FINAL FANTASY IX

Aside from battle/combat feeling very slowed down, loved the game.

Lots of existential topics covered in the story, and the ending... As well as Vivi's growth and character development are some amazing plot points.

The cinematics may be graphically dated, but they make up for it with charm in spades. One of the most iconic JRPGs of all time, a firm recommend!

Classic. Takes me all the way back hearing the soundtrack and having random encounters again.

Everyone knows this game is great. The toggle cheats are nice if you want to skip some grinding and just experience the story again.

FF9 is still my most favorite game in the entire series. Playing with Memoria Patcher, Moguri Mod and several other QoL mods makes this feel like a modern remake. Highly recommend installing mods. It's extremely simple to install and it's completely free!

FF9 was the only classic FF I hadn't touched for many many years. I just played it for the first time recently, after replaying VI-VIII and X, and I think I finally understand why some people say this is their favorite. While the game is overall a masterpiece, personally, I think it comes down to one simple reason: if you're a completionist and you want to see everything this game has to offer, it's actually NOT torture. It actually respects your time, doesn't grind the pacing to a halt, and is fun at best and harmless at worst.

FF9's side content never overstays its welcome, it's rarely a blink-and-you'll-miss-it affair, it's never tedious (aside from finding Chocographs; even frog catching isn't that bad if you know what you're doing) and it never asks you to grind the story to a halt in order to do them, which helps the pacing of the story a TON. I didn't hate any of it. The Chocobo stuff is a hell of a lot more engaging than the stuff you do with them in other games, and most of the rest of them are fairly harmless button-mashing or QTE affairs. Even if you're going for 100%, the game is still constantly moving. Best of all, Tetra Master is entirely optional and affects nothing outside of one moment in the story. In other games, if you want to go for the ultimate weapons, or do all the sidequests, the absolute mind-numbingly tedious ♥♥♥♥ you have to do is so insane you'll eventually just say "screw it" and break out a save editor. Not here.

The pacing is really well-done. Random battles are still a thing, but they're actually fairly rare in this game unless you're specifically trying to grind. Dungeons all feel unique and well-designed, they never drag, and they're just really wel-designed. The visuals are just, my god, so good. Some might think fantasy settings and airships were played out even in 2000, but IX perfects that aesthetic. I don't think a single RPG bursts at the seams with charm like this game does. The music is probably the best soundtrack Uematsu has ever done outside of VI, and I have a hard time deciding which one is better.

I also love the mechanics of the game itself. Junctioning and constantly swapping out materia, or god forbid, dealing with the sphere grid in X, gets very tedious very fast. But swapping out a few pieces of equipment or abilities takes literal seconds and you're back to exploring. There's a great balance between flexibility and simplicity, where it's easy to understand and engaging to deal with, and yet the difficulty being cranked up means it never feels too easy (holy crap items actually matter now!). The method of acquiring Blue Magic may seem annoying to some people compared to VIII, but it's a hell of a lot better than it was in VI and VII. It isn't as broken this time, either.

As for the story, regardless of what anyone thinks of the plot itself, IX blows every other entry out of the water when it comes to character writing. I was reminded while playing that VII and VIII have much better theming and settings than they do actual writing, which at times (especially in VIII) just kinda sucks. IX tips the scales all the way in the other direction, and it becomes better for it. The chemistry between the cast is top-notch to the point where the story going off-the-rails and having ridiculous contrived twists and stakes practically doesn't matter because the characters are all so well-written and so likable, it makes you forget about it. (Except Amarant...but tbh he's no worse than Vincent).

The only two major issues with the game are the emphasis on stealing (which can be tedious and annoying) and the battle speed being so slow. There's no real way around the former without cheating to give yourself a 100% success rate (which honestly would still be an improvement IMO), but the latter is easily fixed by cranking up the battle speed in Memoria (you ARE playing with mods, right, weirdo?) and turning the intro skip on.

Greetings, it’s zushi here. Time for me to talk about final fantasy 9. I just finished it so my thoughts are still fresh.


Story:10/10(The story is quite frankly of one of the best I’ve witnessed in a game in a long time. Playing this game and seeing the story evolve from a medieval fantasy setting to what what it turns into in the climax and ending is stunning. While playing and witnessing the plot twist in certain parts myself I realized how powerful 9’s story was to not just the franchise but to others. It’s clear that some rpg’s years later took inspiration from 9 and that’s a beautiful thing.)


Setting:10/10(The world is magical fantasy and also takes place in a medieval setting which I loved to see. But the game wasn’t just one note and done, going to other towns weren’t just different but still old cities. 9 sprinkled in variety like for example, Lindblum. While it definitely still has the medieval feel, it also is so futuristic at the same time and that was astounding.)


Art:8/10(this might be the lowest scoring yet but it will be the only one this low. The world design itself is amazing but the character design, while I turned to love and welcome, I did not like at first. It was too different and the cgi cutscenes actually made me physically ill the first time I saw them so it was something to get accustomed to. After getting a chance to get used to all, I really loved it but I know I can’t get rid of the first impression.)


Music:9.5/10(I actually listened to the soundtrack months before playing the game and I liked it but felt with my experience with other Final Fantasy’s that this one didn’t have as good as something like 6,7 or 8’s soundtrack.Man was I wrong once I played it and that’s okay. The soundtrack fits this game perfectly and after playing the game, the soundtrack alone is so good that I think it as good as the previously mentioned 6,7 and 8.)


Characters:9.5/10(I have too much to say but I can’t put it into words/text so I’ll be brief: the cast compliments the story,the setting,each other graciously. I only disliked Steiner but he still fits the story perfectly. Yes there is also the mysterious case of Amarant and all I can say is he’s fine. I didn’t grow attached nor disliked him and if you take him away you wouldn’t notice but literally everyone else, even side characters, pretty close to perfect.)


Battle/fights:9.5/10(Standard turn based with the ATB but they added trance which was like a cool transformation for everyone when their emotions are heightened. Boss fights were fun(except ozma….i dont know why I was determined to fight that thing but I did. It look cool though). This game is great. This game shows others what it means to be nigh perfection.)


Overall:9.75/10 PLAY THIS PEAK GAME NOW!

I'm at a bit of a crossroad for this game. On the one hand, its story and characters alone make the game worth playing. If you're interested in them yourself, definitely give it a shot.

On the other hand, it's gameplay is kinda mixed for me. The ATB battles are good, albeit a bit on the slower side, but that's fine for me. My main gripe of the game is the amount of required mini-games you're forced to go through, as they're plentiful in the main storyline and some of them can get on your nerves (ex: hot and cold). If you like minigames in your JRPGs, you may have a good time, but as someone who wanted to play it for the battles and story, they can get a bit overbearing.

I also don't recommend going for 100% unless you really want to, as it is extremely demanding due to a specific item that you can only get within the first 12 hours of the game. Trying to get that item alongside trying to do everything else is one of the most daunting things I've seen a game ask out of someone.

Despite my mixed feelings, I still recommend it if you are interested in it at all. For many, it became their favorite game of all time. For me, my first playthrough was a great time and I'll leave it at that for now.

I played this back when it first came out. And only recently replayed it. Heavily modded, (Thank you Moguri!)

Since then, this game still holds strong, Replaying it alone, the game hits completely differently as an adult who, faced not the same issues but the same themes?

This game is a GREAT example of a depth and complex narrative, I can't really gush over the depths they really nailed with this one. Vivi, Garnet, Zidane, Stiner, there's a lot of adult themes they face. and the ending just, its the most satisfying part. its been over 20 years IX and you still hold up!

Great series but an especially great storyline for the IX saga of the game. If you're looking for a compelling storyline with relatable characters and some great life lessons, this is the game. Truly a prime example of the storytelling of the late/early 00s of video games. Squaresoft did a great job with this game and created a timeless classic.

Highly, highly recommend this game!

I got severe nostalgia and emotional trauma from this game. I want to go back to being a kid, and play this game while my mom cooks in the other room. Hopefully we get to go to the Final Fantasy in the sky one day.

10/10

This is a fantastic game, this is the 3rd platform played on.

NOTE: It's only listed as Playable for Steam deck. It runs perfectly and setting up the Mopguri mod and Memoria Mod Manager is as easy as copying on line into Konsole.

A fun RPG in the final fantasy series with a flamboyant and action-packed start.

This game is great for classic Final Fantasy fans. Good characters, story, and music.

Game play speed is a little slow nowadays without mods. For that reason and more, I definitely suggest installing Memoria Final Fantasy IX Engine mod on GitHub. You can upscale the game graphics, increase frame rate to 120 fps, increase game play speed, adjust sound quality, and other tweaks. You can install other mods through Memoria such as Moguri Mod for nicer graphics assets, or other mods like PlayStation button glyphs.

Worth a play-through if you like older turn-based RPG combat with a grand story.

It's still one of the best Final Fantasy game. SQUARE ENIX, FFIX REMAKE WHEN???

one of the best jrpgs i have ever played i beat it on my steam deck one of my favorite final fantasy games and this is coming from some one who played it for the first time in the 2020's

I LOVE ALL the final fantasy games, they are games to where story, fights everything is great.

it's final fantasy 9, man. it's a classic. you don't need me to tell you it's good, but it really, really is. peak story, peak aesthetic, peak characters. the mickey mantle of RPGs.

Best Final Fantasy. Play with Moguri Mod for the best experience.

DQ IX
is very a classic JRPG.
good story 10/10
good gameplay
good battle
Good system
best Music 10/10

A true telling of final fantasy from its roots. Definitely a must play for all fans.

This game felt like a chore so I have to quit playing it. The story and characters are fine but combat is SO SLOW. It feels like you're playing molasses, and every single attack and spell takes forever. There's actually an in game option to curtail this and speed up the combat but it's STILL too slow.

I hated FF8 too, but at least I could complete it. This one? Not so much.

We only live one life, a lesson I learn every day but also one taught in this game. So, given we only have one time to enjoy life on this rock in space play this freaking game.

Rightfully placed in the top tier of Final Fantasy and JRPGs, IX is a game that still should appeal to even those who didn't play it "back in the day." Moreso now more than ever with the Moguri mod.

A wonderful cast of characters that the narrative fragments at times during the story ensuring you get to know everyone. The graphics are obviously dated but are still wonderful and the CG cut scenes..... Man you just had to play it back in the day to grasp how unreal they were.. one of the best soundtracks in the series.

I can go on and on about this game. I finished it on the Amtrak from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia and was crying real tears and am not ashamed to admit it. It's a timeless classic and everyone should know that.

a good experance of PS1 era RPGs and can be fair you go exploring to early. (ie you get your butt kicked) so be careful and be sure to try and find some of the hidden secrets of FF9

Still one of my favorite games of all time even after several playthroughs, mods were good to have too

One of the hidden gems of final fantasy. great story and gameplay

Third Purchase of this game (PS1, PS4, and IOS). I have played this game over 15 times now and will play again in the future for sure. Glad its on Steam so I don't have to worry about console compatibility (hopefully the last version I will buy).

Excellent story great battles play this if you havent

Great memories, amazing story and with Memoria mods this game is gold!

Recaptures my favorite childhood game on PS1. Looks and feels great. There's even some quick "cheats" that help you speed things up if you're just playing for nostalgia and dont have much time to game anymore as an adult like me.

This game was always incredible, but now its even better. Add on the Moguri Mod for beautification of the backgrounds and you're cooking with gas. 10/10 game if you ask me.

One of my all time favorite games. The story, soundtrack, and game play are all 10/10 for me. The game boosters are a nice touch which makes grinding easy. Do yourself a favor and play this game if you haven't yet.

great game nice story not my best final fantasy but many hours played in my youth

10/10!
This is Final Fantasy at it's best! A beautifully crafted world, great characters and a story you don't want to end!
Really wish we got more games like this from Square / Enix. Hopefully one day they go back to their roots and give us something similar to FF 7 - 8 - 9

Final Fantasy IX takes the best of both worlds in the franchise up to this point and blends them masterfully. What we have here is an excellent homage to the original six pixel games but in the presentation and engine of the 3D PS1 games like VII and VIII. The world is gorgeous with the pre-rendered backgrounds showcasing a classic, rich medieval atmosphere and setting. The world feels very reminiscent of the old fantasy worlds of the original games with the same aestetic and familiar charm. Except now things are much more focused on details, character development and Narrative.

The game play feels like a modernization of the FF4 and FF6 formula. Each character has a select class and abilities they can use, but they can be further customized and advanced with abilities learned off of gear. Both the melee and magic characters can learn new spells and abilities by equipping a piece of gear and then earning enough AP to permanently learn it. From there, it can be assigned for good using limited ability slots on the character. The combat is pretty much the same as FF7 except limits breaks have been reworked into a random proc called "trance". Otherwise it is almost identical. In terms of being a open world game, it suffers a bit in the first half in this regard. A trend I have noticed with the 3D games is that they are VERY linear until about halfway - 2/3rds through the game. This can make the game feel very on rails and not as interesting at first. But as always, I have an absolute blast once given a boat/airship to start exploring the full world at my leisure.

Therefore, the most appealing aspects of this game is going to be the story, characters and music. Since Final Fantasy IV, very gradually, the story telling improves with each entry. 4-5 gave the first interesting narratives with arcs for 1-2 characters, while 6-8 started adding in depth character arcs and development alongside the overall narrative for each party member. This game is by far the best of the franchise so far with giving the main story and each of it's characters an equal amount of love and attention. Almost all the characters are lovable and rememberable. Each has a specific struggle and trials to go through, and each of them learns a life changing lesson by the time the journey is through. Even the villians are given this same level of writing. It made me very much enjoy and get immersed into the overall story. The writing and dialogue draws you in, and the beautiful backgrounds and music fill into the rest to make a very engaging and captivating world.

Overall, If I had to rank this with all the Final Fantasy games I played so far, It would probably come #2 behind Final Fantasy VI. This was a definite love letter and culmination of every game before it, and it shows as an overall excellent piece of art. I personally would recommend this as a must play for fans of this series or of JRPGS in general. You will feel right at home with this charming world and lovable characters. More than worth the price on sale for 40 hours of KINO.

Quite honestly one of the most beautiful and thought-provoking games that I've ever played. Best experience with mods installed (for QOL purposes, mainly to speed-up battles, touch-up game mechanics, etc.). Soundtrack for this game is AMAZING and cannot begin to describe how brilliantly the music covers each scene/CGI cutscene. This game, despite being almost 25 years old, has stood the test of time.

What is there to say... this is the quintesential final fantasy experience. If you don't know where to start, start here (do download the moguri mod, it basically updates it for 2024). It's a grand adventure with no vorpal flaws to speak of. It may very well change your life.

[파이널 판타지] 시리즈의 팬이라면, 해봐야 할 인기있는 시리즈(7, 9, 10) 중 하나.

다른 시리즈와는 달리, 초반 도트 시리즈처럼 캐릭터가 4등신인 것이 특징이다.
캐릭터가 귀여운 모습이어서인지, 스토리도 중반까지는 지브리처럼 매우 귀여운 편.
후반에는 좀 더 심도있는 배경과 스토리로 이어나가기 때문에, 흥미로움이 이어진다.

스팀버전인 리마스터는 게임속도증가/모두회복/뎀9999 같은 치트가 내장되어 있기에,
스토리만 보고 싶은 사람들도 빠르고 간단하게 즐길 수 있고, 세일도 할 때가 있으므로,
JRPG 혹은 파판 시리즈의 팬이라면 세일 중에 사서 해 볼 것을 추천!
(파판9의 리메이크 소문이 있기 때문에, 리메이크를 노려봐도 좋을 것 같지만,
스토리 자체가 뭔가 아기자기한 부분이 많아, 4등신 캐릭터가 더 잘 어울릴 것 같다)

I started this game for the first time with my dad when i was 8 or 10 on the Ps2, we played it almost everyday in the evenings. But after some time passed, work and school took both mine and my fathers energy and we kinda stopped playing the game... It was sad cus it was one of the few games i got to play with my dad when i was a kid.
But now that im an adult i decided to buy it to play it through and man was i not dissapointed. The story, characters and music are all amazing! Kinda hard to believe that this game was made for the Ps1.
I loved the ending even though it was bittersweet to see it after over 10 years of waiting and imagining what will happen.
I dearly hope that a remake will be made of this game as well like of FF7.
Wish i could play this for the first time again.

Absolute peak story. Great ending that really got to me. Been playing all the FF games in order for the first time and it's crazy how good Square got at this by the 9th entry.

This is a love letter to classic Final Fantasy in every way. The art is fantastic, the music is incredible, the characters are great, setpeices are amazing for a PS1 game.

I think I prefer the overall look of FF8 more but I got used to the chibi style models pretty quickly.

Classic turn based gameplay. Wish it was more challenging but the main superboss was fun to figure out.

Highly recommend for any fans of rpgs and especially if you have any history with the classic FF entries.

Also Vivi is the best.
Fuck whoever designed the achievements on this one though...

I haven't very gotten far yet, but so far it's been excellent. As one would expect from a FF game. The controls (keyboard) are pretty easy to manage and the story/action/battles are awesome. Just not -quite- sure on the design choices for the characters; however one can overlook that, imo. At least they're cute lol (maybe too cute, if you prefer more realistic designs). But, all in all, it's a very unique title among FF games, with it's own sort of charm. Definitely should be on the must-play list for any fan of JRPGs (or RPGs in general).

It's fun and has a good story, what more could one want?

One of the best games in the series!
The battle pacing is really slow, though.

It's nice to come back and play some of these older FF games.

Excellent gameplay, one of the best narratives in the franchise and characters that will make you in love with then, definitely worth a try.

I loved every moment of this game. It's fairly casual, yet it has a lot of depth.

Timeless classic.

PROs:
1 Excellent story (arguably the best Final Fantasy, even according to the original creator).
2 Memorable characters and is not afraid to explore themes of depression, grief and loss.
3 Fighting system is also arguably one of the better systems in the entire franchise, very straightforward.
4 Age appropriate for practically all ages, good for the entire family.
5 Airships are cool.
6 Overall settings and locations are breathtaking.
7 The music will get stuck in your head.
8 Improved graphics from original, or slightly more HD.

CONS:
1 Being an old game, you can tell when they were trying to push buying the strategy guide.
===Example of the above, there are places you get to where either you need the guide or had to pay very close attention to things said before, casual gamers might have a hard time with those parts (without using a google search), the downsides of this only really impact perfectionists or people wanting to just try a game without resorting to a lot of help/assistance.===
2 Putting the Excalibur II on a timeline in order to get it was evil LOL, you would miss so much of the game and what it is about by rushing to complete in under 12 hours. Good luck if you are doing a speed run, you will need to hit pause a lot to read notes from the guide(s) online or your purchased hard copy.

This game is outstanding. I have such a fond love of FF9, the gameplay and the character. Story is great. Chocobo hot and cold is the nuts. A game for me that I'd go back and complete every few years.
Finally I have the 'perfect game' for it and will never touch it again 😂 3 playthroughs due to being an idiot with equipment/choices.
Smash the 100% walkthrough and cheese the hell out of skipping by lowering the frame rate and add in the turbo button. I gave it 8h of my adult life... that is enough 🤣

FFIX was the first ever FF game I ever played back in 2000. I was 14. To say it changed my life is an understatement - it changed everything. The story had me hooked, as it's rooted deep in fantasy lore, political intrigue, and rich with character and world development. If you're looking for a game that keeps you engrossed, fun and worth every single hour of investment, you've found it! They certainly don't make many games like this anymore, and I wish they'd get a full remake for this soon. OG fans of the series want to return to a time when fantasy and creativity dominated the genre.

Played this game as a kid, and the steam version is very much as fun, but this time with more clean graphics and gameplay