Among the dozens of games in the Final Fantasy pantheon, we can all agree that the tenth main installment and its direct sequel are still regarded as some of the best. Tidus and Yuna’s story is so timeless that fans never really get tired of revisiting it, regardless of how many remasters we get. And well, now was the time to do that again with Final Fantasy X/X-2 Remaster for the Nintendo Switch 2, which is easily the all-in-one version of all remasters we’ve seen for this classic, and one that looks and runs surprisingly well on Nintendo’s latest platform. Still, the price tag might be a bit off-putting for some.
Reliving a Legend
By now, unless you’ve been living under a rock, it is extremely unlikely you’re unfamiliar with the story of Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2, so I won’t go into in-depth details as I usually do in other reviews. Yet, for the rare newcomers, Final Fantasy X/X-2 Remaster leaves the epic story untouched. You have Tidus’ journey alongside Yuna and the whole party, as well as the follow-up where Yuna takes the lead. For those looking for some extra story beats, Eternal Calm and Last Mission are also included, which are great to bridge the gaps between the titles and wrap up the adventure as a whole.
Story aside and in general terms, Final Fantasy X and X-2 are still some of the most accessible Final Fantasy titles, at least in my opinion. These two have aged like fine wine, especially the first one. Its combat remains one of the best, with so much flexibility and build variety. Personally, I prefer X-2’s combat system more, but, well, this Remaster includes both titles, so it’s a win for everyone jumping into them.
Ultimately, if you’re new to the whole Final Fantasy series, this will be an excellent entry point, especially if you only have your Nintendo Switch 2 to play. The remaster does so many things to make it feel like the ultimate way to play both games, but I’ll dive into those features in a bit.
Better Yet Familiar Visuals
Ultimately, if you’re new to the whole Final Fantasy series, this will be an excellent entry point, especially if you only have your Nintendo Switch 2 to play. The remaster does so many things to make it feel like the ultimate way to play both games, but I’ll dive into those features in a bit.
While Final Fantasy X/X-2 has been talking about improved visuals, at least from what I’ve seen, they don’t reach 4K in this remaster. Now, I know Square Enix never confirmed 4K at all, but it was a bit disappointing to see that there wasn’t a huge resolution bump, especially in docked mode. Still, the visuals look fantastic, and the framerate is superb, so those should be a plus, at least for those purchasing this version.
In terms of additions, it has everything you can expect from most remasters we’ve seen: the arranged soundtrack, many QoL features, such as the ability to speed the game up, reduce random encounters, and even some cheats to give your party all the gil they’ll need. These additions are extremely welcome, as they make this remaster feel like the most modern we’ve had in a while. Furthermore, it was nice to see the option to activate quick heal with the touch screen, similar to the PS Vita version.
A Great Remaster, Especially for New Players
While I’m a huge fan of Final Fantasy X/X-2, and this remaster feels like the full package due to all the features it brings, I feel it caters more toward a new audience rather than existing fans, and even so, the cost is quite steep. This version is coming out with a $49.99 price tag, which I feel is pretty high, especially since it just throws in a few features from other remasters. Even if I do enjoy the QoL additions and the visuals, I don’t think the price is justified.
Lastly, another shocking thing, which is a missed opportunity, at least for now: no upgrade path for the Switch version. This is quite shocking, as some other Square Enix titles that have released on the Switch 2 have already announced upgrade paths, yet this one hasn’t. So, all in all, if this is your first time playing Final Fantasy X/X-2 and you don’t mind the price, I do think it’s an excellent purchase, especially due to how well the game has aged and has now improved with the new features. But if you’re a veteran fan, I think it is better to stick to the other remaster versions you have played.
Review copy provided by the publisher.
