In some weird sense, it made me appreciate FFX more, but only because I hated FFX-2 so severely.

To sum it all up, I hated FFX-2. I thought it should not have been made, and it was just some way for Square to do a fanservice (which shouldn't be done anyways; pandering, anyone?), and to make assloads of cash (since FF sales have been slowly declining since FFVII). It wasn't terrible beyond words, but it wasn't up to the same quality that all of the other FF games are. I wish, I truly do, because then I would find this game redeemable, that I could say that the game was rushed, but I cannot. For it was not.

Don't say "ohh, but it's a sequel, so it should be graded differently." Wrong. There were many sequels that Square produced in games, so they surely must have had experience. Chrono Trigger/Cross, FFV/FFV Unlimited. Sure they might have been vastly different, that makes them no less worth a play (or illegal downloading), since they were of similar quality. Not only that, what about FFI and FFII? May not have been direct, but it's no less a sequel in a series. IV and IIIj? VII and VI?

I loved FFX, the plot, the atmosphere, the characters (part of the plot, I guess). The game was a challenge, even when seriously underleveled. It kept you interested until the end, and was deep and intricate with many subplots and a rich history that, if you could, felt like you could immerse yourself in it to no end. There was no hope, but you never despaired. I had an obligation to myself, not to let it end the way it ends, but what's done is done. And lastly, maybe this seems like a typical boorish male response, but I LOVED Rikku. Pure <3. Intelligent, in some cases, wise, and really hot.

Then you get down to FFX-2. The game felt like an unfinished smattering of crap that throws away everything you fought for in FFX and completely changes it into something that really does just seem like Square wanted your money. Low difficulty. I'm not there for that; for you see, I want an experience, not some childish hack not worth my money. Sex appeal; what is this, some Charlie's Angels knockoff just to justify putting in what they put? If I wanted to see something like this, I would go and watch porn. Literally.

They took my favorite character, and STRIPPED her (not unlike pornography) into this dumb walking collection of sticks without any brain cells or clothes, whatsoever. She's no less physically attractive, but her value has diminished from priceless to around ten dollars worth in Pesos. And Pesos aren't exactly known for their international value. Playing the game soon felt like it wasn't an experience, just some obligation to the game after a few hours. Where was the sense of history, or deep thought? Where was the challenge? If I could have, I would have ripped out my controller right then and there and screamed, but if I had, I would've broken the PS2.

I know the FFX-2 fangirls are going to scream "NUUUUUUUUUUUU," but the truth is the truth. If you said "but once you get past Charlie's Angels" -- HAH! I beg to differ; I got past it (but I'll still use it to justify criticism), and I still found the game a worthless piece of crap. In fact, it didn't even occur to me until AFTER I finished the game. Thank God the poison that burned away the quality of FFX-2 wasn't there to render my love of FFX into a steaming pile of garbage. If it had, I would have lost all faith in the FF series as a whole.

However, there's nothing you can do, until you play the game, and judge for yourself. The only thing I hate worse than a FFX-2 fangirl (or boy) that is blind to the game's faults, or pretend that they aren't there, is people who criticize without having played the game at all. Unfortunately, this also applies to all of the FF fanboys/girls, who would never consider playing the old games, simply because they have been spoiled by the new generations.