Episode Details

This time, we finish up our review of Final Fantasy x-2. We discuss the design, music, and legacy of the game. We also move on to read, and discuss some of our listener reviews, and answer their questions about the game. Enjoy the finale!

FFX-2

Final Fantasy X-2 was released for the ps2 on March 13th, 2003 in Japan, on November 18th in america, and February 19th, 2004 in Europe. Later, an HD remaster would come for the Ps3 and finally the Ps4 just last year.

It was to be the first ever direct sequel to a main-series final Fantasy game. There was no plans for a sequel, but with the short video called Eternal calm (which was released with a special edition of FFX in Japan) was so well received by fans that they decided to continue X's story. Although many people in the company were hesitant about doing a sequel to X (especially Kazushige Nojima), Yoshinori Kitase decided that his team was ready for a challenge.

Not only was their challenge to do a sequel, but to attempt to make a game centered entirely around female characters. The game was also attempting to go away from the Macho female characters most hollywood action movies star. This created a light-hearted feel for the entire game. A brain-hurting difference from the more somber Final Fantasy X.

There was also a purposeful change in theme for the game, FFX was all about gaining independence, while X2 would be about the consequences of independance.

The development time for X2 was very short compared to that of most FF games (according to Tetsuya Nomura), taking an estimated year-and-a-half less time than the development of X. This was due to all of the reuse of many character models, it's not like they had to start from scratch.

The music would be composed by Noriko Matsueda and Takahito Eguchi (composers for the much-maligned game "The Bouncer"). The most famous song from the game (one of 2 pop songs) was the ballad "1000 words" sung by sung by Kuni Koda in Japan, and Jade Villalon for the English edition.

X2 would go on to sell 1.94 million copies in Japan (the highest selling game of that year) and 1.85 Million in America. It was also well acclaimed (more so in Japan) for it's departure from the Final Fantasy form, it's focus on side-quests, it's political background, and it's overall uniqueness from anything players had seen before.

But I ask you, does unique really mean good?

STORY

So… The uh story starts out at a fucking terrible pop concert with the "what can I do for you?" song blaring out of our TV speakers. Someone who looks like Yuna is singing terribly and YRP comes to save...Yuna's garment grid from a disgusting looking woman named Lablanc.

What is a garment grid?

YRP stands for Yuna, Rikku, and a new smoking hot emo chick named "Paine", and they make up the Gullwings (y'know, not enough nicknames for the group). They are a group of sphere hunters searching the world for rare spheres… and stealing them from people who they think shouldn't have them.

When Yuna finds a sphere with what looks like Tidus on it, she sphere hunts even harder for the missing pieces. Also on the sphere, a dangerous weapon, the vegnagun, is shown to be hidden somewhere in spira. A weapon powerful enough to destroy Spira, apparently.

In the midst of all the sphere hunting and the Leblanc Syndicate (functioning like a lame team rocket) attempting to snatch the spheres from under our heroes noses, are the political factions of the Youth league and New Yevon. The Youth league, young ruffian sphere hunters looking to educate the world about the past; New Yevon, holding onto the teachings of the faith that failed them in FFX. THese two fractions never really do any harm to one another or fight for power in any real world sense, but hey, that's ffx2.