FFX2 just looks too wrong to play.
No matter how good it might be.
I don't even think it's unabashedly good. FFX-2 is a very divisive game, and it's not just the uh... girl power aspect that turns people off. It's also a ridiculous guide-dang-it game where if you aren't following a guide from start to finish, you'll never see the best ending all because of one stupid thing you forgot in a ten second window at some point. The story is awful, the characters are annoying, the maps are mostly recycled from FFX, and although the battles are pretty cool, I still find the job system in the game worse than FF5's take on it.
To enjoy FFX-2, you pretty much have to like (or tolerate) the following:
- Job systems
- More side questing than main questing
- Stuff you can permanently miss
- Sailor Moon transformation sequences
- Camp so campy even Paul Lynde would pause before starring in it
- Pre-moe definition of weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaabooooo shit a-plenty
It was pretty much a game designed for Himuro.
Eh. Some inaccuracies and lack of info in this post.
"best ending" isn't true. The best ending is the bad neutral ending. You're trying to get the "perfect" ending, but it's definitely the worst ending. Just youtube it and avoid trying to get endings and just enjoy it. I also never used a guide for X-2. I have the guide for it, but never used it. The games is made for replaying, so the missing stuff isn't too much of a big deal, and replays are much faster.
The maps are recycled from FFX, but you see a whole new spin on it. You get to go to Bevelle and Kilika! Also there's a shit ton of new areas. Like, for instance, you go to old areas, but you see new areas of them you never did in FFX. Mount Gagazet, for instance, is NOT the same Mount Gagazet in FFX. At Mushroom Rock, due to the jump ability, there's an entire dungeon that was completely hidden in X that you go to. About every area has something like this and X-2 is a true sequel in this regard. The desert, and all those areas not expounded upon in X are fully fleshed out. More than that, while the areas are reused, you get to see them in any order because of the games non-linear format and structure, and each new chapter brings new things to each new area.
The story isn't actually as bad as people say it is. If you're a fan of FFX's world, X-2 has a lot to offer. It essentially is a take on how nobody tells the story of what happens when you DO save the world: Spira is split into multiple factions (which you get to join, so again, replayability), people are shitting on Yuna's personal journey and her own memories of Tidus for profit, everyone wants something and they have some points. I find it a pretty interesting take on a type of story that is rarely told, especially in games. More than that, I love to see Yuna's new found freedom and urge to express herself. Being religiously repressed for so long, with the intent to sacrifice herself for Spira, meant she couldn't enjoy a full life. It's fun seeing her trying to mimic Rikku, and try to see the world in a whole new way. I find the game to be a perfect companion piece to X. Of course, this requires that you ACTUALLY ENJOY X'S STORY AND WORLD TO BEGIN WITH.
The characters are hilarious. I don't care what anyone says. The character interaction is even better. It's nice and campy and you'll get a laugh out of it if you don't take it too seriously.
FFX-2's take on the job system is utterly addictive. You pick a job and you see WHOLE LIST OF ABILITIES that you DO NOT have.

How dare they?

So you want to get them all!

And it's fun filling those bars up. It's not as balanced as V, or even III (which isn't well balanced). But it's fun as hell and involving due the sheer amount of skills and abilities and ways to customize your party.
What can I do for youuuuuu?