Final Fantasy IX is such a great game that it perfectly establishes the mechanics of the Final Fantasy series, especially after the incident caused by its predecessor, VIII. It takes the best aspects of VII and turns them into the perfect formula by eliminating the frustrating experimental mechanics introduced by VIII. Although it didn’t sell well, IX became a game that must be experienced by every Final Fantasy and JRPG fan. It offers a simpler gameplay compared to both VII and VIII which makes it accessible to newcomers as well as loyal fans. However, there is one aspect that I feel like I should criticize and that is the fact that it actually doesn’t offer as much freedom as VII and that is the ability to determine which character is going to assume which role such as tank, mage, etc. Each character has pre-determined abilities that cannot be modified or changed, but it doesn’t cause any disturbances or obstacles in the game in any way. Just like in VII, you have a bunch of weapons, armor pieces, and several accessories that you can equip your characters with, and they all have unique abilities that you can teach the characters through farming AP. Unlike VIII, leveling up doesn’t punish you and it’s quite rewarding as it should.

The characters have chibi looks and the setting may seem more cartoony which could lead to misunderstanding that it’s not as serious as the previous titles, but don’t let the appearances deceive you since it’s one of the most powerful and emotional Final Fantasy stories that can give you teary eyes in the end. The protagonist Zidane is a cheerful and goofy guy unlike Squall and Cloud, thus, he ended up being my favorite protagonist of the PSX era of Final Fantasy games. It was nice to see a caring, cheerful, and confident guy instead of an edgelord for a change, furthermore; it truly feels like a “fantasy” game due to its setting being in a fictional medieval era. The story mostly revolves around Zidane’s love interest Dagger and his black mage pal Vivi whereas Steiner, Dagger’s loyal knight, gives Zidane a tough time throughout the game due to the status difference between Zidane and Princess Dagger. Of course, there are more characters, but the story mainly focuses on Zidane, Dagger, and Vivi, therefore; I’d prefer to say nothing more about the rest of the cast. However, all of their backstories are being explored as the game progresses and Zidane finds a meaning to his life through his friends which makes the story quite deep and complex rather than a straight shot to the goal.

Another distinguishing feature of IX is the ability to use 4 characters simultaneously unlike VII and VIII. The card game Tetra Master is also quite interesting, but it’s not as engaging as Triple Triad in my opinion. It also doesn’t offer you any real reward except for a few achievements, so going after every single card out there would be meaningless unless you’re a completionist. Speaking of the completionist side of the game, it’s a bit irritating due to how easy it is to miss stuff such as ATEs, treasures, and time-limited mini-games, thus, it’s recommended to follow a guide strictly if you’re aiming for a 100% completion rate. Moogle letters are also quite easy to miss and yes, moogles play a huge role in Final Fantasy IX instead of cameo appearances. I mean, it’s only natural that they got a bigger role in this given its setting. And who can forget chocobos? They return with an interesting mini-game that leads to the toughest boss fight in the game if you have time to invest in it and yes, chocobo progression is very similar to the one in VII. Speaking of time investment, there is an achievement that requires you to kill 10.000 enemies yet again, but at least in-game boosters and cheats are more efficient this time around which could help you a lot or you could simply use another save file to avoid hours of grinding. The soundtrack on the other hand is memorable and quite emotional as always thanks to Nobuo Uematsu, who never disappoints. I don’t know if it’s already in the works or not, but Square Enix should definitely remake IX next!

A perfect game that offers a flawless formula of the traditional Final Fantasy JRPG mechanics with a very emotional story supported by a great soundtrack. Its setting is a fictional medieval era with chibi-style characters, but don’t let it give you the impression that it’s not as serious as the previous titles. I will simply say that it’s much, much better. Hopefully, Square Enix will remake this one next!

Simply the best Videogame on this planet. Was my first ever when it released. Play it. Enjoy it. Love it.

Great story, great soundtrack, great game.

Despite the spotlight always being on Final Fantasy VII and X, Final Fantasy IX often goes unmentioned, and I don't understand why. This is a peak PS1 game, with its charming art style and design that have aged remarkably well compared to VII and VIII, making it a visually appealing game even today.

I don't want to say much more because I believe it’s a game that’s best experienced with minimal prior knowledge. It's truly worth playing. Having experienced it, it's become one of my favourite Final Fantasy games.

this game has a great story. I think think FFIX is great. If you're reading reviews you maybe more interested in the Steam version as opposed to other platforms. This is the one to get, it has many quality of life improvements and great mod support. I highly recommend getting the Moguri Mod, which should be considered the definitive modern way to play.

Get Memoria mod, and Moguri. Unlock framerate. Be very happy!

FF IX is my favorite final fantasy, and it was awesome to replay it with the Moguri mod. As always, fans do what companies wont. Especially squeenix. The only thing they're good for these days is milking their old IP back from when they used to make good games.

Recommend this game b/c its amazing and if you play with mods. If not just emulate it, eff SE.

I've already finished this game a few times when I was younger. And when I discover the existence of Moguri Mod, I just really had to play this again to see how much it improves the game. So far, I'm not disappointed.

Characters are great, systems in the game for learning abilities take some time to get your head around, combat fun as you usual FF affair, has some good mods for making look more modern than the PSX release.

si este juego no te gusto mas que el final fantasy 7 es pq o sos español o porque tenes algun tipo de espectro del autismo