When one thinks of the RPG genre, the first name that comes to mind is Final Fantasy. In 20 years, the series went from an obscure title from a company on the brink of extinction to one of the most decorated franchises in video game history. Each iteration and spin off has introduced gamers to new worlds, characters and stories that have the ability to hook gamers time and time again. With the next game in the series, Final Fantasy XIII, quickly approaching, let's take a look back at the evolution of the series that put RPG's and Square on the map.

RPG fans had come to expect big things from Square by now. Traditionally, big improvements have been made when a Final Fantasy game makes its grand entrance onto a new console. Final Fantasy IV brought the foundation of storytelling and combat that has been seen in nearly every game since and Final Fantasy VII introduced the top-notch visuals that have become a trademark of the series. When Final Fantasy X found its way into the hands of gamers, it was one of the most beautiful games that had been seen at the time. More impressive than its visuals was its more mature story that blended themes of religion, discrimination and self-discovery into the usual save the world mold of before. However, the game played in completely new ways for the series, and while it received mixed responses at the time, the tenth game eventually had been seen as one of the best RPG’s available for the brand new Playstation 2.

After being introduced to the city of Zanarkand, players jump into the floppy shoes of Tidus, this game’s protagonist. During a game Blitzball, the top sport in the world of Spira, a giant creature accompanied by a mysterious red-cloaked man ambushes the city. Afterwards, Tidus wakes up in an alternate version of the Spira he knew, and is introduced to Yuna shortly thereafter. Yuna is a summoner and daughter of Lord Braska, one of the most famous summoners of all time. The creature that attacked the game is called Sin, and sporadically destroys cities in Spira. A summoner’s job is to embark on a pilgrimage to obtain the strength to defeat the creature, at which point Tidus becomes one of Yuna’s guardians and travels across the world in order to help obtain the strength to free Spira from Sin’s clutches.

Gamers who followed the series up to this point were in for one of the biggest changes the series had thrown at them so far. The ATB system that had been apart of the series since FFIV was scrapped for a new turn based system. A bar on the screen during battles listed character portraits in the order they would attack. Enemies would also be listed on this bar so it gave players a different way of planning out their attack strategies. Each party member was part of a specific class, but for the first time, the party could be switched out mid fight, almost working like class changes from previous games. Lastly, summons would replace the party entirely, and the player would control that character instead until they were withdrawn, defeated or victorious. While on the subject of character’s classes, leveling up directly effected how the player would customize each party member. As mentioned, each one has a set class, but for the first time since FFII, the party leveled up through a method other than traditional EXP points. Using an almost board game like mechanism called the Sphere Grid, using spheres to purchase stat boosts and abilities helped the characters progress. Obtaining special spheres allowed characters to cross over into other party member’s boards and learn their abilities, so it was possible to turn warriors into white mages if that’s what the player desires. Just be prepared to do A LOT of grinding.

Outside of battle, most players noticed that exploration was much more linear than in past games. FFX didn’t actually give players access to the world map or an airship until extremely late into the game. Before this, players had to mostly follow a straight path from point A to point B to progress in the game. While this change in progression may have left a sour taste in the mouths of some gamers, the game is a perfect example of how a linear path can tell a great story. Players become engrossed in this pilgrimage, and feels like you’re apart of the group in a way that isn’t quite felt in the previous titles. Maybe it’s because Tidus is as much a stranger to this world as the player is, or the way the inner workings of Spira are revealed slowly over time, but no matter what, it was, the story had a great way of planting the gamer into the game world.

If the unique way the story was told wasn’t enough to engross gamers, the story itself was a great way to them in. Arguably, the biggest feature in FFX was that it was the first game in the series to feature voice acting, (which also meant you couldn’t name most of your party.) Each character had a prominent role, either for their battle abilities or their back-story. Most of the party practice the religion of Yevon, which puts some of them at odds with the Al-Bhed, a group of spiral eyed humans who rely on technology, which is seen as an abomination in the eyes of this religion. The interactions between the usually happy-go-lucky Blitzball player Wakka and the Al Bhed girl Rikku show this best, as the former’s apparent intolerance for the latter’s kind surfaces. Not that it matters, since it turns out the religion’s heads are corrupt, which adds greatly to the conflict. Eventually, it’s also revealed at points in the story that Auron, the red cloaked man from the beginning, is connected to Yuna’s father in ways that couldn’t be imagined, Yuna’s pilgrimage might serve as nothing but a temporary relief, and that her ultimate fate is to die. Even Tidus has it tough, with the constant memories of being in his verbally abusive father’s shadow, and eventually learning that he himself isn’t what he seems. It’s easy to see that the group has plenty to contest, but the constant threat other than Sin is Seymour, a high ranking authority in the religion that is willing to sacrifice Spira to eventually become the next Sin. With so many twists and turns, it seems the story more than makes up for the lack of any real freedom in the actual travels.

FFX also saw the return of some of the series’ quirks. It had been a really long time since a major typo had appeared, but in a glaring oversight, a hyperactive boy proudly states that he wants to be a blitzball when he grows up. That’s weird, I thought they were usually a little more rubbery and round than a human child. Not that the game needed typos to be awkward, which is proved by the famously strange scene where Tidus and Yuna bust out in forced laughter to try to lift their spirits. It has its share of serious moments too, like watching Tidus’ father Jecht develop from a violent drunk to a noble warrior during his time as Braska’s guardian to the final reveal of Sin’s true identity. Learning that a party member would be needed to create the power to defeat Sin, but in turn would be turned into a new Sin gave the story even more gravity, all while resolving the personal issues of the main characters. Other scenes like the fondly remembered sending where Yuna sends the souls of Sin’s victims to their resting place, Tidus and Yuna’s romantic lake scene and the final moments of the story remind us why the tenth game amounted to much more than just pretty graphics and voice acting.

Final Fantasy X was a turning point for the series. Gone were many of the traditions that made the game what it was, but its top notch story telling and characters shined through like no other. Its popularity lead to the game becoming the first to receive a video game sequel with Final Fantasy X-2, and some of the most iconic moments of the game are seen as vivid representations of what the series as a whole has achieved. While this game shook up what was expected of the franchise, the next game in the series would go on to turn everything upside down.