Final Fantasy X (PlayStation 2)

By JON MINIFIE

(Herald rating: * * * * )

If you've never played any of the Final Fantasy titles before, they tend to follow a similar pattern. A spiky-haired hero meets a wide-eyed beauty and they become the key to the survival of a doomed planet.

In each and every Final Fantasy game the opening movie is an epic affair and Final Fantasy X is no exception. This 10-minute film introduces us to young sports star Tidus during his first bizarre encounter with the entity known as Sin Ñ a mysterious and deadly force that levels his home city of Zanarkand with a spectacular series of tsunamis.

The graphics are more impressive than ever on the PS2, both in game and during these film-like sequences.

Playing a Final Fantasy title through to the end is like going on a long journey. Thankfully this time there are fewer random battles to fight, which makes exploration less tedious. And if you get lost, a tiny map helps you home in on your destination and prevents roaming.

Final Fantasy titles always offer a huge, twisting storyline but in the past players have had to read through endless pages of text. Now a collective of voice actors tells the story, which takes longer, but ultimately adds to the overall cinematic atmosphere of the game.

Although still turn-based, the battle system has been revamped. When a fight arises, you'll have three from your party to begin but at any given time each combatant can be swapped for a fully rested character.

The gods, or aeons, that can be summoned up during a battle are impressive with extraordinarily elaborate attacks that resemble a cut from a Manga film more than a single attack.

With such a lengthy and involved storyline Square, the designer, has thrown in several mini-games and other distractions. Whether it is a game of Blitzball (a difficult underwater hybrid of soccer and basketball), a puzzle to solve or another monster-killing quest, one thing is for sure: there are hours of enthralling gameplay.

This is the first time the series has appeared on a next generation console so anticipation levels are high. The news is good for both dedicated fans of the series and RPG newcomers who are looking for a story and some longevity in a console title: Final Fantasy X is the best game of the series so far.

* $119.95

* jon@tenthplanet.co.nz