Tag Archives: final fantasy x
Character Study: Yuna’s Pilgrimage
Filed under Editorial, Final Fantasy Series
Top 5 Songs From Final Fantasy X
Final Fantasy X was the first main title to feature composers other than Nobuo Uematsu. This gave the soundtrack a more diverse sound and featured multilayered melodies. It was also the first Final Fantasy game with voice acting. These are my top 5 songs from Final Fantasy X:
This is a deeply beautiful and sad song. With only the use of piano, this melody transports you to another world and takes you through the emotions of despair, regret, loss and hope. One of Uematsu’s greatest compositions.
The main vocal piece of the soundtrack, sung in Japanese. It is a tragic, but heartfelt love song featuring a sweeping melody and nice vocals. I would also recommend listening to the English version translated for the Final Fantasy orchestral concerts.
The main battle theme of Final Fantasy X is very different to others in the series. It is more upbeat and rhythmical. It matches Tidus jumping back and forth getting ready for action. While the melody starts off calm and collected, it still includes enough energy to fit the harder battles.
An eerie and mysterious song, like you have just wandered into an enchanted forest. The melody is both comforting and intriguing. The composition features a wonderful chord progression that really makes the song stand out.
Something completely new to the series, the distorted guitar and grinding vocals came as a surprise to long time players, but the heavy metal sound was the perfect background for the final battle against Jecht as Braska’s Final Aeon.
Filed under Final Fantasy Series, Music, Top 5 Lists
Top 5 PS2 RPGs
The PlayStation 2 had a massive library of games, which included many fantastic and diverse RPGs. Designers attempted to evolve the genre by improving 3D graphics and making voice acting a staple. These are my top 5 PS2 RPGs:
1. -Final Fantasy X-
When it was first released, Final Fantasy X was unbelievable. It took everything from past SquareSoft RPGs to the next level. The world of Spira was mesmerising; featuring fully 3D locations, the characters spoke for the first time in the series through the well implemented voice acting, the magical soundtrack had three composers and the battle system was intuitive and flexible. Final Fantasy X showed what RPGs could be like with the power of the new technology, while keeping the spirit of classic games intact.
2. -Kingdom Hearts-
SquareSoft had shown in the past that they could have success with mixing different creations together with Super Mario RPG. Kingdom Hearts was an action-RPG combining Disney characters with some original and Final Fantasy characters. The result was an unexpected hit, providing enjoyable combat, fun cameo appearances, great voice acting and a wonderful soundtrack. Kingdom Hearts captured the fun of classic games such as Secret of Mana while invoking nostalgia from classic Disney movies such as Aladdin and Peter Pan.
3. -Final Fantasy XII-
While Final Fantasy X was vintage RPG design brought up to the modern era, Final Fantasy XII tried something completely different. The whole world of Final Fantasy XII was one huge map that players could explore and enemies were fought without random encounters using a real-time, turn based battle system. It featured the customisable “gambit” system which allowed players to give their AI characters directions and the License Board was used to upgrade party members. Final Fantasy XII was a magical RPG with an intriguing political story and unique game play mechanics that have since been replicated in newer RPGs.
4. -Rogue Galaxy-
The first thing you will notice about Rogue Galaxy is its beautiful cel-shaded graphics. Once you have gotten further into the game you will be hooked in by the frantic and enjoyable battle system, imaginative world and characters and the deep customisation systems. Rogue Galaxy provides an entertaining Sci-fi RPG with plenty of content to keep players engaged for hours.
5. -Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King-
Dragon Quest VIII brought the fiercely traditional series into a fully three dimensional world, but retained all the features the fans loved about the older games such as turn-based battles, levelling up systems and the silent hero. The supporting characters are memorable and the dialogue is well written, providing an epic adventure with plenty to do. While other RPGs looked to change their core design Dragon Quest VIII didn’t try anything new, but every part was so well executed that players loved it anyway.
Top 5 RPG Locations
While RPGs are rich with fantastical storylines and memorable characters, these elements are nothing without an interesting world in which to explore. From sprawling vistas, to cities in the sky, each new location that you visit makes the world feel more real and enchanting. These are my top 5 RPG Locations:
1. -Midgar (Final Fantasy VII)-
Definitely not the most enticing location on this list, but certainly the most memorable. The city of Midgar is divided into two layers; the floating city on top of the plate supported by pillars and the slums below. It is separated into seven sectors, but nobody remembers their names anymore. The unsettling atmosphere created a perfect backdrop to begin the events of Final Fantasy VII and for a while you never thought you would leave. It provided the Mako reactors, the eerie Train Graveyard, the slums, Aeris’ Church, the sleazy Wall Market and of course Shinra Headquarters. The city itself had enough character to support some of the most memorable events in the game and made sure it would never be forgotten.
2. -The Kingdom of Zeal (Chrono Trigger)-
Arriving in Zeal for the first time was wondrous. In the dark ages, the magical kingdom floats elegantly above the clouds, comprising of four separate islands connected through sky bridges and teleporters. The architecture of the palace was mesmerising and the music made you feel like you were visiting another world. For video games back in the Super Nintendo era, nothing was more impressive than seeing this floating city in the sky made with the combination of magic and technology.
3. -Lindblum (Final Fantasy IX)-
After narrowly escaping Alexandria by airship, you are introduced to the massive city of Lindblum. It is so big it is divided into four areas that are accessed via Air Cabs. Lindblum Grand Castle is the home of Regent Cid and has it’s own airship dock. The Theather District houses the theatre as well as the hideout of the band of thieves known as Tantalus. The Business District is the largest commercial area in the game providing shops, inns and access to the outside world and finally the Industrial District, where the engineers work and visit the famous pub. The scope of the city is huge and you can easily get lost making your way around trying to find all of its little secrets.
4. -The City of the Ancients (Final Fantasy VII) –
Final Fantasy VII had such memorable locations, that it is not a surprise to see another shown here. The Forgotten Capital is the ruined city once inhabited by the Ancients. Many of the houses above the ground are made from shell-like materials and invoke a vision of the bottom of the sea. A hidden underground section is made up of beautiful crystal castles connected to the surface with a staircase of brilliant light. With the haunting melodies playing in the background and the foreshadowing of events to come, this once glorious civilisation kept you on the edge of your seat as you discovered a place that had not been touched for centuries.
5. -Zanarkand (Final Fantasy X)-
The original Zanarkand was a utopian metropolis full of life, featuring skyscrapers, highways and a gigantic Blitzball stadium. When it lost the Machina War against Bevelle a thousand years ago the inhabitants turned it into a dream state that was ultimately destroyed by Sin. What is now left is the Zanarkand Ruins, known as a holy place and is the final destination for summoners on their Pilgrimage. Zanarkand was such a magnificent location in Final Fantasy X and combined with it’s beautiful musical theme and great importance to the overall plot it remained with the player long after they finished playing.
Filed under Chrono Series, Final Fantasy Series, Top 5 Lists