Everything that's been said below is true. FFIX is both underrated and a symptom of the Enix groupthink that has made the series very...same-y. As most people know, IX was originally going to be a spinoff, similar to Kingdom Hearts. The decision to make it a numbered sequel was probably what drove them to incorporate Cloud and Sephiroth into the story. "Them" being Square Enix executives, probably. Inevitably the characters to fall into their prearranged slots: "Zindane is now amnesiac! Garnet will tonight be playing the part of Rinoa! Our replacement Yuffie is..." and so forth.
Still, I enjoyed revisiting PSX-era Final Fantasy. One detail I liked was the "Synthesize" shop which uses your old equipment to forge better accessories. I always hated not knowing whether to sell my old junk, or keep it for later use. The game is a challenge, with some pretty obtuse dungeons, a high encounter rate, and enemies who don't mess around. The black mage is actually useful, which I personally like (see also FFX), although Blizara, as usual, is the only spell worth using. (Seriously, Square. What is your deal?)
The new Limit Breaks are strange. I can't control when my party enters Trance, and they always blow it on a puny testicle monster and never, ever, on the upcoming boss battle.
The music is top-notch, as are the graphics. This is the last FF game to feature an overhead map, a beloved antique of the nineties. IX has perfected the art of overworld maps, with topographic views, cable cars, and a blanket of mist (Mist is always evil in this series).
The story is actually at it best when it's simple, dumb, and adventurous. There is something cathartic about a lunatic who isn't satisfied with nuking every rival nation on the continent in the name of "peace"; she wants to go conquer other continents, too. It's when we start drifting into Blade Runner — we already used up all the Star Wars references — that things become less fun.
Forgotten Fantasy
Everything that's been said below is true. FFIX is both underrated and a symptom of the Enix groupthink that has made the series very...same-y. As most people know, IX was originally going to be a spinoff, similar to Kingdom Hearts. The decision to make it a numbered sequel was probably what drove them to incorporate Cloud and Sephiroth into the story. "Them" being Square Enix executives, probably. Inevitably the characters to fall into their prearranged slots: "Zindane is now amnesiac! Garnet will tonight be playing the part of Rinoa! Our replacement Yuffie is..." and so forth.
Still, I enjoyed revisiting PSX-era Final Fantasy. One detail I liked was the "Synthesize" shop which uses your old equipment to forge better accessories. I always hated not knowing whether to sell my old junk, or keep it for later use. The game is a challenge, with some pretty obtuse dungeons, a high encounter rate, and enemies who don't mess around. The black mage is actually useful, which I personally like (see also FFX), although Blizara, as usual, is the only spell worth using. (Seriously, Square. What is your deal?)
The new Limit Breaks are strange. I can't control when my party enters Trance, and they always blow it on a puny testicle monster and never, ever, on the upcoming boss battle.
The music is top-notch, as are the graphics. This is the last FF game to feature an overhead map, a beloved antique of the nineties. IX has perfected the art of overworld maps, with topographic views, cable cars, and a blanket of mist (Mist is always evil in this series).
The story is actually at it best when it's simple, dumb, and adventurous. There is something cathartic about a lunatic who isn't satisfied with nuking every rival nation on the continent in the name of "peace"; she wants to go conquer other continents, too. It's when we start drifting into Blade Runner — we already used up all the Star Wars references — that things become less fun.