Something I've always found confusing was the overwhelmingly harsh and constant criticism of Final Fantasy X. Despite so many good things to come from it, some role-playing game purists often downplay the importance and success of the game. One would even say there's a borderline hatred for Final Fantasy X in some cases, given how vicious some of the criticism can be. The game is the tenth mainline entry in the series that brought Final Fantasy into a new era, adopting fully voiced cutscenes and a new level of beautiful visuals. But even with all of that, Final Fantasy X still manages to be the center of disdain from some fans, often in comparison to many of the more popular games of the franchise. Whether some accept it or not, Final Fantasy X is actually a great sequel, and it doesn't deserve the unjustified hate it gets so often.

Much of the negative discourse about Final Fantasy X usually comes from people who have never given the game a chance, were distracted by online conversations about it, or have constantly compared the game to other parts of the series that are viewed as more iconic. But much of that stems from a true misunderstanding of the Final Fantasy series, as well as how many good things Final Fantasy X managed to bring to the JRPG genre. There's a lot more to this game than some people have been willing to see and accept for a long time. Here's why I love playing Final Fantasy X and can't stand much of the unjustified hatred it gets.

A memorable new world

Following the tradition

The Final Fantasy games have an ongoing track record of constantly evolving and trying new things with each new numbered entry. One of those traditions is bringing players to new worlds and introducing them to a new cast of characters, which in some cases go on to become very memorable and beloved. Every Final Fantasy game from 1 to 10 has done this, making each game feel distinct from the next. And although some aspects of gameplay, character design, or gameplay mechanics might echo other parts of the series in various ways, every experience within the game is different from the others. It's a part of the series that many people love, since one can never be truly lost when being introduced to the franchise at any given point, especially since you don't have to play the previous nine games before getting to the tenth.

This is why it's confusing to me that a lot of people often say that the world of Final Fantasy X is forgettable or lackluster. The world of Spira is where everything in Final Fantasy X takes place, a world where the ocean is part of the central themes that fill the plot. At the same time, many of the locations players go to have tropical and oceanic themes built around them, making all of Spira feel consistent. Even the characters and enemies that populate the world have influences from various aspects of ocean life and design. It's a memorable setting that stands out from previous settings in the series, which were often filled with traditional fantasy and steampunk-inspired locations. I remember going through the humble locations within Besaid or the streets of Luca before a blitzball tournament, and being in awe of the mystical ruins of Zanarkand. They didn't look or feel like typical RPG locations; they stood out as places that were unique to Final Fantasy and memorable Final Fantasy X areas.

Parts of that can still be seen in the story and personalities of Final Fantasy X, in ways that are both clever and unique. The main character, Tidus, is a blitzball player that takes place in a dome full of water, who also happens to be an easy-going and lovable person. Meanwhile, characters like Yuna and Wakka have similar elements, with their own stories and attitudes towards the world around them. Stuff like this goes along with the series' tradition of implementing new things that are different from prior installments, for better or worse. And even if someone were to dislike nearly every aspect of the story and characters, to say that they are forgettable or not interesting whatsoever is foolhardy to me.

Laughing memes

When chatter gets in the way of truth

One scene within the story of Final Fantasy X is the focal point of a lot of criticism of the game, which ignores every other aspect of the experience completely. During the main plot, Tidus and Yuna find themselves speaking together in the city of Luca, after learning some harsh truths about their quest to destroy the entity known as Sin. Before they leave the city, Tidus is depressed, and Yuna tries to cheer him up, encouraging him to smile and laugh. She explains that their quest is to bring hope to the people of Spira. Tidus then begins laughing out loud and embarrasses Yuna, until she joins in and begins laughing with him, so the two of them can feel happier. It's a bittersweet moment where the two of them try to put on a brave face in the aftermath of knowing how dire their quest against Sin really is. It's an exchange that is layered with more emotional baggage than most people realize, or too quickly ignore.

This scene became a representation for many people to claim that Final Fantasy X was a terrible game, and that the story and its characters were lackluster. It became a meme within gaming circles online, being called "the laughing scene", and was used as a way to discredit nearly everything about the game. This is something that I cannot agree with or stand for. It's a prime example of when the chatter about a game online overshadows the truth about its experience, as this one scene in no way represents the overall quality of Final Fantasy X whatsoever. On top of the nuance of the scene being lost on many people, the reasoning behind its negative response ignores all the other, bigger moments within the story, including some of the most emotionally impactful ones that take place later on in the story.

Final Fantasy X as a whole is a story where death is a core theme, both in the acceptance of it and the fear of it. The same two characters that are mocked for a silly scene with depth to it also happen to be the ones who experience tragic things before and during the main story. Tidus and Yuna are affected by the loss of their parents, as well as their worlds, with the changes that are brought about by the entity known as Sin. The constant drama and terrible events they experience continuously take the joy out of their lives, yet they still make the effort to put on a brave face for those they are trying to save. This is a level of storytelling that is on par with many other popular entries in the Final Fantasy series, but has far too often been reduced to a laughing meme that ignores everything.

Simple gameplay isn't bad

Why so many completely miss the point

If there's one aspect of Final Fantasy X that I can't understand that gets so much negative feedback, it's definitely the gameplay. And while some aspects of Final Fantasy X definitely warrant criticism for the changes they made from other Final Fantasy games, things like the combat are overly scrutinized. What every aspect of the game does have in common is how simplistic they are compared to other gameplay mechanics from other entries in the series. That doesn't make the overall experience bad, but rather simple enough for everyone to have this game as an entry point into the franchise.

Final Fantasy X makes everything pretty straightforward with its combat, which is turn-based and done with random encounters. Characters can take turns attacking or defending, but also switch places with other party members to contribute to the battle, something that is unique to Final Fantasy X. At the same time, there are layers to the combat, with specific characters being more adept against different types of enemies you encounter. This might be simpler than the active-time battles of some of its predecessors, but none of that makes Final Fantasy X a bad role-playing game. The level of challenge in the battles also increases exponentially as the story progresses, with many tougher enemies and boss battles being major obstacles for players. A lot of the comparisons to previous games often forget that the changes in Final Fantasy X are geared towards that specific experience, not trying to replicate what came before. Even the leveling system, the Sphere Grid, is a twist on the traditional leveling of the series that offers some elements of choice for how characters grow during the game.

But does that mean things like the linearity of exploration in Final Fantasy X shouldn't be criticized? Not at all, especially since it's a game that makes roaming around Spira more linear than previous worlds within the series. But that also doesn't mean there's no exploration whatsoever, as you can go to multiple locations with distinct maps at various points in the story and late game. What ends up happening is people who dislike the game bundle up critiques of its various aspects into one or two points, claiming that the whole of Final Fantasy X is terrible because of one thing. It's a very unfair way to look at a game with many components to it, most of which are much deeper than surface-level interaction.

A classic that is better than they believe

Although the Final Fantasy series has many other popular entries, there's no denying that Final Fantasy X is much better than people realize. I've enjoyed playing and replaying the game over the years, and find that more people should give it a chance, because it's an experience that can stand alongside many other JRPG classics of its era. And without Final Fantasy X being released, a lot of other games in the genre most likely would not have happened. From its unique world and characters, to its combat and many side quests, the game has a lot more to offer than some people believe.