As mentioned last week, I briefly tried to play FFx-2 before giving up for a number of reasons:

  • FFX is not a game that needs a sequel, even though it ends with some questions going unanswered and creating a few new ones, the story was tight and the ending was more or less satisfying.  Final Fantasies in general should not have sequels as it detracts from the original games.
  • The returning characters were acting completely out of character from their FFX appearances.
  • The voice acting was annoying
  • The newly introduced capture monster mechanic didn’t fit the feel of a FF game
  • The over the top, silly dance segments.
  • The multiple tutorials that treated the player like an idiot.

Something to note, by the way.  I’ve routinely mentioned that Tales of Symphonia copied a lot from FFX both in plot and themes, so it was kind of mind-blowing to learn that FFX-2 had a system where the player could capture monsters and have them fight alongside you.

You know what other game did that?  Dawn of the New World, which was the sequel to Tales of Symphonia.

Tales of Symphonia will always be one of my favorite games (DotNW not so much), but holy heck this makes my suspicions of plagiarism much stronger.

Then again, Namco hasn’t made a good Tales game since Xilia, which was 5 years (and a Xilia sequel and additional mothership game ago).

Then again, Square hasn’t made a good Final Fantasy since FFX, which was 15 years ago…