Developer: Square Enix
Publisher: Square Enix
Platform: PC, PS4,, Switch (2)
Tested on: Switch 2
Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster (Switch 2) – Review
Seven years ago, Square Enix brought a pair of PS2 classics to the then-current generation of consoles with Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster. These were more than just ports with a new coat of paint, as you can read in our original review. That same pair of games has now made the jump to the Switch 2. Avid readers will know that we typically review Switch 2 upgrade packs in the context of that original Switch release. Given that such a long time has passed and that Square Enix isn’t treating the Switch 2 version of Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster as an upgrade pack (more on that later), we figured a full revisit was warranted in this case.
Story
Set in the world of Spira, X/X-2 delivers two distinct stories, as well as a short narrative bridge that links them together. In X, we follow Tidus, a star Blitzball player for the Zanarkand ABes. During one of their matches, Tidus’ home city is attacked by a massive water entity named Sin. Sin throws Tidus 1000 years into the future, where our hero ends up joining Yuna, a summoner on a pilgrimage to defeat Sin. X-2 picks up two years after the defeat of Sin (sorry for the spoiler) and focuses on Yuna, who is now no longer bound by her summoner duties. Now part of a trio of treasure hunters, the Gullwings, Yuna finds herself on a journey to find the missing Tidus (again, sorry!) after discovering a sphere that shows a memory of someone who resembles him.
Graphics
As counterintuitive as it may sound, X/X-2 ends up looking worse on the Switch 2 in some ways than it did on the original Switch. This has everything to do with the games’ PS2 roots and the design limitations of that era. Character animations are awkwardly rigid and facial expressions are limited. Human characters in particular look uncanny, resembling porcelain dolls more than they do real people. The bump in resolution and increased sharpness of textures only highlights this. On paper, the Switch 2 version X/X-2 has much better specs than its predecessor, running at 1080p in handheld mode and upscaled 1440p when docked, alongside a much more stable framerate. In practice, the lower specs of the previous version were able to hide some of those imperfections.
Sound
The original release of X is notable for being the first mainline entry in the series to feature voice acting. X/X-2 sticks to that original voice audio, and with good reason. The performances have aged remarkably well overall, carrying genuine emotion, despite the occasional awkward line delivery. Of course, the star of the show (and of pretty much every Final Fantasy game for that matter) is the soundtrack. X/X2’s soundtrack is nothing short of an essential part of the overall melancholic mood that permeates these games. You can freely toggle between the original PS2 OST and an updated, arranged score too.
Gameplay
Together, X and X-2 encapsulate the core of the Final Fantasy series, with X using a static, traditional turn-based combat system and X-2 instead utilising the fast-paced ATB (Active Time Battle) system with a chain mechanic that multiplies damage for well-timed simultaneous attacks. In theory, this makes these games a good entry point for those looking to dip their toes into the series, although it is of course important to keep their age in mind: X is a quarter of a century old at this point. It’s easy to be blinded by nostalgia and overlook the shortcomings of these games, but they’re not without fault. While the core experience for both games has stood the test of time, the side content hasn’t. Both games are packed with mini-game-like activities, including target shooting and excavation, but by modern standards, these are slow and tedious rather than fun. The worst offender is X’s Blitzball minigame, which adds insult to injury by having poorly explained mechanics and a lacking tutorial.
On the other hand, X/X-2 stands out for its progression and customisation systems. X uses the so-called Sphere Grid for stat advancement. Instead of levelling up in the traditional way, you move party members around a giant board by spending Sphere Levels, allowing you to tailor their stats to your strategy. You can choose between the Standard Grid or the Expert Grid, which offers immediate freedom to deviate from the normal character paths. X-2, on the other hand, uses the dynamic Dressphere system, a job-based mechanic allowing Yuna, Rikku, and Paine to switch classes mid-battle. This opens up all sorts of different strategies, including turning an attacker into a healer after a boss has just dealt massive damage, for example.
It’s worth noting that the Switch 2 version of X/X-2 goes beyond just a bump in visual specs. While no substantial new content has been added to the games, there are a handful of minor but welcome QoL changes here. A new Turbo Mode allows you to reduce the grind by speeding things up by 2x or 4x. Combined with a new auto-battle feature, the option to alter or even completely disable random encounters, and different ways to max your stats instantly, completing the Sphere Grid has never been easier. Using these options feels like outright cheating at times, but given that they’re all optional, we don’t have any complaints about them. What we do have a complaint about is something we already mentioned in our review of Star Ocean: The Second Story R, and that is Square Enix’s insistence of releasing their Switch 2 ports as standalone titles instead of as upgrade packs. Forcing players to pay €49.99 again, as well as not allowing save file transfers, feels like a slap in the face of loyal customers, no matter how you slice it. If you don’t have X/X-2 yet, we can highly recommend these games, but if you already own them, then double-dipping simply isn’t worth it.
Conclusion
If you don’t already have Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster sitting in your library, then the Switch 2 release is well worth considering. While the bump in resolution does highlight some visual shortcomings, the improved frame rate stability and QoL additions make this most recent version the definitive version of a pair of great Final Fantasy games. For existing owners, these additions simply don’t warrant paying full price again though.
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