why that is really helps people realize what problems they actually have with XIII rather than blindly hating it for being a hallway.
ffx was goat, has its flaws for sure but still my favorite
Looks like I'm gonna revisit this game once again, thanks for reminding me why I treasure this game, literally it's one of my favourite jrpg!
I love the positive hero trope. It’s one of the many reasons I love FFX and why I love other media with the same trope.
It would be impossible to top a well written romance story like this.
It’s not.
Agreed nearing 800 finished games and nothing tops Yuna+Tidus yet
@@Force-Multiplier I would say the Clive and Jill romance in FF16 comes close.
@@traceyrinaldi4759 Absolutely not lol
In the words of Tidus AHAHHAAHHAHHAHHAAH
Guys, I've played through FFX three times and I have been waiting my entire life for another Final Fantasy like this one.
While I enjoyed XII, there hasn't been a Final Fantasy I've *loved* since then.
It's been a sad twenty years.
While I haven't played XVI, I highly doubt it's the one to rekindle my love for Final Fantasy.
No game has ever been able to reach my Soul like Final Fantasy X. Prayers for an open world MMO for Spira.
Perhaps during the time before Tidus arrived. Would be a dream come true.
FINAL
FANTASY
X
Fucking love this game, was my first FF, and will never forget it's influences on me. Beautiful ass game!
I still feel that way everytime I play it. It's amazing
Here's my story: I owned FF7 since its inception yet I only played to where you name Barret. At the time, I was new to JRPGs and just hated the style (boy, did I not understand how much more fun the game got after you have more moves than Attack and Ice). I never played it again.
When I turned 11, Kingdom Hearts came out and became my favorite game ever. I got a huge man-crush on Cloud and Sephiroth. After playing the hell out of that, I asked for FFX as I played a demo and was excited to play an up-to-date FF game since Kingdom Hearts was heavily based on that. I played this game twice in a row, I loved it so much! I remember how hard my first playthrough was as I ran from a lot of battles. I got all the way to Jecht and couldn't beat him. Upon replay, I focused on levelling my party and completely crushed the main game. I remember becoming so obsessed with magical and rare weapons, accessories, and items. I would make journals of lists and sketches of so much equipment, along with character stat cards out of my school note cards. I would make up my own D&D style games involving elements I drew or imagined.
After FFX, I got into X2 and FF12, all fun but didn't touch X, though I did really enjoy 12. One day when getting into using whitestrips (no longer recommend) I thought of passing the time waiting by playing something new and I can be patient with. I found my old FF7 game and decided to play it, giving what I considered old FF a try. My mind was first blown when the main character was Cloud - one of my favorite FF characters from Kingdom Hearts! Still not satisfied, I renamed him "Sephiroth", my true favorite character. I remember playing until you run into President Shinra and he starts talking about Sephiroth... WHAT!? He's from this game also? I first thought he was talking about Cloud, who I named Sephiroth, but it became clear he was talking about another Sephiroth. I promptly restarted my game, keeping Cloud's name as is.
To this day, I don't know my favorite FF experience. FFX was my first in this series, and with the story and gameplay elements, it may still be fondly remembered as my favorite (I still have a save I occasionally load up to work towards beating the Dark Aeons - definitely farther than I ever gone before). Yet, there is FF7 as a much later game in my past rivaling FFX, as I had a new first experience when playing that. The story and music from both 7 and 10 are still my favorites in the whole series. These 2 games are so different yet hard to choose which experience I prefer. Both have a lot of love and a lot of hate publicly.
I feel more connected to Yuna and her guardians slightly than Avalanche and 10 had more emotional plot twists and drama, despite how heavy 7 was. The growth system in 10 is so fun and addicting too. The amount of end-game material may also be more in 10. The intro song and how it's also the final fight song! FFX is just so epic, it may stay my favorite game of all time, beating out also Kingdom Hearts which was my favorite game when I played it.
Favorite game I've ever played, I replay it yearly and it never gets old. The only downfall is that I don't think I'll ever play another game that makes me feel the way FFX did for the first time. Truly a life changing experience. Great video, now I want to start a new playthrough!
It's my favorite game in the series for all the reasons given. Itemization, a variety of gameworld-interaction, best characters imo, best story imo, best music imo. The actual sphere grid was incredible as it was far more complex than the superficial clones we've seen since. Going back to previous locations to learn something new altogether or to unlock a previously inaccessible item or dungeon. Learning a new language. The memory spheres telling the story that came before. It's a little painful thinking back on playing this game over 20 years ago and thinking that this was only the beginning of what SE would have to offer...;;
I think FFXIV is stifled by it's length and the pacing due to the number characters and story threads (such that it even perhaps deconstructs this reality at various points), a robust or noble effort to be sure but is no doubt unsurprisingly less compelling overall. I do think to achieve such a great story like this is so brilliantly difficult, this is no doubt worsened considerably by the need for novelty. I absolutely agree with the sentiment however that FFX is one of the greatest stories ever written, the utility of the videogame format certainly helps but it's mostly the fantasy centred yet also familiar and foundational, nuts and bolts writing that will be very difficult to match up to or surpass, though I still think it's possible, It may not be for a while however, in or outside of Square's FF franchise. certainly FFXVI was mostly a lesser impressive entry, perhaps there's some kind of adulteration or stifling of creativity or risk that comes with a firm becoming as big as Square is now, that said the pedigree or expectation they maintain is still very high. I guess we'll just see what comes next. Great video.
“Jecht didn’t choose to walk away from Tidus,” but he was basically an absentee father despite being physically there because of the drinking, celebrity, and his lack of relating to Tidus.
Just started this video. My favorite game of all time even now in my 30s. I remember being 10 playing this when it first came out and knowing it was about to change my life
Dude, i just watched an "how to be overpowered" ffx video! What timing
I've only played the first main series final fantasy game through, my experience with the franchise is mostly through playing some of the spin offs, but this video was excellent. I did play through about 10-15 hours of FFX many years ago, just enough to understand what you were talking about with the game mechanics and story. And I have been spoiled on the story, but this video makes me want to go back and finish the game. I can see how FFX is different from every other final fantasy before it, especially being that it was the first to launch on the PS2. There's a great tonal shift in the art style like you mentioned and while I'm sure it may not have been as well received for breaking the mold of the western influenced fantasy settings at the time, the fact that the creators defended the East Asian inspiration demonstrates that they had a clear vision for how they wanted the world to look. The fact that the ATV system is done away with as well just shows how polished and well done the game is. I can feel the love you have for this game and I really enjoyed watching this video.
Thank you for making this. You made some points in the first half that I have never noticed.
I absolutely love this game. Favorite game of all time. But while i know it's accurate to call him tee-dus, i absolutely hate it and will always call him tie-dus
This is my favorite game of all time. I laughed, I cried, and I was royally pissed off. What a great game.😊😊😊
as a kid, I legit cried because of the ending and screamed at the screen THATS NOT HOW IT'S SUPPOSED TO END!!!
FFX is still my favourite game of all time. I initially played this game when I was a kid and absolutely loved it. Played it again two years ago and grew to appreciate this game even more. It is a classic and timeless masterpiece. ❤
I remember going through Final Fantasy 10 three times and the third time was the charm! I finally won that first Blitzball championship and I remember being Estática!! It is still one of my favorite FF I will always be moved by the story and the comerodery and believe me it had the truly best ending next to FF8! I also really loved FF12 too❤
Final Fantasy X is probably my most played, favorite Final Fantasy that I've never beaten. I hope to fix that soon, because there was always so much I related to in this game. From religious guilt and breaking from toxic cycles, fighting prejudice, and parental trauma. It's a fucking masterpiece of a game for sure, but I've always held off calling it my favorite because I've never actually finished it. I always get to Sin and the fear of losing my time with these characters I've loved, has always stopped me in the past.
FFX was my favorite game of all time. I played it back in 2001, and it was my first FF game ever.
I see Emplemon's downward spiral has had some decisive influence here
You talked about everyone except Kimahri 😢 #Justice4Kimahri
The most useless member of the party. I forget he is even in the party
Man, you nailed so many things in this video. I can't think of anything I disagreed with.
I have not played this game as many times as some, but I still get hit in the feels when I do. Knowing the story really doesn't matter in this game. It's almost like the party themselves. They know what they are moving towards, but try not to think about it. When those moments come up, it is when reality sets in, and you recall what's at stake.
X is not my number 1 Final Fantasy game, but it's damn close. I'll still say it's probably the best of the series. The last of the Squaresoft era.
I never even finished this game (I was like 9 years old and had no idea what I was doing) but I still remember being just blown away by the graphics, the level of detail, and the real beauty and heart that went into designing it. This video has inspired me to start playing :). Thank you, and great job!
Love to see you branch into this type of content and watching you grow. Great video!!
When we try to capture and repeat the excitement from a first time experience its easy feel disheartened or disappointed when we fail. Its good to keep in that truly great experiences have the power to change us from what we were to what we are. Also as we age, our perspective changes and matures, so concepts that we once found intimately relatable now fail to reach us in the same way. So even if Square Enix did manage to recreate a new game with the potential to impact us like FFX, it may only reach younger, or less experienced players in such meaningful way.
Looooooove love this game with all my heart.
Looooove your presentation and breakdowns here bro 🙏
What a story, such great concepts in every way. This game actually imprinted so much about spirituality / religion / love/ memories. The power of the mind and the heart. These writers are really on to something. True geniuses . I will never get over it.
25:55 That Ifrit named Clive killed ma lmao
My favorite game of all time. And I’ve played games from radiant historia to gta5/cod mw3. Literally everything.
Tactic against Yunalesca nah don't really remember other then holy water. What I really remember was:
Auron: Now! This is it! Now is the time to choose! Die and be free of pain, or live and fight your sorrow! Now is the time to shape your stories! Your fate is in your hands!
Young Me: plz just let me win Yunalesca 😭
I mean you have to like playthrough a long ass "dramatic" cutscene everytime you die in that battle.
the best line is "Even in death.... YAH!"
I played and beat the game twice when it first came out, and I didn’t realize it until going through all the deep dive Resonant Arc episodes recently that Final Fantasy X is, and may well always be my favorite narrative of all time in any medium. Incredible.
No other game made me cry like this one.
If I could live in a fictional setting, it would be (post eternal calm) Spira. It is the most fantastical world that Square ever created.
This is a fantastic video NSP, great work and thanks for putting this together. X will always be one of my favorites and was just perfect in my eyes.
Thanks you, Nsp for getting me in a better mood
my allergies where kicking my ass all day today, and still are.
Midknight. 🥹❤️ thank you so much. You help the channel a TON. I’m hella thankful, never forget that. Hope your allergies get better!
@@TheNightSkyPrince by the way, forgot to tell you your FF X video is Amazerific.
Favourite game of all time. Fantastic bitter sweet story, great music throughout.
this video makes me so happy but so sad at the same time that we will never get something else like FFX ever again.
The 6th generation was insane for JRPGs.. so many classics
Well done. One of the best. I feel as if the tale of Spira has been told, but X2 left us with a lot of developments and I think there is potential there for something amazing. I know I'd play it in a heartbeat, especially if they ensured a great combat system that was as thoroughly engaging as this one was