Overview
Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster bundles two JRPGs from Square Enix: Final Fantasy X, released in 2001 on PlayStation 2, and its direct sequel Final Fantasy X-2, released in 2003 on the same console. The remaster came out in 2013 on PS3 and PS Vita before arriving on PC, where I played it.
Story and world
In Final Fantasy X you follow Tidus, a blitzball star in Zanarkand, who is thrown into the world of Spira after an attack by a gigantic creature, Sin. He then joins the summoner Yuna and her guardians on their pilgrimage. X is still a narrative gut punch: it is very linear, you move forward along a fairly fixed path, but the whole thing is carried by real momentum.
Final Fantasy X-2 takes place two years later and changes tone completely. You find Yuna again, alongside Rikku and Paine, now sphere hunters. The atmosphere is much lighter.
Gameplay
X uses a turn-based combat system where the order of actions is shown on screen and where you can swap characters mid-battle. It is of exemplary clarity. Progression goes through the Sphere Grid, a large board on which you move each character along to unlock their abilities and stats.
X-2 goes back to an active-time (ATB) combat system and is built around the dressphere system: each dressphere corresponds to a job, and you can switch between them during battles. It is a surprisingly deep system.
Verdict
Two very different games in the same package: a narratively very strong X and a lighter X-2 with a combat system richer than it looks. And the remaster does the job well.