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Final Fantasy IX was probably one of the most anticipated Final Fantasy titles of all time, but is it really possible for a game to live up to the greatness of it’s predecessors, Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy VIII. Although Final Fantasy IX was essentially more of the same, and didn’t really develop on the winning formula of Final Fantasy VIII, I still believe this game had a lot more to offer you than the previous two titles, and in my opinion Final Fantasy IX is one of the best Final Fantasy titles ever made.

One of the key selling points of the previous two PlayStation games was the graphics, and Final Fantasy IX definitely has graphics. In my opinion, Final Fantasy IX was the apex of all PlayStation games, as it had far superior graphics to any of the previous Final Fantasy titles, and can easily rival the graphics of some of the earlier PlayStation 2 games.

Final Fantasy IX is packed with FMV sequences, and that’s been one of my favourite features in a Final Fantasy game since Final Fantasy VII. The FMV sequences are truly stunning, far surpassing that of the in game graphics. The FMV sequences really show how far Square Soft have taken the PlayStation system with this game, however this doesn’t come without its consequences – Final Fantasy IX is a massive four discs long!

Final Fantasy IX’s storyline isn’t really anything special, but like all Final Fantasy games it’s rich in character development – meaning you really get to know the characters you’re playing as. In a nut shell, Final Fantasy IX puts you in control of Zidane Tribal, who’s landed himself smack bang in the middle of a queen’s evil plot to control the world using highly-advanced magical weaponry. Of course, throughout a series of twists and turns the story unravels to tell an even deeper story than what’s originally seen on the surface – however, this story isn’t as engaging as that off the previous Final Fantasy titles. That’s not to say Final Fantasy IX has a bad storyline, it just won’t leave the same impact that Final Fantasy VII left on you.

As previously mentioned, Final Fantasy IX doesn’t really change anything with regards to the battle system, equipment and summons – but does it really need to? Like I said it’s a winning formula, and most Final Fantasy fans know what their buying when they pick up a Final fantasy title, and that’s what they are expecting to get. One of my favourite things in Final Fantasy IX was the games version of “Limit Breaks”, Final Fantasy IX had something called Trance. Trance allowed your characters to perform special moves that were unique to that character; I thought the Trance system added a lot to the battle system in Final Fantasy IX as it could change the tide of a battle in an instant.

Another thing that I’m fond of in Final Fantasy IX is the use of sound, and the games soundtrack. I thought the game had a great soundtrack; in fact I’d go far enough as to say that it’s the best soundtrack a Final Fantasy game has ever featured. However, I’ve heard a lot of people disagree with this opinion, saying that Final Fantasy IX’s music was totally irrelevant and just didn’t fit the game at all. So I guess this one really is down to opinion, but I’m all for Final Fantasy IX’s soundtrack, and firmly believe it’s one of the best soundtracks a Final Fantasy game has ever had.

To sum it up, Final Fantasy IX has a mediocre main storyline but rich back stories that make this game an incredible gaming experience. On top of this, Final Fantasy IX has some solid game play and an awesome soundtrack. If you’re a fan of Final Fantasy and looking for some of the older titles to play, this one is definitely worth playing.

Rating: 8.5/10


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