Final Fantasy X: Linearity & World Building 【ThorHighHeels】

[@thorhighheels]

Imma hit you guys with some claimers and closures of the dis variaties here, and say that this video isn't meant to be factual in any way. At times, I think it kinda sounds like I'm assuming developer intent here, which wasn't my aim. Doesn't mean that I didn't do my research either, but it's hard to trace exactly what they were going for, especially when localisations happen, and while I do know about Tidus' janitor origins and them taking after the south pacific aesthetically, I found most of what I found about the actual factual development & intent to be kinda... boring. So, I simply tried to convey what I see in this game, and why that makes me like it still. A "this is my story" sorta thing. Nothing more. Consider it a BETA-ver of a video I want to do in future on FFIX. So yeah, there you go. I didn't wanna front load the video with video about the video and rather just have the video be the video it's meant to be, but I didn't wanna have deal with nerds "Well actually"ing my ass with shit I already know either, so therefor this. Also no video next week, sorry. This boyo took a lot out of me and I don't wanna rush the Fatal Frame 2 and Drakengard 2 & 3 reviews.

[@JennyTheNerdBat]

How many spoilers are in the vid! I want to play the game one day, so I don't know if I should watch this yet or not

[@thorhighheels]

There's some pretty big spoilers. I'd hold off on watching if you want to play it.

[@omarfejzic2981]

Hey you're cool and despite me just being a fan and you not needing my validation or anything. I still enjoyed the video, you take your time Thor take it and never let go.

[@samvimes9510]

Great video as always man, especially loved the extra long length. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing your video on FF9, whenever you get around to that. That's easily my favorite FF and one of my favorite games ever.

[@BrotherB1ackHeartSavage]

Keep it up dude all of your videos are funny as fuck

[@0zerosignal]

"cyberpunk by way of the little mermaid and Asia by the way of Jamaica" literally destroyed my soul

[@Ner0mancer]

I bless the rains down in Zanarkand

[@samvimes9510]

35:44 I always thought their hair straight up looked like tree roots. In fact the Guado kind of look like tree people to begin with. Their odd body proportions, like their super long arms and fingers, as well as their prominent veins, all give the impression of them being a plant-based organism. And given how their home is not only a giant tree cave but sits right next to an entrance to the Farplane, I always figured they were some sort of manifestation of the planet's life force. Like maybe the Farplane itself affected the surrounding trees and caused them to evolve into a sentient humanoid race.

[@thorhighheels]

That's a really good point actually. Kinda regret not bringing that up as well now haha.

[@samvimes9510]

I tend to go overboard when it comes to Final Fantasy games, I always end up analyzing them way too much.

[@purpledawn2727]

@@samvimes9510 haven't they been confirmed to be tree-people? I remember reading that somewhere.

[@samvimes9510]

Coulda been confirmed in the Ultimania, but I don't remember. If it was maybe that's where I got the idea.

[@Khrene]

@@thorhighheels Also worthy to note, its not Caribbean, is indigenous Japanese and other South/ Island Asian cultures. You Start In South Asia, hit the mainland, then find your way to the Middle East with the Al Bhed and Guado (with "Al" and "Salam" both being Arabic phrases.) and then like Tibet.

[@MidnightBlackandVictoria]

If your wondering about all the water...The original Tidus backstory was "Tidus; the plumber" in a world where your only allowed to live until your 17....Not joking lol.

[@thorhighheels]

Wow you were indeed not joking there. I honestly kinda would've wanted to see that. Not everyday you get to play as an angry teenage plumber.

[@MidnightBlackandVictoria]

@@thorhighheels I know, right! Your videos are a blast, btw. Great work!

[@mimszanadunstedt441]

Tidus mario lol.

[@noiJadisCailleach]

@@mimszanadunstedt441 And they scrapped it because Nintendo police

[@noiJadisCailleach]

@@torchlight3173 If this ain't a r/whoosh, i don't know what is. lol

[@wy4553]

Spira is such an incredible world, they really made it stand out from other games with its South-Asian inspired designs. Even though it is mostly linear, I would still take my time going into every nook and cranny or just stopping to take in all of the designs. Shit, when Tidus first ended up in Besaid, I spent a good 20 minutes swimming and diving in the ocean looking at the corals, seeing how far I could go. It had so many interesting locations and the most nostalgic ones for me are Besaid and Macalania Forest.

[@kamilee4123]

I’m gonna be real I don’t understand people’s dislike of Tidus at all. I really like him as a protagonist and I find him endearing and entertaining, especially after he develops and chills out a bit. It probably helps that I have a very high tolerance for bad/awkward voice acting so the jank of it in this game doesn’t bother me much at all. I suppose it does come down to personal tastes.

[@MrILOVMUZIK]

Bruh, Final Fantasy X is one of my favorite games of all time. This is one of the best videos I’ve seen on the game. Thanks for this. Your videos are always quality and it’s clear you put a ton of effort into them. You deserve way more subs.

[@huckmart2017]

I'll just never get peoples reservations about the story and characters. Sure, theres some cringe moments, but that's not enough to ruin it. The whole dynamic between tidus/auron/yuna is very compelling to me. And the climax with yunalesca, when all the characters come together with a unified perspective and purpose is just so damn satisfying. The plot twist with tidus being some weird dream entity is what kinda ruined it for me. Though Everything else before was gold imo.

[@Marcusianery]

I agree. This is the Final Fantasy I played the most, atleast in the 2000's and I was a dumb teenager but its not so bad.

[@cookiecream1637]

Sure, it isn’t as serious as FFVII or a lot of other FF games, but something about X just speaks to me. The cringe moments make me care about the characters so, so much. I dont understand how someone could like Kingdom Hearts but dislike FFX actually, as both have that initial awkwardness that most players end up appreciating

[@diamondmetal3062]

I agree, the FFX crew has great development imo. Individually, each character has a lot of screen time and each go through their own personal development. By the end of the game, they’ve all grown as people. As a whole, the group goes from a band of randos who are only together to serve as Yuna’s Guardians to a cohesive unit able to stare death in the face. As for the English voice acting, I never really thought it was as bad as people say. Square Enix has obviously improved, but the VAs still did a decent job at bringing their characters to life.

[@priscillaasagiri4913]

Yep. The plot twist sucked. And I didn't liked the waterpolo game. But everything else was really good.

[@KOTEBANAROT]

Can i try and salvage the dream of fayth twist? Think of it this way: tidus teaches yuna theres life worth living besides being a martyr, and she deserves to want to be alive and happy. But vice versa, he learns from yuna there are times when you can choose to die for the sake of the world, and its a valid choice as well. So, he makes this choice. He'll disappear for the sake of the world he chose to give to yuna. They both learned from one another, yuna learned to live for herself, and tidus learned to die for others.

[@deusfaust]

I really miss pre rendered backgrounds in jrpgs. Maybe some day we will see a modern one in this style.

[@thorhighheels]

Same. Especially with how good modern CGI and lighting effects are. I'm hoping Capcom might bring them back for the Resident Evil 2 remake.

[@Sawngawkuh]

What I'd like to see more of is them trying to take the fixed camera and apply it to more modern games in real-time graphics now that they're able to run these visuals in such detail without the need of making them pre-rendered. What made the pre-rendered backgrounds of old so charming wasn't so much that they were pre-rendered (although the mixture of 3D modeling and painting does give a bit of their own flair to 'em), but because the devs had to think about the overall composition and details of every screen, producing very memorable and cinematic looking backgrounds as a result. When a fixed camera is used for real-time visuals, they can achieve that very same kind of effect, and even take it a step further by having the camera be made to pan or zoom in/out, as shown when you wander about in certain FFX screens. Problem is, devs phased out the use of it from games, and those that DID use it (such as FFX, the DMCs, and so forth) weren't at a point where the real-time graphics could match the detail shown in pre-rendered screens, so we never quite got that same sense of wonder and awe. HOWEVER, nowadays, it can be done. We've just not yet seen it tackled with maximum effort. We do see small examples of its potential here and there, though. World of Final Fantasy being a good one, which does try to recapture the spirit of those old backgrounds but in real-time. Those Digimon Cyber Sleuths titles are more, which provide really memorable backdrops in the real world areas.

[@Chokken97]

@@Sawngawkuh oh my gosh I've been thinking about this so much recently, I had to check and make sure I wasn't the one who wrote this comment and just forgot. I feel like so much is lost with the race to make things more realistic and movie-like. I would like for developers to bring back the classicness and memorability of old games in this way.

[@Dragonboy55564]

@@Chokken97 There's bravely default and octopath traveler (I think)

[@Chokken97]

@@Dragonboy55564 bravely default is an example of a game that utilizes that, true. I feel like Octopath is more of a throwback, more than an integration a into modern style. It would be cool to see fully rendered backgrounds done in the same way.

[@beat-man5167]

Liked how you gushed how about blend of sci fi fantasy and multicultural influences that make for an interesting, unique setting, just as you talked about FF12. It reminds me how I love how Gravity Rush's setting which is a blend of France ( through Japan's rose tinted glasses), Moebius and tasteful steampunk. The sequel has a new district which is more rustic Southeast Asian influence that contrasts with the European Heksville. It's not a setting I see much in games. Some are stages in fighting games. Or maybe there's more and I just have to branch out and play more story heavy single player stuff. And Twewy is peak Nomura/2000s Shibuya fashion.

[@thorhighheels]

From what I've seen of Gravity Rush 1 & 2 their settings are certainly really really cool. Though I wouldn't expect anything less from the people who made Siren, which also has a really interesting look to it.

[@fouronetwo813]

Final Fantasy X might be my favorite game in the whole series. Apart from being beautiful and having a story that really hooks me I've never played a game that more connects the story and combat. Everyone in your party (except Kimarhi who I relegate to a mana pool for after combat healing) has a role. For the majority of the game those roles can't easily be avoided. Attacked by a magic Jell-O monster? Sure Auron and Tidus could whack away at it for a few turns and kill it but just bring Lulu in and zap it's ass. That constant swapping in and it and watching all the characters who at one moment might appear useless go on to do something that no one else in the party can do gives them all purpose. Purpose not only for the fighting but for their place in the story. As for the "linearity" of the game; I wouldn't have it any other way. I can only speak for myself but I find most open world sand box games fundamentally flawed. Here you are generic hero. You find you self in generic world that is beset with generic impending doom. Now go pick fucking flowers for 12 hours. It's garbage. FFX would have been garbage if after you, say, witness the events in Kilika then go on to spend countless hours "exploring" or "sidequesting" or whatever other BS names developers give to the mostly filler content that populates their "GRAND OPEN WORLDS!". The story would fall to pieces. You are in a Summoner's party. That party has a clear objective. That objective is to stop horrible suffering. Any delay in that objective's completion minimizes it's urgency. The last time I played through this game when the HDs were remade I touched almost none of the sidequesting before I beat the game. Only doing what was necessary to get Anima as it's acquisition added to the antagonist's story. The worst thing for someone introduced to story telling via video games at a young age with FF7 has been watching the trends that video games have followed. Even watching the Final Fantasy series get swept up in those trends with FF15. Customizable characters and open worlds have conspired together to force story telling to take a back seat. I've rarely found exceptions to that. Fully customizable protagonists in place of a character who was crafted for years with the express purpose of making me give a shit about them For what? So I can give them a goofy haircut and pick which party member they'd have a shallow relationship with? Beautifully hand crafted worlds that fit like a glove over a story replaced by huge open spaces filled by generic NPCs that are forgotten after whatever dispensary purpose they were given was fulfilled. Why? So i can fill up an inventory or quest log? There are totally exceptions to my previous paragraph but the overall trend is still there. I'd take a linear FFX over an open world Skyrim any day. That's just me, a relic. I could tell you about how I had to knock on my neighbor's door to see if he wanted to come out and ride bikes. Or how if the phone rang you had to answer it to find out who it was. A scary and dark time indeed made bright by my catalog of stories told beautifully through the medium of pixels and engrish.

[@youn00ber]

Great write-up.

[@Krystalmyth]

If only you had experience with the open-design of the Pre FFVII games. They don't have to be sandboxes to avoid the trope of forced linearity.

[@Crok425]

Actually Blitzball players hold their breath for a long period of time. In X-2 it is shown that Yuna has been practicing holding her breath underwater when you get to "play" Blitzball in the game.

[@thorhighheels]

how would they do it for so long though? Blitzball matches last like 20 minutes.

[@Crok425]

You ask how it's possible that these players are able to hold their breath... in a series where their characters can jump up to 50 meters (or more) and stay in the air for longer than possible so yeah. I know it sounds ridiculous but that's how it works, they actually hold their breath.

[@opalrose3014]

The answer is... Pyreflies.

[@martynborthwick1845]

10 minutes a half. Bit late, I know xD

[@mimszanadunstedt441]

The only explanation is they have whale dna to use oxygen extremely efficiently. Which is why Sin is a whale and not like, a giant primate lol.

[@Movato]

Y’all gotta realise this is a 2002 game, it was for the ps2, for something so old, its an amazing game

[@Sawngawkuh]

That's not really a defense for most criticisms usually given towards FFX, though, as they're more like universal problems a game even today could potentially have. PS2 era games weren't that limited by their time either.

[@SaberRexZealot]

MasterofYourDomain Yeah especially when you consider FF12 came out on the same platform.

[@Xxandrew01]

Umm dude, you mean 2001 game.

[@purpledawn2727]

So we didn't have good games back then or....? I really did like FF10. It did linear storytelling right unlike FF13. But I don't get the whole "this game came out in (insert long time ago year), so it was great for the time" if a game is good then it is good no matter which year it came out. It is not like we all thought FFX sucked on release and then suddenly 15 years later we think it's good. Makes no sense.

[@nnovatakaren5515]

nostalgia glasses spotted

[@blacksunapocalypse]

"Their iphones pissing off some whale." That killed me.

[@DorkNamedHope]

This game aged well TBH. It’s a 2000 game and it tops the game of its era. New gen of gamers will never understand how magnificent this game is in the past.

[@maxlvl912]

Oh boy a 50 minute ThorHighHeels video to save my Sunday night. Glad to see someone finally make a video about X's world, it still genuinely is one of the most unique rpg worlds in a game and its bizarre mix of nature, tropics and technology is exactly what I think of when I think of Final Fantasy

[@KisekiFox]

Everyone always goes on about Tidus during that scene at home but personally I've always liked it, it's always been one of the best scenes in the game to me and still affects me. It's realistic to me to hear him freaking out in that way after hearing what he did, he's an emotional boy, so it didn't strike me as odd to see him freaking out like that with his voice, hell I've made some similar noises during some crazy emotional outbursts Though then again I don't see a lot of the voice acting issues outside of the lines where they're obviously trying to match lip flaps/audio lengths, even the Tidus laugh scene is a really good scene in context and is meant to sound as awkward and dumb as it does, maybe it's just me. Really good video though, you're definitely becoming one of my new fav youtubers, you got a great personality and a really unique way of doing your vids, they've all been a treat to watch

[@Krystalmyth]

The voice acting is great here, and anyone who shits on the Tidus laugh scene does so only because they never played the game and thus don't know wtf they're talking about.

[@wy4553]

As complex and cuckoo the story is, I freaking love it. It makes you stop and think; it explores various mature themes and is packed with different emotions. The dialog and voice acting can be cringey but I love the characters and their relationships. I liked how Tidus was an upbeat, goofy, and slightly cocky teenager. He is a 17 year old star athlete, after all. But underneath all that, he's full of hurt because of his strained relationship with his dad. Yuna juxtaposes him so well with her maturity and calm and collected nature. She is full of hope and determination but she quietly carries a heavy burden of having to sacrifice her own life to save Spira. The game really takes the time to develop and explore their relationship, so their romance felt very genuine.

[@jdprettynails]

"Final Fantasy 8....was a game." XD

[@bassfreek]

The whole quote was so funny put altogether

[@tropicarls]

Can't be wrong about that one

[@playedstation3847]

The Rammstein bit never fails to make me laugh. Keep up the content!

[@danielclifton3319]

I believe this is the greatest Final Fantasy game to date. The peak of the golden era :)

[@siamesetool7103]

"Dad fish". 😂 Love your videos Thor. Make me laugh every time. Analysis was spot on.

[@thorhighheels]

Thanks man!

[@TreeTats]

Can't believe you make so much quality content but have so few subs, you deserve to be among 100k+ at least man

[@alexwiebe7744]

exactly 100k now

[@LagaduPT]

Al Bhed isn't a fully realized new language, it's a letter-swapped English. You can even crack it like you would a Vigenere cypher, given enough text to work with. I loved hearing your analysis of the game :)

[@thorhighheels]

Yeah I know, I should've worded that better. I meant to say that it's like usable and stuff. You could have a pretend awkward conversation with it, at least through text. Also thanks!

[@QuetzalOvejasElectricas]

Thanks for thee work, I'm gonns love this. It's triple length so I'll have to consume it in fractions.I'll write once I'm done, but as always, keep on the good work. You deserve a larger audiencie.

[@wratth1]

efectivamente necesita una audiencia mayor y tu también camarada

[@QuetzalOvejasElectricas]

@Zangyaku Diluc Es super progre. Besis.

[@cringyguy1302]

Timbus is what I’ll name him every time that I replay this game

[@rade4598]

Final Fantasy X is.. An interesting game. I adored it myself, but a lot of it feels very stilted. I personally loved the direction of the plot, specifically because Seymour is such a great villain to me. But yeah, I was trying to put my finger on why this game of all things really stuck with me, and I think you're correct in your thesis. Just pretty hecking great vibes all around

[@palindinX]

25:21 **Random Battle begins** ThorHighHeels: No **Random Battle immediately skipped** I wish I could do that in RPG games!

[@beanlegume9965]

2:49 "Setting is undeniably Caribbean" WTF? I could have sworn Besaid and Kilika were supposed to have been inspired by South East Asia alone...

[@SNEEDerino]

It is. It's completely based on Okanawan people and culture.

[@darkanddandy6898]

I specifically remember watching interviews with developers specifically referencing Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries as the main inspo. I think maybe they just got their cultural references mixed up.

[@PortalingScience]

As an SEA myself, I was reeling in my seat every time HighHeels used Caribbean and Mayan cultures as references for the game lmao

[@reloadpsi]

FFX is a plethora of actually pretty good ideas that are marred by not-so-great execution. However, the not-so-great execution is more to do with its goofy direction. They needed to spend a bit more of their pre-production looking at the core concept of cinematography and scene-blocking, and the voice acting, whatever you think of the performances, is so full of awkward pauses that I constantly feel like the game is actively wasting my time. The linearity is fine, entirely justified in fact - they wanted to build a world, so they put the world right in your path (also the premise is literally built on said linearity, a pilgrimage, so it fits) unlike that other linear game that claims it wants to build a world, but puts that would AROUND the path and tells you to explore on your own time by reading a glossary.

[@glidingfalcon4370]

ReloadPsi it has great execution

[@reloadpsi]

@@glidingfalcon4370 I've already explained that the cinematography is lame, the voice acting is firmly meh, and the dialogue is full of constant awkward pauses. Yeah, great execution all right. (Meanwhile, two Metal Gear games had already been out that didn't have that same problem, so don't tell me it was a product of its time, because that's not a good enough excuse.)

[@bornegamerz1180]

ReloadPsi Except metal gear solid one and 2 had terrible gameplay, level design and outdated mechanics.

[@Gamingnstuff131]

The writing and direction are a big part of why 10 failed to actually work the way they intended it to. The linear approach could’ve worked with a better executed storyline and better writing and having the game open up more at the end where you can explore many more new areas that you couldn’t in the first 3/4 of the game and expanding the areas you went through already would’ve taken far better advantage of the tropical Atlantean ruins style setting. It also seems like a rushed game with many areas seeming unfinished. Even the main menu looks like a beta menu rather than one that was actually finished.

[@purpledawn2727]

"Linear" does not equal "bad". So many people seem to think this. Linear games can be a blast and FFX is a good example of that. FFX linearity actually makes sense. They're on a pilgrimage, they know where they are supposed to end up unlike say FF7 were they stumble across lots of unforeseen stuff. And FFX never felt boring, it just felt like a roadtrip with friends and I liked that. Besides, only the story was linear. The level up system was actually really customizable and you had alot of freedom there. Plus there where some secrets here and there you could explore on the map and so on. FF13 is a bad example on linear games. It is too linear. There's nothing to explore and you don't get rewarded for branching of the hallway. The story made no sense and even the level up system is another linear hallway. So yeah, that game was bad.

[@frogglen6350]

Actually, in 7 you are told where to go. The game just gives you more options to explore.

[@purpledawn2727]

@@frogglen6350 yeah, but you know what I mean. You are told, but you aren't necesarily forced to go where you're told.

[@reloadpsi]

@@purpledawn2727 Exactly. For half of FF7, you're chasing after Sephiroth, but you're only ever given his last known location - it's even possible to skip the odd one or two by accident. FFX did a great job justifying its linearity though.

[@P4ul0C354r]

I loved this game back in the time and, to be honest, i still love it. 😂😂😂 I enjoyed your video a lot.Greets from Portugal. 👍👍

[@martynborthwick1845]

Literally came back to this video a year later just for the rammstein reference

[@martynborthwick1845]

Back again 5 months later xD

[@MetricPolygon]

@@martynborthwick1845 its time again

[@martynborthwick1845]

@@MetricPolygon Agreed xD

[@brycejohansen7114]

38:41 Just realized this is a joke to the song Macarena... especially the "aye" part

[@viniciusbarreiros1258]

i really appreciated the video, in fact i just finished the game a second time after years, but what i most enjoyed was you enlightening the topic about linear world design, a subject that i quite like. The new devs only seems to care about two things, deliver a great narrative driven experience and the maximum of "liberty" to the players, sadly thats end up meaning, at least most of the time, a interactive movie with a large world of copy paste plains and poor design options, and thats the exactly reason why i belive that linear games work better. Its easier to make something trully remarkable when the devs are focusing in creating areas that are really going to be usefull and visited by the players, you can add more details, more personality, make things really shine, like most of the old games used to do.

[@thorhighheels]

I think FFXV has better locations that people give it credit for, but there is a lot of copy pasting going on yeah. Especially the Duscae region feels kinda like a standard Unity asset map with some interesting rock formations added to it, and I also disliked how many of the truckstops kinda looked the same. Still though, it has some cool places, but what I think of those maybe be best kept for a future video ;)

[@viniciusbarreiros1258]

I would really enjoy! looking forward to new videos and some brief debates in the comments.

[@thorhighheels]

Thanks man! I feel the same. You always have some great stuff to say.

[@retromurdok]

There is no time travel in FFX.

[@jakiateasley8197]

ah~ you describe the imperfection of the game like a poet on fine wine.

[@Momentanius]

I'm definitely sharing this video in a lot of places. You need more views, Thor!

[@thorhighheels]

Thanks dude

[@LAZY-RUBY]

Seeing that FF16 trailer and even _more_ generic medieval fantasy really makes me appreciate this game's setting.

[@nullavitasinemusica1]

I know right????

[@raphaelhemery152]

So, the mighty algorithm helped me discover your channel yesterday. I love your analysis, your way with words and the angle you take in the videos I saw. Glad to meet you ThorHighHeels, I will watch more with pleasure !

[@jakeo5773]

See i really liked ffx. I'm not going to say it doesnt have problems, hell most of the issues that people talk about are legitiment problems. I do think most people just jump on the bandwagons tho and dont give this game its fair shake and its nice to see someone like you be honest about not liking some stuff and just talking about what you wanted to withput feeling the need to talk endlessly about how everything is bad. Also i like that you enjoy dits lineriry, at lest to an extent, you really summed up my feelings on that front. All in all good vid, look forwards to more.

[@SamHintz]

Tidus sure does love stretching.

[@RachaelCross]

i always felt like the guado were sort of the ffx answer to like, tolkien elves. they're super weird and part tree and ~in touch with magic~, so looking at them as an inversion of the Tree Elf trope for the fact that theyre like. evil. was interesting for me at least

[@michaelhenriksen7359]

Now i want a gif with Brother imitating swimming with the Du Hast riff running XD

[@candicefarrington2208]

My favorite game!!! Let me get my popcorn.

[@Robersora]

finally someone understands why I like these games you don't know how blessed I feel stumbling over this channel after watching with horror how a person did nothing else but talked 10 minutes about the frame rate and resolution of final fantasy vii remake.

[@thisismyhome]

What did we do to deserve such a damn fine video.

[@seanturner1197]

FF X was my first PS2 game. Loved it. The best prequel to FF VII ever.

[@concertoldham]

I'm mad late but this is exquisite commentary. I basically feel the same about the game. I definitely think it does suck often, but I find my self replaying it like every 3 years. It's cheeky and the bad voice acting almost gives it this over the top soap opera vibe.

[@Dacho_Shaki]

Lulu has really nice pair of watermelons.

[@thorhighheels]

this is true, yes.

[@RaxiazRedux]

Man...talking about water-based themes so early in the video - just want to point out that I've always been disappointed there wasn't a Leviathan summon in FFX. The world was perfect for a water-based summon yet we never got one... Makes me sad, man. There was Ixion for thunder, Ifrit for Fire, and Shiva for Ice but absolutely no water-based element summon in FFX. :/ I also think that a water-themed dungeon would have been interesting to see. Although I guess SE thought "Hey, this world is full of enough water-themed components as it is." Oh wellllll

[@MsLilly200]

I feel like Sin already kinda takes the water elemental boss/summon spot. (Even though he's not a summon.)

[@Libegone]

@@MsLilly200 Sin's a summon. Yu Yevon's armor. But a summon.

[@IceQueen975]

You do a good Machen impression my dude.

[@julioromero238]

Your scripts are hilarious. I'm always caught off guard by the tangents and vernacular.

[@benhillman8384]

Great stuff as ever. The FF series has always been a series of elaborately decorative corridors that occasionally seal themselves behind you, but that in itself never felt so cynically constricting to me until FFX - Previous entries always at least felt that you could go back if you weren't busy chasing the exciting thread of the story. Even when you couldn't, it still felt like those places existed behind you. Each stop along the way felt like it gave you enough agency exploring to give the illusion of something a little more than linear. Heck, in ffIX the city you visit to take part in a hunting festival or the early town you stop in where some SKULLDUGGERY is amiss are just a few static area screens with some conversations, but the way they're used gives a *much* better sense of a place than ffx ever manages. X always feels like you're being roughly shoved from story beat to story beat, from one shiny graphic ooh ahh to the next, rather than earlier games that have you chasing something tantalising in the distance that you don't quite know the whole shape of yet. The visual design is impressive, and the technology was at a point to showcase it well, but all those things don't fold into a whole that serves its storytelling function well enough.

[@thorhighheels]

Yeah, it's one of the reasons why I called it a sight seeing tour. You don't really interact with, or do much of anything special in the places that you visit, and tend to just kinda blaze on through. FF6 through 9 are SO much better at giving you stuff to do in every area you end up in. But to me at least, all of that seems to have been pretty well documented over the years, whereas FFX's reputation has only gone down. Not unfairly, but I still figured I'd at least highlight what I think the game does well.

[@Gamingnstuff131]

You just nailed a part of why I think 10 fails to hold up. It basically relied on it’s at the time impressive graphics , soundtrack and FMVs but it’s a very flawed entry once you remove the gloss with a weak and forced story, meandering storyline with too many superfluous subplots and random power struggles thrown in to try and spice up a game that’s otherwise dull, inconsistencies in how the world of Spira operates, characters almost constantly making stupid decisions for the sake of the plot to happen the way the script demands it rather than making more believable decisions, too much linearity with no really great opportunities to interact with the world of Spira and it’s people. 10 has many of the same problems of 13, only not as pronounced. I feel 12 was the vastly superior game with a better storyline that wasn’t full of glaring plot hole after glaring plot hole, more consistent rules regarding how the world of Ivalice operates, better world design with more opportunity to interact with it, better dialogue and characters not making stupid decisions all the time, more real tension and not fake tension. 12 also has graphics and FMVs on it’s side and a good soundtrack but isn’t almost solely relying on them to hide a shoddy storyline and bad script writing.

[@Hallucinojelly]

"9 perfected the game" - A man of culture

[@Viper-py4pg]

I _genuinely_ love your take on everything 10/10 quality videos 🥰

[@Viper-py4pg]

THE DADFISH! AHHAAHA I was rewatching FFX to fall asleep and couldn't stop thinking of your jokes and had to pause and rewatch this :3 I see I was here a year ago so I guess I'll be back next year too bby

[@dandylaion]

Maybe it's just me but I get a overall South East Asia feeling to the game world rather than a Caribbean one.

[@SimpleAmadeus]

I'm filling my water with volcanicity. 38:47

[@86lanzo]

I really enjoyed FFX..even with it's flaws....it's a testament to how much I love the game I went on to complete FFX-2...not just complete but 💯%..and that game I didn't like....but the world of Spiral was the star of those games....I remember hearing Yuna's Ballad at the end of X-2 and being genuinely sad.. because I realized I had no more reason to visit Spira .....I can honestly say I don't remember another time I was sad to complete a game because I'd miss the world...I have completed ff1 up to 13...and X is in my top 5.

[@mr.unlucky458]

17:06 Tidus, the absolute madlad

[@alexmetaverse]

I love that boy

[@Cosairen]

God even if its not the most compelling story it has some of the best art direction in not only the series but i feel in the genre as a whole

[@alteregoreview]

Great video. It reminded me of how linear the game actually is. Are you ever going to cover the Persona games?

[@thorhighheels]

I plan to, but given how big they are it's kind of a daunting task to get started. Also unsure if I want to start with P1 and work my way up, or just go straight to the one that interests me the most: P4.

[@alteregoreview]

I'd recommend at least playing Persona 3 before playing 4. It has a unique aesthetic that hasn't really been captured since. People seem to cling onto whatever the latest Persona game is, so 3 has kinda been overshadowed. I'm biased though as Persona 3 is my favorite in the series. Also, the games before 3 are completely different games from what I've experienced.

[@Nimbereth]

@@thorhighheels Persona 2 Eternal Punshment is the most underrrated. You shoul start there, Thor.

[@kael070]

in X-2 yuna says she can hold her breath long enough to play blitzball, and if i remember correctly, you never talk underwater, just signals, so yeah they don't breathe underwater, they hold their breath for hueg amounts of time

[@Tesko91]

But... elephants are really good swimmers though. Anyways, your impression of Maechen was spot on and cracked me up so hard! I wished you did more of it, it was sick. Very entertaining video overall ^^

[@bryanuuhite1478]

This comment is not about this video in particular. You do amazing work. Keep at it and as more people find you you will gain a lot of subscribers/followers... I have no doubt. I really almost skipped the first video of yours halfway through and was annoyed by some of your comments. I've since learned about your style and realize that those same comments are what makes your videos some of the best gaming videos here on KZbin. You're an acquired taste, bud.

[@kevmasengale6903]

Fuck that lightning dodging mini game.... That's the reason I never got Lulu's Celestial Weapon.

[@millerwrightt]

Would have loved to hear your opinion on the whole "dream Zanarkand" part of the plot. Definitely could have been executed better since so many people finish the game and still believe there was time travel, but I think it it one of the best twists. Especially with Shuyin around in X-2 to add context.

[@davidkrickau5060]

Linearity and World Building i think more games need something Like that Yakuza does it really good every time

[@thorhighheels]

Dude I love Kamurocho so much. It will definitely have a video dedicated to it some day.

[@thebitsanpiecesman4423]

The reason I first subscribed to you was because of your meechen impression :)

[@TonyGearSolid]

My favorite part of the game was paying a Aeon all of my monies to one shot the final boss for me.

[@autumndidact6148]

My hot take is that Tidus is a pointless character in the main narrative. He has his own story that intersects with the main story of Yuna's pilgrimage, but his story keeps pulling away from that in a way that makes important parts of the main story feel out of place. Worse, everything of substance he contributes to Yuna's story is something Rikku can do better, and she would have been a way more interesting main character in that light. Even the romance would have worked better replaced with the story of bonding with estranged family.

[@BlueisNotaWarmColour]

Woah newcomer here. That intro

[@nicholasrossi5465]

your maechen voice is spot on and hilarious

[@hamstrungharry259]

To me the reason why they can breathe underwater is that human beings could always breathe underwater in Spira.

[@adevilscupoftea]

It's kinda sad they didn't keep the OG look of the cutscene models from the PS2 version, the remaster kind of messed up the art style, sure textures look crisp, higher res, models have higher poly count but... *LOOK AT THAT FACE* 17:43 @ 0.25x speed 👌

[@thorhighheels]

Yeah, I notice it on Tidus especially. He has mega baby face now and it looks kinda strange. The rest seem fine to me though, but then I haven't touched the original PS2 version in a good while.

[@Yk55555]

Rip cats @8:57 yw

[@kiko485]

Yoona thank you

[@ArtofWEZ]

Why is Wakka the only one in his village with an accent?

[@Krystalmyth]

I just love all the half naked people in this game, myself, tbh.

[@josejaimes-ramos1546]

Silly story. My family quotes that hypello telling the chocobo knights to this day. IMPOSHIBOBAL IMPOSHIBOBAL

[@TheLordDai]

actually tidus and the other blitzball players just hold their breath, it says so in eternal calm

[@RadioactiveMoth]

Can't say I agree with a lot of your criticisms of FF10, but the linearity of it was something I was thinking about after replaying the HD version recently, especially comparing it to 13 in that regard.

[@captainspazma2002]

Last time I check you only had 3k subscribers! NOICE!!

[@allenbocephus]

I'm pretty sure the reason the thunder plains are hated so much is because you gotta dodge 200 lightning bolts in a row to get the onion knight for Lulu... it's such a bullshit task that can take 20 minutes of straight concentration. That's the reason for all the hate...

[@_krbrs_]

Ok. This video starts with “welcome to Fishfuck” and it’s already a masterpiece.

[@TheBeastlybret]

I love how with all the remasters and ports you can turn off the random encounters and speed up the movement because it's common knowledge now that nobody wants to deal with that shit.

[@perpetualgrimace]

9 minutes in and this might be your funniest video ever

[@noconaroubideaux9423]

I know you like this game because you beat Luca in that first match. It's really not that hard to do if you have the Jecht Shot. My first play through, I thought it was meant to lose too and I didn't get the damn Jecht Shot cause I didn't know. I thought that was some weird random cut scene on the boat, which it was but I didn't know there anything to get. I got stuck on the Mihen Highroad cause I was under leveled as fuck cause I was like 11 and didn't like grinding so I looked at an online walkthrough and randomly happened to see the Jecht Shot part and got pissed. I didn't restart or anything but on my second play through I made sure to get it and by that time I had a grasp of blitzball so I just walked through their who team until Wakka replaced Tidus. Didn't score again but was able to stall long enough to win. I ran through this game over 10 times and, even when I don't have the Jecht Shot, I still fuck em up. The only team that ever gives me issues is the Guado and only during lower levels (lil dudes is fast af). FFX-2 fucked blitzball up and thats the most unforgivable part of that game. Its like having the computer play itself on NBA2k and, every now and then, taking control of a team and adjusting the coaching settings which your players aren't gonna listen to and then giving control back to the computer. But yea, moral of the story, blitzball is my shit. If Square woulda came out with a literal Blitzball game like when that Quidditch game came out, I woulda bought it. It coulda been trash and I still woulda bought it. Its fucking underwater rugby football. I love it.

[@Omnibus4Everyone]

I almost stopped watching when you said Tidus is actually a 1000 years from the past.

[@ThePiones]

Al bhed is actually simply a cypher, it just a replacement of letters

[@AubLambe]

This was perfect, goes right up to where I left the game. There's like a zombie boss infront of me? and I haven't touched it for 3 years.....but maybe I will now

[@LadCorazon]

Gotta be honest, if people played this subbed they would find it far more impactful. I genuinely thought I hated the characters when I first played, but playing it with the original Japanese performances really makes a huge difference. Mind you I still have problems with the game, but I found the story to be much more enjoyable and the characters more likeable with the original directing.

[@TheTrueJuan]

Thor you just killing it. I was just reading your comments on The Grasshoper B-sides and thought it was quite interesting seeing your thoughts. Can't wait for your Drakengard stuff l! Lots of KZbinrs taking that series and Neir on as of lately. Also Fatal Frame 2? Asian girls for days!!!

[@thebigfuzzy]

still a better love story than twilight

[@brya9681]

Can't say I agree with much of this video

[@enzito_sdf6978]

i played this a few months ago after holding it for YEARS, and i have to say i was kinda surprised. i expected ff8 2, so yeah i didn't have exactly high hopes. even ffx-2 is really fun

[@tyeus3673]

27:55 I must be fkn 5head or some shit cuz I said "Dey lose baed" 2 seconds before he did without knowing he would and I'm fkn dying. These videos are so fun.

[@IlJokerTheStranj]

How is al bhed a fully realized language? I thought it was a one-to-one encode of the English language, you pick up al bhed primers and they just act as a decoder translating individual letters. How is it any different from a decoder ring?

[@TheDecatonkeil]

I never asked before... But why do your voice inflections remind me of Xavier Renegade Angel?

[@thorhighheels]

I'm not sure if I know what or who that is.

[@Ioselash]

Dude I was wondering the same thing the first time watching his vids. Like when he does his other narrator voice. @ThorHighHeels it is a shitpost in show form, like all Adult Swim originals.kzbin.info/www/bejne/aKPagYOorc-kgbs

[@thorhighheels]

omg this looks amazing. Adult Swim never aired where I live. We had some separate shows like Space Ghost and Harvey Birdman on Cartoon Network late at night, but never the full experience.

[@Ioselash]

I should've shown you this clip kzbin.info/www/bejne/r3usmoaja9iaqKc E3

[@SolBuster]

God these videos are tight