Final Fantasy X and X-2 HD Remastered Interview with Kitase and Toriyama #E32013

[Faris]

ffxhdremaster.png

A few days ago, during Square Enix Presents stream from E3, Square Enix took a moment to speak with Yoshinori Kitase and Motomu Toriyama about Final Fantasy X and X-2 HD remastered and shed some light on new details of the overall development.

Among the first few questions asked was why the team chose to develop Final Fantasy X and X-2 for remastering? Kitase’s response was that “previous Final Fantasy’s before FFX can be played on current hardware through PSN and so on, but since most PlayStation 3 consoles can’t play PS2 titles, the team decided to remaster both titles for the platform.” Toriyama added that “during the original Final Fantasy X his child was born, and that he can appreciate it differently as a father because of Tidus and Jecht’s relationship.” As to why these games will be on the PlayStation Vita, Kitase stated that “handhelds and mobile devices are more apt to deliver console experiences.”

What to Expect
Currently the team is making adjustments to character’s model faces and animations so that they continue to be true to the original game. Also, the original voice cast has re-recorded a scene but they’re not going to reveal which one it is quite yet!

The difficulty of bosses and collecting Celestial Weapons have not been altered, so although they are difficult, Kitase says that since players were able to obtain them in the original version they should be able to obtain them the same way in the HD remaster.

Unfortunately for those who wanted Final Fantasy X and X-2 HD with Japanese voices, it will not be available to them. Vita games will have region-specific voice acting due to its ROM capacity. However, a new addition will be the Creature Create system! This will allow players to add monsters to their party which was originally included in Final Fantasy X-2 International + Last Mission.

Any other Final Fantasy X Additions?

Would a Final Fantasy X movie would ever be considered?
Nope! Toriyama told scenario writer, Kazushige Nojima, that “if he were to write something to top Final Fantasy X he would have to win an Academy Award. Nojima took it rather hard, and eventually left the company”. Kitase commented that “since Final Fantasy X’s scenario was much like a full-fledged movie, and the game was a stepping stone to more cinematic titles with camera-work and cutscenes.”

How about a Final Fantasy X Prequel…
…with Braska, Jecht, and Auron? Looks like no. Director Toriyama answered “when production of Final Fantasy X started, the team thought about a “Final Fantasy X-0″ involving the characters. The concept of an all-male cast didn’t particularly resonate.”

Blitzball on mobile devices?
Maybe! Kitase said that he likes the idea and would consider incorporating the use through touchscreen.

Closing Statements
Kitase told listeners that he hopes fans are moved once again by Final Fantasy X and X-2 in HD, and that new players will discover the story and origin of Tidus and Yuna if they played as them in Dissidia: Final Fantasy. Toriyama closed off with “since Final Fantasy X was the first Final Fantasy with voice over, he hopes that fans enjoy the full voices with a game in full HD quality.”

Release date has yet to be announced.
[Source: Final Fantasy Network]

[Jinx]

MAYBE THE RE-RECORDED THE LAUGHING SCENE

[KH-Cloudy]

MAYBE THE RE-RECORDED THE LAUGHING SCENE

I was thinking that too.

[Mirage]

Why would they do that?

[Jinx]

To make it even more awkward.

[Faris]

The laughing scene: Now 20 minutes longer, unskippable, uncut, and now featuring everyone else in the party's reaction.

[Karifean]

The laughing scene: Now 20 minutes longer, unskippable, uncut, and now featuring everyone else in the party joining in.

Fixed that.

[Sephiroth]

The laughing scene: Now 20 minutes longer, unskippable, uncut, and now featuring everyone else in the party joining in.

Fixed that.

Kefka laughs at you for nearly 10 minutes - YouTube

[DMKA]

Also, the original voice cast has re-recorded a scene but they’re not going to reveal which one it is quite yet!

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!

(SPOILER)Nah, it's probably something for the added international portion.

[Hambone]

As far as the re-recorded scene goes, I have absolutely no clue as to what it could be. I'm not completely sold on the idea of it being the laughing scene because I really see nothing wrong with it, and I think they pulled off the intentional awkwardness of it very well. It also didn't involve the entire cast, and I would hope that if the cast re-recorded a scene, it would be one that features dialog from all of the party. IIRC, the only characters who spoke in that scene were Tidus, Yuna, and Wakka.

A lot of people on GameFAQs are suggesting this scene may be the whole of Last Mission, and that it would make sense for them not to reveal it because it would be such a big surprise. I'm skeptical.

[Sephiroth]

Maybe they re-recorded the ending "I love you"-scene to "Thank you" how it actually is.

[Mirage]

That would be nice. "I love you" is kind of not the same, after all.

[Sephiroth]

With the original arigatou Tidus also knows she loves him but it is way more this way. Somehow I want the I love you to stay because of the words themselves but she means both anyway.

[DMKA]

Meh, that might work in Japanese but "thank you" wouldn't have been nearly as moving combined with what followed immediately after in the English version.

At least, it wouldn't have with Hedy Burress saying it.

[Fynn]

I wish she could rerecord all of her lines. Tactics (hell, even X2) proved that she is a very good voice actress, though back when she recorded X she was either still not trained well enough or just limited by external forces (she did say that she had to match up her performance to the lip flaps).