REVIEW: Final Fantasy X-2 HD

If anything can be said about Final Fantasy X-2 HD, it’s that the game contains a lot of gameplay variety. On top of the usual RPG exploration and combat, Final Fantasy X-2 HD hosts a great number of mini-games that are actually implemented fairly decently into the story and world. For example, Blitzball returns, though in a completely different form, as you now take on more of a coaching role than actively playing the game. Blitzball, however, is only the beginning, as Final Fantasy X-2 HD will have you taking part in all sorts of strange situations; digging in the desert, dancing, calibrating lightning rods, chasing off bandits and even getting monkeys to mate are just a few of the many interesting tasks that you can take part in, should you seek them out. Of course, such variety comes at a price, and, while many of these ventures aren’t exactly what I’d consider fun, I give the game credit for never sticking with any one idea for too long. While you may dislike some of the side quests implemented, they never stick around long enough to be truly frustrating.

Final Fantasy X-2 - Blitzball | oprainfall — Blitzball is back! Though not exactly ‘better than ever.’

One addition to this version of the game is the inclusion of Final Fantasy X-2 Last Mission, an extra game mode with a completely different gameplay style from the original title. Last Mission takes the form of a roguelike. The key difference from this roguelike to every other is the addition of the Dressphere system, which allows you to have several different life bars, making it a bit easier than your average game in the genre (thank goodness). It adds to Final Fantasy X-2 HD’s story, as well, so, if you did follow it, it’s a nice little addition. Without making this a long-winded review of its own, I found it to be rather entertaining, despite not being a fan of the genre as a whole, so take from that what you will.

Final Fantasy X-2 - Last Mission | oprainfall — I don’t know what I was expecting from Last Mission, but it wasn’t a decently-crafted roguelike.

Other new features include new Dresspheres and, more interestingly, the Monster Arena. The Monster Arena in Final Fantasy X-2 HD adds a completely new system that allows you to capture monsters throughout the world and not only fight them at your leisure, but also train and use them as AI-controlled party members if you so desire. I didn’t find this to be a particularly helpful addition to the game, but, at the very least, it was interesting and provided a great deal of variety in what kind of ‘monsters’ you could catch, including some rather rare characters, such as the ‘Star Player,’ who is just a generic name for the main character Tidus of the last title. (Not really a spoiler since this doesn’t tie in to the plot at all).

Overall, Final Fantasy X-2 HD doesn’t hold a candle to the original title, but I doubt anyone was surprised by that, even when it was originally released a decade ago. Final Fantasy X had a conclusive ending and never needed a sequel in the first place, which I feel is a big part of why Final Fantasy X-2’s story was so poorly executed — they really had nowhere to go with it. That said, the gameplay is actually extremely varied and oftentimes even fun. I wouldn’t suggest that anyone buy this game on its own merits, but the fact that it comes bundled with Final Fantasy X leaves me recommending that you at least try it out for yourself. Who knows, you may end up being able to look past its many cosmetic and narrative flaws, and actually enjoy the rather well-structured gameplay. The game’s length will vary a great deal from player to player because the freedom allows for skipping more than half the game’s content. It took me about 40 hours to complete a good deal of the game’s content, as well as Last Mission. The Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Collection is definitely a worthy purchase if you are an RPG fan, especially for the new sale price of $40, but keep in mind that the main reason for buying should be the first title, not the second.