Simplicity is a word you see thrown around when people write about Final Fantasy IX. They say it is the game that brings the series "back to the basics," a celebration of the past.
These statements aren't incorrect, but they undermine the game's quality and charm. For this review, I played the original PlayStation 1 version. Released in 2000, this game responds to its two predecessors. It surpasses them with a coherence they lacked.
Final Fantasy VII launched the series into 3D. It didn't mind that the game shifted from serious drama to a funny scene where the main character dressed as a female escort. This mix is one of the game's biggest charms. The development team took bold risks.
The Table of Contents
More Than Just a Basic JRPG
They introduced a confusing junction system that made it hard to use good magic. They also created a card game with strange rules that spread like a bad pandemic. Final Fantasy IX tells a captivating story. It features a relatable cast of characters. Every part of the game enhances the narrative.
A Character-Driven Story That Works
Consists of the nice guy thief Zidane and the Princess (Garnett), who begs him to kidnap her away from her kingdom and her worryingly evil mother. Warring kingdoms soon come into play, and before long, the camera pulls back even further, revealing conspiracies and unknown enemies, but these plotlines play second fiddle to the character work. The story is clear from the beginning that this is a character-driven plot first and foremost. I love that this game lets players spend time getting to know the main cast.
We get to see Vivi, the young black mage (who happens to be the most sympathetic character in the Final Fantasy series), learn hard truths while growing stronger and more confident in himself, and we see how his friendship with Steiner, the bumbling idiot knight who's honestly trying his best, empowers both of them.
Every single character, from the dramatic lone wolf Amarant to whatever the hell the giant pink Quina is supposed to be, has a moment where they expand out of the trope they were modeled from in some small way. The story remains more or less comprehensible in its final acts (with the much-cited exception of the last boss), which also helps set it apart from FF VII and FF VIII.
Gameplay That Stays Out of Your Way
Mainly stays out of the player's way. Everything works according to JRPG standards. The equipment and leveling systems are quickly and easily explained, and from there you're set free to start moving the story
forward. Want to get your healer new spells?
Sweet, just equip them with a new healing rod, and they'll start learning new moves as you engage in more battles. Having trouble in an environment with lots of zombies and ghosts? Redistribute some of your skill points to 'Undead Killer'; that should help.
If you plan on taking on some of the optional super bosses, you'll have to get more creative and start really exploring how to exploit the battle systems, but if your goal is to just see the ending, the game never throws any overly difficult obstacles in your way.
The Battle Speed Problem
The only real test subject players are subjected to is the amount of time it takes characters to act in battle. I have no idea why battles move so slowly. Even when you cast Haste on your party members, the battle system has a tendency to take its sweet time doing anything.
This problem, combined with the high enemy encounter rate, causes frustration. If all you have to do to defeat a set of weak enemies is hit 'Attack' a couple of times, it can be extremely annoying when the game insists on turning this into a two-minute affair.
Length and Pacing
The main quest (somewhere around 50 hours) can feel almost overly long to someone experiencing it for a second (or third or fourth) time, but most of this length is necessary to achieve the familiarity with the cast that is such a positive part of the story.
There are a couple of story diversions that form a midgame lull that don't really serve a purpose, and while the last dungeon in the game is a visual wonder, it's unnecessarily padded with slightly harder versions of bosses you've already encountered.
FF IX does have some Side Quests that Disappoint
Another criticism is that the game's side quests, while numerous and entertaining, often don't reward players with particularly useful items, which feels like a slight betrayal. About half of the side quests give you semi-useful items that you can obtain through other means; half offer you key items that either don't affect anything or change some innocuous bit of dialogue later on in the game.
One especially egregious offender sucks up hours of your time with a half-explained card game for which there is actually no possibility of receiving even a useless prize for your troubles due to a glitch. Knowing this ahead of time didn't prevent my friends and me from devoting hours to this game within a game, but our stupidity doesn't excuse bad game design.
Visuals That Hold Up
For starters, this is still a pretty easy game to look at; a solid art direction (in this case, a mishmash of medieval fantasy and steampunk) can keep a game playable over two decades after its release. The world is vibrant and full of life, and all of its inhabitants have a distinct look and feel that makes it that much easier to invest in them. The game occasionally looks muddy, but it never slows the player down, and these moments are overshadowed by some of the incredible scenes the artists have dreamt up.
Nobuo Uematsu's Perfect Soundtrack
The game will never sound bad, either, because Nobuo Uematsu, the man responsible for every Final Fantasy soundtrack until XII, can do no wrong. Uematsu's soundtrack so obviously belongs to IX's world. The melodies and arrangements are simple and modest, alternating between optimism and melancholy as the story ebbs and flows.
Each character and town gets music that helps define their personalities (could there be a more fitting theme for a simple village in the middle of nowhere?). You might get tired of the main battle theme by the end of the game, but let's go ahead and blame that on the painfully slow pace at which battles progress (more on this later). I would be remiss if I didn't give a special shout-out to the penultimate boss battle song for
rocking extra hard.
The Verdict
We rate: Final Fantasy IX a 9.3/10 — a ★★★★½☆ on our retro RPG review scale.
Would I recommend it?
For Sure, these small gripes can and should be easily forgiven. I cannot overemphasize how pleasant the game is. Like its main cast of characters, the game is inviting and warm. Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of the series, has called IX his personal favorite.
Would I replay it?
100%, FF9 is the original vision of Final Fantasy taken to its logical extreme in terms of scope and artistry. It is the perfect start for JRPGs. It is easy to play, charming, and well-made. It is also often fantastic.
What You Should Know About Collecting Final Fantasy Games
If you collect PS1 games, here's what matters: Final Fantasy VII is the big one. Black Label variants are worth way more than Greatest Hits versions.
- Black Label Final Fantasy VII Complete sells for over twice what a loose disc costs. Greatest Hits versions have a much smaller gap. Collectors want the original Black Label release.
- This same pattern shows up with Final Fantasy Tactics, Final Fantasy Chronicles, and Final Fantasy Anthology. Black label versions are worth more than Greatest Hits.
- For Final Fantasy VIII and IX, complete copies are worth around 80-90% more than loose discs. The variant matters less for these titles, but complete is still better.
- If you collect PS1 Final Fantasy games, focus on Black Label for VII, Tactics, Chronicles, and Anthology. For VIII and IX, focus on getting complete copies.
You might enjoy the character-driven story, as I do. Or you could find the slow battle system frustrating. Either way, we buy Final Fantasy games at The Old School Game Vault. Whether they are loose or complete, Black Label or Greatest Hits, we pay cash.
