Geek Specs:

Introduction: It's finally here! One of the most highly anticipated RPG's and just plain games in general, Final Fantasy X, is 'finally' on American soil. Will it live up to everyones expectations? Read on to find out.

Review: Final Fantasy X is extraordinary in almost every aspect, except the depth of the quest. No longer in Final Fantasy X, until the end, can you go to (I am making up these names) Red Town when you are supposed to be going to Emuparadise Island. There is no more zoomed out world map; no more airships or vehicles. You pretty much go straight forward through the world from point 'A' to point 'B' to point 'C' and so on. Every time you go to a new town or path to the next town (that is what they have in between towns, pretty much a flat field you run straight through) there is a cutscene. There are so many cutscenes that you get sick of them after about 5 hours playing. With what I have said, there isn't as much gameplay time that you can spend exploring. I was on one of the paths in between the towns and there was a fork in the road. I chose the left side, and then Tidus said "We aren't heading that way." So what! I want to go that way. In FFVII on the highwind, you can fly to Rocket Town when you should be flying to Mideel. But not in FFX.

The graphics are out of this world. I mean extraordinary. Sometimes you can't tell the difference between the in-game graphics and the cut scenes. The battle system has been totally redone. Now you can start off with three characters and you can switch one of the three with a character that wasn't in your battle party originally. Experience points have been completely thrown out the window. Now you use ability points to raise your sphere level. Your sphere level is how many steps you can take on an all new addition, the Sphere Grid. The Sphere Grid is a large mini map of spheres, with each sphere either raising your attack, defense, etc. or teaches you an ability or magic technique. Your sphere lever displays how may steps you can take. For instance, if your sphere level is six, then you can take six steps on the Sphere Grid. The soundtrack is one of Nobuo Uematsu's best ones. Each score fits the part of the game it is in perfectly.

Conclusion: All in all, Final Fantasy X marks a new era in RPG's, and gaming in general. But some hardcore FF fans might not like it for the many differences from this one and the previous titles.

Ratings: (scale of 0.0 - 5.0)