FF X is one of my personal favorite FFs, largely because I enjoy the cast and the plot progression. It's ultra-linear, but the story makes up for it by making you feel like you're on a long journey. It's all about the places you visit and the people you meet along the way as you edge closer towards Zanarkand. Could it have been open world? Perhaps, but I don't know if I personally would have gotten the same effect if it did. I especially love how the twist halfway through recontextualizes the journey as less of a pilgrimage and more like a death march, and you can feel Tidus and Rikku's desperation as they get closer.
I also adore the battle system. The way the game keeps track of upcoming turns gives the combat an extra sense of strategy, especially during boss fights. It becomes as much a game of paying attention to who goes next as it is just surviving the onslaught.
Honestly I don't really mind Tidus all that much either. Part of it is because I like James Arnold Taylor as an actor (even if he and most of the English cast got some really shit directing) and part of it is because I think I have a higher tolerance of annoying characters than most. Frankly I was kinda surprised to see so many people outright despise him when I became more aware of the discourse surrounding the game.
