Was X-2 too easy?

[DMKA]

I'm replaying FFX-2 at the moment, nearing the end of Chapter 2 and...every fight ends in just a few effortless hits, even every boss fight so far.

Sure, Final Fantasy games, particularly post-FFIV Final Fantasy titles, are hardly known for their difficulty, but X-2 even makes the rest of the FF games look hard. Really, you have this whole array of jobs and abilities, only to not ever have a need for them because every battle ends in a couple mindless attacks. There's absolutely no sense of satisfaction to winning battles because you really didn't have to do anything to do so.

Am I the only one who feels X-2 wasted it's awesome battle system's potential on battles with no challenge? Why do you think the developers decided to do this?

Discuss.

[Karifean]

I have to agree with you on the main storyline, it's too easy. Especially if you decide to check out the Coliseum, then you'll be overleveled for the rest of the game. But the game can still screw you over, since about half of attacks that only enemies can use besides the normal Attack command deal fixed damage. One of the potential reasons the game feels so easy is because I *think* the difficulty of the main storyline is tailored so that it is a bit too hard for someone who just skips all the sidequests and does nothing but follow Active Links. Problem is that someone who actually does all the sidequests will instead just have a cakewalk.

The one point I don't agree on is that there are no challenging fights in FFX-2. That's where the Via Infinito comes in. Said dungeon is, in my opinion, the hardest dungeon ever in a Final Fantasy game. Chac on Level 80 will totally destroy you unless you're really, really prepared for him (I fought him with 3 maxed Mascots, all Level 99 and still needed 4 tries to defeat him). And from then on, it's chaos. Dark Elemental can take you out in one turn if it decides to use Ultima and you're not healed completely, the combination of Elder Drake with a spellcasting monster is deadly because Elder Drake gets like 10 turns every time the spellcaster casts a spell with a relatively long animation. Lacertas can be really problematic because they deal fixed damage (1/8 of your max HP if you have Protect) and are the fastest monsters in the game. Overall, the fights were just too difficult and I had to run from more than half of them to escape Game Overs. The only sad part about the Via Infinito is that the final boss, Trema, is insultingly easy if you managed to survive the horrors you had to face up till then.

Unfortunately, FFX-2's Battle System has some flaws that can be abused to hell. Prime example: Cat Nip in the non-International versions. Breaks just about every battle in the game. And people don't feel bad for abusing it. Why? Because the battles are too damn hard without it. Another flaw would be stagger-locking Chac so it can never get a turn. And so forth.

[Jiro]

The real difficulty in the game - aside from the Via Infinito of course - lies in figuring out how to get 100%.

[ReloadPsi]

Yes, the game is too easy, simply because the job system in this one is way too flexible and way too forgiving. I still like it though.

[Formalhaut]

Depends on your definition of "easy".

Compared to FFX, your no longer super powered in terms of 99999 damage and even though you get break HP limit, in reality the most you'll get is 20000 odd. The main story line is easy enough, but Via Infinito is something else completely. Chac is just hateful, and Paragon can kill in you with several lethal moves.

Lady luck's congrats trick however just makes gathering rare accessories and items just plain easy. A big plus from farming dark matters in FFX

[Roogle]

The game is hard to balance because of the ability to switch job classes in battle. The only time that I found it challenging was in the bonus dungeon at the end of the game when the monsters do far too much damage. I think most enemies could have used a lot more HP and a flat damage bonus to keep the edge on, but I think that it wasn't really a priority to make it difficult because of the way the game was built.

[Forsaken Lover]

There were some guys who Let's Play'ed this game. They clearly never liked the game and so they never really tried. They even took forever to defeat Vegnagun and Shuyin.

They still beat the game. Why?

Alchemist = Infinite Mega-Potions.

That might not have saved them against Trema or even Nooj but it was still enough to help three guys who just didn't even care get all the way to the ending.

[Formalhaut]

There were some guys who Let's Play'ed this game. They clearly never liked the game and so they never really tried. They even took forever to defeat Vegnagun and Shuyin.

They still beat the game. Why?

Alchemist = Infinite Mega-Potions.

That might not have saved them against Trema or even Nooj but it was still enough to help three guys who just didn't even care get all the way to the ending.

You should really only broadcast a "Let's Play" if you actually enjoy the game. It's not much fun watching someone play while simultaneously moaning about it! The alchemist just trumps the white mage in almost all regards, it's mix ability and the "Items Lvl 2" (which makes using items have a charge time of almost nothing) does make it the best in healing, at least until you get to Via Infinito.

[Forsaken Lover]

A lot of people hate X-2. A Let's Play about bashing it makes sense considering that''s what most of the viewers wanted.

[Formalhaut]

The fact that people would waste a good amount of time bashing a game seems pointless, personally I'd rather use that same time playing a game.

[Depression Moon]

On my first playthrough yes, on my second playthrough it was difficult.

[Christmas]

For all FF X-2 related issues, refer to this thread by Manus.

[Cloudane]

Yep the main story was stupidly easy (I think Vegnagun was the first FF final boss that I've ever beaten on the first try on the first playthrough)

But yeah, Via Infinito if you want a challenge!

Another plus about the game is New Game+. To this day, I still haven't levelled up every character class to max.

I'll have to check out this Let's Play, is it by the Something Awful guys? Because the FFX one was awesome. Yes it was basically about pulling it apart and laughing at it, but I found it hilarious and was one of the many yelling at them to do X-2

Edit:

For all FF X-2 related issues, refer to this thread by Manus.

I don't know what's more hilarious, the post (which is beautiful) or the number of people taking it deadly seriously and being terribly cross about it in the replies

Edit 2:
http://lparchive.org/Final-Fantasy-X/
Kuvo, TopiKal and Bandunk. Aw man, I remember their intro every episode like it was yesterday, even though it was at least a couple of years ago :P
Doesn't look like it was them who did the X-2 ones. Shame.
Worth watching - hilarity

[Forsaken Lover]

No it's not. They are funny guys but their opinions on things are not worth much. Mainly because they have only the vaguest and shakiest grasp of the plot and characters.
I mean, I even agree with them about MGS4 being total garbage but these are not the guys to go to if you want legitimate criticism.

Also they did do X-2.
Tipping Forties - Let's Play Final Fantasy X-2

They are the guys I was talking about earlier.

[Cloudane]

IMO they are well worth watching for the humour. Certainly don't take their "opinions" seriously, that would be silly. Like taking Jeremy Clarkson seriously. But like Jezza they're a delight to watch and laugh with.

Excellent - I didn't see that when I searched (and there's no search on SA). Thanks for the link! There go my next few weeks