The explanation is pretty accurate but it still doesn't really answer the question of whether Tidus is real. This goes into a philisophical issue about what is defined as reality but the game sadly never bothers to elaborate to the point that I feel is satisfying or at least I can logically come to my own conclusion of. I'm just not satisfied with the answer I guess.

Glad to see we do have some common ground on our views of FFVII and Advent Children, as well as a hint of Nomura

For me, FFX is my least favorite in the FFseries. It's story is simple (except for the plot twist but we've been over that) but that's because it's a character driven piece. I don't like anyone but Auron, I'm indifferent to most of the cast but I especially hate Yuna (not only does she look like a geisha, she is the personification of the "ideal" woman in feudal Japan, i.e. she has the personality of drywall) If you don't like the cast and the story is too simple to to keep you interested then the gameplay is good right?

It is, I really enjoyed it but I did feel it was a little too easy but what FF isn't easy? My issue here is just the linear dungeons (a straight line? you've got to be kidding me) the fact that I barely got in a good amount of combat in before I was bombarded by another cutscene. I want to play the game, not watch an interactive soap opera. The gameplay is good but the ratio was really out of whack. Most of the minigames were tedious except for blitzball which is still quite possibly the worst minigame in the series if not in RPG's in general (my other choice being FFIX's abysmal Tetra Master...). As an FF I feel it's the worst of the main series. As an RPG it's pretty good, I've played worse games.