While the setting of the original Final Fantasy X was decidedly somber, in Final Fantasy X-2, the main characters were fitted with a jovial Charlie's Angels-like motif. Aesthetically, the world of Spira is essentially unchanged in the two years since Final Fantasy X. Most areas are from the original return (exceptions being the Omega Ruins and Baaj Temple), with few new locations. The only significant changes include the reconstruction of the village of Kilika and the clearing of the mist atop Mt. Gagazet, revealing forgotten ruins. Additionally, the Palace of St. Bevelle is now accessible throughout the game, rather than only during mandatory storyline sequences. However, even with Sin gone, fiends are no less populous than before.
Despite cosmetic changes, there are major differences in the ideology of Spira's people. After Sin's defeat came the arrival of an era known as "the Eternal Calm". The priests of the Yevon religionchose to expose the truth about the order,[13] leaving the population to decide for themselves how to live in a world without that particular religion, and without Sin. Advanced technology and the Al Bhed are now embraced by the population as a whole, and most have begun to pursue leisures such as attending musical concerts and participating in the sport of blitzball. Others have become hunters of ancient treasures, ranging from coins and machinery long buried under the sands on Bikanel Island to spheres in forgotten caves and ruins. Those who pursue the latter are known as "sphere hunters", of which many groups have formed.
