Fainaru fantajî IX

Final Fantasy IX is one of my favorite final fantasy games in the series. I loved the atmosphere, characters, music, setting, mini games, world map, villain, gameplay, visuals(yes I liked the art design since it reminded me a lot of the old games in the NES/SNES days, and it also was original and charming at the same time I know people will disagree with that but each to their own). The battle system is solid since you have four members in your party with their own job class like Zidane being a thief, Vivi being a black mage,Eiko/garnet being white mages/summoners etc.The leveling up works well since it's like most RPG's and it's ability upgrading works well to since you can use the ability when equipped but when it's maxed out you can use whenever you like.The mini games are really fun too and the side quests are enjoyable to tackle like tetra master(Am i the only who enjoys that game and has won and enjoyed matches XD.) Boss fights are fun, the game has a lot of places you can explore once you obtain the airship.The only downside to the gameplay is the loading times for battles and trance bar being a bit flawed, but the game-plays pros far out way the cons IMO.The characters are really likable and funny, The games story is interesting and dark. The music is great and the ending made me satisfied. This game is one of my favorites and I love it to death. It's funny, dramatic, heartwarming, beautiful, likable and it's a game that I think every gamer should try out.

Blessed with an innate sense of history, and tinged with a touch of melancholy, this title provides a fond FAREWELL to the OLD style of Final Fantasy. I will miss it, but that is NOT what impressed me the most about this game. It was the nicely wrought story, the most fully fleshed charachters of ANY 32-bit game, the AMAZING artwork, and the way they wove pieces of the series past into the story and environment. The gameplay is the most addictive in the series since 6, which came out here as 3, but was recently re-released as part of Final Fantasy ANTHOLOGY. I enjoyed the VERY SOUL of this game, an aspect that seemed minor in the previous two entries. This game reminds players WHY they loved the series in the first place.....STORY AND PERSONA. The best music and cinematics EVER to Grace ANY 32 or 64 bit system.

I love this game. Every second of it is filled with character, great gameplay, and graphics. Call me a traditionalist, but I think this was the last great Final Fantasy before Square went off the deep end (X, X-2). Three fourths of the cast is lovable, and that's good considering the dismal showings of boy-band rejects in the previous two installments. Quina, Zidane, Vivi, and Freya are my favorite characters, all with their own personalities and traits. That brings up another point that has been lacking in recent FF's. In this game, all the characters have their own traits, which is am perfect return to the roots of FF3. In 7 and 8, you could have pretty much the same three characters the whole game as long as you built them up the right way. But in 9, every character can (and in some cases, must) be raised in their own unique way and can be switched around to make a versatile party. Most people will go with a party of Zidane, Vivi, Steiner, and Dagger the whole way through, but it's definitely a fun challenge to throw in a complex character like Quina or Amarant into the mix. FFIX also boasts the biggest, most involving sidequests in the series. From the first world in the game on, you can collect little items that have no use, but instead, have tons of references to past FF's. I can't tell you how much fun I had collecting items like the Mini-Cid, the Rat Tail, or even little model airships. It's like Tarantino or Godard found their way into Final Fantasy! Most of all, this has the best chocobo sidequest of any FF so far. It's involving, deep, and very complex Everything else you come to expect from FF is here... great music, graphics, story, and challenge. What can you lose?

Er... I have to adjust my scale for a second.

Final Fantasy IX Final Cut: A+

Story/Characters: A+ Music: A- Graphics: A- Gameplay: A Sidequests: A+

It's near perfection... pick it up!

Final Fantasy VII and VIII were big hyped games that succeeded in giving us what we wanted. In 2000, a year later after FF8 was released FF9 had already come to the states. Less then two years? Was it rushed or does the great trend continue?.....

I am happy to report that FF9 is just as worthy as it's two older counterparts, what is better, I had a smile on my face playing this game. FF7 I had a state of shock cause of what I was experiencing was amazing, FF8 tugged at my romantic side FF9 is a game that makes you smile. The game is not as dark as the last two but still has its villians. FF9 returns to its roots in this one, knights and kingdoms instead of futurastic worlds. But there is some still signs of te future, even in the Renassance like setting. What makes me smile are the characters, all are cute and have such a cool presence about them. Vivi was the cutest and best magic caster I have ever played with. Zidane was a hero who enjoyed life (unlike Cloud and Squall) and wasn't annoying (like Tidus). The battle system and up grade system was a improvement over the tiring DRAW system of 8. Here the powers are taken from the weapons and equipment you get. The story was not as deep as the other two but the mood of the story was certainly happier and more upbeat. Kids could play this game and not be depressed at all, unlike the depressing themes in 7 and 8. 8 was very serious, 9 has its comical characters (Oafy Steiner, weird Quina and Bratty eiku), they never push their limits though. Once again Dagger is a female character with pride and independance. This time Square let us fight with 4 characters at once which was a nice change. The music is just as beautiful and the games graphics are like 8' but the look in more cartoony. This isn't the most popular FF game out of the 4 but it is one of my favorites. it never takes it self too seriously and the images have a child like imagination to them. This game was labaled as 'The Crystal Returns" FF game. I do not know what the means only it has some reference back to the old FF games. Forget X and pick up 9, it is Square's Hidden treasure, pure joy.

A

I haven't even finished this game yet and I already know it's my favourite. What I love most is the great relationships between the characters, especially Garnet/Dagger and Zidane. I got really attached to the good guy characters, and I know that I'll be sad when the whole thing is finished.

The tale of good vs. evil is so gripping here I can't express how exciting and wonderful it is. I absolutely love the music, especially Garnet/Dagger's beautifully melancholy vocal theme - it's enough to make you cry if you get too attached (like me).

In my humble opinion, so long as the writing and music of these games keeps up a standard such as this then the series will live for a long time. I reckon they should remake the first few of the series as well, so that todays gamers can see what it was like in the early days but with better graphics etc.....