Despite it not getting the credit that it’s due, Final Fantasy IX has to easily be one of my favorite games. You play the part of Zidane, a street-smart, wise-cracking, monkey-tailed supposed ladies man who, disguised with his fellow crew members that make up the ranks of Tantalus, run a theater ship that disguises the fact that they are all thieves. Starting the game off, you are hired to kidnap Princess Garnet, heir to the Alexandrian throne. Turns out the princess wants to be snatched, and thus the adventure begins.
Though it didn’t do quite as well as it’s predecessors, only having been voted 24th greatest game of all time by Famitsu magazine whereas Final Fantasy VII made second, the game still sold rather well and received a decent reception world wide. Final Fantasy IX brings older elements of the Final Fantasy series back to life, like the idea of having a black and white mage, as well as a thief, as opposed to allowing character build all over the board. Though the cookie-cutter job classes for this game are set in stone, there are still plenty of abilities to learn and use. The Trance system, which is pretty much a limit break for those of you used to playing the other games, enhances the characters abilities when the trance gauge is full. The stronger you are, the longer your Trance lasts.
I have to admit that despite the art style making the characters appear more cartoonish than not, the setting and background art for the cities is something to behold. Be you in Treno by the waterfront, or in the Desert Palace, chances are you’ll be impressed with where ever you are.
Most of the plot circles around a rather adorable love story, centered around Zidane and Garnet. Often put off by his advances, it’s pretty funny to watch Garnet catch Zidane with his foot in his mouth. Hell, at one point in the game Zidane sneaks a grab at Garnet’s rear. Regardless, our young, resilient, and stupidly persistent thief manages a sort of happily ever after by the end of the game that leaves the player ‘awww’ing despite themselves.
Highlights:
- Adorable love story that is often more humorous than not
- Art that is pleasing to the eye
- Bringing the crystals back
- Music that will have you humming the same thing over and over and over…
- Stupidly addictive card game that doesn’t make sense, but you still can’t resist playing
Final Fantasy 9
System: PlayStation
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Square Enix
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August 6th, 2009 at 12:41 am
Final Fantasy VIII all the way! IX was a major step backwards towards the realism VII and VIII had built upon and that X-XII would eventually carry on with. I just couldn’t get behind the cartoony characters and slapstick nonsense, even when Bahamut was rendering an entire tree full of ugly dog people extinct.
This game has one of my favorite FF enemies of all time though, the Whale Zombie:
http://shrines.rpgclassics.com/psx/ffix/Pics/whalezombie2.jpg
August 6th, 2009 at 7:29 am
He’s full of it, IX is one of the best FFs to date, and I’ll stand by that until my death.
August 6th, 2009 at 9:25 am
I really loved this game. It seems either people loved or hated it. I’m glad you were able to review it mihoyonagi. It has a warm place in my heart.
August 6th, 2009 at 9:52 am
I prefer IX to most of the others I’ve played (and I’ve played all except 3,4, & 5). I’ve already considered trailing behind a iFriend of mine when she’s finished with her current playthrough. I just prefer that air where the change and tone can stop on a dime and turn in the opposite direction. Going from the traditional world-saving hero sequences to more laughable humor is not something many titles do for themselves.
~sLs~
August 6th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Brittany and Ashley, are you going to give any reasoning for your “OMG BEST GAME EVAR!!!”s? I’m interested to know why.
August 6th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
It brings me back to the old Final Fantasies. Plus the cartoon, younger feel was nice after serious Squall and Cloud. Also, ViVi.
August 6th, 2009 at 10:59 pm
I love Final Fantasy, and 9 is one of my favorites. Love the throwbacks to older FFs! We were just talking about FF9 at SDCC too! I still wanna do a Garnet cosplay…
August 7th, 2009 at 11:59 am
Viv makes the game, totally! Zidane was a nice break from the norm- Cloud and Squall were both so down in the dumps. Yeah, I can understand why they were like that, but I’d rather play a game that gets me involved through humor than sympathy. At one point in the game, Zidane loses himself and you feel completely destroyed over it- you HAVE to keep playing to get the happy-go-lucky back!
Speak of the devil jinxie, I actually just finished revamping my Garnet cosplay =) Easily one of the most comfortable costumes, and I’m sure it doesn’t help that she is one of my favorite FF ladies.