Was X-2 Necessary? (Warning, unmarked spoilers)

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

Having just finished Final Fantasy X, I have come to feel that X-2 should not exist. The ending, in my opinion, was so perfectly executed there really was no need for a sequel. You see Tidus vanish after Yuna admits her love for him, then at the end you see him swiming upwards, happily and eagerly.

I see this as the best way to end the series. It hints that Tidus made it back to Yuna, but leaves it completely open to your imagination. I don't think we need a game that involves three scantily clad young women changing clothes in the middle of the battle to resolve this already great ending.

Any thoughts?

[DocFrance]

FFX-2 was necessary for Square to milk whatever profit it could out of FFX.

[Mo-Nercy]

FF7: Advent Children is necessary either. FF7 had a good ending.

But as mentioned before, Square likes money. It's not a bad thing. :D

[Malock]

No offence or anything but I don't think that FFx-2 is Necessary...I don't know why but they have never Made a Final Fantasy like that before. :mad: :chop:

[Psychotic]

After finishing FFX, I would have been inclined to agree with you, but now I own FFX-2, I don't, as now I have more FF-goodness to play :D

Plot-wise, the answer would be yes and no. It is interesting to see what has happened to Spira since, and what all the different minor characters and groups are doing, but I still think it should have been left with Yuna's speech in Luca and then the end of FFX shouldn't have included Tidus swimming towards the surface as then there wouldn't be any unanswered questions involving that.
Probably :p

[Xander]

I don't think FFX-2 was "necessary" as such, they could have left FFX as it was, and a lot of people would have been happy with that ending.

But personally I wanted a sweet romantic happy ending, so I'm glad that they made FFX-2. I don't think the story was over, although it could have been, I'm glad they decided to carry it on.

Also I loved FFX so I'm not complaining about having a similar game to play, I'm glad they decided to make it, I think it's going to be fun and won't ruin how FFX was.

FFX's ending was okay as it was but...too sad, and I want to see them back together, hopeless romantic that I am so..yeah. They made a sequel, it's all good, play it if you want to, and those who don't like it can always just ignore it.

As for Square wanting money, most people in this world do things for money, do you think fast food restaurants feed us out of the kindness of their hearts? No, they want our money, but we still eat there. I don't think Square wanting money is an important issue *shrug*

[Kahless]

I don't think tidus swims to the surface in the american version. X-2 is pretty experimental in a lot of ways which may be their hidden agenda for making it. Some of it was brill and if they would have taken just a little more time on it it could have been great.

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

I have the American version. After the credits it shows him swim to the surface.

[SeeDRankLou]

Originally posted by Behold the Void
I don't think we need a game that involves three scantily clad young women changing clothes in the middle of the battle to resolve this already great ending.

You shouldn't judge the game by the clothing the girls are wearing. You did see what a lot of the girls in FFX were wearing didn't you? It's not much different in this game. Anyway....The Matrix: Reloaded and Revolutions were not a necessary addition to The Matrix, but they were still a very nice addition. Scream 2 and 3 were not a necessary addition to Scream, but they continued the story very well (at least Scream 3 did). When a writer leaves the end of the story open-ended, he/she can either leave it to the reader's imagination, or he/she can make a sequel. Square-Enix chose this time to make a sequel, especially with the success of the first one, which is usually the driving force for a sequel, which is why I'm surprised they didn't make some kind of sequel to FF7 sooner. Having played FFX-2, I have to say this it's a wonderful addition to the story, not to mention that it's really really fun. No, it's not necessary, but they again most sequels usually aren't. Not necessary, but good.


Originally posted by Malock
I don't know why but they have never Made a Final Fantasy like that before.

It's called experimenting, which is what Square does. And it was a successful experiment by the way.

[Big D]

If they never tried anything new, then they'd have died of unoriginality long ago.

Sure, FFX had a great ending, with just the right balance of victory, loss, closure and questions... but theres' no harm in creating a sequel, either. It's a chance for a completely different kind of story, and a way to continue the development of people, places and ideas from the first game.

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

Of course Lulu isn't in the party, which is a shame as she was by far the best character in the game, in my opinion. I wished they'd gone more into her.

[Go powerful women]

I don't know about the rest of you but I thought the ending sucked for FX. I know that people like openended endings so that you can imagine what happens next. I did. For about a year and a half. It ticked me off. I know that the guns, scanty clothing, and new characters Spoiler: and no tidus! You square jerks *****. Scared some people. Once you get into the game you can see that it is a good sequel and get excited. Except for the embarressing dialogue and characters. Many a time i buried my head in my hands. But like the saying goes, Never judge a game by it's cover.;) If you want my opinion, Ihave played it and it is good.

Dude i love the samurai, trainer, dark knight, and lady luck spheres. Lady luck has a double exp ability.

[Black Waltz No3]

FFX-2 is simply a corperate cash in. With no plot, nothing that we have began to expect from the FF series... I just hope FFXII is better. If it isn't then I'm afraid I'll give up on the series for good.

[DMKA]

I like FFX-2 cause its so...different. I've only got one of the endings though so I need to see them all (namely the 100% one) to place my judgement on it. But the one thing I have decided hands down is that FFX-2 has the best battle system IMO.

As far as being "necessary", the answer is ummm...no, I don't think so, but who gives a crap, most sequels arn't "necessary".

I think too many people are afraid of seeing something different for a change *sigh*.

[Big D]

Originally posted by Black Waltz No3
FFX-2 is simply a corperate cash in. With no plot, nothing that we have began to expect from the FF series... I just hope FFXII is better. If it isn't then I'm afraid I'll give up on the series for good. Obviously FFXII is going to be different. X-2 is a break from tradition, since it's a sequel - set in a world that's already established and developed - and primarily an action game, with a few RPG elements. X was an epic fantasy, with a large cast and a sense of exploration and discovery throughout the journey, elements common to every other FF. There's just no need and no way to bring all of that into a direct sequel, so it plainly wasn't what they were aiming for. What were they supposed to do, invent new cities, a whole new cast starting from scratch, and a whole new epic quest to save the world from a completely new evil? The point of a sequel is that it continues where the last story left off. In this case, Yuna's story picks up again, focussing on her activities. As for it having "no plot"... there is a plot, the fact that you don't like the plot has no effect on its existence:p

[Xander]

Originally posted by brokensailor8335
I think too many people are afraid of seeing something different for a change *sigh*.

Damn right.

FFX-2 does have a plot and people who say it hasn't can't have even read the back of the box. Square are just trying new things, so what? For all the people who complain about FFX-2, did anyone ever tell you you don't have to play it? You don't even have to look at it! *locks FFX-2 haters in a room together with "Alfred Chicken"* Go play that and then learn to appreciate a good game >=O [/rant]

[Yrkoon]

i agree with xanders post :)

any one who says theres no point to ffx-2 im gonna lock up in a room with penance :P

[DocFrance]

Originally posted by Xander
*locks FFX-2 haters in a room together with "Alfred Chicken"* Go play that and then learn to appreciate a good game >=O [/rant] Comparing a crappy game to another even crappier game doesn't make the less crappy one any better - it's still just as crappy.

It's like saying, "Hitler killed less people than Stalin, so Hitler wasn't all that bad."

[Xander]

FFX-2 wouldn't be so well selling if it was a "crappy" game. If there were no previous Final Fantasys and FFX-2 was just a game on it's own I bet nobody would be complaining. It's just because it's different that they are.

[DocFrance]

I'm not saying it's crappy; I'm just saying that you can't compare two crappy games to make one look good.

[Xander]

So, you *were* saying it was crappy.

"Comparing a crappy game to another even crappier game doesn't make the less crappy one any better" as in comparing FFX-2 to Alfred Chicken :p

Anyway, never mind, I just get touchy when people say FFX-2 is crap. Peace and stuff *snuggle* =D

[SeeDRankLou]

Originally posted by DocFrance
I'm not saying it's crappy; I'm just saying that you can't compare two crappy games to make one look good.

Well there's the contradictory statement of the week.


Originally posted by Xander
If there were no previous Final Fantasys and FFX-2 was just a game on it's own I bet nobody would be complaining. It's just because it's different that they are.

True that.

[Yrkoon]

congrats docfrance u win the medal for contradicting your self a lot in 2 sentences :P

[Big D]

Everyone's entitled to their opinion, whether they like it or not. However, "this game is good coz I said so and that means you're wrong" or "this game r sux0r coz I said so and therefore you are wrong" doesn't prove anything to anyone. Nobody has to like a game, or its reasons for existing, but nobody's required to hate it either.

[DocFrance]

People love picking apart my posts.

[Xander]

Let's just forget it and get back on topic, that includes myself xD

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

And in case we all need a refresher on what that is, the question is do you think it was necessary to the storyline, given the ending of FFX?

[Big D]

FFX's storyline didn't necessitate a sequel, in my opinion. However, every FF I've played has been worthy of a follow-up; the endings are always just open enough to allow for something more. FFX works just fine as a stand-alone story, but X-2 allows for an enjoyable re-visit to that world, to see how things change when the world's actually been saved from a great peril.

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

I never really thought that any Final Fantasy game needed a sequel, though I admit I haven't gotten around to beating most of them. For IV and VI though, for example, I didn't really see any need for continuation.

[Savannah]

Square should have dropped the FFX-2 project to work on FFXII more. I really haven't seen it become that popular, even with guys (despite the hot chicks, they seem to be put off by the fluffy storyline). I was really disappointed in Square. Not that they are innocent of having hot girls in every game in the past, but this was just a blatant attempt to sell sex. I even heard somewhere that there's lesbian innuendo in it.

[Big D]

Most of the men in that game are wearing pretty mimimal clothing, too - Brother, to name but one; Buddy's outfit is also pretty form-fitting. It's not just the women who're lightly clad. As for 'lesbian inuendo', I'm guessing that's referring to the Mount Gagazet hot springs scene - an optional event, and so ambiguous that it kind of hard to make head-or-tails of it. There's also the 'Leblanc massage' scene, which is actually fairly apt considering Leblanc's personality. Crude, but apt. There was far more homoeroticism in FFVII, but that was limited to the male characters only, and is usually defended as being amusing or even 'sweet'.

X-2 is definitely an odd game, in terms of its style, plot and degree of 'dodginess', but the originality is a plus. It's unrealistic to expect every game to include characters who're totally devoid of sexuality; a whole world of peoplw with pure motives and morals is implausible. Just see how much was added to FFVII by the horriible old sleazebag Don Corneo... it's a little unfair that male sexuality should be above the criticism levelled at similar portrayals of women.
this was just a blatant attempt to sell sex.Can't say I've ever felt like purchasing sex as a result of playing this game... I do have some misgivings about the lack of clothing some of the dresspheres provide, but it's certainly not a blatantly, gratuitously smutty work.

[Savannah]

Of course I'm not saying that FF games should be devoid of sexuality. I've just always held them to higher standards than, say, a Charlie's Angels episode.

[Celes]

I haven't played FFX-2, but I am looking forward to playing it because I thought that the FFX ending sucked! SPOILER: I didn't like that the last boss, Yu Yevon, resembled the Spider Man logo (you know an oval with eight legs) . Also the last few fights in the game were confusing but too easy. Then Tidus appears to vanish, and a lot of questions go unanswered, like where did he go, was he ever alive? Was the whole game the fayth's dreaming? Also they didn't explain much about Yu Yevon. Which dimension is he from? Is he dead or alive or what? Well anyways I hope FFX-2 can answer some of these questions for me. :confused:

[Big D]

Actually, X-2 won't answer a whole lot of those questions... because they're all answered in FFX itself!

Then Tidus appears to vanish, and a lot of questions go unanswered, like where did he go, was he ever alive? Was the whole game the fayth's dreaming? Tidus was a dream of they Fayth, just like the vision of Zanarkand that he and Jecht came from. After the real Zanarkand was destroyed, the Fayth kept their memory of it alive, in the form of that 'dream world'; when the Fayth finally lost their power and were set free to the Farplane, the dream faded, and Tidus along with it. However, he's not entirely gone: just like other dead souls, he ended up at the Farplane, or so it seems... but then, at the end of FFX, after the credits, we see Tidus awaken in an ocean, which is what the Fayth of Shiva said would happen, a kind of 'thank you gift' to him.
Also they didn't explain much about Yu Yevon. Which dimension is he from? Is he dead or alive or what? Yu Yevon is neither alive nor dead, neither dreaming nor awake... he's somewhere in between. He was once human - a summoner and the leader of Zanarkand; but then his homeland was defeated by Bevelle and many of its citizens died; he enabled the survivors to become Fayth, and from those Fayth he created the 'dream world'; he also created Sin, in order to punish the world for its rampant self-destruction. A thousand years of existing only to summon, dream and punish transformed him, though, much like others who died and weren't sent.

All of these answers come directly from FFX, but you have to explore for a while in order to find them. A few hints...
Before you confront the Final Aeon, head out into the real world and find Maechen, who's standing at the gate to Mount Gagazet. He'll be able to tell you a lot. Also, go back to all the temples (except Bevelle, which is inaccessible) and talk to every Fayth. They'll explain a lot.

[Ouch!]

I in no way mean to slander FFX-2's name. True, I didn't really like it, but I still bought it and played through it twice, a half-arsed attempt to get 100% completion. It was amusing, and that's the purpose of any video game, to amuse people.

Though I would have much rathered they left the ending of FFX as it was. The need to have a happy ending was just too strong, I guess. Honestly, I thought the ending of FFX was great. Most great works of literature are tragedies, why not make a game and allow it to end on a sad note?

[UltimateSpamGrover]

I hate FFX-2 it leaves the traditional Victorry song...

[aeris2001x2]

yes, true Zaphier. ffx-2 does undermine ffX genius end.

anyway i,ve never known a game be so rationally bad but still increidably fun. i just hope they dont use this new atb systerm in ff12. by far the worst battle systerm. either the old atb systerm, ffX style ctb or even pokemon style ctb from ff1-3, but not the ffX-2 pseudo turn based/real time rubbish.

[EtherealShadow]

I don't think that X-2 was necessary. For me, it took away something from the ending of X, something that I liked. The ending went from "Oh, look, we've gone through all this, but even still, I've lost you. But I must continue to live on" to "Oh, look, everything's good and we all lived happily ever after!" It went from seeming like reality to a storybook ending.

By itself, X-2 is okay. The plot is pretty shaky, but if you ignore that, it's a nice, fun little romp through the world, and I think people should just play it as such. :)

[aeris2001x2]

very true Etheralshadow, it is not a great game at all, but it is SO MUCH FUN :D . i started liking it when i stopped taking it seriously and pertend it was in a alternative time line 2 ffX.

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

I just hated the thought of Yuna's speech being invalidated at the end of FFX. She gets her beloved Tidus back (depending on the ending), but I assure you all the other people who've lost their loved ones to Sin just have to suffer and move on.

[listentomystory]

yea but yuna sacrifices her life to help others and the fayth recognise this and justly reward her thats what makes ffx-2 a fantastic story, its a story of hope

[aeris2001x2]

lol but hope turns me off. i like storys of loss (ff7) :D

[EtherealShadow]

I just hated the thought of Yuna's speech being invalidated at the end of FFX. She gets her beloved Tidus back (depending on the ending), but I assure you all the other people who've lost their loved ones to Sin just have to suffer and move on.

Exactly! It's all good that she served the fayth and all, but losing Tidus was the whole point of the story, at least how I see it. X-2 simply doesn't have the same air about it that X did, and I was sorry to see that go. I'm generally all for cheesy love stories, but this one seemed to lose a lot of its meaning at the end.

[listentomystory]

i can see where you guys are coming from but i see x2 as a victory for tidus as well as yuna and i think if you look at it in the context of his contribution of x you might be happy for tidus and not feel that x was undermined. just a thought.

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

I would far prefer to think that Tidus might have returned, or found peace in the Farplane. I didn't like that kind of resolution.

[square_is_the_best]

I haven't played X-2 but I'm getting it soon, like 1 week soon. So I hope it is good.
In regard to the topic, I think that every Final Fantasy deserves a sequel. X-2 was created in the "Age of Experimentation" of Square.
-First FF with voiceovers (FFX)
-First online FF (FFXI)
-First multiplayer FF (FF:Crystal Chronicles)
-First direct sequel (FFX-2)
-First female-led FF (FFX-2)
-First handheld FF (FFTA)
I don't blame Square. I think its good to experiment. Bubble gum was a mistake and look how popular it is now.

[Iceglow]

in a way X-2 is necessary and not necessary, see at the end of X Yuna gives her speach to Luca at the blitzball arena but if you realise the fact that although (and this is the reason why X was quite linear in story) you play through there is Narration the story only reaches the present time of the game when they get to Zanarkand for the first time as a party. The rolling intro is of them in Zanarkand looking torwards the Ebon dome and Tidus says clearly I don't know if I'll ever get a chance to tell this and listen to my story the story is his memories and then X-2 continues the present time so both needed and not needed as X really did wrap a lot up in the end and left less questions than many others did.

[blue_midget192]

well, at first i thouhgt it was needed, to see exactly what happend to tidus, but after nearly completing the game and not actually seeingtidus at all i kinda lost interest in it, i mean i still wanna complete it but its not a priority, the mini games were naff and i thouhgt that some of the things that the chareters from FFx say are actually out of charecter. but it was a good game. i dont think necciserry, but then you could say that about any of the FF seris, was it neccicery, no. but they made it any way and it was good.

[P8]

look at it the other way: are computergames necessary? are computer necessary? Is anything we call normal necessary? Or is even life necessary?

[Cloudane]

(Spoilers of X *and* X-2 ahead, as if we haven't had plenty already)


It wasn't *necessary*, but it was nice. It was one of my favourite FF games. Not because of any deep storyline (frankly it seemed to have that 'random badass pulled out of rear' feel to it) but because it was *fun*.

Never played such a light-hearted FF game before, and whilst at first the girliness was a major turn-off it soon grew on me.

The open-ended nature of FF endings doesn't satisfy everybody, and whilst it's great to imagine various follow-ups yourself (this is why the gap between the games is great IMO and they should never change this) it's also nice to have a final, all-questions-answered, closure. X-2 provides that. I'm sure FF7AC will go by the same principle.

The wonderful thing about X-2 is *choice*. If you want, you don't have to make Tidus return. You can get the normal ending and presume that she hooks up with Brother or something (all that 'faster! faster!' sexual innuendo at the end... LOL... or maybe it's just my filthy mind). Or you can have Tidus return. It's entirely up to you. I think the normal ending is more realistic and perhaps the better ending as a retult, but the good/perfect ending is *nice*.

As a sidenote, I'm sortof hoping that the whole 'not quite a DVD, perhaps a little interactive' thing suggested with FF7AC may be that you can steer the storyline in different directions and get different endings. Perhaps that would be nice, or maybe I'd prefer to see a definitive, real, solid, Square-chose-it, ending. I'm not sure.

[aeris2001x2]

look at it the other way: are computergames necessary? are computer necessary? Is anything we call normal necessary? Or is even life necessary?

nothing is nessacry...not even life...except final fantasy. final fantasy is eternal :D

[blue_midget192]

nothing is nessacry...not even life...except final fantasy. final fantasy is eternal :D

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

look at it the other way: are computergames necessary? are computer necessary? Is anything we call normal necessary? Or is even life necessary?

I meant necessary to the storyline of FFX.

[Greeneyes]

nothing is nessacry...not even life...except final fantasy. final fantasy is eternal

I like the way you said that. It sounds good :D

[P8]

all little ones will perish, total annihilation is inevitable

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

Having just started playing X-2 I haven't really found anything that makes it necessary, but again I've just started. I AM, however, filled with a burning desire to bring back Tidus just so Yuna DOESN'T end up with Brother.

[blue_midget192]

I AM, however, filled with a burning desire to bring back Tidus just so Yuna DOESN'T end up with Brother.

LMAO :D yea it is kinda sick. i mean at first you think "arr brothers liked her for ages" but then u remeber that there cousins.

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

Them being cousins aside, he just irritates me. Quite a bit actually. I wish he'd never learned english...

[Gerbillcat]

FFX-2 ofcourse wasn't necessary but that doesn't mean it's not a good game. That's like saying that the lord of the rings movies were bad just because it wasn't necessary to make them. It's not like previous FF games it's lighthearted and alot more low key but that's what makes it good. I'm sure people would have complained if it had been made like a traditional Final Fantasy game with a great apocalyptic evil to fight, because the ultimate villain of this series was already defeated in X. That would have been a very depressing game, so instead they decided to just have a nice smaller but happier look at a world post-apocalypse kind of thing which Square has never done before. It was an experiment and i'm sure in part it was because of how much money they knew they could make but that doesn't matter really because Square is a business and making money and selling products is what business' do. In conclusion X-2 is not X and people who want to make up there own mind about what happens at the end of 10 should never buy 10-2 because that would defeat the object of what they want to do. Those who want to see the ending that Square came upwith go ahead and give the game a go, you might like it. Final Fantasy X-2 is a unique FF game that should be viewed atleast as that not necessarily as a unique and brilliant game, whether it's brilliant or not is simply for the gamer to decide.

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

I never said it was a bad game, quite the contrary actually. I just want to know if people thought it necessary to the storyline.

[Gerbillcat]

Yeah i know but alot of people did afterwards, which is cool, to each his own.

[kikimm]

usually I hate sad endings with a passion, but this one was so perfect that I really loved it. grrr.....i might just pretend that x-2 never happened, and be on my merry little way. but then again, i do want to play it, see what happens.....*sighs*. i wish they never made so i wasn't ever forced with this decision. yes, they're doing it all for the money, but can't they just do what's good for the game/fans, for once?


:D