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So, I beat Final Fantasy 9 recently. That sentence alone should paint the picture it has to. As my first experience with the mainline FF games, it was absolutely knocked out of the park. I loved (nearly) every second of it, and despite all that I've played in the genre, no ending has ever impacted me so insanely hard until FF9.
Feb 21, 2019 · 8.5. Game Rating. User Ratings: 686. Our Review: Scroll Down. Add to Games Collection. Overview. Reviews. Screenshots. Guides. News. Where To Buy. Discussions. Reviews. Switch eShop. Final...
- Contributor
- Mitch Vogel
- Switch Eshop
- Once upon a time...Square relives Final Fantasies past, and it's certainly a trip worth the taking.
- Verdict
By David Smith
Updated: Apr 30, 2019 9:49 pm
Posted: Nov 23, 2000 1:00 am
Final Fantasy IX is here, and all that is old is new again. Square's developers have once again outdone themselves as far as technical execution and visual artistry, building a fantasy world that I could be content to simply stare at, remembering years past when all these things struck an internal chord for the first time and wondering how a game console could hold images this beautiful.
This installment of the series has perhaps been the most anticipated among die-hard fans of the series, signalling as it does a brief return to some of the visual designs, gameplay elements and overall spirit of the FFs we grew up on, and they won't be disappointed in the slightest. In that regard, this game combines the finest of the past and present, the fantastic themes of the classic games brought to life by the technology of the PlayStation. In terms of its gameplay and structure, Final Fantasy may be showing its age, or perhaps more precisely a lack of evolution to suit that age, but the series' trademark formula has hooked fans on three generations of consoles now, and it looks prepped and ready to conquer a fourth in short order.
Is there RPG life beyond this, though? Perhaps it's a consequence of how quickly it's followed on the heels of Final Fantasy VIII (just over a year passed between installments), but while the nostalgic appeal of Final Fantasy IX is undeniable, it's mirrored by a less pleasant sort of deja vu. How much of this is truly new, and how much of it is merely time-tested, as it were? A question to while away the hours with, I suppose. New or old, there's still only a small selection of RPGs, past and present, that can compare.
What's a little unnerving about FFIX is that, after several Final Fantasies in succession, you can start picking out the Tinkertoys. What I mean is, you can see the plot and character elements being recycled from previous games. This is obviously something I can't talk about in detail, but there are elements obviously drawn from VI, VII, and VIII all through the plot of IX, and if it hadn't been eight years since I played IV, I could probably pick out a few common threads there as well. No, wait, I take that back, nailed at least one lift from IV. It's not on the scale of something like the anime references in Xenogears, where you could fill a book-length concordance with all the familiar moments, but it's enough to make me wonder whether Square couldn't be better served siphoning off a little of the CG budget and beefing up the scenario design staff.
FFIX is uncomfortably familiar in terms of narrative structure as well as narrative content. Like the previous PlayStation FFs, and to a lesser extent the series in general, events progress in a particular way - up until the wide-open rose-smelling sections on the third disc, you move predictably from chapter to chapter of the tale and don't deviate particularly far from your path. Lengthy sections of the game up through that point are thoroughly noninteractive, too, as you tap the X button through scenes of dialogue or wander about towns looking for the particular characters and items that will push the plot forward. On a larger scale, you battle your way through part of the plot, get the ship, sail to the other continent, explore more of the plot, get the airship, encounter the pre-climactic bits, get the run of the world to build up your levels and equipment in preparation for the final battle, and then proceed to the endgame. The previous sentence could describe VII, VIII, or IX with equal precision.
Final Fantasy could go on forever re-creating its particular spin on the traditional heroic quest, and it would be a success every single time, but I can't help feeling as if something that features this kind of majestic visual craftsmanship ought to host a story built with equal care. I recognize the value which these conventions hold for both Square and the series' legions of fans, but in the words of a great philosopher, overspecialization leads to death. There's going to be a point one of these days where the formula won't necessarily work anymore. There will come a day that beauty will finally prove to go only skin deep. This is the last Final Fantasy on the PlayStation, and a brave new world of next-generation consoles awaits, in which the destination of Square's flagship series remains uncertain. What is Final Fantasy X going to be - a leap ahead like Final Fantasy VII was, or more of what we've seen on the PlayStation? What on earth will Final Fantasy XI be - if it follows its current trend, it may very well be the most amazing game that no power in the world will be able to make me play.
Eh, probably just me getting old again. The fact of the matter is that there has never been a Final Fantasy that delivered less than your money's worth of adventure - not now, and probably not ever - and I can't see any Final Fantasy fan experiencing any disappointment at the end of their experience with Final Fantasy IX. Its conclusion may not be the most original you could conceive of, but it's no less satisfying for that. Perhaps I just need to sit back, relax, and remember how I used to feel when I played these games. It was a long time ago, and I was a rather different person then, but reliving the good old days is more than half the point of FFIX.
Mar 25, 2019 · Gameplay and Performance. At the time of its original release I was convinced that Final Fantasy IX had perfected the traditional turn based battle system, and my conviction remains the same to this day. It’s simple – yet deep – and preparation is very much key before charging into an important boss fight.
Sep 30, 2023 · Final Fantasy IX Review: One of the best RPG stories, one of the worst RPG battle systems. Brighton Nelson. Sep 30, 2023 • 9 min read. Final Fantasy IX, a beloved installment in the iconic Final Fantasy series, stands as a testament to the enduring power of storytelling in video games.
Sep 27, 2017 · Reviews. Square Enix. PS4. Final Fantasy IX Review (PS4) Mist opportunity? Version Reviewed: PS4 Pro / European. Final Fantasy IX is among of the best, if not the best entry in one...
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Nov 13, 2000 · Summary The last Final Fantasy for the PlayStation, Final Fantasy IX returns to the pure fantasy roots that spawned the series. This latest installment features highly detailed characters, vehicles, and environments, and breathtaking cinema-graphics.
