Random Game O' the Day: Final Fantasy IX

[digitalpress]

Day 5.

Ah, the FINAL of the FINAL FANTASY series on the PlayStation. The one that came after the oft-criticized VIII and before the "next-gen" X on PS2. A "tweener", if you will. Let's not let it slip through the cracks. What did you think of IX? Has it stood the test of time? Where does it stand compared to others in the series? How did you like the combat system? The storyline? Write your mini-review here.

DP Guide sez:

Final Fantasy IX (PlayStation, by Square) $11/R1 +
Developed by Squaresoft. A 4-CD set. Also available in the "Greatest Hits" packaging. Released 11/14/00.

[chocobokick]

I loved 9, and I don't understand why so many people hated it. It was fun, reminded me of 2 (my favorite) and I found some of the cut scenes very poignant.

[GENESISNES]

I borrowed this game from a friend of a friend, and i loved it. I felt sad when i had to give it back. It was just another very fun game in the FF series. My friend nick was actully playing this today. I think its FMV's are actully VERY nice by the standards of when it came out. I also cant see why this game was disliked by some.

[klimatron8]

This was a great game/great story! I loved the return to "fantasy". Definitely my favorite on the playstation.

[DDCecil]

It was great, and I think it is the best of the PSX FFs.

[kainemaxwell]

Ah, finally! Final Fantasy 9 is still one my top fav FF titles. I started playing 9 from a friend after playing 8 for so long and I loved it immeditely- the sd characters, the return to familiar elements like chocobos and moogles and black mages and I loved the style of it.

it so reminded me of the old school FF games like 4 and 6 also- building skills between your characters and magic, and I loved learning new things faster at times from equipped items then crystals and vice-versa.

[CrazyImpmon]

FF9 is still one of the better FF game for PSX IMHO

[Kid Fenris]

I dug it.

Hmm. Perhaps I should elaborate.

Some say that Final Fantasy IX was Square's love-letter to itself, an egotistical celebration of the cliches that characterize the middle stretch of the Final Fantasy franchise. And you know what? They're partly right. Yet by taking root in the contrivances of its 16-bit predecessors, FFIX reminds us why those games are among the most beloved of their age.

Brimming with personality and visual splendor, FFIX is charming, fairy-tale storytelling at its best, complete with an excellent battle system that builds on the old-school habit of giving each character a unique attack. Like most Final Fantasies, it rushes a bit towards the end, but it remains a superb RPG, and a fine tribute to an era of RPGs that may have ceased too soon.

As you can tell, I could rant for pages about this one, and that's always the mark of a good game. Or a devoted geek, whichever.