20 PS2 Games That Still Hold Up

5. Final Fantasy X

Final Fantasy VII is considered one of the celebrated video games ever, which is astounding considering the limitations of the PSOne. 

So, when the PS2 was announced, Final Fantasy advocates were curious to see how far Square could take the franchise. Considering Final Fantasy X boasted superior graphics, a vastly bigger world, and full voice acting, the hype was unbelievable.

Even though it was daunting for FFX to live up to expectations, it fully delivered. The battle system refined traditional turn-based combat, letting players see the turn order and plan strategically, which gave fights an extra layer of depth. 

Rather than having a straightforward levelling up system, FFX introduced the Sphere Grid, offering a highly customisable way to develop party members. These mechanics encouraged careful planning while allowing creativity in manufacturing an unstoppable team.

Though the soundtrack and presentation are magnificent, it's the deeply personal narrative that defines Final Fantasy X. Despite centring around the usual world-ending disaster, the personal stake that each party member has in the plot makes every story beat extra compelling, uplifting, or tragic.

There have been many instalments since but few if any have surpassed Final Fantasy X's quality, or even matched it.