How Similiar is X-2 to X?

[Tavrobel]

Hey everyone.

I just beat Final Fantasy X for the first time and i enjoyed it immensely but i found the side quests to be way too hard and almost impossible to complete.

I gave up after hours on the butterfly, chocobo racing, and lightning dodging.
Not to mention trying to get 10 tonberrys.....

Anyways, how close is X-2 to X?
Are the side quests for the good items as tough and troublesome?
Is the sphere system the same?

I like the fact that theres only 3 characters instead of swapping useless characters, imo, like Kimhari and Rikku just so they can gain some AP...

Also, is there summoning in X-2 like in X?
The summons were by far my favorite part of part ten.
The fact that you could control them is beyond awesome.

Hai2u
Sidequests require time and patience in FFX. Not so much in FFX-2, just luck, and some preparation. No more annoying monster catching.

No sphere grid, is replaced by a job system that lets you change in the middle of battle. Although both have to do with spheres.

Only three characters, no switching in or out, unless you get International, in which case, you can get most of the cast from FFX as playable (optional sidequest).

No summoning. No aeons. Well, for most of the game, there's no aeons, per se.

It's very different gameplay wise, especially the battle system is quick and not so thinking, which is ok, because once the get the Alchemist, the game has an ADQ == Alchemist Difficulty Quotient.
Take 100 and divide x*100 per Alchemist dressphere in inventory.

The storyline picks up where Eternal Calm picks up. While it picks up there, it is radically different. The atmosphere looks exactly the same, except in certain areas. If FFX == world under the oppression of religion (Japan in the past, except exchange religion with emperors), FFX-2 == modern Japan. The storyline in FFX-2 essentially leads nowhere, and the special ending isn't... well let's just say it leaves something be desired. However, the ending in FFX is not at all upbeat, unlike FFX-2.

Most battle animations and character animations are the same, except for a few. And unlike FFX, FFX-2 only has 11 major FMVs, all for purchase. FFX had 51, final movie cannot be purchased.

Of course, this is all opinion. One can only TELL you what is different and similar, and only you can decide whether or not it's the same. If you played the old FFs, as in before FFVII, you'll be rather alienated. Otherwise, you should be fine.