Final Fantasy IX turns 15: Looking back at the finest game in the Final Fantasy saga

Digitalspy: After dividing fans with the release of Final Fantasy VIII in 1999, Square returned a year later with a game that is arguably the series' best yet.

We're talking, of course, about Final Fantasy IX, the PSOne classic that celebrated its 15th anniversary earlier this week.

[RashBandicoot]

Such an incredible game. I remember being put off at first but as I got to disc 2 it instantly become one of the best in the series. Better than 8 IMHO.

[camel_toad]

This was one of my favorite FF soundstracks.

[DarXyde]

IX was awesome, but I'd still give it to VIII.

I love how there's a lot of variability between fans of which one of the PSOne games was the best. It makes for interesting discussion. :0)

[WildArmed]

Indeed!

My fav. is FF8 as well! :) The junction system was fantastic, truly gave you the ability to customize your characters to the T.

But FF9 is fantastic as well <3

[Name Last Name]

My favorite world in the series after X's Spira. I loved finding those chocographs and going to the air garden to fight Ozma.

[rainslacker]

IX ended up being my favorite of all time. It wasn't all dark and gloomy, but the story was deep, very melancholic, and it had interesting character. First disc I was like WTF most of it though just like you.

I also like the art style a lot more than the prior two, but that was likely because I was much more into anime back then.

[KryptoniteTail]

It's great, it plays better than 8 (but isn't as fun to me) and is better than 7 but is trumped by 10 in every way. Truly the best numbered games in the series, with 4 being good too but hasn't aged as well. Tactics is the best spin-off, and I enjoyed it even more than 7 by a bit.

[phoenixwake]

AH-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA.

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

[KryptoniteTail]

You've activated my trap card:

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

[DualWielding]

Best in my opinion is 6 but IX is second best

[Imalwaysright]

Agree 100%. FF6 and FF9 are the best in the series and I would rather have a remake of either one of them over FF7.

[bangoskank]

Easily. Two of the best games period. Such excellent storytelling.

[WildArmed]

I LOOOVVE 6 as well...

It's hard to pick between FF8 and FF6 now that I Think about it...

FF4 was fantastic too... so was X...

I quit.

[Kakashi Hatake]

Most overrated game in the series imo. A huge step back after playing 7 and 8.

[Avalanche]

when people say 9 is better than 8 or 7 it makes me want to pull out my hair.

9 is a great game. 7 and 8 are just better plain and simple.

[ShadowWolf712]

Does that include the man who created the series?

"..Final Fantasy IX. This title is based on a reflection of all the previous works in the series. The coming installment is my "favorite," it's closest to my ideal view of what Final Fantasy should be."
-Hironobu Sakaguchi

http://www.ign.com/articles...

[Summons75]

did...did we even play the same game?

[Bimkoblerutso]

Yeah, not to bad mouth VII and VIII because I loved those too, but IX went back to the series' roots. It put the "fantasy" back in Final Fantasy...plus, the main character wasn't a whiny emo teen.

VI is about the only other game in the series that I liked more than IX, I think.

[Dasteru]

The only step back it made was towards the roots of FF. It was the best FF game since VI. If anything, it was underrated.

[rainslacker]

a lot of old school FF fans say that 7 or 8 was a step backwards compared to ones prior. Most of them like 7 and/or 8 though, because they're both good in their own ways. 9 went back to what many liked about the ones prior to those two. 7 and 8 were somewhat unique to the series, although the themes generally were always the same.

[goldwyncq]

That would be VI.

[Avalanche]

Shadow Wolf.

That article is from the year 2000.... last i checked that is around the same time FF9 was released.

do you want him to say "Ehhh FF9 is going to be good, but i dont think it will be better than 7 or 8"

like honestly....you really pulled an article like that thinking you were smart.

[Donnywho]

I understand debating, arguing sometimes and what not. Do you people ever have days where you just accept that opinions exist?

[WildArmed]

In my opinion, no. ;)

[Avalanche]

"Finest Game in the series"

whats up with these hipsters nowadays.

[ShadowWolf712]

Is Sakaguchi a hipster?

[KryptoniteTail]

His opinions isn't magically superior to anyone else's. That's why they're called "opinions," hun.

[ShadowWolf712]

Ah, but they DO hold more weight. He's the creator of the series. His opinion is actually quite important.

But that's neither here nor there. Point is, to dismiss everyone who favors this game as a "hipster" is foolish.

[digitalpariah]

Final Fantasy - Most rewarding level up
FF2 - Underrated Memorize system
FF3 - (Did not complete. No opinion)
FF4 - Most straight-to-the point plot
FF5 - Epic job system
FF6 - Largest, most diverse cast of characters + amazing world
FF7 - Customizing with Materia makes you feel like a god
FF8 - Junctioning MAKES you a god. Amazing soundtrack and visuals
FF9 - Great story, great characters, great music, great world.
FFX - Best villain, Sin
FF11 - Its online...?
FF12 - Best combat, best exploration, and fucking monster hunts!

Guys, its time we stop fighting about these games. None are perfect and all are incredible.

[Avalanche]

FF12 didnt do anything good.

that game is when Squeenix started its downhill ride.

[phoenixwake]

Was it just me or did SIN just feel like a Lavos clone?

[ninsigma]

Need to get back into this. I never actually got passed the 1st disk but I really liked what I did play.

[Kakashi Hatake]

Name one thing 9 did better than 7 and 8. The only complaint i see people have about 8 is the draw system.

[flyingwombat33]

Simple: characters. I didn't find any of 8s characters to be very interesting. 9 had more interesting and multi-dimensional characters and I liked the leveling/ability system a lot more. You're allowed to just have an opinion, it's not a matter of objectivity.

[Spotie]

Multidimensional? Who?

Squall is, arguably, the single best character in the franchise. He displays the most- and most dramatic- character growth. He's kind of a badass from the start(dat opening). He even decides he'll take on the world, if it comes to that, for the girl he loves.

And that's just Squall.

You have Quistis who can't reconcile her maternal feelings for Squall and so thinks she's in love with him. Rinoa who feels all sorts of inferiorities but presses on, anyway. A husband and wife who fight on, knowing they may have to kill or be killed by each other.

From a character standpoint, VIII is one of the best.

[flyingwombat33]

Hmm.. I guess we just disagree on what makes an interesting character. What's nice about the characters in 9, to me, is that they're all bound by existential dilemmas. Every character experiences some sort of dissonance between what they are and what they feel they should be--or in the case of Vivi, he has trouble reconciling His identity as an individual in context of the reality that he's essentially a botched creation of mass-produced robotic black mages. I could go on, but quite frankly I'm pretty ok with somebody liking another one in the series more.
EDIT: it's worth mentioning that I'm not particularly interested in love stories. I rarely find them very interesting at all, so that is probably the main reason I don't love 8. It feels too central to the main narrative.

[Dasteru]

Better characters, Better story, Better combat system, Better world, Better music.

[Relientk77]

IMO The best game in the series

Everything about FFIX is amazing, I wish we could get another old school Final Fantasy

[kevnb]

We have bravely default.

[ShadowWolf712]

Incredible story, very well-developed characters, beautiful design... Easily the best in the series.

Heck, it's recognized as such by the man who created it.

[goldwyncq]

Without doubt the best Final Fantasy ever. Here's to a remake five years from now.

[Rebel_Scum]

It was on ok FF. Better than VIII at least but the cut-scenes from Disc 2 onwards ran horribly on my PS1 and PS2 and the disc(s) had no marks/scratches.