In January of 2000, Square (not yet merged with Enix) made big waves in the industry with the official announcements of its next three main Final Fantasy projects, each of which was being developed with different audiences in mind. Final Fantasy X was to continue pushing the series towards new horizons by releasing on a next gen console, Final Fantasy XI was to take the series to the realm of online gaming, and Final Fantasy IX was to take the series ‘back to the roots’. Indeed, in the wake of VII and VIII changing things up with their futuristic settings, IX was a call-back to simpler days, but bearing in mind all the things that had been learned along the way. Although it certainly does show its age nowadays, Final Fantasy IX still stands as a testament to Square’s fantastic bent for producing quality RPG adventures; it’s a game that no longtime fan of the genre will want to miss out on.
The story primarily follows Zidane, a monkey-tailed boy who gallivants around the world with a travelling troupe of thieving actors, and starts out as a fairly lighthearted and goofy adventure centered around a somewhat botched kidnapping attempt. As things wear on, of course, they don’t stay so simple, and the narrative rather confusingly widens to involve dark events and Blade Runner-esque themes of identity that culminate in Zidane and crew saving all of existence. It’s a fascinating tale to be sure, and one that will constantly keep you guessing, but it does come off as being rather unfocused and oddly paced; left-field characters and major plot events are introduced at a nearly random pace and it often feels like the developers couldn’t decide exactly what kind of story they wanted to tell. Even so, interactions between the diverse party line up remain a steadfast delight throughout, and as long as you don’t go into this expecting a truly heart wrenching plot, the story is sure to entertain.
This being a classic-focused JRPG, gameplay primarily progresses through guiding the slowly growing party through a series of towns and dungeons scattered about the overworld, battling enemies at random, playing the occasional mini-game, and finding plenty of treasure along the way. Combat follows the tried-and-true ATB system that Final Fantasy pioneered, which injects a bit of live action to an otherwise rote turn-based battle structure, but some freshness is introduced through the Trance System. As characters take damage in battle, their Trance gauge slowly fills up, and once it’s full, it allows them to ‘overclock’ their abilities for a couple turns. The nature of this power up varies depending on the character who activates it—such as how Vivi gains the ability to cast offensive magic twice per turn—and while it feels a bit underutilised in terms of how it affects most battles, Trance still brings that all important X-factor to keep combat from getting too stale.
Character progression is handled in a rather fascinating way, where new customization options are introduced not through leveling up, but instead by equipping new armor and weapons. Most armor that you obtain will possess a couple of abilities which become available to a character as long as they have that item equipped, but the abilities can be learned permanently if the character keeps the item equipped and acquires enough AP from successful battles. Learned abilities can then be swapped in and out of a character’s active moveset, with the caveat that each one costs magic stones—another stat that gets boosted with each level up—to have in active use. It’s a system that takes a bit of tinkering to get to grips with, but provides a remarkably straightforward way of offering deep customization for your party. Intentionally burdening a character with weak equipment while grinding up ability mastery is one route to take, or you can forgo a deep moveset in favor of always keeping a character decked out in the most powerful equipment available.
Presentation is likely to be the most polarizing aspect of this re-release, as it’s either endearing or antiquated depending on who you ask. As a game that originally saw release on the PS1, Final Fantasy IX features hefty usage of FMVs and pre-rendered backgrounds in the majority of its environments, and though they look good, they also date the game significantly. It can be a bit disorienting getting used to having your characters constantly running around a flat, grainy picture, though this does become less of an issue as your eyes ‘adjust’ to the contrast between polygonal models and static images. Similarly, the overworld—which is fully rendered—is covered in ‘Mist’ which acts as a convenient story beat to handwave away the hilariously short draw distance. Such issues are simply par for the course for a game from 2000, but as many Switch owners may be contemplating playing Final Fantasy IX for the first time, they do bear mentioning in a modern critique; Final Fantasy IX is a game that has generally aged well, but the same can’t be said for some of its composite parts.
Looking past these issues, however, reveals that there’s still plenty to love in how Final Fantasy IX presents itself. Whether you're traipsing around cute medieval-style villages, gazing in awe at alien environments filled with tall, mushroom-like structures, or winding your way through a Lovecraftian nightmare, this is an entry in the series that really embraces the ‘fantasy’ of Final Fantasy. Though aged, the pre-rendered backgrounds do a fantastic job of instilling a sense of wonder in the player on a regular basis, massaging your eyes with a constant infusion of colorful and weird vistas and creatures that truly capture the imagination. This is matched, too, by an utterly fantastic soundtrack that spans a vast array of genres and sometimes surprises in where it goes. For example, you expect the typical bass-heavy rock music that is the battle theme, but you may not expect the hymn-like overworld theme or the jazzy tones of the main theme in Lindblum. Much like how its environments are a tour through fantastical worlds, Final Fantasy IX’s soundtrack is an experience that’s sure to surprise you a few times over its run.
This technically being a ‘remaster’ of the original release, several enhancements have been included to help modernise the game in some small ways. For example, all character models have been given HD makeovers, though this has the unintended consequence of making the pre-rendered backgrounds stick out that much more. On top of this, several new features introduced in the pause menu help to smooth over the more archaic aspects of a game from the turn of the century. For example, the random encounters can be particularly heinous when you just want to explore, so “safe travel” can be triggered at any time to turn them off completely or you can trigger double game speed to cut down on the grind. Similarly, if any of the brutal boss fights get to be too much and you just want to get it over with, you can trigger max damage to buff up your offense or trigger battle assistance to refill all health, MP, and Trance gauges. If that’s still not enough, you can also trigger (permanently) max level, max ability mastery, and max money from the settings menu. Indeed, some of these buffs offer nice quality of life improvements while others unashamedly remove all challenge from the gameplay, but they still offer up a welcome (if somewhat inelegant) way for all players to get as much or as little out of Final Fantasy IX as they wish.
Conclusion
Final Fantasy has been an institution in the JRPG genre for decades now, and Final Fantasy IX acts as a good reminder of why. Memorable characters, a wacky (and somewhat meandering) story, deep character customization, and plenty of incredible environments certainly help make a case for why Final Fantasy IX deserves a spot on your Switch’s SD card, even if some elements of this game’s design have aged like milk. If you’re a fan of RPGs and somehow haven’t played Final Fantasy IX yet, it’s certainly worth a download for the privilege to play this classic on the go. On the other hand, if you’re just getting into RPGs, Final Fantasy IX may be a little too obtuse and archaic to recommend when compared to more modern releases. Whichever camp you may fall in, the bottom line is that, warts and all, Final Fantasy IX remains a great RPG to this day; you likely won’t regret picking this one up.
Comments 135
My all time favorite final fantasy,
Really miss those days!
Yeah, this one’s a classic. I’ll eventually get round to beating the final boss but the rest of the game has been a blast.
Give us a physical version please!
The single best Final Fantasy game and one of the best games ever made, period. I honestly hold this game very dear, and feel an 8/10 is not doing it justice.
My first hands-on experience with FF was through IX (my younger cousin really loved it, despite having to play it with a guide in hand) and even though I like jRPGs to this day, FF never felt like my cup of tea, probably because of how weird IX felt to me back then.
Just some food for thought for people thinking of "classic" as an objective term.
Out of 10 Nobles, 8 were impressed.
8/10 is a big injustice. This is the best ff after the snes ones and the only good one after the series went sony.
@KingdomHeartsFan probably because you started with vii.
My favorite game ever not named Pokémon.
I Want To Be Your Canary
It is only a matter of time before the crown jewel of the series, Final Fantasy VI will return someday again to Nintendo Switch. It may have already come in the form of Octopath Traveler, but that had NO opera scene or doomsday jester.
The absolute best Final Fantasy game if you ask me. Wanted this on a Nintendo platform for many years and I downloaded this immediately when it became available. Been enjoying it a lot and I don't regret buying it for even a second. I'm really happy it finally came home to Nintendo.
Never had the opportunity to play past the first CD on PSone. I might get it at a lower price.
@Severian my dream is that they release FF6 using Octopaths engine...how awesome would that be?
@itslukec
godly.
@Zuljaras yes please. Holding off any eshop digital games now really. I’ll buy the really cheap ones in sale just for a quick go but big games need a physical release
It's a classic and I used to love this game as a kid (and still do for the most part), but repeat playthroughs definitely have brought out some of the game's shortcomings.
Giving all bosses valuable stealable equipment was super annoying, so either you just ignore said items and gimp yourself in the process or spend a good 10-15 minutes every freaking battle trying to steal those, not my idea of fun. Also tying a lot of stuff, including the game's super boss behind a silly minigame that you need to play over and over and over again was just plain bad, especially painful on repeat playthroughs. The PS1 version also suffered from some terrible load times, but those at least have been somewhat fixed in this version.
Also did the pre-rendered backgrounds always used to look this bad? It's painfully obvious most of the time that the character are just floating on top of a flat picture.
But with all my complains, the gameplay itself is solid, both in and outside of battle and the game world is loaded with secrets and hidden items that make exploration fun, and like with most FF games, the soundtrack is gold. The characters are also quite good, especially the supporting cast.
The reviewer forgot to mention the MUSIC RESTART BUG
While playing through the game, you might start to notice that music tracks will restart following each and every battle. This isn't supposed to happen, as tracks are meant to pick up where they left off after a battle.
The same music bug was present in the PS4 version of the game, as well as the PC and mobile versions. If Square-Enix didn't fix the bug on those platforms, then it's likely the bug will remain on Switch as well.
I'm going to buy X and XII immediately on carts, but will wait on VII and IX- who knows by the time I need them they may have reduced in price?
It's a great game and the bugs aren't nearly as huge as the internet and other people are making them.
@NintendoFan4Lyf That one is tough! Still trying to get around it too
I've never played a Final Fantasy before. I'm planning to buy one for Switch but I'm undecided which one, I'm thinking 7 or X. Which would be the best to start with?
Loving the game, but some of the dialogue is screwed (seen some random characters at the end of speaking or sometimes no dialogue only characters)
Still loving/hating the chocobo forests and card game
@tatundria Very minimal issue that many people wouldn’t even have noticed if the internet wasn’t making such a fuss. Of course we want it patched to match the original version, send them bug reports, reply their tweets, but honestly as it is, it’s no big deal. You’ll end up listening to every song once or twice while just reading NPC dialog or navigating your airship. I didn’t even know this was a thing before Switch version arrived, owned the original iOS release since 2016.
People need to calm down.
I never played this one, since Playstation wasn't my choice of console. I played VII and VIII on PC. Not particularly fond of VIII, but VII is the best together with VI in the entire series IMO. I've been told that this one is up there close by. Not sure I believe it though, but I will give it a shot.
4 screenshots in this article and not one shows gameplay...
Really worth showing off how beautiful this is for a ps1 remaster.
@Buizel Yeah, it's ridiculous. I watched the Direct and wondered what the game looks like, now I've read the review and I'm no closer to seeing it.
Very poor journalism. This is a game not a film, I don't care what the cut scenes look like.
@HorridCrow it's doing it justice NOW. As in the game is being released just now. Back then, it was a much different story. But now? It's almost 20 years old and still gets an 8/10.
@OorWullie Usually I always opt for X for newcomers. It's easy to get into, and aged the best in my opinion. It's pretty linear, but has a lot going for it in terms of post game content and minigames. VII is superb too, so it all comes down to your choice.
@tatundria oh for god's sake, I knew someone was going to bring this up. Would you people stop rattling on about this as if it's actually a big deal? I played this game countless times on PSX and even more times on tablet/PS4. I didn't even notice this was an issue until people like you started making it an issue.
And do you know why I didn't notice this was an issue? Because like most games of the era; THE MUSIC LOOPS REPEATEDLY ANYWAYS. If you download the soundtrack you'll notice most of the tracks are only the same few sequences repeated over and over. And I say that as someone who loves the music in this game.
Stop making a mountain out of a molehill ffs, it is pathetic and sad.
@OorWullie The FF series from psx aged quite a bit. If you did not grew up while the final fantasy VII was still fresh and hot it can be hard for you to love those squarish characters and old graphics. Thes story , music and gameplay are amazing. Try it for yourself, geta a demo, pc or console copy and if you will like it buy it!
I do love a good RPG/JRPG on a handheld.. being able to play them whist watching the sport on TV is a godsend. Loving IX and looking forward VII.
Would definitely double dip on Golden and 5 if they came to the switch.
I am sorry, but a 8/10 is instulting for this gem, and I am not even a big fan of this FF.
I think what aged least well for me are the painfully slow battles. Not only are they just slow, but every encounter starts with the camera panning, all animations are long etc. At least in this one you can make summoning animations shorter, in VIII it is best to just not use them at all (and use the broken Junction system to make yourself OP very early on).
Having said that, this was the game I was really dissapointed with at the time, after VII and VIII this one just didn't click with me. I enjoyed it but it was a step back for me in many respects. Chocobo Hot & Cold I loved, though, it was the standout minigame for me.
@Aneira mate you just stole my words...
Playing this for the first time and have to say the story is fine, Zidane a little on the annoying side as playboy but the gameplay is just awesome and also quite a fan of the gear system. Card game is quite obtuse though (and rng... Who does not love that)
One of the least compelling review I have ever read. In the text the reviewer always says that some parts of the game have not aged well, that the game has its issues, but in the whole review there is no single example what issues, what flaws, absolutely nothing. I bet my left side of heart that the reviewer did not play the game.
My favourite Final Fantasy after the mighty VI. The writing is quite funny in places and it's a lot more whimsical than the melodramatic X. The music is excellent as well.
I've never played any Final Fantasy game. Sorry, don't hit me. I'm a Dragon Quest guy and, besides, I didn't own PlayStation back in the day, and when I did the VII-IX games were already too expensive. Prior to those games, I didn't even know about the existence of the series when I was playing with my Sega systems.
Anyway, I'm interested and I'd like to play this one, and VII when it comes out, but... no physical releases feels like an insult. So while I wait for a price drop digitally, if they announce a physical release, all the better.
One thing, though. They say it's based on the mobile version, which disappoints fans because of the absurdly large hub. Is it right?
come on guys asking for a ps1 era game to be physical is just nonsense lol give that up
@finalstan
Of course the battle animations still are as slow as ever, but you have the option to skip the camera pan before the battle in this version making the battle startup considerably faster at the very least.
This is my favorite PS1 game and my favorite final fantasy game.
This looks and runs like absolute turd on Switch
@Moroboshi876 the large hub?
Actually playing this right now on my lunch break. Not too far through it tho. Just beaten the 2nd of 3 wizards and have boarded a ship. I'm sure some will decipher where I'm at.
I loved FF IV, FF VI & FF VII (great stories, great gameplay) and enjoyed FF VIII, FF X and FF XIII (solid) but somehow never played this game.
Got it right after the Direct and I'm now about 14 hours in, but boy this game is slow. The story so far was alright (and seems to slowly pick up pace after the events in Burmecia and Cleyra) I like the characters and sometimes silly dialogues. Graphics and music have aged horribly (nice analogy with milk in the review) and the slow and surprisingly hard battles (as @Expa0 has described perfectly) feel pretty frustrating at times.
I'll give it some more time, it's still a mainline FF and will usually reward some patience.
Well written review by the way!
@Moroboshi876 I think people are more disappointed about the compressed music (which honestly sounds perfectly fine to me) and all the "bugs" that come with that version more than anything. I've never seen someone complain about the size of the hub, at least not yet.
I am surprised by how little remastering has actually been done given the price. PS1 games, including Final Fantasy games, have been available to download very cheaply on Sony consoles for years, so I assumed that at the highly inflated price it had received some serious polish. Doesn't sound like it has. I will check it out when it's on sale.
It's more a case of when not if I'll be picking this up. a physical version would be wonderful.
@Sabroni They simply lifted the pictures off of the eshop. They didn't take any pictures themselves.
The older FF are still the superior ones to me. when 10 hit, all the bad started to flood in. 10 introduced the "run forward in endless color coated halls". 12 was better with it but then it went right back to that with 13...
World maps may have been created for the sake of making a large scale world with a tiny rendered map (video game wise) but they was never a bad thing and honestly shouldn't have been 100% scrapped. Games can make it work! Xenoblade series is a strong example but it should not be hold forward with some fights in between.
@pitstain9 @BlackenedHalo Well, I can't compare because as I've said I never played FFIX or any FF for that matter. But in reviews I see complaints about a hub designed for touchscreens that is a feature unused here, and at least a little bigger than necessary.
But you're right, the main complaints here are the fact it's been ported from mobile versions, with bugs and problems not present in the original. And I'm afraid this happens in all mobile ports and will on Switch ports based on those ports.
For me, once it gets down to 10 euros or so it could be an acceptable digital purchase if it hasn't been announced as a late physical release by then, though.
@AlexSora89 thanks, i needed that
@Moroboshi876 you mean an HUD yes...unfortunately, the main menu and the menu HUD in battle have too wide rows designed for touch controls it does not look very good at all
@pitstain9
Reviews can be simple. Leave it to ProZD.
I've put it on my watch list for now and wouldn't mind playing it again but the price is a little high for me given how little effort Square Enix clearly puts into their ports.
definitely a 10/10 for me of course it looks aged its nearly 20 years old! but the remaster makes it look a lot sharper than I remember, Ive never finished the game before so im really enjoying replaying it! i dont remember being so bad at the card game!
@Moroboshi876 lmao, as someone with terrible eyes, the hud didn't irk me as much, but I can see where they're coming from.
I feel disrespected by the lazy work done here!! Those graphics are terrible!!
@BlackenedHalo Yes, I mispelled it again and again! Sorry! So now you saw my point. In general these ports should and could have been better.
Maybe I can finally get through this game with those new settings. I've tried it numerous times...I still have my original PS1 disc set... but I have yet to beat this game. I just couldn't enjoy the art direction of it after FF7 and FF8, and the story and characters didn't grab me at all. But I didn't hate it. Maybe I'll try again.
@Moroboshi876 the only good port Square has ever done was Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age and Final Fantasy X HD Remaster
@BlackenedHalo And distribution got screwed up because they didn't want to release both games physically and those of us who only would consider getting them that way have to resort to Asia.
I got this game for PS1, but never played through it. I'm looking forward to playing through it on the Switch, once I finish (read: give up on) Xenoblade X.
Unfortunately is physical or no buy for me.
Hmm, I thought of basing an RPG's character progression on the equipment rather than levels, but I've never seen a game actually use that idea before. I think it makes for a much better system (at least as long as the difficulty level isn't set too high), since as lo it forces the players to learn's the game's battle systems to an adequate degree in order to advance in the game rather than just powering their way through the game via grinding.
Why the heck would they bother remastering the game for the Switch but not update the background graphics or the draw distance (and then remove the mist)?! That partially defeats the purpose of remastering it in the first place!
@NintendoFan4Lyf
Exactly, it's difficult!
I assume FF IX was another victim of Square Enix’s Poor handling of original materials and assets of the game. The reason the backgrounds are probably still in low res is because they probably just had to bring them in from the PS1 game instead of having the assets on hand to bring in at high res. Sounds like FF 7-9 assets were probably all destroyed, lost, or stolen and so remastering these games as become a costly challenge for Square Enix.
Essentially a port of the iOS version, I can tell you the cheats do not ruin the game. Unlike the 'max stats' cheat from FFVII that puts everything at 255, all the IX cheat does is put your characters at level 99 from whenever you activate it. This means you will breeze through the opening sections but the endgame bosses still put up a fight. If you use the 'mastered abilities' cheat you still have to find every item to unlock all the abilities including the ultimate weapons.
One name: Vivi
@Kidfunkadelic83 you know you just saying where you are would have been less of a spoiler than what you actually said. Saying you are in Lindblum isn't really a spoiler whereas saying you beat 2/3 'wizards' is
This was probably my 3rd favorite FF behind 4 and 6 from the first 9 games. I haven't played it in forever, and already bought it. Once I finish up DQ11 on my PS4 i'll be thinking about starting in on this to finally play through it again. However i'm psyched for the replay. Now can we see a Xenogears remaster next!
I had played the beginning of this years ago and had wanted to play again for years, and after truly starting to focus on my backlog I finally got a chance to play it through about two years back on my Vita. Now, I still have yet to play through several FF games but this one is currently my favorite as far as the mainline non-MMOs go. Once my backlog is down a bit more at least I will gladly pick this up for the Switch.
I think such a bad port and such a (recurring) insult to an important part of gaming history deserved a lower score.
@BulbasaurusRex the backgrounds have original resolution 480x320 and since the originals have been lost since the game was released, they cannot recreate it so they had to use some filters .....regarding the mist, since the game takes place on the Mist continent, it is absolutely fine that the overworld is covered in mist
This game is a solid 9/10 to me, it's not the best Final Fantasy game ever (that glory still goes to FFVI) but it is among the top five in my list.
I bought this on steam over s year ago and started playing it. I didn't get far but I was enjoying it. I just have a hard time playing games on PC. I even set it up so I could use my pro controller, tested to make sure it worked and then never touched it again.
I got it for cheap on Steam but I would have happily paid the Switch price because I probably would actually play it. I won't get it now since I have a perfectly playable version already, I just can't seem to bring myself to actually play it.
I appreciate the objective review for others as I will be totally biased. This game is absolutely a 10/10 for me. It may be my favorite game of all time and for sure the best FF ever made. Entries like 4 and 6 are superb as well but FF9, much like the Switch itself, injects all the DNA of what has gone before into itself and goes back to what made the series so special, discarding the stupid futuristic emo stuff that ruined the series (in my opinion). Here are a few key reasons outside my biased nostalgia that makes 9 greater than most JRPGs:
Ugh I could go on but I had better stop before I rant all day about this game. If you've never played it, do it!!!
@RupeeClock Queen Braunn was not impressed.
@OorWullie IX. VII is decent, X is garbage.
Despite the port's flaws, it's a perfect fit on Switch
Never played this one, I had both 7 and 8 and much preferred 8, I then got X which I was never overly keen on but I have now picked this one up on Switch, only about half an hour or so in so can't really comment on the game. All I'll say is that o really like the art style even though for some reason I didn't back then and I'm looking forward to giving it a proper go
@tatundria reviewer probably just safe traveled everywhere, music kept playing
Best FF ever, with X coming in second. Nothing will ever beat it.
@OorWullie Both are fantastic entry points into the series. I'm inclined to recommend X over 7 for newcomers, if only because the former is more modern: full voice acting, more realistic character models, etc.
@BlackenedHalo So? Just redraw them from scratch in HD while using the original game as the reference. It's not like the background graphics have to match up exactly between the two versions.
I have yet to play a Final Fantasy title but do intend to grab this one at some point since it seems to float near the top of a lot of "Best Final Fantasy" lists. I intend for VI (SNES Classic) to be my first foray into the series however.
@DenDen I am glad to hear you say that. I am playing this for the first time and I am enjoying it so far. I have recently been getting into RPGs so it is great to hear that I am not wasting my time. Take care.
My favorite FF
I love Final Fantasy IX. VI beats it out as the best one in characters and music, but IX is very close
@RupeeClock So NL has to review it over and over until it's a 10 out of 10. I want that Moonstone!
FF9 is one of the highlights of the series, for sure. But a lot of the things that make me love the game can also make it impenetrable for newcomers.
I love all these foregoing things; they give the game its distinct identity, but they can be tough for newcomers to handle.
Of course, the game does have some undeniable flaws: the card game (Tetra Master) is a pale shadow of FF8's Triple Triad, and the game's characters become increasing detached from the story as it progresses.
Great game but weak remaster and port.
@OorWullie don't start on 7, that story will sour you on IX before you even start. IX only makes VII story look better. And IX is my favorite!
@itslukec Now you have me dreaming...
@gutsdozier "Third, the method of learning abilities from items means that you're constantly hoarding equipment, never selling anything, so you're often short on money."
Learn the ability "Millionaire." =p
So.... with the lack of FF VIII on the system, can Square provide a concession with FF VI (the GBA or SNES version, not that rubbish PC port).... Just saying...
@DenDen well, you can now re-live those days, anywhere! Assuming you have the time (you know, life and all).
@itslukec that would be crazy! Would love it. This and Chrono Trigger and all the awesome JRPGs of that era (Breath of Fire, Lufia, etc).
Note for Nintendo: I would be happy with those as SNES ROMS as part my Nintendo Online Subscription and would be happy to pay a bit more.
The price point is phenomenal, and honestly, I never thought FFIX would ever be this close to my face, let alone on a Nintendo system. It will be backlogged for now, but high on the list. Currently working through other RPGs and backlogged games, but if it hits a sharp sale, I'll take that plunge sooner.
9 was the best of the PlayStation trilogy
It's always felt like a timid--if charming-- reactionary nostalgia trip in-between two of the series' best.
I’m pretty sure the mist disappears at one point. This isn’t my favorite FF, but even I know this review sounds like someone unfamiliar with how to approach this style of game. And why is it so obtuse for people who haven’t played turn-based RPGs if it has some modern updates like the ability to fast forward and such? Only if there had been a mention of the bugs and crashing would I really have given this review any credit to it’s score.
Even with knowing all that I said above that was missing from the review plus the review, the game still deserves AT LEAST a 9/10.
@Mogster hmmm yeah but no one is going to care that I'm fighting a wizard and when you fight the first one he says there are a total of 3 so I don't really see the big deal. Plus I didn't have a clue where I was so I couldn't say that.
Strange to see a Mitch review withou the term "roguelike" used incorrectly.
But to be honest, I have my doubts if he even finished the game...
I've been playing it for the first time. I've dipped my foot in many FF entries but the series has always been pretty hit and miss for me (Dragon Quest games have aged much better for me).
My thoughts (FWIW):
Overall have really liked it and can appreciate why people like this game so much. I tried playing VII a couple of years ago and couldn't get into it at all. Been surprised by this one.
@gutsdozier I've been wiped out quite quickly early on in the game. Not having options etc when battling enemy was a big problem for me early on. Especially as with the auto save feature it loaded me right in to the cut scene of said battle. Took me about 8 attempts to win and I was starting to get annoyed. This was less than 2 hours in to the game.
Better than that overrated game FF7.
Price is steep for a PS1 port. It's the same on the PS4, but it was only $10 on the PS3/PSP/Vita.
Guess they do it because they know they can.
They updated the 3d models into better ones, but the background images they haven't done much with it, and even though they do have higher quality images of hose backgrounds. I have the PC steam version, but it let me down on graphical part. It just didn't match with the 3d models with 2d background with low quality. To me the original PSX version still the winner because of this. It was a lazy port from them.
@Aneira Honestly this game is superb and it, in my opinion, was the best if the PS1 trilogy and possibly beaten by VI only. The villain is great, the story is great, each town you visit interesting with great accents, and it had the best graphics on PS1 imo. The only thing I didn't like was the stupid Chocobo mini game, but all Final Fantasy games seem to have bad mini-games.
@Nehalem I agree with the characters. Definitely a strong point in this entry, Vivi being stand out, and really humorous too. I think if they took the dumb chocobo mini game out this is one of the greatest RPGs ever made. Now if we could just get a Skies of Arcadia remaster.
Pre-rendered videos look fine, but those character models that seem to be from the mobile version, juxtaposed against the blurry, pixelated backgrounds... The typeface and mobile-style menus are also awful.
disclaimer: it looks just as bad on ps4
@Seacliff Well the $10 (or cheaper on sale) PSP/3/Vita version is exactly the PS1 version. Which actually looks pretty decent on the tiny Vita screen or with a PS3 hooked up to a real CRT TV or monitor.
8 for this Masterpiece? Really?
This is 9 minimum, even today, compared to other titles on the nintendo switch!
@Greenmanalishi thx dude! My opinion in your words!
@BulbasaurusRex the mist is referenced several times in the story and is a key plot point. Why are you complaining about the game when you clearly haven't even played it lmao pathetic
@invictus4000 good write up, kupo!
@Moshschocker indeed. like indie games with NES graphics they get even a higher score than games like this masterpiece. Something is wrong
Eight?
8?
WHAT THE HOLY REGGIEHECK?!
Eight for top-3 video game of all time?
What are you people on. SHAME ON YOU! SHAME!
@blecch Yeah, but the changes made are definitely not worth the extra $11, as you said it's basically just the mobile version.
@Mogster Right? I was also confused by everyone complaining about the mist shrouding the map. Um...its part of the story! Lol
Nice image btw... Mine's been the Amano Zidane since I joined NL like, 5 years ago.
@gutsdozier Agree on the Tetra Master point. Triple Triad was soooo good.
All the points you made make me love the game more than ever. It's kind of a badge of honor to love the old school RPGs that are a little rough around the edges. All these lightweights can have their FF15s. Lol
@invictus4000 I have spent a lot of time with triple triad in ff8 and really enjoyed it, but much less with tetra master in ff9 because it felt like more work for less reward. On the other hand, I largely ignored blitzball in ff10, and ff14 actually has triple triad but I rarely play it.
Honestly its the best FF of the ps1 era. For me its not even close. It's story was a solid one, exploration was great. battle system was good, only one character that was intolerable. It's a game that was the last of the FF series for me. Other than the MMO's.
The reviewer omitted how great the HD rumble was in this game. From subtle vibration after stepping off a rail car whose engine is still running It seems like they spent a great deal of time on that aspect, to the complex and heavy waves of shaking during the summoning of eidolons, it's just really well implemented.
Easily my favorite FF game.
This one had the toughest final boss in my opinion hands down! Still, entire game ranks middle of the pack as far as FF goes in my humble opinion: I'd go VI, IV, XII, V, X, and even VIII over this one
@Jcdbengals I've now played the first 12 except 2,3 and 11. And I really want to know : what did you like about 12?!
I've been in for 20+ hours and honestly.. I can't get into it. Don't like the characters, or the world itself! I don't even like the music! 🙄
@garfreek I looooved the music when fighting the espers (I think that's what they were). I enjoyed the gambit system as well, took awhile to figure out but speeds it up. Agree with characters not quite being up to par, but I was lost in the game for weeks.
@garfreek 2 is not good. 3 is hard hard
@Jcdbengals haven't reached that part, so maybe I should go on a bit! (I really enjoyed the mines, in a dungeon crawler way! )
Final fantasy 5 has a great gameplay loop too, it's amazing when you get into that! Just haven't managed to get into it! 😂
@garfreek I'm not sure, it's been so long since I played. The music, the gambit system (once you figure it out, it's great), and the challenge compared to some previous games was just so good to me. Maybe I'm looking at it with rose tinted glasses, but it blew me away and I was crazy addicted to it.
@Jcdbengals It just sounds like I need to boot it up again with different expectations! Now that I've mastered materia, ff9 and the sphere grid I'll probably get along with 12's system way better too!
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