So… I spent the better part of April replaying Final Fantasy X (FFX). Yes, you read that right! I was getting that craving for a tried and true great RPG — if you know, you know. Coincidentally, it’s the title’s 25th anniversary, so if anyone else is playing it, or replaying FFX as well, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this beloved title.
A Brief History of My Time With FFX in the Early 2000s
I originally played FFX back on the PS2. Much to my dismay though, I never finished the game. After trying to decipher what happened with my brother (who watched me play it back in the day), he believes I rage quit the game after running in circles trying to find a certain antagonist! Classic Elena, always getting lost.
Although I never finished FFX back then, it was a game that left a huge impression on me. For one, it was my first proper introduction to the Final Fantasy series (if you exclude Kingdom Hearts). I know it is for a lot of others too. I had never come across a game like this before. Over the years, random memories of FFX would pop up in conversations, and if you asked me back in my streaming days what my favourite games were, I would even enthusiastically tell you FFX is on that list and that I am even open to cosplaying as Yuna one day!
Top Reasons Why FFX is Still Amazing in 2026
All this to say, it’s been on my backlog for years and I decided 2026 was the year to give this masterpiece of a game another go. I played the PS4 remastered edition this time and absolutely loved it, even in 2026, with over a 20-year gap. Many games have come and gone in the last two decades for me but not many compare to how this game has touched my heart. I can now say with confidence that it is indeed on my list of the GOATs, and I think it will always have a place in video game history because it has pioneered so much for the industry. I am grateful to be alive in a time where games like FFX exist.
The Hero’s Journey and World-Building
After playing many RPGs and even being an avid fantasy reader, I feel like I have a good idea of the types of stories and tropes out there, and even how they end. One of my favourites is of course the classic hero’s journey where a protagonist goes on a long and dangerous adventure to save the world, accompanied by some (hopefully) awesome companions along the way.
There is something magical about FFX’s pilgrimage though that makes it a stand-out among many in the same style. Blind faith, political turmoil, star-crossed lovers and a world filled with dangerous monsters are not new concepts, but the execution is exceptional in FFX. Each area anchors the story, adding new revelations or challenges for the heroes. The level of detail in the world design was wonderful.
Perhaps it’s also the way that the narrative is a blend of optimism, chaos and tragedy at the same time; that heavy feeling when you realise that the ending may not be pretty, but you have to bear the courage to continue forth and do the impossible, for the goodness of this fictional world and its inhabitants.
A Host of Iconic Characters
I absolutely adored the characters in FFX. I don’t think I appreciated anyone other than Yuna, Lulu and Auron back in the day.
At first glance, Tidus and Rikku may appear annoying, but I was surprised to find that I hung on to their every word. Those two, especially together, are an absolute mood. Tidus has no filter. He is hungry, tired, emotionally frustrated, admired by many but lonely. He has unresolved resentment for his father in spades, and you see it shape his identity and perspective of the world. Rikku is sweet, naively cheerful, but she’s deathly afraid of lightning, and therefore extremely real in my eyes (I hear you, Rikku). Her family dynamics are amusing too. I could fill my head with all the quotes that made me chuckle from these two alone.
Wakka is a caring soul who has never questioned his faith, or had reason to, and must somehow come to terms with his whole life being a lie when it all comes crashing down around him. Not an easy feat. Lulu and Auron both exude parental vibes and wisdom. Kimahri. Oh, Kimahri. I learnt to appreciate him and his story arc a lot more this time around too.
And of course, Yuna. She is probably my favourite character in FFX, purely because she is a powerful mix of strong yet gentle, naive yet mature. She’s who I want to be in life. She carries the weight of the world on her shoulders, yet she doesn’t let it consume her and she never takes each moment in life for granted. An absolute inspiration to this day.
PS. We don’t talk about Seymour. That horrible man! I had many incomprehensible flashbacks, but the character of Seymour was always clear in my mind. I guess to be fair, he had an awful, twisted upbringing and didn’t know any better.
The Sphere Grid and Game Design
Games these days tend to over-explain or provide too many hints for players. FFX doesn’t hold your hand. While there were some frustrating non-intuitive UI moments for me, I’d forgotten what it was like to just play a game and just see what happens! There’s no lengthy tutorial (other than blitzball, but that’s an elaborate mini-game), so you really have to to figure out a lot of things on your own.
The Sphere Grid system is a classic, and one of my favourite class systems of all time. It influenced a lot of other class systems out there, and replaying FFX, I can see why. The sphere grid is advanced to the point where you feel like you have plenty of options for your characters, but not overwhelming so that you can focus on one node at a time.
I particularly liked that in FFX, there was no ‘leveling up’, but instead you get points to attribute to the sphere grid. The points accumulate fast enough that the game never really felt too grindy, because you’re not grinding to a certain level, but instead training until you hit the desired abilities or skills for your characters.
Additionally, the mix of turn-based battles, puzzles in the temples and mini games such as Blitzball and Chocobo racing really brought the world to life. Even the fiend hunting was satisfying in its own way. The Aeons were amazing too — I’m only slightly biased as a Pokémon fan of course. Also, trying to decipher the fictional language of the Al-Bhed was also really fun. Through my second play-through, I appreciated these wonderful touches and thought they still held up really well. Heck, I even caught Blitzball fever!
The OST is a Banger
Like many other aspects of FFX, the soundtrack was ahead of its time. It is so universally loved that the music itself lives on even though the game is decades old. Many of the tracks are iconic, even to people who have never played FFX, a testament to its influence in the history of video game music too. Throughout the years, I never forgot the emotional ‘Zanarkand’, the invigorating ‘battle theme’, or even the haunting ‘Hum of the Fayth’.
Never underestimate the power of spoken dialogue too. Voice work wasn’t as big in the early 2000s, and in hindsight, FFX did an excellent job with it. Once again, ahead of its time. I think it also must have influenced why I like voice acting in games so much to this day. The deliveries were credible and fit really well, and it’s a big part of how I got so emotionally invested in the entire game.
Anyway I am so in love with this world and its characters and I’m not ready to move on, so I booted up Final Fantasy X-2 (FFX-2). Y-R-P are in position!
Look after yourself,
Elena
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