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If anyone can find this scene bigger, in English, or both, please tell me. Because I love this scene. And I don't wanna delete my 250+ hours of DQIX to see it on my own DS again! crying

It's this scene that made me ecstatic about DQIX in the first place, as opposed to just waiting for it to come out. I hardly ever get hyped nowadays, so this scene really touched me. I almost cried when I saw it on my own DS. Just simple, pure, artistic beauty, that scene.

The music is perfectly synchronized with the images. It tells a story with few words, if any, as the subtitles were not needed for me to know what was going on when I first found this in Japanese. I just knew that I was a customizable angel, and it was me that had fallen. The framing and pacing of the beginning was stellar. The music itself transitions perfectly from worry to wonder within a few seconds. As well as from the heavens above to the mortal world below. The images are so simple, yet so well-made. My favorite part is at the end, when you splash into the water, accompanied by a musical swell. And then you see the feathers floating down and... GAME! All of this combined makes this scene a real treat for me whenever I watch it.

Now tell me, does anyone else feel this way? You don't have to be nearly as much of an artistic loon as me to appreciate it.

I'm glad you like it! It sets one hell of a scene for DQIX, huh? The intro itself is also fully animated, as is another, more spoiler-y scene later in the game.

But in my opinion, none of them hold a candle to this. Just... masterfully done.

I'm just a huge nerd, huh?

I'm biased against FF, I know. And especially X, since it's a blot on my childhood. But that scene is pretty, no doubt about it. But it's just the two of them smooching underwater. My favorite moment in FFX is definitely the Sending in Kilika, no contest. No words, no whining, no fake stupid philosophy, no lessons shoved up my butt... just atmosphere, music, and subtlety. You don't know what a sending is, exactly, but the images, atmosphere, and music are enough to tell you what it is on their own.

If only the rest of the game could be like that.... sigh....

Gameplay is always, always most important. Because before you can make things pretty, you need a game to play. But if the gameplay is solid, more can be done. And there is a difference between artful beauty and beauty for the sake of beauty. That scene from DQIX touched me, and continues to do so, not just because it is pretty, but because of how it was put together and executed as a whole.

I don't wanna turn this into DQ vs FF (That's for another thread, believe me), I just wanted to talk about artful cutscenes. I know that not everyone is as huge a sucker for atmosphere or as critical of art and execution of ideas as I am, but it was worth a shot.