FFX-2 Second time's the charm? Who else thought X-2 was better replaying in HD?

AuronX

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I had a suspicion this would happen, but I didn't think it actually would. When the HD remasters were announced I kind of wished X-2 wasn't a part of the PS3 version by necessity. Boy am I glad I got forced into it. Up until yesterday I had nothing but bad memories from the game (well, except the opening song), but after having some time with the game again several years after I last touched it, I'm finding that I actually really enjoy it! Yep, I said it: I actually like X-2.

I think this is one of those games that is better enjoyed disconnected from the time and circumstances in which it first arrived (and knowing what you're getting into). I mean, come on. The first time I played FFX the ending left me depressed for a week. Then I picked up the PS2 version of X-2 and my tears were answered with...J-pop and magical girls. The contrast was like an insult back then. Plus I personally didn't have a lot of JRPG experience at that point so the fast battle system was a little overwhelming. And I was only playing because I wanted a happier ending than FFX gave me. Though I was mostly oblivious to it at the time, the game was also the center of a lot of controversy just for being a sequel at all. Most of the graphic assets were reused from X. It was the perfect formula for hate and getting swept under the rug.

But all that's behind us now, and I have a lot more experience with Japanese entertainment and culture in general. I loved FFX all over again, but the ending will never have quite the same impact as it did that first time. It was an easier transition to X-2. And without all the weight of its first run surrounding it I feel like I'm really able to appreciate it for what it is--and it is actually a terrifically fun and even serious entry to the FF series.

Anyone else with me? Does X-2 strike you a bit better after a few years and a visual tuneup? Or if you're holding off even trying it because of bad memories, perhaps you should consider giving the game another chance!
 
X-2 wasn't my favorite, initially. I was also a very different person 11ish years ago.

The fact that it's an HD remaster is great, but add all of the extra content on top of it, and it's even better. I mean, there's Creature Create (which is huge enough to probably be a standalone thing), Last Mission, and extra dresspheres. Suffice it to say, I have a new opinion regarding the game.

But, for the life of me, I still can't get 100% completion. :hmmm:
 
i think X-2 feels slightly less bad the second time around, but i still feel the flaws of the game. its still enjoyable, but it wont stop me from not noticing the issues. Distancing myself from the original FFX might help, but i dont believe thats how a game should be done.
 
To me it was actually worse.

The creature thing felt really poorly done, and a waste of time, when really the three girls are way better, and the dresspheres are way more useful than any creature/human you could capture/create.

I'd rather just have the game without the creature capture. Then for Last Mission, I wish they would of kept it where you had to load the X-2 game and stuff you did or didn't do effected what they said/did, instead now, it just assumed that you got 100% and you can go yippy I guess, but it makes it less playable.
 
I loved X-2 at the time, but I think on my second replay (No idea when I'll finish it, oh wait, this weekend sounds good as my Internet is getting blocked until Tuesday due to billing nonsense!) I'll make more use of the Creature things and even see if I can get the Festival abilities up to the gold star I've got the Gunners and Warriors up to.
 
Sort of necro-ing a thread here but,

I also am really enjoying it! I first played it when it came out, and I enjoyed it enough to get to the final chapter, however was young at the time and couldn't really appreciate the dress-spheres, which to me felt like glorified dress-up. Flash forward how ever many years (quite frankly I don't want to work out how long!), I'm replaying it and I am really fond of the dress-sphere system, although I feel once you get Dark Knight, Alchemist and Beserker, all the other DS are obsolete *cough*, up until then it was fun constantly switching and leveling them up. It's really not all that bad once you get past the initial impression.
 
i dont tihnk dresspheres where bad...just not suited for the universe of FFX. still, seeing it as just a form of job-class makes it easier...and not associating too much with ffX
 
Well honestly, I liked the game. I had started FFX-2 before X, at the time I didn't realize they were connected... so I didn't have the let down of the upbeat new Yuna and crew when I hadn't even touched FFX yet. It wasn't until much further in the game that I started to realize that maybe... I should have started FFX first. I had actually erased my saved data and started FFX instead.

After I had beaten FFX I must admit... FFX-2 just wasn't as good as I thought initially.... I was the same way with the ending... though I did like it in the fact that it was "Yuna's story" now, instead of Tidus'. After FFX I thought X-2 would be kind of pointless... and it kind of was, but it did give her some closure.

I would say that the HD/Remastered was still good... did it make me reconsider how much I liked it? Not really... I felt the same as I did after I finished X.

The only thing that was different for me was that I got the "perfect ending." Even though I didn't get 100% which.. idunno if they changed that or...? o.0 I got only 94%. The only thing I could think of was that I had Yuna talk to the fayth about Tidus returning which i've never had before.
 
The only thing that was different for me was that I got the "perfect ending." Even though I didn't get 100% which.. idunno if they changed that or...? o.0 I got only 94%. The only thing I could think of was that I had Yuna talk to the fayth about Tidus returning which i've never had before.

Yep, that's why. What you got technically wasn't the perfect ending, as the 100% ending has an extra scene tacked on at the end. But you can literally read what that scene adds in a single sentence and if you are a little optimistic you can assume it without seeing it. It's not worth replaying the game for. I actually didn't realize that though until the remaster came out. Once I discovered that you can get a plenty good enough ending without scouring every nook and cranny in precisely the right order it took a lot of the pressure off and made me able to just enjoy the game. I still loosely followed a guide though so I would be sure not to miss anything I did want to do, and that too added to my enjoyment since I discovered some pretty important stuff that I just plain missed the first time around.
 
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