Final Fantasy X Invades
Blighty
 May 21st, 2002 - Half a year late, but we'll forgive them: Final Fantasy X is out in the UK this coming Friday (24th May).
Although it has to be said, UK gaming magazines haven't been that generous in their verdicts. The Official UK PlayStation 2 mag gave it a 'very good but not quite superb' 8/10, with Playnation jumping on the 'lets give Final Fantasy X a 8/10' bandwagon. Usual mass-market niggles were on the 'downer' lists for Final Fantasy X reviews (i.e. "Too many random battles" - good god it's an RPG).
Your typical review this side of the pond:
Score: 8
Beautiful, immersive and PS2's undisputed RPG champion
Pros
• Improved fighting system allows for much greater use of tactics
• Stunning graphics and cut-scenes
• Side quests that could nearly have been games on their own
• Forty hours minimum play time
• Cool extra DVD with PAL version, full of bonus goodies
Cons
• Random monster battles... arrgh!
• The fantasy setting starts to feel very hackneyed
• Cut-scenes can drag on a bit
Oh well, it'll still sell by the shed-load.
It was meant to be coming out on the 31st of May, but Square-Europe has shifted the dates for the recent Final Fantasy. The U.K and Republic of Ireland will recive Final Fantasy X on the 24th of May. Those in Australia and New Zealand will get the game on the 17th May. Finally, the rest of Europe will get the game on a later date, the 29th May.
Since Final Fantasy X is just around the corner, you maybe wondering why Square took so long to release it. Well... Apart from slow-down and borders, Square-Europe have added SIX extra FMV's, exclusive to the PAL Version. These clips involve villians, dolphins and even Aeons, the summoned monsters and more! Also, there are more monsters for you to battle with, and the bosses have been given the old fashioned make-over, this means stronger bosses! So does it pay off to be in Europe after-all?
If you read one of our latest articles, you will know that after many years, Square and Nintendo made peace with each other with a nice bunch of rhododendrons. First rumoured to be heading for the Gameboy Advance, Final Fantasy Tactics has been comfirmed for that game-gear sized thing they like to think is advanced. The game should be a remix of the playstation hit, which never reached Europe, only with toned down graphics and sound effects.
Witht he recent release of Final Fantasy VI, Sqaure-Europe have finally released Final Fantasy Anthology. Instead of giving us a game we already own and Final Fantasy V, Square-Europe have kindly broke the american rule and gave us Final Fantasy IV instead of Final Fantasy VI. For the first time, those without a cart or rom in Europe can play the adventures of Bartz and Reina in Final Fantasy V, and the adventures of Cecil and Rosa in Final Fantasy IV. Those in Europe can expect to see this in shops on the 17th of May
Final Fantasy XI, the online Final Fantasy which will take online RPG's to a whole new level has been released in Japan. No word on when America and Europe will get the game though, but expectations are summer for America and December for Europe.
Futher news on the game. To ride Chocobo's, Players has to take a Gran Turismo style druiving test before able to take the popular species from the Final Fantasy games out for a walk.
As stated in above paragraphs, Square and Nintendo and are back on good terms. A Final Fantasy has been planned for the Gamecube and possibly Gameboy Advance, but no word on what game. Could it be Final Fantasy [insert number here]? Final Fantasy Tactics? Spin off Final Fantasy games? a Final Fantasy game based on the japanese anime? We'll find out at E3 in several days from now!
Not exactly Final Fantasy but worth a mention as it contains a few characters from Final Fantasy. Voice actors have finally been announced, and main characters will be played by actors from films such as the 6th Sense, and american boy bands such as N'Sync. What is the gaming industry coming to?
P.S. Spiderman is cack.
Also see: FF:WA's FFX Script
Article by James/Lagunathemoron for Final Fantasy: Worlds Apart.
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