Final Fantasy X

I was testing PS2 emulation recently, and after setting everything up, the very first game I loaded was Final Fantasy X. That alone says everything. It’s my favourite PlayStation 2 game.

And it still feels special to play today.

The game follows Tidus, a star athlete who’s swept away from his home city and into Spira, a world living in the shadow of a colossal threat known as Sin. There, he joins Yuna, a young summoner on a pilgrimage to bring peace to the land, accompanied by her guardians. It’s a journey story at heart, and it wastes no time making the stakes and direction clear.

Final Fantasy X is story-first through and through. It’s a character-driven JRPG, largely linear in the best way, built to keep the narrative moving. So expect a guided, momentum-heavy experience that pushes you through new areas, story beats, and battles.

I think a big part of why the game still feels special today is its presentation. Like all classic Final Fantasy games, the music will linger with you. Pair that with the game’s vibrant art direction, and the whole thing carries a distinct atmosphere from start to finish.

Then there’s the combat. I still think it has one of the most well-designed turn-based battle systems ever made. It’s easy to understand, but there’s real depth underneath. Unlike earlier Final Fantasy games, every move and turn feels more intentional. I often find myself weighing options, setting up for the next move, and (hopefully) making smart decisions.

Party swapping is also a big reason the combat works. On paper, switching characters in and out mid-fight sounds odd, but if you approach it like a board game, it makes more sense. Each character has a clear role, so every battle becomes a little puzzle where the “right” move is often bringing in the right person at the right time. I love that the game encourages you to use everyone. It feels like managing a toolkit and responding to what the fight is asking from you.

Character progression runs through something called the Sphere Grid. By modern standards it’s a little clunky, but it’s also one of the most satisfying visualisations of growth in the genre. You can see your path, commit to it, and watch your party slowly take shape.

In a lot of ways, Final Fantasy X is a time capsule of the PS2 era. Replaying it now, some of the writing does come off a bit teen-coded. But it also serves as a reminder of how video game storytelling has grown up alongside its audience.

It’s often cited as one of the greatest games of all time, and revisiting it now, it’s easy to see why. If you’ve never played it, this is a great time to start. If you played it back then, it’s an even better reason to return, with fresh eyes and a new appreciation for what it was aiming for.

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Playing It Today

If you just want to play Final Fantasy X with minimal fuss, Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster is the easiest way to access the game. It’s playable on all modern systems and it comes bundled with the sequel, Final Fantasy X-2. You'll also get access to both the Standard and Expert Sphere Grid options (the latter originally came from the International/PAL versions, and wasn’t in the original PS2 Japanese or North American releases).

If you’re on PC, you also get some genuinely useful quality-of-life extras like 2x/4x speed and encounter toggles.

That said, hardcore fans can be critical on the remaster’s visuals, specifically the updated character models. The common complaint is that faces can look a bit “off” compared to the original. Personally, I notice it, but I don’t find it nearly as distracting as it’s sometimes made out to be.

If you can play it via emulation with good CRT filters/overlays, or better yet, on original PS2 hardware with an actual CRT, that might still be the ultimate way to experience the game.