We wake up and prepare for our journey. We meet up with everyone else outside the lodge, who's waiting for Yuna. She comes out of the temple with far no much luggage. Wakka convinces her that this isn't a vacation, so she leaves the gifts there.
The party makes its way to the docks, and we get introduced to everyone's specialties. They emphasize that Tidus is good against agile monsters, like wolves, and Wakka should focus on flying mobs. Our new character, Lulu, is the team's black mage. She's the only real way to damage flans and elementals. The whole trek to the beach thoroughly drills these strengths and weaknesses into the player's head. We later use Yuna, not as a white mage, but for her summoning ability. There's a Zuu with nearly 2000 HP along the road that Valefor is best used for. It also introduces us to the best part of FFX's battle system: the ability to swap people out on the fly. If one of your characters doesn't work, just bring in someone else. FFX's battle system is the best in the series, full stop!
At the summit above the town, Yuna takes a lengthy gaze back to Besaid. Tidus is a hasty guy and wants to get going, but Wakka gives her time. Everyone but him seems solemn. Shortly after that, the silent blue beastman attacks Tidus. It's a one-on-one brawl that isn't exceptionally strong. After it, Lulu says that's Kimarhi, a ronso. He's protected Yuna since she was little. Yuna says they don't understand him often either. It's an uneventful trip to the beach, where the team is seen off by most of Besaid Village.
On the boat, Tidus harasses a man and steals his binoculars. He used them to look at an island before using them to stare at Lulu's ample chest. He sees Yuna in the background and "returns" them to the guy. Lulu wants nothing to do with him, so he talks to Wakka. Wakka tells him of the itinerary of the trip. First to Killika, for the temple. Yuna needs to pray, as does Wakka. One prays for an aeon, while the other prays for Blitzball. After that, it's onward to Luca. Lulu finds this plan dumb. When Tidus tries to talk to Yuna, there's a crowd near her, but he overhears how she's the daughter of someone famous. He asks Wakka about it, and he says she's the daughter of Lord Braska, the last guy to defeat Sin. Tidus feels a kindred spirit since he's the offspring of someone famous, too. If you go downstairs now, you'll meet O'aka XXIII, but I didn't do this. You'll see him around soon, regardless. We also meet the first Chocobo, which I wish I had done.
After speaking to Wakka, we can talk to Yuna. They have a talk about the wind before laughing at something I didn't understand. Eventually, Yuna asks questions about Zanarkand. Wakka told her, and while he doesn't believe Tidus' story, Yuna does. She thinks it's true because one of her father's guardians said he was from there. That guardian was named Jecht. Tidus gets annoyed at this and doesn't think they're the same person. Yuna believes it's a blessing of Yevon since the timelines check out. Before they start thinking more about it, the ship is attacked.
Sin.
Two deckhands shoot Sin with the harpoons, hoping to steer him clear of Killika even if it costs the boat. In response, Sin sends Sinscale at us. The battle has us against an endless supply of Sinscale while Sin's Fin (not the Irish terrorist organization) swims in the distance. It shows how large the battlefields have become on the PS2 and how dynamic the camera can be. It's really more of a technical marvel than a battle. Defeat two spawn and focus on Sin. Only ranged attacks can affect him, so Bring in Wakka to attack, Lulu to cast magic, and Kimarhi can use Lancet. After the fight, Sin will show his tail fin and use it to splash more water onto the boat. This knocks Tidus into the sea, and Wakka goes after him. Yuna thinks about going, but Kimahari, wisely, stops her. Down here, Wakka throws the unconscious Tidus a potion. Apparently, potions don't need to be ingested but work in an aromatic fashion, even underwater. A Sinspawn is waiting.
Echuilles is the first hard fight in the game. It's only Wakka and Tidus, neither of which can heal. Echuilles, though, has an endless supply of Sinscale at his disposal, and he uses them as torpedoes against us. I tried to ignore the small fries, but they began to overwhelm me. They die in one hit, so if you want to take them out, you can. It also has a move called Drain Touch, which is self explanatory. Wakka can make it blind for three turns, but it gets a new attack if you use it twice: Blender. Blender is a teamwide attack that does a lot of damage. The only strategy is to attack, relentlessly, until it dies. We're too early in the game to do anything else. Use Tidus' Cheer a few times. Each scale gives EXP, so there are a few reasons why you should take them out. I ended up using two Hi-potions, so there's my bar.
After the fight, one of the more terrifying cutscenes takes place. In a beachside village just off the coast, we two kids playing and a young mother with her new baby. In the distance, though, is a wave growing larger and larger. The wave smashes into town, destroying everything in its path. If the waves didn't get them, the winds did. Highwinds blow through the village, ripping up homes, docks, and even pulling people into the air to float above Sin like a demonic halo. People try to hold on to something sturdy, they try to run, but none can escape.
Tidus wakes up in Yuna's lap, wishing that this attack would have worked in reverse and sent him home. It didn't, and Tidus accepts he's stuck here. Yuna promises to defeat Sin with as much dedication as she musters all game. It's twilight as the boat reaches what remains of Killika. Yuna runs off to ask if there are any other summoners around. Something called The Sending is brought up. Later, when Tidus asks Lulu what that is, she says it's how the living prevent the dead from becoming fiends. The dead hang on to negative emotions, including jealousy of the living, and become the monsters we fight. The Sending appeases those spirits and lets them go to the Farplane to rest. The Aurochs get off the boat and start helping the clean-up while everyone goes to The Sending.
This is one of the most beautiful scenes in Final Fantasy. Yuna dances on the waters while glowing spirits surround her. The low sun is setting in the background while Yuna performs the choreographed moves. It's stunning until you see the survivors of the attack weep on the docks behind her. The Sending is only done when people die. Then you agree with Tidus that it's horrifying. When she's finished, Yuna asks Lulu how she did, and Lulu tells her not to cry next time. This is scary for two reasons... Yuna will keep doing this "until the end."
In the morning, we can explore the town. Others are too busy mourning to do anything, some are suffering from Sin's Toxin, and more are trying their best to rebuild. There are even a few still manning their shops. One of the Aurochs tells Tidus that Wakka's waiting for him. Find him, and we'll start the journey to the temple. Wakka will teach us about Lord Ohalland, one of the High Summoners, who was from here and was a Blitzball player. Tidus asks if Blitzball should be played at a time like this, but Wakka says it's needed now more than ever to get people's minds off the disaster. As they reach the jungle, after Tidus saved a little girl, we see Yuna and Lulu. Yuna wanted Tidus by her side and asks if he wants to be a guardian. Wakka doesn't let him answer, so it's a topic we'll come back to later. Make your way through the forest, either via the side routes or through Lord Ochu blocking the path. Lulu's Fire magic and Valefor can get through this. It's easier to do later, though. Luzzu and Gotta will give you an Elixir for winning.
We reach the famed steps of the temple, where Lord Ohalland trained. The Blitzball players want to race up them, and Yuna does the countdown. ...kinda. She ends up joining the race when she jumps her own gun. The Blitzers start their climb, and Tidus is an idiot, so he starts last. The race doesn't end as we find more Sinspawn at the top.
Geneaux is an easy fight. Defeat its fragile tentacles, or else they'll absorb magic and counter. After that, have Wakka hit it with Silence and use more fire magic. Antidotes may be important to cure the poison, but I didn't use any. Wakka will say how good Tidus might be as a guardian one day, and the boy begins considering Yuna's offer as they restart the climb. Along the way, Wakka starts believing that Tidus is from Zanarkand. Lulu yells at him for coming up with his theory about his brother being alive. She ends her tirade by saying no one can replace anyone else: Chappu, Jecht, or Braska. At the temple, we'll run into the Luca Goers, our archrivals in Blitzball. They'll insult us, and Tidus will compare them to Jecht. Yuna gets upset, saying how Jecht was a kind person. In the temple, we'll meet Dona and her husband, Donathello. Dona is another summoner, but a little bit mean. The group will head into the Cloister, but Kimahri kicks Tidus out, seeing as he's not a guardian. Dona and Don will come in, though, and throw him onto the elevator. We'll do the Cloister ourselves, and everyone gets mad when we reach the Fayth. Wakka explains what the fayth is: people who were turned into statues to fight Sin. Yuna comes out, and we gain Ifrit as a new aeon. We walk back down to the town and prepare to head to Luca.
But I'll do that tomorrow.
The Sending genuinely elicited an emotion out of me. I didn't cry, but I thought about it. I'm glad to see the game bringing things out of me. The battle system is starting to get going, which I absolutely enjoy. Square perfected the turn-based battle system with X, so I have to ask why they dropped it going forward? Everyone has their traits, their jobs, and it works well. Even better than prior entries in the series. Why was FFX the first game to allow you to change party members? I will say, though, I don't remember disliking Lulu this much.
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