FINAL FANTASY IX

Square Enix unfortunately did a poor job of porting this game. They brought it over and barely did any improvements to this port (really lazy). But with the moguri mod and the mod manager, I was able to play this game in 120fps enjoy 1440p cutscenes and so on. There's also good amounts of Qol changes the community added shoutouts to them! Another improvement is faster battles (you can adjust the battle speed) make your characters have toon + outlines shader and much more! This is the only way to enjoy this game in a definitive way. Highly recommend playing this with mods. Otherwise you're stuck with 30fps and a lazy port.

10/10 - Man, they did it again... Final Fantasy IX might be THE quintessential FF game of the turn-base era, playing it feels like you’re going through a “Greatest Hits” of what made the series so great. The story feels authentic to Final Fantasy, beat by beat, the combat, the characters, the mechanics, the minigames… everything screams “this is what a Final Fantasy game should look like”. I’m not even sure how to start this review. Not unlike the other PS1 era games, I was reluctant to get into FFIX. I heard so much about praise about the game, that I came in expecting that this was an overhyped entry, especially with the Disney-ish art style, the more childish tone, and “sure is dark” dialogue didn’t land well for me. I can only say I was completely wrong. Yes, the art style and tone are more childish, yet I couldn’t see this game made in any other way. The narrative and themes make up such a contrast and it works so well. In the end I couldn’t help but fall in love with all the characters, the world, the lore… literally everything about this game. Starting with the cast of characters. Zidane might be one of the most interesting protagonists in the series so far. I started the game with a heavy dislike of him, but some few hours in I realized how amazing he is, and how much more potent than Squall, or even Cloud he is. The other characters range from good, such as Steiner, Eiko, Quina, and Salamander, to Great, such as Beatrix, Garnet, and Freija. It’s genuinely amazing how the game handled all these characters and you’re able to see their growth (in different amounts of course), and their satisfying conclusion by the end of the game. Of course I couldn’t not talk about Vivi. How much I love Vivi. He’s not the main character, but his journey through this game is one of the most beautiful stories in any game, let alone in a Final Fantasy. In the span of the game, he went from an interesting side character, to being the biggest mark that this game left on me after the credits roll. The story of this game is as rich, and well paced. Each character has their purpose and space. And in a good Final Fantasy fashion, you go to so many highs and lows, to so many places, different and familiar alike. The villains and stakes feel true to Final Fantasy too, and they have enough space to do their thing and actually be memorable. The characters and story are a true highlight, but this game does not end there. FF9 is the mastered version of what 7 and 8 were trying to accomplish on the PS1 era. The game feels fluid, with all the kinks (maybe except for Trance) worked out. The characters feel true each to their job, you don’t need to sacrifice on gameplay styles to be able to level up or upgrade. It’s pure unadulterated FF JRPG fun. Even the minigames are fun and interesting to some point. Graphically, this game feels much better than 7 and 8, and it’s the first time that you can feel that Square had truly mastered the format, with very few compromises. The art style does help it a lot as well. This port also has a very good selection of mods to make it even better. In fact, I highly recommend modding this game (just like the previous PS1 games), as you can get rid of annoyances, fix what’s bad, and improve what’s good already. The mods just like FFVII’s do make this game feel like a modern title. This entry does expand the achievements, compared to the previous ones. It’s a weird thing, as some can be quite painful to get, others may be too grindy. Overall, although they did introduce a lot of new points to get worried about, it was a very enjoyable experience hunting for those. In the end, the mods do help you quite a lot with some of the requirements and grind as well. Now, it wouldn’t be a classic FF game review without talking about the score. I would happily donate my soul to Nobuo Uematsu so that he can keep living forever and keep bringing us these amazing scores. It took me a good while to actually get into the game, again due to the art style and tone, but when Roses of May played in Disc 2, that’s when I became fully hooked. I think that FF9 has fewer high impact titles such as the ones from FF6 or FF7, but the soundtrack as a whole works so perfectly, with the weakest or most generic songs being amazing, and the best ones are so memorable. As I said in my previous reviews for FFVII and FFVIII, I would really love to see all the PS1 era games get a remaster akin to the Pixel Remaster Series. Something to modernize them and iron out some kinks would work wonders not only to revitalize the series, but to bring them out to a new audience. To conclude this review, as I’ve been typing a lot, and at the same time, there is so much more that I want to say about this game, Final Fantasy IX is not as good as everyone says, it’s much better. It IS the quintessential Final Fantasy, and although I think that Final Fantasy VII still takes the crown, this one is right at its side as the second best in the series. Again, there is so much more that I can and want to say, but I will simply conclude this review with a strong recommendation that you should play it.

Коротко и ясно: Я влюбился в эту историю и рыдал над последней катсценой, но я как ненавидел, так и ненавижу жанр JRPG всем сердцем.

What was the need to censor this game? when Steiner has the option to go to the other side of the alley while Garnet is changing, she comes out before he runs to the other side. In the original, he runs to the other side and garnet screams out in panic that she will be seen by him. Have they removed other scenes too? And if they did, what the hell for?

After 105.6 hours, I can't say Final Fantasy IX was worth the time investment for me. This isn't a bad game. There are things I genuinely liked, particularly the equipment-based ability system, and I can understand why many fans have such fond memories of it. What I struggle to understand is why it's so often held up as one of the absolute best games in the series. The story never really grabbed me and very little of it surprised me. Vivi's story is often praised as one of the strongest parts of the game, but I saw where it was heading from very early on, so the emotional impact never landed. Garnet was my favourite character, but much of the cast felt built around familiar fantasy archetypes. Steiner felt one-dimensional, and Kuja never really worked as a villain for me. I also struggled with the presentation. The chibi art style and overall whimsical tone made it difficult for me to take many of the dramatic moments seriously. Zidane is a good example. I don't dislike him as a character, but the exaggerated design and monkey tail made him feel more like a mascot than someone I could become emotionally invested in. Maybe this game simply hits differently for people who played it when it first released. As someone coming to it later in life, I found the story predictable, the characters mostly unremarkable, and the payoff underwhelming. It's not the worst Final Fantasy I've played, but it's the first one I've finished and immediately wondered what all the hype was about.

[h1] VIDEOGAME 2. [/h1] Cara, nem preciso de tantas horas nesse jogo pra saber que ele é um dos melhores FFs. The GOAT. Ganhei de presente de aniversário do meu brother, Nihills, e como se não bastasse, hoje também é meu aniversário e ainda teve a abertura da Copa do Mundo de 2026. Dois presentes no mesmo dia. México sabugou a África do Sul, mas o nosso árbitro roubou a cena com seu inglês nível Joel Santana. Enfim. 1000/10

Just beautiful. The heart and soul of Final Fantasy IX is so forthright and honest that it makes for an incredibly endearing journey. Like most entries in the series, it has its stumbles. The combat is annoyingly slow, a few characters feel underdeveloped with unfinished arcs, and parts of the final act feel a bit rushed. But the game's best traits more than make up for its flaws. While it takes a more conventional fantasy approach to its setting and writing, that simplicity sharpens the story to cultivate a texture that feels unbelievably raw. It kindles something genuinely special in you. This all comes to a head during the ending. Its reflection on life is profoundly beautiful: making the most of our time, the value of the friends we make and the memories etched into your shared history, and finding the courage to face the trials and risks that come with life. It is easily the strongest, most provocative message I have ever taken away from a Final Fantasy game. Just absolutely beautiful.

crise existencial em forma de videogame, amo tudo nesse jogo, não é o final fantasy mais bem avaliado atoa, absolute videogames, vivi você sempre será lembrado!!!!!

I’am only really writing this review in desperate bid to try and get people to play this masterpiece of a game. 😂 But in all seriousness, I find this FF to be one of the most underrated in the series without a doubt - I feel a lot of people turn their nose up at it as at first glance it’s too ‘childish’ because of the animation style. Over the years when I have been asked/ or mentioned my favourite final fantasy is IX, i’am always met with raised eyebrows, a few times even told it was an ‘odd’ choice but I will never understand why. This game is absolutely beautiful, tragic, comedic, fun and yet serious all at once.The characters are all so loveable and I find it hard choosing my core 4 (yes, even Quina 🤣) the locations are stunning too and the OST?! Arguably the best in the franchise I mean the Burmecia theme and You’re not alone?! Probably my two favourites in the whole franchise. That’s all I gotta say, it’s so beautiful. Watching the characters develop and change as the story progresses is satisfying, especially Zidane and Vivi. The ending also makes me cry like a baby everytime, without giving anything away it truly tugged on the heartstrings. Please if you have debated playing this game give it a go. It’s on sale less than £5 now and I can promise you it’s way worth it. 🥰