Why I’m Playing FFX HD, And Next-Gen Games are Gathering Dust

Games like Titanfall and inFamous: Second Son are quite clearly more advanced in just about every conceivable way. I get that.

I’m not saying such games aren’t great because really, they are.  Technically speaking, comparing the Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster to the likes of true next-gen consoles is just plain silly.

And yet, when you really sit down to examine the game in question, you start to realize that Square Enix’s 13-year-old achievements actually stand up well over time. From a personal standpoint, it was sort of shocking to realize that despite my love of the latest and greatest, I’m still sitting here, playing FFX HD, while my next-gen titles gather dust.

Why is this happening?

Time passes SO fast when playing

You know, over the years, there are only a handful of games that make time pass in a certain way.  Sure, I’ll occasionally lose track of time, but that’s normal. I’m talking about the phenomenon that makes time almost cease to exist, and when you look at the clock after playing for any length of time, you’re always shocked. You just can’t believe that three hours has passed because it feels like you just picked up the controller. Furthermore, when playing, you never have any desire to stop.

Ironically, FFX/X-2 HD launched in March alongside two of the most anticipated next-gen games: Titanfall and inFamous: Second Son. And yet, the phenomenon of which I speak didn’t happen when playing the previously named PS4/Xbox One games. Nope, it only seems to happen with FFX HD. Even if I allocate only one hour of time to play, it invariably turns into a much longer gaming session.

But what’s causing that?

Immersion in gameplay AND story

Obviously, many games today have both great gameplay and a great story. However, it’s somehow different with old RPGs like FFX and X-2. There’s something more involving; it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly, but it has something to do with the pacing and style. For instance, while “grinding” is a negative term to many, I always found the process of making my characters stronger strangely intoxicating. It never felt tedious in these games, possibly because the battles were always entertaining.

I’ve determined that it’s because I need mental stimulation in order to feel fully absorbed in a virtual adventure. These days, if my brain isn’t working, I just get bored. Running around and killing things – and let’s face it, despite the difference in mechanics and styles, that’s really what you’re doing in both Titanfall and inFamous: Second Son – gets old after a while. I never realized just how starved for mental stimulation I’d been until I sat down to play FFX after 13 long years.

I’m not saying the story is brilliant or the gameplay system is more complex than other systems we have today. I am saying that the combined package is more immersive and involving than just about any current game on store shelves.

An epic adventure never goes out of style

I’ve noticed that most games with a linear, cohesive storyline are shorter, action-based titles like Uncharted. Some take the more dramatic route, like Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls. Again, all great stuff. But in the world of RPGs, just about all of them seem more open and free-roaming, which in many ways puts a storyline on the back burner. There are many who will call old RPGs like FFX “story-driven RPGs” rather than JRPGs, just because that’s the biggest difference between FFX and other RPGs (even back then).

JRPGs always were more story-driven and in fact, many still are. However, the stories appear amateurish by today’s standards; the Japanese just haven’t advanced far enough in terms of storytelling in JRPGs. That’s a fact. It’s also true that the plot in FFX is a little convoluted and definitely has plenty of amateurish problems.

It’s still an epic, linear adventure, though. It keeps us interested in what’s happening, rather than letting us run around in circles for fifty hours, letting us do whatever we want.

There was always a place for games like this

The industry decided to kill off this style of gameplay. Gamers, specifically the fans, never approved. It’s not like FFX, X-2, or XII sold badly; in fact, they sold quite well. The bottom line is that despite what Square Enix or any other publisher might think, there are still millions of gamers who never wanted turn-based to disappear. Some teams are starting to figure this out, though. Take Ubisoft and the upcoming Child of Light, for instance.

That’s why, despite all the “new” stuff that’s out, I prefer to play something that somehow feels unique. It feels that way, I think, because you haven’t been able to find it for many years. And that’s just unfortunate.