First off, Final Fantasy IX is a great game, no doubt about it. The story is engaging and keeps you guessing. The score is among the best of any video game and the CG is the best on any PSone title. The game play is easy to pick up and story progression isn't slowed down by pages and pages of tutorials. Whilst i love VII and VIII, i'm still having difficulty working out junctioning and the like. Whereas in IX you'll be an expert in no time, picking off your enemies one by one. Thats not to say that its easy, far from it, but you won't have to worry about not having the right GF or using up all your Curaga spells.
In technical terms, IX is as close to a perfect game as you will find for the PSone. I think one of the biggest reasons for it being overlooked by many gamers however is its characters. FFVII & VIII both had a techy, sci-fi feel with moody lead characters that worked in a time when technology was having its growth spurt. IX however, went back to FF's grass roots and opted to use cartoony, whimsical characters that work well in eastern gaming/cinema but over here in the west? I get it, and so do many others i'm sure, but for the rest of the 'need4speed' boy racers who aren't interested in a game that doesn't say 'underground' or 'redux' after the title... i think you see where i'm going. Cool it ain't, but it is beautiful and magical and other words to that effect. You could even say it led the way for a fantasy revival with Rings and Potter just around the corner. But i feel that may be giving it a little too much credit. I am here however, to be critical, and my critical eye falls sharpest on the games characters. The world they inhabit is wonderful to me and i would go for the scenery but i'm afraid i wouldn't be staying for the company. Zidane and Garnet are a fantastic leading pair and Kuja is a deliciously evil villain. But thats it. Vivi, whilst essential to the plot is unbelievably annoying. In fact, annoying is a word that could be used for most of the principal characters. There are great characters in there, but you can't use them! Beatrix? Marcus? Blanc? Yes please. Steiner? Amarant? Bloody Quina? (What is it?!!!) No thank you. The lack of decent characters is, thankfully, it's only major flaw. Just ignore everyone except for Zidane and the Princess and you'll be fine, because these are the characters that you will care for. And the ending cinematic could well have you tears (Just me? OK).
In conclusion, this is a game that you will probably love or hate. It's up to you, stick with it and you'll find a game full of surprises, laughter, sadness, love and inevitably death. Turn off at the first sign of weird and annoying frog things and you'll never know how amazing it could have been.
9/10 Nearly Perfect.
In technical terms, IX is as close to a perfect game as you will find for the PSone. I think one of the biggest reasons for it being overlooked by many gamers however is its characters. FFVII & VIII both had a techy, sci-fi feel with moody lead characters that worked in a time when technology was having its growth spurt. IX however, went back to FF's grass roots and opted to use cartoony, whimsical characters that work well in eastern gaming/cinema but over here in the west? I get it, and so do many others i'm sure, but for the rest of the 'need4speed' boy racers who aren't interested in a game that doesn't say 'underground' or 'redux' after the title... i think you see where i'm going. Cool it ain't, but it is beautiful and magical and other words to that effect. You could even say it led the way for a fantasy revival with Rings and Potter just around the corner. But i feel that may be giving it a little too much credit. I am here however, to be critical, and my critical eye falls sharpest on the games characters. The world they inhabit is wonderful to me and i would go for the scenery but i'm afraid i wouldn't be staying for the company. Zidane and Garnet are a fantastic leading pair and Kuja is a deliciously evil villain. But thats it. Vivi, whilst essential to the plot is unbelievably annoying. In fact, annoying is a word that could be used for most of the principal characters. There are great characters in there, but you can't use them! Beatrix? Marcus? Blanc? Yes please. Steiner? Amarant? Bloody Quina? (What is it?!!!) No thank you. The lack of decent characters is, thankfully, it's only major flaw. Just ignore everyone except for Zidane and the Princess and you'll be fine, because these are the characters that you will care for. And the ending cinematic could well have you tears (Just me? OK).
In conclusion, this is a game that you will probably love or hate. It's up to you, stick with it and you'll find a game full of surprises, laughter, sadness, love and inevitably death. Turn off at the first sign of weird and annoying frog things and you'll never know how amazing it could have been.
9/10 Nearly Perfect.