With regards to FFIX and FFX...
I found that FFIX had a storyline that enthralled me... quite emotional and I got quite attached to the characters, and Freya's theme playing while the rain is falling on that ruined Kingdom is just such a poignant scene. But the game itself bored me to tears, to the point where I didn't finish it. I hear by hearsay alone that the ending to it sucks, which is dissapointing, but ah well.
I found that FFX's storyline wasn't as good. Oh, it was interesting enough, but it didn't suck me in (YMMV). Seven and six both had better stories, of course. HOWEVER, the actual GAME part of FFX drew me in. I actually find the combat INTERESTING, which is something I can't say for any of the other Final Fantasy games (Chrono Cross is the only other RPG where I enjoy the combat). It's all about meaningful choices in combat, and FFX delivers there.
Right now, I'm playing FFX a second time, this time doing the "No Sphere Grid" game, which is the equivelent of playing any of the other FF games without ever leveling up (in FFX, you have the option whether you want to level or not). The battle system is such that even with this limitation, the game is beatable, even playable. And when the monster really are that much more powerful than you, the danger of situations takes on whole new meaning. I mean, on my first play through, encounters offered no fear. Heck, in ANY rpg, encounters offer no fear. And now they do.
I ramble though.
Oh, and WRT Yonks? I don't know about Oz, but Discworld occasionally makes use of the term.