Despite its lighthearted approach, Final Fantasy X-2 is a fantastic sequel to the Playstation 2's greatest RPG.
The game is also dramatic departure from Final Fantasy X in style. Instead of the game being a linear adventure, the game is completely nonlinear and is "mission based". The game is comprised of 5 chapters, and in each you are able to fly to any of Spira's location at will and take part in events, some of which are mandatory and some of which are optional. Each event you take part in adds to your "completion percentage", 100% of which is required to view of the game's perfect ending; this is another point of departure for the game, as it is the first title in the series to feature multiple outcomes based on the choices that you make in the game. The game almost feels more like a collection of minigames and sidestories than a cohesive adventure. The game doesn't exactly encourage you to attempt to do everything (there is a lot) in one playthrough as there is a New Game Plus feature, which carries over completion points, items, and abilities from your previous playthrough.
The story in this game is, really, unimportant. Yuna is now a sphere hunter, along with her ex-guardian Rikku, and a new companion, Paine. Together they fly on their airship to find spheres (which contain videos of Spira's past) for profit. Yuna eventually falls back into her habit of charity, and eventually they must again save the world from an ancient evil. This ancient evil is nowhere near as epic as it was in X, and it doesn't need to be; in this game you will be spending far more time doing minigames than you will be saving the world. The storyline, and of course the characters, are far from mediocre and you will probably feel satisfied at the end of the game, provided that you aren't expecting a storyline as epic as X's (not to mention VII's).
The gameplay in this game is, likewise, dramatically different than X's, though it is still turn-based. The game features only three playable characters, all female, which can change jobs at will during combat by changing their "dressphere" (outfit). While classes were heavily implied in Final Fantasy X (Rikku being a thief, Lulu a black mage, etc.), you could customize your characters endlessly by using the amazing sphere grid system. In X-2, however, jobs, or dresspheres, are completely static. Some of the dresspheres are acquired automatically, yet many more are acquired by participating in side quests. Any character can use any dressphere that you can acquire, and much of the fun of the game is derived from "playing" which different dressphere combinations. The gameplay is also much faster than X's, as there are no "waits" between turns. The fast gameplay, though refreshing, makes you rely more on reflex and memorizaton than on strategy much of the time. This is not so burdensome, considering that it is probably the easiest game to bear the Final Fantasy name.
Final Fantasy X-2 is a game extremely unique in the Final Fantasy franchise. It is fast paced, breezy, and feels much less like an adventure than any other Final Fantasy game to date. The gameplay, though not perfect, is highly accessible and entertaining, and the story, though possibly not important to the overall experience of the game, is satisfying. Overall, this game is highly entertaining and is a must have for any person who wants to see Spira for a second time.
Overall:
Story: 8/10
Though it is not the focus of the game, the three core characters all are richly characterized and likeable. The world of Spira is furthermore so charismatic that the richness of the game's fictional history that you will probably feel satisfied by this aspect of the game (provided you aren't expecting anything epic).
Gameplay: 9/10
The gameplay is fast, the leveling system is refreshingly nostalgic and is actually very deep when you consider all of the different jobs, abilities, and items that your characters have access to. The only real flaws are that the minigames are more difficult than the game's actual combat and that sometimes there is little time to think in battle (because of the fast pace).
Graphics: 8.5/10
They are the same as in X's, however there are less FMVs than there were in that game. For those who haven't played X: the graphics are gorgeous, yet somewhat inconsistent (the faces of NPCs are less detailed than those of the main characters).
Sound: 8/10
There aren't many beautiful songs here, but the chirpy J-Pop songs fit the game's atmosphere tremendously well. The voice acting, like its predecessor, is very polished, too.
Side Content and Replay Value: 10+/10
There are too many side quests and minigames in this game to even begin to descibe. The game has a welcome New Game Plus feature which allows you to snag items and view endings that you didn't view your first time around. In my opinion, this is easily the most endlessly replayable Final Fantasy game.
Final Score: 8.7 (Great)