One of the games that defined the early PlayStation 2 years was Final Fantasy 10, which marked several firsts for the series. Having released some 14 months after Sony's console was first on sale, it happened to be one of the first and most widely available JRPGs on the console. The Final Fantasy series has never had two well-crafted protagonsits that bounced off of each other like Tidus and Yuna did.
Final Fantasy 10 managed to excel in a year with many other beloved titles that are also considered masterpieces, such as Silent Hill 2, Halo: Combat Evolved, Grand Theft Auto III, Super Smash Bros. Melee, and Metal Gear Solid 2, among many more. The game was officially released in North America on December 17, 2001, six months after its initial Japanese release, and put players in control of Tidus as they travelled through the land of Spira. Even though the game's very first line is him breaking the fourth wall and asking the player to "listen to [his] story" — It is not really his story to begin with.
Tidus and Yuna Carried Final Fantasy 10's Story
In Final Fantasy 10, players control Tidus, a blitzball player (an underwater soccer meets rugby hybrid) who jumps through a portal and ends up in a land that's different but familiar in every sense. In trying to find a way back home, Tidus meets with Yuna, a young summoner on a pilgrimage to invoke the Final Aeon which she plans to use to defeat a monster called Sin. This is a mix between Godzilla and a monster whale, and huge threat to the land causing floods, destroying villages and trampling on everyone's lives.
Luckily, Yuna does not have to go through her ordeal alone as Wakka, Lulu, Kimahri, Rikku, Auron and eventually Tidus all join her as her guardians. It is through them that players get to experience this vast world and story as they trudge through the debris and ruins of what must have once been a beautiful world, now taken back by nature. It is Yuna's journey that moves the plot forward, and Tidus serves as a viewpoint for the player.
Yuna has an incredible story throughout Final Fantasy 10: She is the daughter of Braska, a summoner who had invoked the final Aeon and defeated the previous Sin in exchange for his life. Yuna herself wants to be a hero like her father and bring in the Calm, a period of a few years where Sin doesn't exist, even though the monster always and inevitably comes back.
Tidus might be narrating what happens, but Yuna makes every important decission in the game, going from a naive and sad little girl to a determined warrior aware of the true nature of the monsters she faces. This is not only Sin itself, but the faith that lied to her throughout her life, and would have made her sacrifice herself for "the greater good" without asking any questions.
On their pilgrimage to Zanarkand, the land where Tidus hails from and where they will find the Final Aeon, players will see island villages, mountains, cities, and a fabulous mix of science fiction and fantasy. These places combine the Final Fantasy DNA with enough of a unique aesthetic to be both familiar and unexpected, impressive at every turn. Furthermore, the world is inhabited with characters that do not get to lead normal lives because of Sin.
There is a certain sadness that pervades every conversation: These people know death and loss, which added to the masterful pieces by Nobuo Uematsu, with music rounding up an experience that is contemplative and moody, but manages to find hope in the most unexpected places. This is quite an achievement for a 2001 video game, a medium that is famously lacking when it comes to being subtle, and although the game is still very Square Enix and quirky, it is mostly great.
Final Fantasy 10: Technical Enhancements Added Nuance
Final Fantasy 10 was the first game in the series to be released on the PlayStation 2, and this allowed many new possibilities. For example, the game had fully voiced lines, spoken dialog, and sound not only in battles but also in cutscenes, which was huge as the Final Fantasy series has always been plot-heavy when compared to other games.
Besides this, gamers saw three dimensional backgrounds for the first time in Final Fantasy 10, instead of the fixed backgrounds of the PS1 era. What's more, the soundtrack was fully recorded instead of encoded in the game, and the characters were motion-captured to allow for more realistic movement. What this meant was that previous attempts at a love story, such as the relationship between Squall and Rinoa or Zidane and Dagger ended up looking primitive. With the games now having actual lines of dialog played by professional actors added more nuance to the blossoming relationship which formed a key aspect of the narrative.
Yuna and Tidus' relationship in Final Fantasy 10 forms a core part of the story, but this is not just about the love they might have for each other. The early game might be all about Tidus trying to understand Yuna's feelings, but once he knows what is at stake, only then he becomes a vehicle for change himself.
No longer willing to depend on Yuna's summons to slay bosses and enemies after knowing what that power has costed her and everyone, the "star player" of the Zanarkand Abes realizes this quest also involves him because their lands are one and the same. It is Tidus who takes the decision to fight whatever powers stand in their way in order to not only bring a Calm that lasts forever, but for their friends and Yuna's sake too.
The Importance of Final Fantasy 10's Legacy
Although 20 years have passed since the initial release of Final Fantasy 10, the series is still feeling the ripples of what it did. Both Tidus and Yuna are some of the series most beloved characters, and along with the likes of Cloud or Squall, they are instantly recognizable. This was also the first Final Fantasy game ever to have a direct sequel in the form of the not so well received Final Fantasy 10-2, and the characters have gone on to appear in multiple spin-offs such as World of Final Fantasy, the Dissidia series or Theatrythm.
Final Fantasy 10 has been re-released many times and has stood the test of time, even if it hasn't aged well in some areas. Right now, most Final Fantasy players are either busy playing FF14: Endwalker, waiting for Final Fantasy 16, or playing Final Fantasy 7 Remake on PC, but with the anniversary in mind, it might be a good idea to revisit this classic and why Tidus and Yuna's journey were so special.
Final Fantasy 10 is available now on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.