I think that FF X-2s bubblegum pop scenario might be a little *too* on the nose at parts, which makes it really easy to miss out on what exactly is happening in the game. This also makes it an extremely unique entry in the franchise and somehow is still overlooked.

Yeah, the way it handles dystopian tropes and societal decay is just so different from how often it’s handled in other fiction, especially RPGs. I wouldn’t mind Square returning to this concept with another game.