Yes the official pronunciation is “Tee dus” and not TIE dus. I know some of you hate this and have just discovered it from this video, but its true. You can find James Arnold Taylor (the voice of Tidus) and other actors saying his name here: th-cam.com/video/F72UZmU8iEE/w-d-xo.htmlsi=U8Us2xWqCfp36wv9
I discovered it years ago and I still disagree and want to hear Sakaguchi pronounce it before I agree with Nomura and Nojima, bc the Tide duality is just too perfect and pronunciation never appears in game, NOT ONCE. Fully contained game, as the first 1-9 FFs were intended to be. I feel the same way about Aeris (Eris, goddess of love)
well they are wrong. its tie-dus. even if the creator says its teedus. it will be tie-dus to everyone that plays the game. pronouncing it tie-dus just sounds right.
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
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
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 cried my heart out when this game ended. I purposely did everything; collected all the celestial weapons, defeated all the dark aeons, battled all the monsters in the arena. Once I had done everything and spent endless hours exploring the different locations, I knew there was only one last thing to do - defeat Sin. This group of characters felt like friends and got me through high school.
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.
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.
You should try out any of the Shin megami tensei games such as persona 5 or smt4 which has that battle system and a amazing story that your looking for.
@@gloworms I love FF8 but if you look at it objectively, 10 is a much better game, overall. 8 had a lot of cool ideas, and some of them were executed well, but rushed development meant that they had to cut a lot of it out and that's why the final product is so divisive
@@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.
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 feel similar! It really helped break me out of my religious chains at the time and actually think for myself a bit as a kid. Cheers to many more years!
What made it work is, the characters were all distinct, well written, had unique roles to play in the story and in combat. And, you can't exactly tell the same story twice one would think. Its a story that is relevant to this day tho. The way you can make unique decisions in the game. And how this even reflects the story, diverging from the path you were expected to follow, your role in society reflecting your role as a guardian. Even their overdrives reflect who they are, rather than 'what role they play in the plot' like newer titles might do. Characters aren't supposed to be a plot device. They are a plot experiencer. And the game being turn based, really lets things sink in, instead of being in such a hurry that the depth is lost.
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.
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.
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.
Loved readin this, so relateable! Shitt my disc was so hovered aswell, praying ti get oast that cutscene that stopped progress. Think i have bought 5-6 copies of this. Platnum, ps4, Switch. Etc. ❤
I have the hymn of the fayth on its own playlist full of concerts with live orchestra and choir variants in various octaves. There is even a little translation video if you want to learn the meaning of the prayer.
That dragon was the first time I ever had to "grind". It was the only boss I got stuck on a (Along with Jecht). And yeah, the tension and heart rate of having to fight a gauntlet of guards before a save point was unbelievable. My heart was beating so hard. It really felt like my "one shot at this"
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!
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.
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!
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.
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’m turning 32 shortly and regularly get mistaken for 10 years younger so sometimes the idea of what 30s look like is skewed, but NGL I’ve seen a lot of guys 26-32 on Tinder who are younger than me but look like they could be my dad: DEEP crows feet, gray hair, balding/receding hairline, teeth falling out etc so there is a wide scope for this age range
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. 😁
@@Chresna_Aditya 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 or the pilgrimage of Braska, Jecht and Auron is the only 'sequel' I want for FF10, not more Tidus/Yuna. Prince briefly mentioned FF10-3 w/ more Yuna and Tidus. There is a comic in Japan for the plot of FF10-3 and Nomura has hinted it would be based on this. Wanna know what happens??? Yuna becomes a summoner again and Tidus DIES KICKING A BOMB THAT EXPLODES BECAUSE HE THOUGHT IT WAS A BLITZBALL. Yes, seriously, you can look it up and that is the plot for FF10-3. Please, god, no.
At least a remake, cause high encounter rate makes it difficult to play for many newbies and Spira deserves to get more open fields in modern graphics showcasing the beauty of this world
@@SuperBerry123 it's not the battles the problem, the problem is those hours long dialogues(wich is ok)but you can just make them go a little faster, you cannot skip them, add that you cant save in the middle of them, i did the game when it came out and it was great, but the remaster i really could not go far because of this, some stuff really drag way too much especially in the first 20 hours.
@@ganjaman59650 I didn’t mention the battle system, that one is really close to perfect for me. I meant the high encounter rate puts newer people off, I have witnessed that with family members and friends. Imagine if we could have finally monsters roaming free on the map like the game had plan to initially.
This game really made its impact on me on Mt. Gagazet. That climb was so brutally hard on my first playthrough. Combine that with the soundtrack of the area and then to have it all culminate with the bombshell plot reveal into the boss fight. When I beat that boss, I knew this game was something special.
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.
FFX had such a profound effect on me that Yuna became a measure of how I judged every potential girlfriend of mine (spoiler alert: I did not get a lot of girlfriends. Female Jesus is not a thing in real life.)
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.
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
Loved this essay, it truly encapsulates the essence of what makes ffx so great. The only thing i, in my humble opinion, think you missd is the music. The soundtrack in this game offers, by far ,some of othe most memorable songs and melodies in all of my gaming history. From the calm and peaceful Besaid Islands, the sad and melancholy of To Zanarkand to insane hype battle in the last battle vs Seymour. Truly a masterpiece in so many aspects! Thank you for making this video on this glorious game.
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
2001 was when I got a PS2 and this was the first game I played on it. It was the first game I played and replayed for hundreds of hours. It was the game that spoke to my teenage self. It's the greatest love story ever written, imo. It was the personification of my own love and loss. The only thing that came close was my adult self playing final fantasy 14, Endwalker. Just that little tidbit from the ending you showed was enough to get me all teary eyed.
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!
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.
i like both romances (especially as young teen),,,but the childhood friend aka girl next door is hardly a Japanese troupe though,,, for most of humanity (before large world wide travel became cheap) (marriage statistic's we have) showed you fell for people within your social circle ( meeting through school work or friends of family/friends) - or the girl next door type of girls,,,, strangers meeting and marrying is actually a very low % of marriages, its rising now due to online dating ..( yea true love from bar/club or cold approach was always rare)... so world story tellers told these stories often
This is one of the best videos on FFX I've ever watched, really highlights just how clever every decision the devs made was, how many subtleties there are in both gameplay systems and the story and characters, everything.
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.
COMPLETELY AGREE!! I remember that feeling so distinctly. Completely unique and I’ve grieved the loss of the opportunity to play with fresh eyes the moment the credits rolled. Amazing experience
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.
The intro to this game is one of my favorites of all time. This whole game is a truly magical experience to play - especially for the first time! Ah, to be young again... 😌
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.
I've dreamt about making TH-cam essays for a long time, but could never get it off the ground because I wanted to do other things too. RIght now I'm totally okay with that, because someone else is carrying that torch for me. Amazing vid.
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.
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.
Didn't want to spend 40 minutes on a random suggestion from TH-cam. But then again, it's FFX and everything you said was just so true. To Zanarkand is probably also my favourite song to play on the piano - just hard to play without crying. Thanks random YT dude for bringing up those emotions again.
Don’t forget to mention Junya Nakano who also worked on the ost! I only realised years later that X actually has 3 composers and I really think it’s part of the reason the game is so amazing. Each of these composers has a distinct style, but somehow it all works together so well. Junya Nakano’s music is so ambient and atmospheric. Masashi Hamauzu is amazing at orchestral stuff, and Nobuo Uematsu is of course the king of catchy iconic melodies. Bring it all together and you have an absolutely god tier ost.
YEAH BRO... FFX aged like fine wine. I didn't like it as much when I played it as a kid, kept comparing it to FF7. When I re-played this game last year I was blown away with how amazing this game was. The story and atmosphere was top notch. We used to have it SO GOOD. Final Fantasy has lost its magic imo, FF16 does not come close to FFX
I remember playing this when it first came out on the PS2. I got stuck at the first battle with Seymour and stopped playing for a couple years because i was just frustrated. About 4 years later i hopped back on it and started back over with my friends. We gave each other tips and we managed to beat Seymour and continue the plot. By the time we reached the end, we had a giant sleepover and played the rest of the game from the home of the Al-bhed, to the final battle with Yu-Yevon. You can imagine how difficult it was with a maxed out Anima and Magus Sisters. But once we beat it tearful cheers rang through the house
This is a great analysis. They do a tremendous job of making Tidus an analog for the player. We learn about Spira as he learns about Spira. You really nailed the theme of questioning our biases and prejudices and looking critically at institutions and how much influence they have on our lives. I really enjoy this format. I've wanted to do this kind of thing myself but I don't think I could have done it better than you did here.
The soundtrack made Final Fantasy X so memorable. I still get chills from the haunting opening theme and "Otherworld" by Nobuo Uematsu, Masashi Hamauzu, and Junya Nakano!
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.
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 ♪
This game was my first on PS2 and what a beautiful experience. No other game gave me so much emotion. It was beautiful for the time, the musics were great, the story amazing. The combat system was unique and what to say about the sphere evolution system, the most beautiful i never experienced. Each time i think of this game, i can’t help reminding how i stayed for a long time on the road to Djose temple only to listen to that amazing music, Wandering Flame. It fits so well that sad, happy, dreamlike pilgrimage.
first final fantasy game i ever played, i still remember getting together with my friends in middle school all huddled up around the tv marveling at the sheer beauty of it, taking turns playing it before each of us decided we needed our own copy. long live ffx long live teedussy
it was a meme that grew too large and we didn't squash it with counterhumor we have only ourselves to blame TBQH, what a beautiful scene, and one of my favorites in the game. with it being a whole scene about being forced laughter in the first place
The juxtaposition of a deep, thought-provoking, extremely well laid-out retrospective of the greatest Final Fantasy of all time and Tidus being re-named Teedussy really got me here lmao
I can remember it like yesterday. 20 years ago, I saw Yuna sending away spirits on a poster. To that day Ive never seen anybody SO BEAUTIFUL. I was so stuned, I couldn't look away. Though I was not a gamer back then, I spared the little pocket money that I got for 2 years to get myself a PS2 and this game. Every minute of waiting was WORTH IT. I cried and laughed and played the game over and over. The more I played, the more I fell in love with Yuna's character, the way she smiles, her determination, her calmness and unshakeable inner strengh, such a pure soul. Yuna remains my all time favourite fictive female character and "To Zanarkand" is one of my favourite piano pieces that I've learned since. FFX set me up to become the game designer and artist today.
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.
I highly recommend Resonant Arc's analysis of this game. The entire game is discussed like chapters.The philosophy behind the game is discussed so well
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 💣👌
Ffx was what helped me get over that feeling of never being able to experience something for the first time again. There's a special meaning revealed in things once you know things. There's always more to find and different ways of looking at something.
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.
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...;;
*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.
Its not only the Game itself, its the combination of the obviously greatness of everything you mentioned but also the time it was released. The ps2 era was special by itself, look at the Games that released in the first year. MGs,Tekken and ffx Just to Name a few. The whole feeling of "this is Not just new but Something else entiterly" was Always there. The graphics and the music also thit their Part. All in all it was once in a lifetime experience to grow up in this time.
I never knew you couldn't skip cutscenes when I played this game back when I was a kid, I was so enthralled by the story I could never imagine skipping any of it or even attempting to. But I was genuinely surprised when I started replaying this game recently that you can't skip them at all. And I only started replaying this because I found a ps2 along with this game and 50 other bangers including silent hill 4 pn the side of the road!!! Everything works and in new condition games with booklets and never used maps/posters with games.
This was my first FF game and is still my favorite! I remember i was underpowered facing Yunalesca and was stuck on her, couldnt go back to grind and so i fought her everyday for like 2 weeks! When i finally beat her it was sooooo satisfying
Still, to this day, Final Fantasy X is my favorite video game ever made. Some games have come close, but, could never quite pass the threshold of how much this game means to me. And as I got older, I continued to further appreciate its multifaceted narrative that tackled such complex themes of demagogued racism, the harm of organized religion, the detriments of theocracies, and, most importantly, the ability to break from religious shackles and learn to question everything and think for yourself in a world that tells you to conform to society despite all the division and othering it has caused, much like reality. To quote Stephen Fry, progress has never been achieved by conformists, preachers or guardians of morality, but rather by mad men, hermits, heretics, dreamers and skeptics. That's what Final Fantasy X was about, all while also telling a compelling tale of love in circumstances that could never let it be. It's not only a great game, but an important one that everyone should play at least once, especially these days, while we live in a world of political confusion, division and misinformation brought about by organized human corruption and indoctrination.
Yes the official pronunciation is “Tee dus” and not TIE dus.
I know some of you hate this and have just discovered it from this video, but its true.
You can find James Arnold Taylor (the voice of Tidus) and other actors saying his name here: th-cam.com/video/F72UZmU8iEE/w-d-xo.htmlsi=U8Us2xWqCfp36wv9
Nah it's Tie-dus. Sorry, I don't care about the official sources that's just law. Good video though!
I discovered it years ago and I still disagree and want to hear Sakaguchi pronounce it before I agree with Nomura and Nojima, bc the Tide duality is just too perfect and pronunciation never appears in game, NOT ONCE. Fully contained game, as the first 1-9 FFs were intended to be.
I feel the same way about Aeris (Eris, goddess of love)
Eheh. I saw where you inputed his name as Teedussy.
well they are wrong. its tie-dus. even if the creator says its teedus. it will be tie-dus to everyone that plays the game. pronouncing it tie-dus just sounds right.
It would make sense that the original intention was Tide-Us.
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.
FF10 will always be a masterpiece of art and gaming. Easily one of the best, most memorable and most inspirational games / stories ever. 🔥🔥👍👍💪💪
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
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.
Nostalgia is a Hell of a drug
I cried my heart out when this game ended. I purposely did everything; collected all the celestial weapons, defeated all the dark aeons, battled all the monsters in the arena. Once I had done everything and spent endless hours exploring the different locations, I knew there was only one last thing to do - defeat Sin. This group of characters felt like friends and got me through high school.
great game and taught u a lot about the finality of decisions. and necessity. very glad to have had this in my life
*Ahem* Teedussy? You thought I wouldn't notice, didn't you? Well, I noticed.
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 ❤
the parallels are just 🤌🤌🤌
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 should try out any of the Shin megami tensei games such as persona 5 or smt4 which has that battle system and a amazing story that your looking for.
That’s how I feel about ff8. It gets a lot of hate but it was my first rpg.
@@gloworms I love FF8 but if you look at it objectively, 10 is a much better game, overall. 8 had a lot of cool ideas, and some of them were executed well, but rushed development meant that they had to cut a lot of it out and that's why the final product is so divisive
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'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 🥹❤️
The ending of 10, and the lake scene, are the best scenes in video games period
what lake scene
@@Sh0n0 Yuna performing the Sending
@@Sh0n0 macalania lake scene
arguably yes
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.
I feel similar! It really helped break me out of my religious chains at the time and actually think for myself a bit as a kid. Cheers to many more years!
@@Sinflux420 It did the exact same for me! Cheers to many more years of you being here and thinking for yourself!
Final Fantasy X will live forever. All of my children have played it more than once
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.
Worst combat system in turn-based history, so eh. The less we see it, the better games we get.
@pichuscute it's always funny when people state their opinions like objective fact 🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡
What made it work is, the characters were all distinct, well written, had unique roles to play in the story and in combat. And, you can't exactly tell the same story twice one would think. Its a story that is relevant to this day tho. The way you can make unique decisions in the game. And how this even reflects the story, diverging from the path you were expected to follow, your role in society reflecting your role as a guardian. Even their overdrives reflect who they are, rather than 'what role they play in the plot' like newer titles might do. Characters aren't supposed to be a plot device. They are a plot experiencer. And the game being turn based, really lets things sink in, instead of being in such a hurry that the depth is lost.
There was a Lord of the Rings game adopting the system of FFX
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.
"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. 🤣
“You’re a bad man”
honeslty though only funny bc we had the autonomy to ask her over and over and over
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.
Instead of forgetting, look for new depth you didn't see before. So the impact just increases.
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.
Loved readin this, so relateable!
Shitt my disc was so hovered aswell, praying ti get oast that cutscene that stopped progress.
Think i have bought 5-6 copies of this.
Platnum, ps4, Switch. Etc. ❤
I have the hymn of the fayth on its own playlist full of concerts with live orchestra and choir variants in various octaves. There is even a little translation video if you want to learn the meaning of the prayer.
th-cam.com/video/TWVST7P37IM/w-d-xo.htmlsi=mQL8p6uUJJcTHBNu
That dragon was the first time I ever had to "grind". It was the only boss I got stuck on a (Along with Jecht). And yeah, the tension and heart rate of having to fight a gauntlet of guards before a save point was unbelievable. My heart was beating so hard. It really felt like my "one shot at this"
FACTS.. FFX still one of the best and most unique games of all time!!
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!
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.
I love this longer format. Thank you for covering this timeless classic!
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!
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.
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.
21:44 Let's not forget Junya Nakano, who's song is currently playing in the background.
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’m turning 32 shortly and regularly get mistaken for 10 years younger so sometimes the idea of what 30s look like is skewed, but NGL I’ve seen a lot of guys 26-32 on Tinder who are younger than me but look like they could be my dad: DEEP crows feet, gray hair, balding/receding hairline, teeth falling out etc so there is a wide scope for this age range
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. 😁
@@Chresna_Aditya 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
This or the pilgrimage of Braska, Jecht and Auron is the only 'sequel' I want for FF10, not more Tidus/Yuna. Prince briefly mentioned FF10-3 w/ more Yuna and Tidus. There is a comic in Japan for the plot of FF10-3 and Nomura has hinted it would be based on this. Wanna know what happens??? Yuna becomes a summoner again and Tidus DIES KICKING A BOMB THAT EXPLODES BECAUSE HE THOUGHT IT WAS A BLITZBALL. Yes, seriously, you can look it up and that is the plot for FF10-3. Please, god, no.
FFX is the best story ever told in gaming. It deserves a film, a remake, another sequel, the whole franchise experience
If it could be done justice.
At least a remake, cause high encounter rate makes it difficult to play for many newbies and Spira deserves to get more open fields in modern graphics showcasing the beauty of this world
@@SuperBerry123 it's not the battles the problem, the problem is those hours long dialogues(wich is ok)but you can just make them go a little faster, you cannot skip them, add that you cant save in the middle of them, i did the game when it came out and it was great, but the remaster i really could not go far because of this, some stuff really drag way too much especially in the first 20 hours.
@@ganjaman59650 I didn’t mention the battle system, that one is really close to perfect for me. I meant the high encounter rate puts newer people off, I have witnessed that with family members and friends. Imagine if we could have finally monsters roaming free on the map like the game had plan to initially.
This game really made its impact on me on Mt. Gagazet.
That climb was so brutally hard on my first playthrough. Combine that with the soundtrack of the area and then to have it all culminate with the bombshell plot reveal into the boss fight.
When I beat that boss, I knew this game was something special.
Seimour was pretty strong indeed, they expected you to have farmed the plain before.
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.
FFX had such a profound effect on me that Yuna became a measure of how I judged every potential girlfriend of mine (spoiler alert: I did not get a lot of girlfriends. Female Jesus is not a thing in real life.)
Bless you bro. You'll find your Yuna one day.
@HontonX I did. I'm married. But thank you.
@@JohnSyzlack thats...my DAWG
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.
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
Loved this essay, it truly encapsulates the essence of what makes ffx so great. The only thing i, in my humble opinion, think you missd is the music. The soundtrack in this game offers, by far ,some of othe most memorable songs and melodies in all of my gaming history. From the calm and peaceful Besaid Islands, the sad and melancholy of To Zanarkand to insane hype battle in the last battle vs Seymour. Truly a masterpiece in so many aspects! Thank you for making this video on this glorious game.
And the Via Purifico... Oh my, Via Purifico just does something to me...
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
2001 was when I got a PS2 and this was the first game I played on it. It was the first game I played and replayed for hundreds of hours. It was the game that spoke to my teenage self. It's the greatest love story ever written, imo. It was the personification of my own love and loss.
The only thing that came close was my adult self playing final fantasy 14, Endwalker.
Just that little tidbit from the ending you showed was enough to get me all teary eyed.
Auron Cid Highwind
🤝
men in their 30s that look and act like they're about 50
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!
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.
They are very much aware of both of these tropes, in spite of smug wanting to sound like LouLou.
i like both romances (especially as young teen),,,but the childhood friend aka girl next door is hardly a Japanese troupe though,,, for most of humanity (before large world wide travel became cheap) (marriage statistic's we have) showed you fell for people within your social circle ( meeting through school work or friends of family/friends) - or the girl next door type of girls,,,, strangers meeting and marrying is actually a very low % of marriages, its rising now due to online dating ..( yea true love from bar/club or cold approach was always rare)... so world story tellers told these stories often
This is one of the best videos on FFX I've ever watched, really highlights just how clever every decision the devs made was, how many subtleties there are in both gameplay systems and the story and characters, everything.
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.
I remember my buddy and I playing this game for a whole summer break completely enthralled with everything. The music I still listen to today.
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.
Final Fantasy 7 made me feel this exact same way all the way back in 1997.
That game still has its hold on me to this day.
ffx was goat, has its flaws for sure but still my favorite
COMPLETELY AGREE!! I remember that feeling so distinctly. Completely unique and I’ve grieved the loss of the opportunity to play with fresh eyes the moment the credits rolled. Amazing experience
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.
Snowy Christmas morning, new ps2 and looking out a frosty window hearing "this is my story....." ill always cherish that feeling. Gives me tears now 🥺
1:25 Teedussy 😂💀
The intro to this game is one of my favorites of all time. This whole game is a truly magical experience to play - especially for the first time! Ah, to be young again... 😌
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.
I've dreamt about making TH-cam essays for a long time, but could never get it off the ground because I wanted to do other things too. RIght now I'm totally okay with that, because someone else is carrying that torch for me. Amazing vid.
@3:39 Tidussy? 😂
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.
Totally agree, FF10 is a very unique experience in general, it structure, mechanics, story structure And world, a true masterpiece in gaming.
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.
Ffx is one of the very few games i actualy enjoy grinding in
the ending of 10 hit hard and still lives in my head rent free
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.
Your opening statement rings so true
... I think this game was the only game that made me cry. Appreciate your appreciation!
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
Didn't want to spend 40 minutes on a random suggestion from TH-cam. But then again, it's FFX and everything you said was just so true. To Zanarkand is probably also my favourite song to play on the piano - just hard to play without crying.
Thanks random YT dude for bringing up those emotions again.
FINAL
FANTASY
X
Fucking love this game, was my first FF, and will never forget it's influences on me. Beautiful ass game!
Don’t forget to mention Junya Nakano who also worked on the ost! I only realised years later that X actually has 3 composers and I really think it’s part of the reason the game is so amazing. Each of these composers has a distinct style, but somehow it all works together so well. Junya Nakano’s music is so ambient and atmospheric. Masashi Hamauzu is amazing at orchestral stuff, and Nobuo Uematsu is of course the king of catchy iconic melodies. Bring it all together and you have an absolutely god tier ost.
YEAH BRO... FFX aged like fine wine. I didn't like it as much when I played it as a kid, kept comparing it to FF7. When I re-played this game last year I was blown away with how amazing this game was. The story and atmosphere was top notch. We used to have it SO GOOD. Final Fantasy has lost its magic imo, FF16 does not come close to FFX
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!
The real struggle should be everyone calling him Teedas even though it should be TIde us?
Wow. What a bittersweet video this is. Thank you Night Sky Prince.
I remember playing this when it first came out on the PS2. I got stuck at the first battle with Seymour and stopped playing for a couple years because i was just frustrated. About 4 years later i hopped back on it and started back over with my friends. We gave each other tips and we managed to beat Seymour and continue the plot. By the time we reached the end, we had a giant sleepover and played the rest of the game from the home of the Al-bhed, to the final battle with Yu-Yevon. You can imagine how difficult it was with a maxed out Anima and Magus Sisters. But once we beat it tearful cheers rang through the house
This is a great analysis. They do a tremendous job of making Tidus an analog for the player. We learn about Spira as he learns about Spira. You really nailed the theme of questioning our biases and prejudices and looking critically at institutions and how much influence they have on our lives.
I really enjoy this format. I've wanted to do this kind of thing myself but I don't think I could have done it better than you did here.
NOT TEEDUSSY at 9:55😭😭🤣🤣
Great video! Thank you for reminding me of this great game in such fashion.
The soundtrack made Final Fantasy X so memorable. I still get chills from the haunting opening theme and "Otherworld" by Nobuo Uematsu, Masashi Hamauzu, and Junya Nakano!
Love to see you branch into this type of content and watching you grow. Great video!!
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.
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 ♪
This game was my first on PS2 and what a beautiful experience. No other game gave me so much emotion. It was beautiful for the time, the musics were great, the story amazing. The combat system was unique and what to say about the sphere evolution system, the most beautiful i never experienced. Each time i think of this game, i can’t help reminding how i stayed for a long time on the road to Djose temple only to listen to that amazing music, Wandering Flame. It fits so well that sad, happy, dreamlike pilgrimage.
first final fantasy game i ever played, i still remember getting together with my friends in middle school all huddled up around the tv marveling at the sheer beauty of it, taking turns playing it before each of us decided we needed our own copy. long live ffx long live teedussy
"But that awkward laugh was bad."
God I hated how that was the go to complaint about the game.
it was a meme that grew too large and we didn't squash it with counterhumor
we have only ourselves to blame
TBQH, what a beautiful scene, and one of my favorites in the game. with it being a whole scene about being forced laughter in the first place
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.
This may just be your absolute best video! Excellent job, man!
The juxtaposition of a deep, thought-provoking, extremely well laid-out retrospective of the greatest Final Fantasy of all time and Tidus being re-named Teedussy really got me here lmao
I can remember it like yesterday. 20 years ago, I saw Yuna sending away spirits on a poster. To that day Ive never seen anybody SO BEAUTIFUL.
I was so stuned, I couldn't look away. Though I was not a gamer back then, I spared the little pocket money that I got for 2 years to get myself a PS2 and this game.
Every minute of waiting was WORTH IT. I cried and laughed and played the game over and over.
The more I played, the more I fell in love with Yuna's character, the way she smiles, her determination, her calmness and unshakeable inner strengh, such a pure soul.
Yuna remains my all time favourite fictive female character and "To Zanarkand" is one of my favourite piano pieces that I've learned since.
FFX set me up to become the game designer and artist today.
Holy moly, the long-awaited NSP longman video on FFX. Can't wait to watch it! Congrats man! 🎉
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.
I highly recommend Resonant Arc's analysis of this game. The entire game is discussed like chapters.The philosophy behind the game is discussed so well
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 💣👌
I’ve been looking forward to this video and you did a great job articulating why this game is so special.
Ffx was what helped me get over that feeling of never being able to experience something for the first time again.
There's a special meaning revealed in things once you know things. There's always more to find and different ways of looking at something.
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.
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...;;
*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.
Its not only the Game itself, its the combination of the obviously greatness of everything you mentioned but also the time it was released. The ps2 era was special by itself, look at the Games that released in the first year. MGs,Tekken and ffx Just to Name a few. The whole feeling of "this is Not just new but Something else entiterly" was Always there. The graphics and the music also thit their Part. All in all it was once in a lifetime experience to grow up in this time.
I never knew you couldn't skip cutscenes when I played this game back when I was a kid, I was so enthralled by the story I could never imagine skipping any of it or even attempting to. But I was genuinely surprised when I started replaying this game recently that you can't skip them at all. And I only started replaying this because I found a ps2 along with this game and 50 other bangers including silent hill 4 pn the side of the road!!! Everything works and in new condition games with booklets and never used maps/posters with games.
This was my first FF game and is still my favorite! I remember i was underpowered facing Yunalesca and was stuck on her, couldnt go back to grind and so i fought her everyday for like 2 weeks! When i finally beat her it was sooooo satisfying
Tremendous work, my friend !!
This video nailed it. Final Fantasy X had some of the best OST’s. I could listen to them in the background while working.
Still, to this day, Final Fantasy X is my favorite video game ever made. Some games have come close, but, could never quite pass the threshold of how much this game means to me. And as I got older, I continued to further appreciate its multifaceted narrative that tackled such complex themes of demagogued racism, the harm of organized religion, the detriments of theocracies, and, most importantly, the ability to break from religious shackles and learn to question everything and think for yourself in a world that tells you to conform to society despite all the division and othering it has caused, much like reality. To quote Stephen Fry, progress has never been achieved by conformists, preachers or guardians of morality, but rather by mad men, hermits, heretics, dreamers and skeptics. That's what Final Fantasy X was about, all while also telling a compelling tale of love in circumstances that could never let it be. It's not only a great game, but an important one that everyone should play at least once, especially these days, while we live in a world of political confusion, division and misinformation brought about by organized human corruption and indoctrination.