Game Name: Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster
Platform: PlayStation 4
Available on: PS4, PS3, Vita
Age: 12 (PEGI)
Publisher: Square Enix
Genre: Role-Playing Game
Price: £33.91 (amazon.co.uk)
It was a place of beauty I often liked to escape to as a young adult, the world of Spira was a fantasy land which evoked a varying spectrum of emotions. From the serenity of the golden shores on Besaid Island through to the buzz of the tech-heavy metropolis Zanarkand; each locale was special in its own way.
Spira just got a whole lot better.
Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster packs not just an incredible remastering of the stupendous Final Fantasy X, but also the phenomenal sequel Final Fantasy X-2. As though that wasn't enough, it houses a host of extras.
Blocky PlayStation 2 era graphics have been replaced by well-rounded shapes and curves. From the heroes to the enemies, the foregrounds to the backgrounds - everything looks better than ever.
As well as the graphical update and a new soundtrack for FF X, FF X-2 comes with the Creature Creator system, a new feature which allows for the capturing of enemies with the intention of training them and having them fight alongside the team - much like Pokémon.
FF X-2 also features the Last Mission, a playable sequel which changes depending on which ending the player had experienced.
For those who haven't played either game before, they're turn-based Japanese role-playing games packed to the rafters with story and cutscenes. Each game employs an experience system in which characters are rewarded for successfully beating enemies in combat, allowing them to gain new attacks and abilities.
Cutscenes can't be skipped - but why would anybody want to when such a great fantasy narrative is waiting to be re-explored?
If players weren't into the somewhat cheesy dialogue or storyline before, it's likely they won't be now - both games discourse and gameplay remains untouched.
With over 200 hours of gameplay available, there's never a shortage of things to do and see.
Although the remastering was released early this year for PlayStation 3 and Vita, the graphics have been given another major revamping. There's something exciting about seeing the characters you've known and loved for years independently move their fingers or blink for the first time - it's like seeing a child take their first steps or witnessing a caterpillar metermorphasise into a beautiful butterfly.
There's no doubt this is the best version of a superb game, but even with the extra graphical flurishes, it may not be worth the cash for those who purchased the PlayStation 3 or Vita version. However, everybody else should make the purchase without a moment’s hesitation.
Score: 9 / 10
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