Two heads are better than one. I always thought that statement would depend on the heads, but hey, who am I to question conventional wisdom. Well, after completing Final Fantasy 10, we decided to give some joint opinions and perspectives on the game. Spoilers will be kept to a minimum, and bloodshed is strictly forbidden.

The Main Characters:

Main Character:
Dawn: Pretty much a pretty boy with a sword. He's the typical adolescent who is trying to live up to his old man's image. What I found interesting was the detail which went into creating this character.

Scott: Annoying main character. At times I wanted to slap him, at times I wanted him to die. Luckily, the rest of the party and the story made up for it. He is pretty tough in battle, second only behind Yuna in overall power.

Auron:
Dawn: ROCKS!!!!!! I found Auron's stoic character to be one of the most underplayed in the game, yet potentially more powerful than the main character.

Scott: The most complex character to figure out in the game, he is pretty potent with his sword. Outside of slashing and breaking down defenses though, not all that useful. In order to avoid major spoilers, I will not repeat my nickname for him. :)

Yuna:
Dawn: Thought she was worthless at first…turns out she is pretty powerful…but then when is a summoner not? Her attitude was typical Asian for a female, yet her strength quietly showed through. Very well thought out and definitely intriguing to see exactly what you wanted to do with this character.

Scott: Easily the most powerful character in the game. By the end of the game, she could solo any encounter in the game. A potent healer, mage and summoner, what more can you actually ask for.

Lulu:
Dawn: I love mean mages. Lulu's personality reminded me of the big sister she was…with a nasty streak when in battle. Often times her cynical nature kept you on track for what you needed to do.

Scott: My personal favorite. Not only is she hot with spells, but after winning a battle, she bends over and shows cleavage. What man wouldn't love Lulu.

Rikku:
Dawn: Feisty, feisty, feisty! But her potential for mixing potions was infinite. Definitely a required character!

Scott: Another female hottie who I underused in the game. Her spirit always kept the game lively though.

Wakka:
Dawn: Felt sorry for Wakka. He was comic relief more than a character. I mean really..a football (blitzball) for a weapon? Poor guy!

Scott: Mostly worthless, especially if you do not like the blitzball game. He is the third best fighter out of the party, but there is never really any reason to have more than 2 in at any give moment. He played the party idiot roll.

Kimahri:
Dawn: It seems he was added just to round out the party. Actually, both he and Wakka could have died and we still would have won the game.

Scott: He had a good position on the skill grid, so he could have been made into any type of character you needed to balance out the party. I personally doubled him up with a few key powers in case one of the star players became injured. His horn story is stupid.

The Combat System:
Dawn: The turn based playing had been refined to actually allow the main characters to miss as well as the monsters to block. Depending on what you did on the sphere grid for each character, you either created a cohesive team who flawlessy won battle after battle, or a few good men who, if killed, game over. I do have one major complaint…you call the final two boss fights BOSS FIGHTS? Come on! After all we went through to end it so easily was almost…well pathetic.

Scott: The turn based combat works well in the game, allowing you to rotate characters in and out depending on what you need for a fight. The end was a letdown as far as monster toughness though, I don't think the party took a single hit in the last 4 combats.

The Storyline:
Dawn: I admit it. I cried. 'Nough said? Basically a lot of thought went into the story line. As usual the theme was detailed, and the side quests dovetailed nicely into the main plot.

Scott: One of the best stories ever in an RPG. I would put it behind a couple of the Ultima games, Planescape and Final Fantasy 8. The presentation, however, was unsurpassed. I know a lot of people complain that the story is linear, well, its linear for 30 hours. Every good book is linear. I do not know what their point is. After the first 30 hours, you can go back and do sidequests, and they actually advance the story. If you play straight through, you will miss a lot of points in the game. I was very impressed that there were still cutscenes when you got off the main tract.

The Graphics:
Dawn: Extremely well done. The characters, creatures, overlaying background, all carefully detailed and flawlessy executed. Movement smooth. Interaction spectacular. It was more a virtual experience than really game play.

Scott: Some of the most awesome cutscenes ever put into a game. Along with Metal Gear Solid 2, the animators are top notch.

Overall:
Dawn: A definite buyer, keeper, and play several times over. This game could actually become a hobby. Just build a better boss man!

Scott: There is so much to this game, it is impossible to cover it in any review. The stat system works great, the story is good and the combat is pretty fun. It will keep you involved beginning to end. It is the best RPG on the Playstation 2, and probably will be for some time.

Final Grade: A