Game Review: Final Fantasy IX

When you look back at the rich history of the Final Fantasy series, it’s easy to wonder what game stands out as it’s most impressive. Many a fan would probably say Final Fantasy VII for it’s dark and mature take on the series. Some might say Final Fantasy XIV which has been noted to be one of the best MMORPG games of all time. The point I’m trying to make is the series is so vast and varied that each player is bound to have a different kind of definitive entry in the series.  Since last year I have only played Final Fantasy VII: REMAKE so I had no ability to make a definitive pick until I had played more than one title in the series.  Now though, after sinking a nice bit of time into Final Fantasy IX I now have the ability to choose a definitive entry out of the series games I’ve played so far and despite its age I will happily sit here and choose Final Fantasy IX as my current top game in the series. 

Developed and published by Square Enix in 2000 (Squaresoft at the time), Final Fantasy IX was the last mainline Final Fantasy entry on the PlayStation 1. Hiroyuki Ito who had directing credit on Final Fantasy VI prior was the lead director on the game as well as the battle system designer. Together him and his producers Hironobu Sakaguchi and Shinji Hashimoto worked with the rest of the development team at Square to cap off their stellar PlayStation line-up with one final bow out before moving onto the next generation of consoles. This cap off saw the team return the series back to it’s more high-fantasy roots compared to the more modern/mature style and tone of the previous two entries. 

The story of Final Fantasy IX is set in the world of Gaia in one of its many lands known as the Mist Continent. It follows a collection of varied and interesting characters who form together by circumstance throughout the game’s narrative. The main player character is presented as Zindane, a witty thief who works as part of the Tantalus Theatre Troupe. As part of their current job, the troupe are set on a mission to infiltrate the kingdom of Alexandria and kidnap the ruling monarch’s daughter; Princess Garnet. By circumstance a few other characters get drawn into this elaborate plot to steal the princess; a young black mage called Vivi and a loyal knight to the Alexandrian army called Steiner. As the plan concludes we see Zindane, Garnet, Vivi and Steiner get stranded further out in the continent and they must work together to reach safety. Unbeknownst to this ragtag gang, the cogs of war are already set in motion as Queen Brahne of Alexandria is setting out on an elaborate plot to conquer the neighbouring kingdoms with her army of black mages.  This is the initial baseline plot that sets up our heroes to explore the wider regions of the Mist and Outer Continents, recruiting a bunch of unique and compelling characters along their way in order to find a way of stop Brahne and her forces before it’s too late.

I honestly cannot understate how incredible this game’s story is. If you have played a number of fantasy RPGs in your life, you might be forgiven for taking the initial setup of this game to be similar to other predictable elements on prior games. This initial assumption however is quickly done away with as you come to experience the plot as it develops. Part of what makes this game’s plot so incredible for me is down to its characters. I honestly didn’t expect so much emotion and dimension to be projected from many of these characters but I came to relate and empathise with many of them. This isn’t a typical fantasy story; these characters are all layered with complex emotions and characteristics and it emphasises how in depth this narrative is. Vivi for example, is easily my favourite character not just in the story but in the entire Final Fantasy franchise. He gives off the impression of a typical quirky mage character but there’s so much more to him and his place in the story is huge. I was not expecting his character to be the main conduit for an existential crisis thread that the game subtly weaves. He is just one example of the incredible catalogue of characters that breath so much charm and emotion into this game. I could go on about the romantic subplot between Zindane and Garnet or the tragedy of duty plot that lingers behind fabled warrior Freya. These characters personal tribulations are smartly spread out across the game’s 30-hour runtime and by having these threads run so consistently with the overarching narrative up to the end it helps solidify the quality of this games narrative beyond measure. 

Narrative is only one element of any Final Fantasy game however, as the other defining factor lays behind its gameplay. Similar in function to most traditional JRPG titles, where Final Fantasy IX deviates from the common formula is in its ATB system during combat.  Every battle in this game happens on a timed system, in which your enemy won’t wait around for you pick your move before attacking. Your turn is determined by your time and placement in the fight and you need to be quick and concise in how you wish to utilise each character’s unique abilities before you give your enemy a free move against you. Initially I was intimidated by this system but after enough time with it I came to appreciate how layered it was. It makes you a bit more present in the games mechanics and helps you immerse yourself in the characters and their capabilities in order to best overcome the odds set up against you. Each character in the game all has something unique to bring to the table in a gameplay element too. I won’t bother listing out every example but your class will end up comprising of physical attackers and mages who have the ability to heal and deal their own form of damage through magic or summons. Using your physical attackers in conjunction with your mages is key to winning each battle! I also appreciated the variety of enemy types in the game both on a general level and on the overarching bosses. The combat itself is a very refined system and I can understand why so many fans praised this system for so long. 

In terms of overworld navigation, it’s hard not to appreciate the style and tone of the visual design to the game. Each location you visit is artistically crafted in painted landscapes with impeccable detail. There’s a wealth of subsections to the world’s many locations and it all works to reinforce the depth of these continents and the kingdoms and ruins that inhabit it. The larger cities like Alexandria, Lindblum and Treno all represent the effort the developers and designers went to in imagining this vast world and filling it out with so many nooks and cranny’s which reward your exploration. It’s extremely impressive how much this game manages to pull off in its visual scope when you consider it was using PlayStation 1 hardware as it’s foundation; no wonder it had to be split across four discs!  

When I look back and play older games, I always have this fear that I’m going to have issues adapting to its dated mechanics and design philosophies. I did have these initial fears when I was playing through the first couple of hours of Final Fantasy IX but after enough time I happily clicked with the overall product this game was providing. I think there’s a consistent and uncompromised level of quality within this game that time will never erode. It’s a timeless classic in a lot of ways and despite never having the fortune to grow up with this game, I will happily agree with anyone who calls this one of the best entries in the Final Fantasy series and even one of the best JRPG experiences you can get your hands on.