Nostalgia Review: Final Fantasy X

“Listen to my story…”

A lot of games made waves for me growing up, but none of them hit like Final Fantasy X. Let me preface by saying there are a handful of Final Fantasy (FF) games that made an impact on me growing up. In addition to teaching me roman numerals, they all occupy a warm place in my heart.

There are pros and cons to each game, as with any series of games. Final Fantasy X is no exception. Originally a Playstation 2 game and the first of the series to debut on the 2nd-Gen system, FFX was a new beast in the world of Final Fantasy. We could spend hours dissecting gameplay, graphics, and the phenomenal soundtrack, but this isn’t that kind of review.

This is a review of the memory of FFX, a review of how it makes me feel, all these years later.

Buckle up.

(Obviously major Spoilers ahead. It’s been out for almost 20 years, so play it.)

There’s a timeless debate rehashed every so often: “what’s the best Final Fantasy (FF) game?” It’s something of a pissing contest for fans where they show off their encyclopedic knowledge of the games and employ high-level, elaborate arguments as to why one game is the best. If you’re fortunate to have never been in or a bystander to one, let me paint the scene for you: