Final Fantasy IX

"Listen to me, this game is phenomenal in every respect..."

Every final fantasy is epic, that's a fact. But we have to give credit to this specific final fantasy, as it's perhaps the most epic, most fantasy-related of them all. And for this I give it a very high mark, because from the pacing of the story, to the unique characters and outstanding music, it becomes evident that Square has put a lot of effort into making this fantasy the best yet.

So the game opens up beautifully, and we catch a glimpse of some of the main characters such as Zidane, Princess Garnet and Vivi. The characters are impressive, very impressive. And what makes this final fantasy superb is the way each character remains faithful to their stereotypical roles. As a result, we end up with a party full of wildly different characters, all having their own morals, beliefs and distinct behavioural ways, and we just know that their own views on life will come into conflict, or be deeply tested by others. And the result is sensational, with the main plot becoming intertwined with other sub plots that revolve around each character, going into such detail about their personal lives and future plans. We really feel as if each character is constantly developing to an extent not yet seen in previous final fantasies.

The social class of each character depicts their abilities in battle. For example, the thief Zidane can steal from enemies, and Vivi the black mage, can cast magical spells. It's a class-related system, and it works well. In Final Fantasy 8, each character, aside from their weapons, was exactly the same, except they could have items added to them that affects their attributes and what commands they can carry out in battle. In Final Fantasy 9, a character's ability is unique, therefore the player will have to work out who is best suited for each arriving battle. In addition to this system, there are support abilities that are activated automatically in battle if they are chosen. For example, the player can add a ‘bird killing' support ability to Steiner, the knight, which will make him doubly effective against bird-type enemies. Knowing which support abilities to use, and which characters to use is essential against the many boss-battles the player will face. Of course, there is a downside to such a system in that you can only have 4 party members in battle out of 8, and if one member isn't proving effective, you can't swap them with a more effective member.

Acquiring the necessary skills for each character is simple, but can be a little tedious. The player enters a shop, where they can buy weapons, armour and other accessories that a character can be equipped with. Each of these items has different attack techniques, spells etc…, that, when equipped, can be used in battle. If a character uses a particular equipped item long enough, they will eventually learn the technique/spell off by heart, and so can then unequip the item and equip something else to learn a different skill. It is tedious because it means a character must experience many successful battles to become stronger, but it's effective because when a skill is learnt, it really makes the player feel a strong sense of achievement.

Obtaining all the weapons and learning every ability in the game can be a daunting task, as money (gil) and patience are both required. However, on a brighter note, each weapon in the game is completely unique, and can dramatically affect the way the player battles some of the creatures, as some weapons can protect you from certain types of spells that the creatures can cast. There is a simple strategy element there in that the weapons and accessories you equip the party members with can determine whether a battle will be won or lost. New to the series are synthesis shops, which are places where two weapons can be forged together to form a new weapon, which is often superior. Forging weapons allows more skills and attack techniques to be learnt.

There is a lot of talk in Final Fantasy 9. With such a story to tell, it is important that the player understands what is happening in the game world. The story-telling is well scripted, and very well-paced, and it goes into so much depth that it makes the game world feel more real than anything. To a simple degree, the story involves the character Zidane as he embarks on a quest to kidnap Princess Garnet. In doing so, he triggers a set of events that will reveal the sinister plans and actions of the some of the more powerful non-playable characters, thus resulting in a rich and detailed storyline filled with twists and turns, ups and downs. It is clear that every final fantasy has recurring themes present in the main storyline, and Final Fantasy 9 is no different, echoing the main themes of love and hate, trust and betrayal, war and heroism etc…

And finally, we wave goodbye to the numerous, rather dull villains of Final Fantasy 8, and we say hello to Kuja, a true villain, and a character that adds such diversity to the game in that we learn to despise and love him through the course of the story. He manipulates others, comes into conflict with superior and inferior characters, and undergoes a dramatic physical and mental change, just as any good villain would do. In fact, he is so villainous, it just makes Final Fantasy 9 become ever more fantastical, and the player realises that they facing overwhelming odds because they have to lead their party of such unexpected, unpredictable characters on a journey that will see them fighting this sadistic, selfish person. The emotional impact, and the way in which the story portrays Kuja is a breath of fresh air, and it's this introduction of one main villain that truly separates Final Fantasy 9 from Final Fantasy 8.

New to the series are ATEs. These stand for active time events. When the main story begins to unfold, these events pop up that show what is happening to the other characters that are currently not with the main character. Of course, these ‘sub stories' are time consuming, and to watch every single one will require a deep interest into the characters, and patience, which some gamers intensely lack. But cleverly, viewing these stories are not absolutely necessary, and it is the player's choice whether they want to see them or not as they pop up from the bottom of the screen. However, to our misfortune, some are compulsory viewing, and we have to sit through the time-intensive storylines often wishing we could just skip them and return to the main story.

There is no better way to accompany the rich storyline than with a stunning musical score. Some tunes have apparently been recycled from past Final Fantasies, and it gives fans of the series a very nostalgic feeling. If you are new to the series then the music will seem to be of top quality. From the rather frantic melodies of the standard battle music, to the epic, sweeping boss battle theme, you can instantly see that there is music for every occasion, whether that would be a happy, sad, dramatic or action-oriented part of the game. And the music really expresses the story emotionally, and its timing is spot-on. Though the music is different to the previous games in the series, it is suited well to the whole fantasy, medieval appeal of the game, and thus should be credited for staying in context to the game world.

Graphically, the game sets a high standard, from the very detailed pre-rendered backgrounds, to the glorious CG scenes, which, of course, are outstanding. It's typical of Square to place so much effort into making these scenes look the way they do. And it pays off too, as they continue the story with such grace, as well as leaving the player in awe with how realistic they actually look. But the pre rendered backgrounds should not hide away in the corner, far from it, as they comprise the bulk of the graphics, and deliver every environmental theme possible. From the bustling, crowded, construction-filled cobbled streets of the city Lindblum, to the cold, frosty and slippery paths of the ice cavern, it is easy for the player to witness the eccentric, original imaginations of the game's designers as they make these locations come to life.

Aside from the pre rendered backgrounds and CG scenes, the actual graphics of the game are fairly good, but nothing special. The battle effects that spawn from the huge list of spells and attacks you can choose from are excellent, much better than those in the previous Final Fantasies. The GF creatures from Final Fantasy 8 have changed to Eidolons. The name even sounds fantasy-related, and thus the creatures themselves that can be summoned stay faithful to the context and setting of the game. Gone are the numerous GF creatures that just seemed alien and separate from the game world. Their replacement is something far more effective; the eidolons play a very important role in progressing the storyline of Final Fantasy 9, and when you summon one, you actually feel as if you are in control. Not only to the play the part, but they look it, often being integrated into some of the CG scenes, making them seem ever more believable.

This game is long. It will take you a long time to finish playing through it once, and even then the chances of missing something special (e.g. important side quests) are very high. On top of the 40+ hours of going through the game, you have treasure hunts using fluffy birds known as chocobos, you have the complicated tetra master card game, you have the chance to explore the vast game world on an airship where you will more than likely discover a place you have not yet visited before or didn't even know existed. You can customise your party members, go searching for their ultimate weapons, or visit places close to them to uncover more about their past. The replayability is very good because there is simply so much to do. Excellent.

I can't be more honest, this game is phenomenal, and it has achieved something special - a way of combining musical, graphical, emotional and story-telling elements into one thriving game world, that is rich with detail. I would sincerely recommend this game to anyone even slightly interested in the whole Final Fantasy series. This game is different to the others though in terms of its graphical appeal, which can often put fans of the series off. However, and listen carefully, because of the game's original design, and attempt to do something different for a change simply means it is worthy of becoming a classic.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 03/08/06