Final Fantasy IX

 PlayStation
User Score
9.0

Universal acclaim- based on 1535 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,390 out of 1535
  2. Mixed: 75 out of 1535
  3. Negative: 70 out of 1535
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  1. JustinDeC.
    Mar 16, 2005
    2
    Not a really good game to play.
  2. LukeB.
    Aug 16, 2002
    3
    Boring and cutesy as crap. Gimme a break.
  3. MorganF
    Mar 10, 2009
    0
    Boring, boring, boring. The plot is so shallow that makes you doubt your intelligence, the gameplay makes you want to cut your hands ang the graphics sucs. It is the most overrated game ever. I want my spended hours back!
  4. LeongFongW.
    Aug 5, 2001
    7
    Actually is a good game but the characters' skills are not as flexible as FF7. FF7 can use different combinations with materia but FF9 can't.
  5. DamienO.
    Jun 16, 2003
    9
    A very good game but ff7 is still a little better.
  6. VidM.
    Dec 8, 2004
    7
    First, let me say that I am a huge fan of the Final Fantasy series. Of the games I own, this is the one I've played the least. It is strange to realize that because this is not my least favorite Final Fantasy game. I whipped right through it in about two weeks, and that was it. I forgot about it. My least favorite Final Fantasy is actually FF8 (I'm not willing to even call the First, let me say that I am a huge fan of the Final Fantasy series. Of the games I own, this is the one I've played the least. It is strange to realize that because this is not my least favorite Final Fantasy game. I whipped right through it in about two weeks, and that was it. I forgot about it. My least favorite Final Fantasy is actually FF8 (I'm not willing to even call the fecal matter that was FFX-2 a Final Fantasy game...or maybe even calling it a game is too much credit...). However, I've logged far more hours playing FF8 than I have FF9. Even though I like FF8 less, I'm still willing to go back and play it every now and then. I simply have no desire to ever play FF9 again. It was fun while I played it. I did everything I wanted to do. The story was so neatly wrapped at the end, that I just don't feel a second playing would reward me in terms of more completely understanding the story. Again, this is a strange game, because it is good, and yet very forgettable.… Expand
  7. TweetyT.
    Mar 22, 2006
    9
    Very interesting RPG game, perfect story, but lacks creativity in battles and minigames (compared to FF VII) and is not that grafically special for the year it was released in.
  8. AbraxusZ.
    May 8, 2006
    6
    well i do say this is a very good game. Although it does have its bads and goods. What i didnt like about ti was that it was very short. I went through the game pretty fast and i expected more of a chalenge. This is my first fantasy game. And i hope it wont be my last. I was impressed by the charictors. I liked the fact that the main charictors fell in love hapily ever after. but what well i do say this is a very good game. Although it does have its bads and goods. What i didnt like about ti was that it was very short. I went through the game pretty fast and i expected more of a chalenge. This is my first fantasy game. And i hope it wont be my last. I was impressed by the charictors. I liked the fact that the main charictors fell in love hapily ever after. but what wouldve been better was another game with same charictors and like a new bad guy comes and invades but there love still remains a secret to themselfs. that would be a little secret between them i wouldve liked to have happend. But aditional charictors would be cool too. Anyways, the game was good and what someone said before i wanted to here there voices because i cant imagien them. Also it is indeed forgetable. I would like more of a story next time and a more unprodictable story. Everybody knows the stor, bad guy comes in godd guy comes in good guy kills bad guys yippidy doo dahh hapily ever after . I want more then that and that is what i expect in a good fantasy game. The only thing i admire most was the game play, graphics, and the charictors.… Expand
  9. Gaiduk
    Sep 3, 2015
    2
    It's a pile of old ideas from previous FF and nothing fresh, the story is so predictable and naive that reading old novels make you sleeping slower than playing this. The last masterpiece from Square was Xenogears.
  10. okamimiyazaki
    Jul 6, 2014
    10
    One of the best, if not the best, Final Fantasy games. This is the only FF game I keep coming back to play over and over again, simply because of how good it is.

    It's very refreshing to get away from the more futuristic theme of the previous few Final Fantasy games and go back to the medieval fantasy setting. The FMVs are, IMO, the best in the Final Fantasy series, with many neat things    One of the best, if not the best, Final Fantasy games. This is the only FF game I keep coming back to play over and over again, simply because of how good it is.

    It's very refreshing to get away from the more futuristic theme of the previous few Final Fantasy games and go back to the medieval fantasy setting. The FMVs are, IMO, the best in the Final Fantasy series, with many neat things happening in them such as battles and summons.

    The combat is rather simple but still addicting. I love how each character is completely unique, instead of being able to make them all pretty much exactly the same such as in 8 or 10. The passive abilities still allow for a degree of strategy and customization, though they can break the game at times.

    The characters are very well developed with unique personalities and none of them are boring or dull (such as Vaan in 12) - you either love or hate 'em. The dialogue is the best in the series and is a pleasure to read.

    The story is fantastic. It is presented and executed perfectly. At the beginning it doesn't seem to have much direction (stealing a princess why?) but everything falls into place throughout the game and is unraveled perfectly, with few to no plot holes or questions left unanswered. It is quite a journey filled with humor, drama, romance and excitement.

    The music is amazing but this is always the case in Final Fantasy games (with Nobuo Uematsu).

    The spell animations are gorgeous and some of the best in the series - e.g. flare and doomsday.

    The only thing I don't like about this Final Fantasy is that it tends to have some balancing issues. Some fights are very difficult while many others are a total joke.    … Expand
  11. Orctownorc
    Aug 22, 2013
    6
    A "role playing game" for four year olds, with a protagonist who looks like a monkey playing in a world where everyone looks like a monkey, jumping about like an assortment of zoo animals. Full to the brim with upgradeable skills to addict the completionist in everyone and your classic oversentimental JRPG plot lines so that everyone can 'role play" being 4 years old again and crying whenA "role playing game" for four year olds, with a protagonist who looks like a monkey playing in a world where everyone looks like a monkey, jumping about like an assortment of zoo animals. Full to the brim with upgradeable skills to addict the completionist in everyone and your classic oversentimental JRPG plot lines so that everyone can 'role play" being 4 years old again and crying when mummy yelled at you. The game mechanics are well designed, the music is good and 'as a game' its brilliant if you are suitably young at heart or still wearing diapers.

    THE GROT REVIEW CRITERIA: After a long time writing reviews like an anus, think its time to set a few bad habits straight: Stop insulting designers. Show some respect for the design process and getting games in circulation. Hence (1) No Red scores. (2) Game scores as follows: Bad Game 5/10. Poor Game 6/10. Mediocre Game: 7/10. Good Game 8/10. Great game 9/10. Stella Game 10/10. To get 10/10 it must be a game that can be (theoretically) play-able for 1000+ hours. Not only great but near endless fun. Games may be bad or poor but making them should earn respect. Thus even the worst POS will still be a 5/10. 0/10 no longer exists in my vocabulary. Yellow is the new red. For the sake of accountability: you can reply if needed: Orctowngrot: Tim Rawlins: timtimjp@yahoo.com    … Expand
  12. OwtDaft
    Jun 3, 2019
    10
    + It's a PS1 era Final Fantasy and so of course the story is amazing.
    + This Final Fantasy I tend to recommend to new players as it's more straight forward.
    + Not padded with lots of side quests. + Really beautiful music. + IMO the PS1 version looks better than the PS4 smeared version of the game. + Everyone loves Vivi. Though I find Eiko super funny and a great later character. -    + It's a PS1 era Final Fantasy and so of course the story is amazing.
    + This Final Fantasy I tend to recommend to new players as it's more straight forward.
    + Not padded with lots of side quests.
    + Really beautiful music.
    + IMO the PS1 version looks better than the PS4 smeared version of the game.
    + Everyone loves Vivi. Though I find Eiko super funny and a great later character.
    - Not as much customisation in this Final Fantasy.
    - The game isn't quite as good in the last 1/3 of the game though it is still amazing.
    - The characters Amarant and Quina are more a negative to the game than a positive.    … Expand
  13. Runa
    Apr 25, 2013
    7
    It is one of the best Final Fantasy. He have some funny moments in the game. He have a good graphic and sound. But the history is the only i don't like at 100%.
  14. KyleS
    Mar 18, 2014
    9
    Great game. Not as good as final fantasy 7 though. The battle mechanics were less interesting and going from the amazing materia system to this was a little disappointing. I didn't feel for the characters as much as I did for the ff7 cast. The villain wasn't as compelling either. I still thinks it's a great game though. After this is when it all went downhill for the final fantasy series.Great game. Not as good as final fantasy 7 though. The battle mechanics were less interesting and going from the amazing materia system to this was a little disappointing. I didn't feel for the characters as much as I did for the ff7 cast. The villain wasn't as compelling either. I still thinks it's a great game though. After this is when it all went downhill for the final fantasy series. One crappy release after another.… Expand
  15. smahlt
    Aug 22, 2020
    8
    First off, I just want to say, as a fan of JRPGs, the built-in speedhack of the Steam version is nearly essential. This game is old-skool as **** and it helps with grinding.

    That said, it's a wonderful game with fantastic characters and story. Play it.
  16. HopelessVoice
    Feb 1, 2015
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is perhaps the only FF entry where I disagree with the common consesus; sure it's good, enjoyable and still has the open world roaming and item hunting, yet I never truly connected with IX. This has mostly to do with a dozen of minor things which do not seem like real issues by themselves, but when adding them together an issue occurs.

    Although the plot and the world are both solid FF stuff, the gameplay feels slow when compared to other entries. Character customization is extremely limited as you are only able to make minor tweaks to the characters and there's only really one end game boss, which only requries a single and simple strategy to beat. Whereas VIII had the card game nicely implemented, IX card game felt a bit out of place. The limit breaks/trance in IX were just acquired by something, I even don't know how, as at point I just was able to do the best trance skill with Zidane without no apparent reason. Perhaps there's something I missed to truly understand and enjoy the game as much as it recieves praise, but I simply found nothing out of the ordinairy in it. The game felt like Square was trying to do everything too carefully, and the result was a solid careful game that neither broke anything or made anything better. 7/10    … Expand
  17. Karuzo
    Feb 28, 2016
    10
    This was the game that introduced me to RPG's. in my personal opinion the best in the series, from chocobos to moogles that save with a phoenix pinion, this game has everything you could ever need/want from a final fantasy game. Huge replay ability with secrets and mini games to keep you occupied for hours on end.
  18. DoctorZack
    Jan 1, 2021
    6
    Much like its cousin Chrono Cross, Final Fantasy IX exists in a bubble. Debuting at the end of a fading console, it didn't resurge until more modern times of social media and video content. With its core message being that of "belonging", Final Fantasy IX is more relevant to modern social culture than it was at launch.

    Pros: Strong core message Fundamental JRPG that is fairly balanced    Much like its cousin Chrono Cross, Final Fantasy IX exists in a bubble. Debuting at the end of a fading console, it didn't resurge until more modern times of social media and video content. With its core message being that of "belonging", Final Fantasy IX is more relevant to modern social culture than it was at launch.

    Pros:
    Strong core message
    Fundamental JRPG that is fairly balanced (some exceptions)
    Variety of side content and challenges
    The last purely composed Nobuo Uematsu soundtrack.

    Cons:
    Regressive gameplay compared to previous games. Despite having a variety (character skills*), the overlap makes most of them redundant to use in game outside of investigating.

    *Two characters are even White Mage-Summoner class. (Look at FF5 Jobs, or FF6 character variety. This comes across as lazy.) Several characters and locations become extremely irrelevant to overall story. I would argue a new player could reasonably start at disc 3 and not miss much context from the first half the game. Most locations visited from the first half of the game are even locked away due to disc limitations, unless they have a key item. Despite having a variety of side content, a lot of it is simply for padding time and not particularly beneficial or interesting, with some challenges being outright broken or intentionally malicious (Jump Rope).

    Conclusion:

    Saved by a good overall message and the soundtrack; FFIX is a solid JRPG that I find is a bit overrated by its devoted fans.    … Expand
  19. ThecriticGoD
    Mar 15, 2016
    8
    People is overrating this game a lot. Hearing people suggesting this is the best Final Fantasy game ever is, in my opinion, a very big lack of objectivity. Honestly, what new things does this games have to offer in regard to the previous FF's? That's right, nothing. FF7 brought Final Fantasy to a whole new level, innovated like no final fantasy had ever done, hence it's success. FF8 was aPeople is overrating this game a lot. Hearing people suggesting this is the best Final Fantasy game ever is, in my opinion, a very big lack of objectivity. Honestly, what new things does this games have to offer in regard to the previous FF's? That's right, nothing. FF7 brought Final Fantasy to a whole new level, innovated like no final fantasy had ever done, hence it's success. FF8 was a very big innovative success aswell. The junction system, the G.F system (you can improve them, they replace HP's gauge when they are being summoned) etc, the more realistic graphics, it was definetely something fresh and exciting. Now think about FF9... We go back to the old job system, eventhough you can't even select which character has what job here, thus characters have 0 customization, making some combination of characters non-viable, we had materias and junction before, what do we have now? The old nintendo Final fantasy system where you can only choose weapon, armor, accessory and that's it. Well, you can learn spells out of that, how innovative... Besides that there's NO new feature at all, even the minigame (tetra-master) is highly inspired by FF8's triple triad.

    It almost feels like Square just wanted to give the sentation of "oh, we know our roots, so eventhough we're gonna deliver an inferior game we'll have our old fans happy making a modern old-FF game." Now into the characters, Vivi is a very interesting character, one of the best characters in FF. But Zidane? Eiko? Quina? Steiner? and what's with the moogles and all the kid-jokes? Kinda feels like they wanted to make a childish game in some aspects, which was so disappointing considering how mature and interesting Final Fantasy was becoming with FF7 and then FF8, eventhough I'm glad it went back to that with FFX.

    Now, FF9 is not a bad game, at all. It has a great storyline, beautiful graphics, very good music, I'd recommend it to everyone that likes RPGS... It just offers nothing new to the saga in my opinion and is highly overrated, definetely not on the level of FF7, FF8 or FF10 for me.    … Expand
  20. FF9sucked
    Jul 9, 2016
    1
    Let me tell you, as one of the final fantasy franchises biggest fans, and growing up with their games I was never more disappointed than when I played this game. This game ruined all my hopes and actually made me fear to buy another one of their games. The plot line was lame, the characters looked lame, Zidanes relationship with Sarah was cool but it was so plain and boring, nothing likeLet me tell you, as one of the final fantasy franchises biggest fans, and growing up with their games I was never more disappointed than when I played this game. This game ruined all my hopes and actually made me fear to buy another one of their games. The plot line was lame, the characters looked lame, Zidanes relationship with Sarah was cool but it was so plain and boring, nothing like that of Zack and Aerith or Tidus and Yuna. It took a million years to level up your characters and boss fights never gave you experience. Sorry I gotta say it again...the characters looked so freiking lame... how do you expect me to take the story line seriously when the characters look like they were made for some failed kids comedy...and the battle system...garbage. It's the system where the bar loads to attack, and they pretend its turn based but its really not. It was so flippin slow ALL the time. Untill you really needed to think wether to use a potion or use magic and the boss was beting on you while you were just trying to plan your sh!t. This game honestly sucked. Don't buy it please. You may never buy a final fantasy game again.… Expand
  21. 6oni
    Oct 17, 2018
    7
    the combat system has gotten worse
    the art is different but not always good
    the game does not attract you
    the enemies are forgettable (the coolest enemy is a sphere ...)
  22. BonbonA.
    Apr 6, 2006
    8
    Ow.. How could I forgot to leave some comments here ^__^ Well, this one is one my favourite of FF series. The bad thing is just the characters. They are just too tiny n little.. Anyway, gameplay ok, audio very good, story excellent. An old classic game worth to play.
  23. Evan
    Jul 23, 2007
    10
    Why most people I've talked to skipped out on this one I will never know. EVERY aspect of this Final Fantasy game is superb. The characters, the story, the abilities system, the game world and especially the art.
  24. C.M.
    Sep 8, 2007
    9
    No. 9 just barely edges out no. 7 as the second best game in the Final Fantasy series (the top spot belongs unquestionably to no. 6, which may just be the best role-playing game ever made, or at least the best that I've had the privilege to experience). It was intended as both an homage to and a synthesis of the previous games in the series, which makes for wonderful in-jokes for No. 9 just barely edges out no. 7 as the second best game in the Final Fantasy series (the top spot belongs unquestionably to no. 6, which may just be the best role-playing game ever made, or at least the best that I've had the privilege to experience). It was intended as both an homage to and a synthesis of the previous games in the series, which makes for wonderful in-jokes for those familiar with the franchise. It's also one of the most humorous and whimsical RPGs I've played, two qualities that I value greatly in the genre; at the same time, however, it offers a deep and engaging storyline and mythos as well as a passel of fun characters (some more fun than others, granted) and a dazzling display of imagination. Best of all about the game, however, is the gameplay itself. The abitilies system (and most everything else in the game) is extremely user-friendly while never seeming too simple, and the synthesis shops are a great addition. Complaints? In my opinion, the tone of the game gets too serious as the storyline progresses, clashing with the initially established bright, colorful, whimsical feel. Battles, unfortunately, can get repetitive, especially when grinding (this is one aspect where 9 does not trump 7). And as is often the case with RPGs, the storyline gets needlessly confusing and murky as complications arise, requiring a great memory or a flow chart to keep track of exactly what's going on and why. (The ending's also a little disappointing.) But despite all that, Final Fantasy IX is a fantastic game that any RPG fan should definitely play, if they haven't already.… Expand
  25. Mark
    Dec 6, 2002
    8
    It's an alright game with good graphics and some alright characters but still not as good as final fantasy 8.
  26. StephanieR
    Apr 22, 2008
    10
    For all Final Fantasies, this has GOT to be the best RPG for me. It goes back to all the old tradition of Final Fantasy. This game has the best character developtment and you can completely feel being in the character's shoes. Final Fantasy X was a dissapointment. Good graphics, bad storyline. Stopped Final Fantasy VIII at Disc 2. Final Fantasy VII was also good! :) What separates For all Final Fantasies, this has GOT to be the best RPG for me. It goes back to all the old tradition of Final Fantasy. This game has the best character developtment and you can completely feel being in the character's shoes. Final Fantasy X was a dissapointment. Good graphics, bad storyline. Stopped Final Fantasy VIII at Disc 2. Final Fantasy VII was also good! :) What separates this from ANY OTHER Final Fantasies is it's magical atmosphere, you can completely feel the fantasy world, and be in the shoes of a thief (who is light hearted and funny, which in my opinion makes a good hero) saving the princess in a world full of mysteries.… Expand
  27. Lev
    Aug 26, 2008
    8
    Favourite FF out of the PSX FF titles, not counting Tactics. The whole game reminds me of the kind of adventure stories I liked (and still like!) as a kid. It has one of the best worlds that appear in a Final Fantasy, and the characters are really different so anyone can choose his/her favourite out of them. Battle system is simple and effective. Random encounters could get annoying after Favourite FF out of the PSX FF titles, not counting Tactics. The whole game reminds me of the kind of adventure stories I liked (and still like!) as a kid. It has one of the best worlds that appear in a Final Fantasy, and the characters are really different so anyone can choose his/her favourite out of them. Battle system is simple and effective. Random encounters could get annoying after a while but I think it works best in this game out of all the FFs.… Expand
  28. BobbyL
    Jun 21, 2009
    10
    This game is a divider- people either love it or hate it. I love it as do most of the people who I've talked to who have played all of the core FF games. It's got a lot to offer as far as sidequests and such, the combat isn't innovative at all but is very solid, and more importantly than anything else the story and characters are fantastic.
  29. LeeH.H.
    Jan 31, 2002
    9
    The Good: Breathtaking visuals and beautiful music. The story is enjoyable as well, but some may find it dull, since it builds up rather sluggishly. The Bad: Gameplay can get quite repetitive sometimes, especially if you're stuck in a dungeon. Overall, I'd say that this game is very good, but no where near VI, VII or X.
  30. Mcdudette
    Feb 27, 2002
    10
    This game is just awesome.
  31. SarahM>
    Feb 27, 2002
    10
    One of the best games ever made. :-)
  32. ChristopherP.
    Nov 22, 2003
    8
    While it still arguably suffers from too frequent random battles and periods of mediocrity, its long, exciting overall story and simplified battle and skill system contribute to keeping you playing through the whole thing pleasantly. and final fantasy is about playing through pleasantly, right?
  33. DragonKnightofFinalFantasy
    Feb 15, 2004
    10
    Kings thieves and kingdoms stuff like that was what FF7 and 8 were missing which makes a pretty big difference in my book it has a good battle system great story my only problem is Zidane (main character) and Kuja (main evil dude) look like girls.Buy it NOW.
  34. JadeL.
    Apr 17, 2004
    10
    This game is well put together and whimsically engrossing.It absorbs you in the plot and makes you yearn for more.The characters seem real as do their problems.This game and all others,I'm sure,will have the same captivating effects and storylines which will make all of us gamers be swept away with every little twist and turn.
  35. JohnM.
    Nov 8, 2005
    10
    It's a sweet game, loads of fun, loads of things to do.
  36. HannahL.
    Oct 31, 2005
    10
    FANTASTIC!!!! i beat dis game like 10 thousand times!!!! its so addicting, and i love the gameplay AND STory. you can NEVER get bored of it. other ff games bore me out, and i can never finish it!!! though it is pretty old, i still play it. even today.
  37. JohnH.
    Jan 23, 2006
    10
    If you love the others, more than likely you
  38. Brian
    Aug 16, 2006
    10
    Simply a great blend of everything. The story is outstanding, graphics can be easily compared to Playstation 2 graphics. Sound is pretty good also. Great game, make sure to read the dialog to fall in love with the characters.
  39. Mithyus
    Mar 25, 2007
    10
    This ninth addition sums up everything the brilliant Final Fantasy franchise has to offer: An engaging story with charismatic characters, beautiful graphics, and efficient gameplay & presentation.
  40. anonymous
    Apr 15, 2009
    10
    The best game I've ever played includes in my opninion best soundtrack and the most reliable characters of all FF games. Maybe because of that I've been trough eight times... still working on the perfect ninth.
  41. KyleH
    Jun 21, 2009
    10
    My favorite Final Fantasy ever. And in my personal opinion, the best one, hands down. This time around they took on a totally midieval feel and it just works. I've never been a huge fan of the gunplay in the series, so going back to pure blades and magic is awesome. The story is amazing. It blows final FF7 out of the water. Sephiroth is the baddest villian, but overall the story is My favorite Final Fantasy ever. And in my personal opinion, the best one, hands down. This time around they took on a totally midieval feel and it just works. I've never been a huge fan of the gunplay in the series, so going back to pure blades and magic is awesome. The story is amazing. It blows final FF7 out of the water. Sephiroth is the baddest villian, but overall the story is just more cohesive and emotional in 9. The sidequests can keep you entertained for hours and hours, and the skills system is really user firiendly. The graphics are superior to all those that came before it, and the active time battle system works well in the game. A must play for any RPG fan.… Expand
  42. Tubie
    Jan 19, 2011
    9
    A fall back to a more traditional fantasy setting. Final Fantasy IX is pure fun and never really takes itself too seriously but still manages to maintain a compelling plot. Not my favorite FF game of the PSX era but it's still among the top 10 RPGs of all time.
  43. RomanFTW
    Mar 31, 2011
    10
    This is my favorite game period. Best music, best gameplay of the ff series, best graphics of its time, best ability set-up system, best and most well developed characters. With more than 100+(iv'e clocked alot more) hours of gameplay this game is not short on time obviously, and every second of it was full of the best ff story plot, awesome minigames, and lots and lots of chocobo treasureThis is my favorite game period. Best music, best gameplay of the ff series, best graphics of its time, best ability set-up system, best and most well developed characters. With more than 100+(iv'e clocked alot more) hours of gameplay this game is not short on time obviously, and every second of it was full of the best ff story plot, awesome minigames, and lots and lots of chocobo treasure hunting. The amount of effort put into this game is beyond real, and if every game creator took a cue from the bar that ff9 sets, the videogame community would be a much better place. This game is a perfect 10/10… Expand
  44. drlowdon
    May 30, 2020
    8
    The ninth mainline entry in the JPRG series centres on war between nations in a fantasy world called Gaia. When a bandit known as Zidane Tribal kidnaps an Alexandrian princess he finds himself on a quest to take down her mother, Queen Brahne of Alexandria, who started the war.

    The plot and characters aren’t as memorable as previous instalments, but with it’s complex turn based combat    The ninth mainline entry in the JPRG series centres on war between nations in a fantasy world called Gaia. When a bandit known as Zidane Tribal kidnaps an Alexandrian princess he finds himself on a quest to take down her mother, Queen Brahne of Alexandria, who started the war.

    The plot and characters aren’t as memorable as previous instalments, but with it’s complex turn based combat and huge world to explore, this remains a thoroughly enjoyable RPG even to this day. If you were a fan of the series to this point, Final Fantasy IX won’t disappoint.    … Expand
  45. Caestus
    Jul 31, 2013
    8
    It has a great world and OST and the graphics are among the best in the PSX era. But the battle system is, even with the highest speed, just slow. The ability system is, after FF VII and FF VIII, a disappointment, you dont have a big election in developing your characters. The story, especially Zidanes origin, is to predictable which makes it often fail to surprise you. Its a good gameIt has a great world and OST and the graphics are among the best in the PSX era. But the battle system is, even with the highest speed, just slow. The ability system is, after FF VII and FF VIII, a disappointment, you dont have a big election in developing your characters. The story, especially Zidanes origin, is to predictable which makes it often fail to surprise you. Its a good game but weaker compared to its two PSX prequels FF VII and FF VIII.… Expand
  46. HARVEYtheDAMNED
    Oct 25, 2011
    9
    Great story, great gameplay, and an incredible experience. This is one of those games I can play over and over again. The graphics haven't held up well over the years, but the art style is still unique and pleasing to the eyes. A classic to be sure.
  47. Melopahn
    Feb 18, 2021
    10
    Truly takes you on a journey, the music, the characters, the story, truly a timeless masterpiece.
  48. rpgczar
    Dec 2, 2015
    10
    This is one of the best ff games ever created and still is better than Final fantasy 13 and on. I won't say it is better than ff 15 as that isn't out yet. Like the back of the box says it mixes the best of the old with the new. When you play this game you will hear music from past final fantasy's and references to past characters in the series. It has a nice love story, a wonderful ending,This is one of the best ff games ever created and still is better than Final fantasy 13 and on. I won't say it is better than ff 15 as that isn't out yet. Like the back of the box says it mixes the best of the old with the new. When you play this game you will hear music from past final fantasy's and references to past characters in the series. It has a nice love story, a wonderful ending, and some of the best graphics for a ps1 rpg. Infact I think only chrono cross may have better graphics. The battle system is just like ff 4-8 with the atb system which flows a little slower in this game. I believe the reason for this is it was squares first time having four characters in a 3d ff. ff 7 and 8 only had three at a time. The materia and junction systems from ff 7 and 8 are replaces by an ability system. This system allows you to equip a limited number of battle skills like auto haste, auto potion, and skills that make you immune to abnormal statuses. The limit skill is replaced by something called trance. As enemies deal damage to you a bar slowly fills up. When it is completely filled up your character automatically transforms into something that is similiar to terra's form in ff6. When in this form characters get immunity to most abnormal statuses. Some get added abilities and others simply deal more damage. When trance runs out characters revert back to normal form. Unlike ff8 and 7 not every character can summon. There are only two characters that can summon and this game has most of the classic summons like shiva, Ifrit, and bahamut. There are eight characters and each has a different skill set. There is a thief, a knight, a dragoon, a black mage, a summoner white mage fusion, a blue mage, and a guy that is a cross between a ninja and a berserker with his throwing abilities. Each of the character's are nicely developed and that is what makes this one of the best rpgs. Not only that but the game actually has towns sorry ff 13 and mini games sorry boring hunts in ff 13. There is a card game, chocobo hot and cold, jump rope, a racing mini game, and many more. There are optional bosses and even an item that allows you to see an added scene at the end. There is also a flyable airship and you level up like classic rpgs via random encounters. The antagonist is also nicely done. This game is filled with charm and has some nice cgi.… Expand
  49. bestbloodyday
    May 22, 2012
    8
    Another good Final Fantasy IX. Isn't as good as VII or VIII, but still is a very good fun. The main issue with this game is the art style (very ugly compared to the previous games), the low difficulty and the annoying chocobo digging system. On the other side, there are lots of secrets in the game, charming towns, loads of equipment and skills, lots of characters. Also, this gamesAnother good Final Fantasy IX. Isn't as good as VII or VIII, but still is a very good fun. The main issue with this game is the art style (very ugly compared to the previous games), the low difficulty and the annoying chocobo digging system. On the other side, there are lots of secrets in the game, charming towns, loads of equipment and skills, lots of characters. Also, this games retrieves the 4 character battle system. Absolutely "must play" game.… Expand
  50. Subterra
    Jul 4, 2013
    10
    The best game ever made after starcraft 2 this game to this day still effects me like no other game can, i have been searching for a game to equal this and after so many years still cant find anything.... this game is a real gem one in a million i just wish there where more games made like this one
  51. iKen
    Apr 13, 2020
    9
    Played on PlayStation.
    Gameplay: GREAT.
    Story: GREAT.
    Graphic: GREAT.
    Music/Sound: GREAT.
    Dialogue: GREAT.
  52. khvivi
    Dec 26, 2013
    10
    Easily my personal favourite of the FF games, and one of my favourite games of all time.
    Everything about it from the story development to the soundtrack is just perfect.
  53. Wyze
    Mar 16, 2013
    10
    Last masterpiece of Square...
  54. sephiroth2118
    Apr 25, 2013
    10
    So i know this game gets overlooked often. since it came out right before the ps2 but in my opinion it was the last great final fantasy jrp mix that a lot of the loyal fans miss... so take my opinion or not but as a long tie fan of the series i highly recommend this title and its on the PlayStation network for cheap no more hunting ebay and paying shipping and handling lol
  55. Lukassek
    Apr 1, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The best game ever made! The original plot, sophisticated characters, awesome graphic and beautiful music...just excellent! I love Final Fantasy and number IX is best!… Expand
  56. unluckydice
    Jan 20, 2014
    9
    Be prepared to travel through airships cast fire and aeons at your foes, experience the wondrous landscapes and city's through a whooping 4 discs, with a magical story with wonders and the added gem of classic final fantasy gameplay which we all grew accustomed to in FF7
  57. TacticalRanger
    Sep 20, 2013
    10
    In one of the greatest game in the series. i started this game not expecting it to be very good. However it surprised me and made me view the series with a new standard. The character were all very good. After having two annoying emo protagonists the FF series gave us a protagonist that I actually liked for the first time (Nothing against Terra). Vivi is also a great character not justIn one of the greatest game in the series. i started this game not expecting it to be very good. However it surprised me and made me view the series with a new standard. The character were all very good. After having two annoying emo protagonists the FF series gave us a protagonist that I actually liked for the first time (Nothing against Terra). Vivi is also a great character not just because he is insanely cute. The game deals with a theme of death and accepting that you will die. It's not as cutesy as people think and I think people should not compare it to FF7 and FF8 because it's not one of the sci-fi, military, fantasy mix-ups the others were. The beginning might seem ripped from a storybook but it does by no means stay that way. The combat is also very good getting rid of Materia and Guardent Forces for one more class based.… Expand
  58. bulletchan
    Apr 11, 2016
    10
    After VII completely changed nearly everything for future Final Fantasy series, Square puts the last nail in the coffin for the old school Final Fantasy games with IX. IX is the last Final Fantasy game that represents the old school Final Fantasy games. Even though it still has the features that VII introduced and pounded in the rest of the series, it was a throwback to the old school waysAfter VII completely changed nearly everything for future Final Fantasy series, Square puts the last nail in the coffin for the old school Final Fantasy games with IX. IX is the last Final Fantasy game that represents the old school Final Fantasy games. Even though it still has the features that VII introduced and pounded in the rest of the series, it was a throwback to the old school ways and I couldn't have it any other way. Next to VI and VII, IX is one of my favourite Final Fantasy games ever. The story is compelling and easy to follow, the soundtrack, though wasn't as epic as VII's, was charming and nostalgic, the gameplay and combat was simple but deep and the characters are fun and likable.… Expand
  59. lylek1
    Nov 13, 2013
    10
    This is by far the greatest Final Fantasy I have ever played. The storyline, graphics, music, scenary, playability is absolutely excellent. Even in this day and age Final Fantasy 9 is a must play for all RPG gamers. I was really drawn in to the storyline, best out of the series!
  60. MarcinOS
    Nov 25, 2020
    10
    This game is a gem. It's my favorite game of all times. I love everything in this game. Absolutely wonderful story, great characters (Vivi!), amazing soundtrack, the battle system is so good as well...
  61. iYiaz
    Nov 11, 2020
    10
    A perfect masterpiece. There is no other way I could describe what this game is.
  62. jiffypop333
    Mar 12, 2014
    10
    I must start by saying that this is my favorite final fantasy. Not for the characters, because they are great but mainly due to the story. The party system is great where you can have 4 characters out at once. I love the involvement you get while also playing the game. The branching story lines is awesome as well. It is interesting if you didn't know ff 9 has the best score overall of anyI must start by saying that this is my favorite final fantasy. Not for the characters, because they are great but mainly due to the story. The party system is great where you can have 4 characters out at once. I love the involvement you get while also playing the game. The branching story lines is awesome as well. It is interesting if you didn't know ff 9 has the best score overall of any other but is underrated and did not do as well as 7 or 10 in sales. Besides all that I love this game for the game play, graphics, story, and all the intertwining of characters that had enough plot twist to keep you wanting more. I recommend this to any fan of ff9 or any person looking for a great story with a slight game play twist.… Expand
  63. Kai82
    Nov 14, 2020
    10
    A somehow unrecognized but excellent entry in the Final Fantasy franchise. Maybe it was because the game came relatively late in the lifetime of the original PlayStation and attention was focused on the PlayStation 2. For itself it was a back to the roots entry. More fantasy and less steampunk. The story is set in the world Gaia and starts with our protagonist Zidane a member of a band ofA somehow unrecognized but excellent entry in the Final Fantasy franchise. Maybe it was because the game came relatively late in the lifetime of the original PlayStation and attention was focused on the PlayStation 2. For itself it was a back to the roots entry. More fantasy and less steampunk. The story is set in the world Gaia and starts with our protagonist Zidane a member of a band of thieves called Tantalus on a mission to capture the princess of Alexandria. Sounds like a fantasy cliche but they cleverly subvert the trope as the princess wants to escape from Alexandria as well and this is just the beginning of an interesting story. There are a lot of twist and some hit hard at the characters and players. It was entertaining, immersive and had lots of humor. It handles themes like individuality, souls or what does it mean to be alive instead of just existing, corruption by power and plots I cant spoil. It delivers from start to finish. The characters are unique and have their own personality and backstory. I especially liked Vivi, Freya, Zorn and Torn and others I cant spoil. The villains are superb and have clear believable motivations. Also the playable characters are in a fixed role / job. The main character is a thief and has a set of related skills. Other are white mage (healer), black mage (elemental damage) or knights etc. This works well for me and makes sense but can be seen as restrictive by others. Abilities can be learned through equipping items and earn enough experience. If you learned it completely you can use the skill without the item. Of cause there are abilities that only a certain character can learn. Only the white mage can heal with spells or the black mage can use elemental magic. There are two types of abilities. Direct abilities for each character to use and supporting abilities. For the later you have a (level increasing) pool of points to spend and must chose or adapt according to situations. The battle system works well and I like to experiment with different party combinations. There is a new mechanic in the game called Active Time Events (ATE). Here you can chose to view events in other locations (Other characters, special events etc.) While I am at it I will give you some tips: Keep one of the weakest available weapons for each character. You read this correct: Weakest and each character. The haste ability is the best support ability in the game and should always be used. It is an advantage to have more turns than your enemies (Except when confused or charmed). Some ATEs have benefits and you should read a missable stuff / events FAQ. Let at least one female and male frog alive in each lake. End of tips. There is a card game inside this called Tetra Master. While I enjoyed it it was also forgotten and rediscovered by me that it existed. There are other mini games and side activities for you to play. The graphic and soundtrack are amazing. Look how much the graphic has improved since Final Fantasy 7. It has the best soundtrack of all Final Fantasy games for me (tied with Final Fantasy Tactics). “You are not alone” (used to full potential in a great scene), “The dark messenger”, This place I’ll return someday” and “Festival of Hunt” to name a few are excellent. There are some minor flaws as no perfect game exists. There is a certain battle after some events that is unnecessary and a failure in story telling (I am vague because of spoilers). It was a complaint by many. Other stuff is just to small to mention. Overall this is a highlight in the franchise and nearly unrecognized by Final Fantasy standards. I would recommend it not only to Final Fantasy fans as it is a great experience.… Expand
  64. NoonebutMark
    Nov 3, 2014
    10
    Even when playing at 2014, this game still holds. I'm warning you... Once you play the game, you'll enjoy the experience.

    Inside is a lovely world with well developed characters, soothing background music, amazing FMVs!, nice gameplay and many more. As I said more, last year, a side quest was found! With something like that found from 2000 video game, you'll never know what you're    Even when playing at 2014, this game still holds. I'm warning you... Once you play the game, you'll enjoy the experience.

    Inside is a lovely world with well developed characters, soothing background music, amazing FMVs!, nice gameplay and many more.

    As I said more, last year, a side quest was found! With something like that found from 2000 video game, you'll never know what you're encountering is a something none of us has seen yet. There's bunch of secrets within this game that it is worth replaying.

    The characters are interesting and each one of them is based on job/class. Fun if you played prior final fantasy games before this but even if didn't, this game just gives you cast that will forever engraved to your heart.    … Expand
  65. lolorik
    Sep 24, 2014
    10
    I played many RPGs in my life and I can surely say that never in the history of mankind they will make a fantasy game so majestic as this. Miss the time when Final Fantasy was a clever and captivating series.
  66. dashantaozi
    Aug 25, 2018
    9
    Boss design in this game is on another level. If only the game gave me more freedom to prepare for them.
  67. Wahfuu
    Oct 19, 2014
    9
    An absolute beautiful tale of loss and laughing despite of it. An underrated gem in the giant name that is final fantasy, and I don't think the series has ever or will ever top itself with it. Deserves alot more love than it gets for its characters that brim with personality with every line, it's world that shines with life at every town, and story with a central theme about findingAn absolute beautiful tale of loss and laughing despite of it. An underrated gem in the giant name that is final fantasy, and I don't think the series has ever or will ever top itself with it. Deserves alot more love than it gets for its characters that brim with personality with every line, it's world that shines with life at every town, and story with a central theme about finding yourself in a world filled with loss.… Expand
  68. todesmilch
    Oct 24, 2015
    10
    I am biased. I was 14 when this game came out. I am now 29 and it is still one of my most favorite games. In the FF series it is my favorite for sure. Such a rich game.
  69. raymond_frst
    Feb 25, 2015
    10
    This game is truly great. A lot of heart goes into the details of this game. backdrop, 3D sprites, game mechanics, story-line, sound and music. the feel is just fits the name, an adventure in a fantasy world. the player will actually feel a satisfaction of adventure after playing this game. Stunning, and worth replay over and over again.
  70. LaiusBunansa
    Jul 11, 2015
    10
    Just want to express my love to this game. I honestly liked this better than the 7th. The limelight just didn't caught this game that much because of PS2. Underrated yet best.
  71. TheLemMeister
    Nov 5, 2015
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Final Fantasy. To each of us, these words hold a special and unique meaning, and these two simple words are the key to precious memories stored away in the hearts of every gamer.

    I still remember when I first played Final Fantasy IX. I was a fairly young child in those days, and my friend had a Labrador - a huge playful thing. Jake was the name of this canine, and for a long time I much preferred his company to that of my fellow man. Many happy hours we spent together, skipping gaily (in a heterosexual way) over the meadows. One night, I arrived at my friend's house alarmed to find Jake missing.

    Final Fantasy IX puts an interesting spin on Final Fantasy's famous battle system. More on that in my upcoming review of Final Fantasy X, in which I spend 2,000 words comparing it unfavourably to Final Fantasy IX.

    FFIX boasts a large cast of interesting characters. Freya will appeal to young children and anyone who likes anthropomorphic rat people. Zidane will appeal to young children and anyone who likes monkey people. Vivi will appeal to young children and anyone who likes young children.

    Overall, despite it's flaws, FFIX is a jRPG classic and fully deserving of my final rating of 8.5/10.    … Expand
  72. TheDudeFromIce
    Nov 29, 2015
    10
    I play this game almost yearly and I just never seem to get tired of it. Love the battle system, love the story and characters, love the world that's created and well...... I just love the game!

    This was my first RPG experience and made me fall in love with that genre.
  73. EpicLadySponge
    Apr 24, 2016
    10
    Final Fantasy VII will always remain the best, but I think saving the best for last would go up for Final Fantasy IX, which is more unique than Final Fantasy VII.
  74. conorsullivan50
    Dec 21, 2018
    10
    The greatest Final Fantasy game. To even rate this lower than an 8 is to cede any claim to intelligence and to relinquish all credibility of opinion. 100%. 10/10, would play and have played again.
  75. brothers54321
    May 24, 2016
    10
    Final Fantasy IX is the product of a company with infinite passion for its franchise and fans doing more than their best to make a game that doesn't just capture the essence of its predecessors, but improves on its formula in so many ways that it becomes legendary. While I wont deny a lot of my feelings for this game are very nostalgic in nature, I played through the game and beat it notFinal Fantasy IX is the product of a company with infinite passion for its franchise and fans doing more than their best to make a game that doesn't just capture the essence of its predecessors, but improves on its formula in so many ways that it becomes legendary. While I wont deny a lot of my feelings for this game are very nostalgic in nature, I played through the game and beat it not but a year ago and remain firm in my belief that this game is the best in its franchise and my personal favorite game ever made regardless of that nostalgia.
    To begin, this game has the perfect Final Fantasy plot line. Where I do like deep complex storylines, many of the Final Fantasy games are so complex that I miss key details that require a second play through to fully understand. However the story wouldn't be satisfying if it didn't weave together twists and turns you don't actually see coming. Final Fantasy IX has the definitive story for me in the Final Fantasy franchise. While FFVI makes an excellent case for its story, FFIX's is simply so perfectly complicated yet easy to understand once it's said and done in my strong opinion. Without spoiling anything, the characters you meet and the moments you have with these characters almost all reduced me to tears, as each character tells a story of some kind of human flaw we have all felt or witnessed. The slideshow in the beginning of the game that plays when you are idle on the main menu will reveal a lot with maybe 10 words about the character's core values and struggles they face internally, and it's my opinion that each character almost perfectly demonstrates these flaws and overcomes them or confronts them in such a way that you will be left in tears at some of the struggles this cast of characters overcomes. But this game isn't all doom and gloom either. The comedic interactions and awkward moments between the characters feel so beautifully unforced and spot on to how you would expect the character to react based on their personality. Seeing the polarity of some of the character's motives and how this affects other characters can be both heartwarming and bittersweet at times, really helping you identify and relate to the character's even further.
    But that is just the character development. This game has so much more. There is one sequence where the main protagonist is faced with a horrifying revelation that really pained me. Seeing how he reacted and how the other characters tried to do right by their friend was the most emotionally painful scene in a video game for me. I've never cried and pleaded more to a television screen in my life than in that moment and it sticks with me to this day. All while some of the most beautiful music in gaming plays. Which is another great point. This game has one of the best soundtracks in a video game, perfectly expressing the emotion you should feel at every moment through each dungeon and town. It's one of the things that really ties in all this game's strengths together and makes it truly a masterpiece RPG.
    And of course the combat. In typical SquareSoft fashion, they outdid themselves. No other developer of the time could find more ways to revolutionize turn based combat than SquareSoft. This game brings back an importance to equipment and accessories that had been dying from the series' previous two entities. Where the previous two games focused more on customizing each character to be whatever role you wanted them to be, this game returns to form with each character filling a certain class with a mix of strengths and weaknesses. The main protagonist is the thief class, inherently able to steal with strong fighting stats as well. However he isn't a Mage and there is no way to make him a Mage. If you want a Mage, you have to use a character who is a Mage, rather than say equipping a ton of materia from FFVII on whatever character and making him a Mage. This brings an importance and strategy back to which characters you choose for a certain engagement that had been pointless with the previous 2 entires. Each character learns new skills in their class based on the weapons and armor they have equipped and slowly learn those skills the longer the armor is equipped. Once the ability is learned, you no longer need to wear that armor to use that skill. It's very intuitive and satisfying to turn-based combat fans and only adds to the master-crafted story this game offers.
    To finish, FFIX is one of the best RPGs ever made with a story and characters you aren't likely to forget. With about 30 hours of story and 10 hours of relatively plain optional content, any fan of RPGs and especially JRPGs would be a fool to have not played this game. If you want a game with strategic turn based content and a phenomenal story, you won't find much better than Final Fantasy IX    … Expand
  76. Seafox89
    Aug 8, 2016
    6
    As a followup to FF7 and FF8, I found FF9 to be a bit disappointing. Much of the classic Final Fantasy content is there: sounds, summons, battle system (with unique additions to gameplay and abilities), items, a charming cast of characters, vast worlds to explore, stunning artwork and graphics (for the era), etc. However, a few of the core elements that have made past FF games great areAs a followup to FF7 and FF8, I found FF9 to be a bit disappointing. Much of the classic Final Fantasy content is there: sounds, summons, battle system (with unique additions to gameplay and abilities), items, a charming cast of characters, vast worlds to explore, stunning artwork and graphics (for the era), etc. However, a few of the core elements that have made past FF games great are missing or subpar.

    The music was particularly lacking. Some of the tracks were great, some were just ok, and some were flat out annoying (I'm looking at you Black Mage Village music). Some good stuff there, but definitely not Nobuo's best.

    The character development and story were also lacking. This is the primary offender which kept this game from being quite good. The dialogue was often over-dramatic, muddled, and confusing. Characters lacked consistency and depth. They would often say and do things that did not seem to follow logically from the storyline or the character's past actions/dialogue. FF6, FF7, & FF8 had really solid characters that you felt like you knew very well by the end of the game. FF9 certainly had interesting characters (Vivi was a gem), but most of them I could not really connect with due to poor character development. I was constantly trying to figure out what kind of characters the game developers were trying to convey.

    The FF series is known for being imaginative and often lofty or mysterious (especially the epic endings), but I definitely feel that the over-arching plot of FF9 stepped too far into the "weirdness" realm and lost me somewhere in disc 4. What may have been intended as epic plot "twists" really just came off as out-of-nowhere what-were-they-thinking hard-to-accept plot devices thrown in your face. Where is the context and the subtle hints throughout the game that help lead up to a satisfying conclusion? I found myself largely disconnected with the story at the end. I tried really hard to immerse myself, but I couldn't get a grip on to the convoluted and confusing story.

    Ultimately, I'm glad I played through FF9, because I'm a fan of the series and there are some truly great moments in this game. However, a more accessible storyline with more consistent character development could've ranked this game up there with FF7 and FF8 as a true FF classic.    … Expand
  77. villaverd
    May 31, 2016
    10
    Perfecto. No lo podría definir mejor en una sola palabra, una historia que parece un poco infantil al principio pero una vez va cobrando forma es impresionante y de las más filosóficas de la saga final fantasy y de los juegos en general. unos personajes....de lo mejor de lo mejor, desbordan carisma todos, tanto principales como secundarios como villanos. La jugabilidad nada mal para laPerfecto. No lo podría definir mejor en una sola palabra, una historia que parece un poco infantil al principio pero una vez va cobrando forma es impresionante y de las más filosóficas de la saga final fantasy y de los juegos en general. unos personajes....de lo mejor de lo mejor, desbordan carisma todos, tanto principales como secundarios como villanos. La jugabilidad nada mal para la epoca y de mis preferidas de la sagas, horas y horas de diversion. Entre las veces que lo he rejugado le habre echado mas de mil horas facilmente. De los mejores juegos de la historia y mi preferido.… Expand
  78. Sha2n
    May 9, 2023
    10
    A unique work, one of the best to date. This game will definitely enter the top, created by a diverse, experienced, versatile and not envious gamer. A legend for a real dreamer. From Gabranth with Love.
  79. GamecubeLover
    Aug 3, 2016
    10
    This game...this game is amazing. just amazing visuals and gameplay as well as replay value! This game has it all and what you expect from a Final Fantasy game.
  80. peropify
    Mar 15, 2017
    10
    Best FF game to date. Story wise, content wise, this game get just about everything right. From its charming characters, to the refreshingly humorous dialogue, if you are a lover of JRPG's, this is an amazing game to play. If there was one gripe I had about this game it would be maybe the battle system, which was highly luck based at times, but this was due to the era of games back then.Best FF game to date. Story wise, content wise, this game get just about everything right. From its charming characters, to the refreshingly humorous dialogue, if you are a lover of JRPG's, this is an amazing game to play. If there was one gripe I had about this game it would be maybe the battle system, which was highly luck based at times, but this was due to the era of games back then. Unfortunately, the graphics are dated now, even with the latest HD character models. They need to remake this game instead.… Expand
  81. zens3
    Jul 25, 2016
    10
    This game is true to the "Fantasy" in its name. Having played most of the games in the final fantasy series (before XI), I still say this is my favorite because of its ability to give you that sense of everlasting and calm adventure, which is different from the more upbeat and faster Final Fantasy X. As usual with FF games from VII, this one has a unique skill system, which is worthThis game is true to the "Fantasy" in its name. Having played most of the games in the final fantasy series (before XI), I still say this is my favorite because of its ability to give you that sense of everlasting and calm adventure, which is different from the more upbeat and faster Final Fantasy X. As usual with FF games from VII, this one has a unique skill system, which is worth mastering, not that it is complex.… Expand
  82. ptonyoliver
    Aug 1, 2016
    9
    In my opinion, the slower pace of battles compared to previous entries is more than compensated for its beautiful world, beautiful story, charming characters and overall "fantasy" setting that made this series popular in the first place. It is my favorite FInal Fantasy game along with VI.
  83. Keksmann
    Aug 24, 2016
    10
    It's a beautiful and shockingly dark fantasy game, set in a wonderful world with amazing characters. Touching, funny, gripping. The most underrated Final Fantasy game of all time.
  84. demonSQL
    Mar 17, 2017
    10
    The negative reviews are absolute **** They were made by people without criteria. This is by far one of the most beatiful stories of all time. The music, the gameplay, the script, the graphics taking advantage of the limits of the PSX. EVERYTHING of this game is wonderful. Final Fantasy IX is really a "Melody of Life"
  85. lethen
    Nov 29, 2016
    10
    Best game ever made Best game ever made Best game ever made Best game ever made Best game ever made Best game ever made Best game ever made Best game ever made Best game ever made Best game ever made Best game ever made Best game ever made Best game ever made
  86. kwame
    Apr 6, 2017
    10
    best final fantasy game to this date. both final fantasy 7 and 8 were great and put the bar for new final fantasy games but 9 put that bar even higher. Evrything that made those games great are in this game and imporved with new cool stuff.
  87. JoseAn13Torres
    Sep 4, 2019
    10
    Tras varias entregas de Final Fantasy por fín volvía uno a tener un plantel de cuatro luchadores y a estar ambientado en una época medieval, a mi personalmente me encanta que esto fuese así, una pena que al igual que su antecesor FFVIII viviesen eclipsados por FFVII, esto sumado a la muerte inminente de la Sony PlayStation que iba a dar paso enseguida a PlayStation 2 hicieron que el juegoTras varias entregas de Final Fantasy por fín volvía uno a tener un plantel de cuatro luchadores y a estar ambientado en una época medieval, a mi personalmente me encanta que esto fuese así, una pena que al igual que su antecesor FFVIII viviesen eclipsados por FFVII, esto sumado a la muerte inminente de la Sony PlayStation que iba a dar paso enseguida a PlayStation 2 hicieron que el juego no tuviese mucho éxito entonces, aún asi, este juego alcanzó el techo técnico de PlayStation y consiguió envejecer muy bien. Mi videojuego favorito de 32 bits.… Expand
  88. srianne
    Mar 30, 2017
    9
    Re-played this game on PS Vita and the nostalgia is still there. The opening song never ceases to hit me right in the feels when I finished the game on PSOne. I had the song playing while on my Chocobo in FFXV.

    The music is just one thing. Story-wise, though a little linear (please don't hate me for using that word, I don't like it eaither), it was fantastic. The visuals are good    Re-played this game on PS Vita and the nostalgia is still there. The opening song never ceases to hit me right in the feels when I finished the game on PSOne. I had the song playing while on my Chocobo in FFXV.

    The music is just one thing.

    Story-wise, though a little linear (please don't hate me for using that word, I don't like it eaither), it was fantastic.

    The visuals are good for a PSOne title.

    It's gameplay mechanics and tons of mini-games are what made this game more interesting.

    The character build up is there but could have expanded more on some playable characters as I find it a little lacking.

    I'd give it a 9.5/10.

    The .5 is for forcing people to rush the game just to get some ultimate weapon. I wanted to enjoy my as much as I want.    … Expand
  89. mugsy
    May 9, 2020
    5
    Didn't really like the childish fairy tale vibe. I prefer Final Fantasy games to be more on the serious and futuristic note, like FF6, FF7, FF8 or even FF13 or FF15. Nothing memorable in this game for me.
  90. kjatafoxhound
    Aug 7, 2017
    10
    The best videogame of history. All here is perfect. Argument, charcacters, music, gameplay, graphics...
    Tras tres obras maestras para la historia, Square logró superarse llevando su fórmula a las cotas más altas. Diseños y escenarios inmejorables y mágicos de la mano de los mejores gráficos del momento. Una historia sencillamente perfecta, colosal y memorable...y la música del genio    The best videogame of history. All here is perfect. Argument, charcacters, music, gameplay, graphics...
    Tras tres obras maestras para la historia, Square logró superarse llevando su fórmula a las cotas más altas. Diseños y escenarios inmejorables y mágicos de la mano de los mejores gráficos del momento. Una historia sencillamente perfecta, colosal y memorable...y la música del genio Uematsu.    … Expand
  91. eredhel
    Jul 7, 2017
    10
    With an epic story, high quality music score, marvelous gameplay and breath taking graphics at the time, makes this game a masterpiece. A true state of the art Final Fantasy entry.
  92. 17_jrpg
    Aug 3, 2017
    10
    For me Final Fantasy IX is the best Final Fantasy game ever. This is the first Final Fantasy game and the first JRPG I've played when I bought PSone and after playing I start to like JRPGs. After I played all the other Final Fantasy games I started to understand why I like this game so much.

    The story of Final Fantasy IX is very good because it has funny, happy, sad, tragic and dramatic    For me Final Fantasy IX is the best Final Fantasy game ever. This is the first Final Fantasy game and the first JRPG I've played when I bought PSone and after playing I start to like JRPGs. After I played all the other Final Fantasy games I started to understand why I like this game so much.

    The story of Final Fantasy IX is very good because it has funny, happy, sad, tragic and dramatic moments. The backstory of main and secondary characters is also good and helps you understand the whole story better and especially the end. I read some criticisms that refer to the final boss and I must say I disagree with those criticisms. Those critics say that the final boss does not fit into the whole story, that actually does not have a meaning in the story. To these criticisms I can say that they did not even understand the whole story and especially the role of the main villain who, due to his actions, is responsible for summoning the final boss. For me, the final boss of this game is one of the best final bosses, which is very well designed and is very difficult if you are not well prepared for the battle. The design of the whole game (characters and the world) is also very good and I especially like the design of Black mages, especially the character Vivi and Black Waltz No. 3.

    A gameplay of this game is also very good. I like how each character has its own class, its own abilities, which means no character is the same. This helps the player to create their own strategy during the battle by balancing strengths and weaknesses of the characters. The Battle system is excellent. The ATB system is my favorite battle system. The only bad thing they did is Trance system and it's the only defect of the battle system. It's the only mistake they have made and if they ever decide to make a remake of Final Fantasy IX, they should only correct and improve Trance system in battle system of this game. Also this game has interesting mini games like Tetra Master and Chocobo Hot and Cold, and has one of the toughest superbosses of Final Fantasy games.

    Conclusion: Final Fantasy IX is one of the best JRPGs and deserves remake so that future generations also can experience this classic JRPG with improved graphics and corrected minor error.    … Expand
  93. auditbadger
    Sep 26, 2018
    9
    I think that this is truly a unique game and I would recommend that if you are a fan of this type of genre then I think you should give this game a try.
  94. pendelberry
    Feb 1, 2020
    10
    I own and have beaten every Final Fantasy they have made for the mainline and i have to say this is my personal favorite in the series.
  95. fearthemost
    Jun 24, 2023
    10
    The best Final Fantasy ever made. The story is good, the music is incredible and the characters are charismatic. the game has a perfect balance of drama and humor.
  96. eded9999
    Jun 21, 2023
    6
    So, let's make everybody hate me: I do not like this FF, i though i liked back in the 2000 but now i got boring playing it.

    First i will say what i liked: >I Love Vivi and Vivi's story, easily my favorite thing of the game. >For a 2000 game i think the presentation is 10/10, scenarios are beautifully made and the FMV are spectacular for PS1 gen. >I like the Tetra Master minigame. >I    So, let's make everybody hate me: I do not like this FF, i though i liked back in the 2000 but now i got boring playing it.

    First i will say what i liked:
    >I Love Vivi and Vivi's story, easily my favorite thing of the game.
    >For a 2000 game i think the presentation is 10/10, scenarios are beautifully made and the FMV are spectacular for PS1 gen.
    >I like the Tetra Master minigame.
    >I like the Ability Stones system.

    And what i don't like:
    >I HATE the Limit Break replacement (Trance); It's so random and irregular; they trigger in the most mundane moment, most of them are just lame and static, they don't evolve. Meanwhile the Zidane one is brokenly OP.
    >The game is so easy it get boring, the only part when i feel in danger was the mere beginning, simply because your party is incomplete and the character have nothing yet, once you get to disc 3, is just a walk.
    >Story is not bad, but i hate that they make a spectacular destruction (pretty much a nuke) in a cutscene but then everybody is ok? Feels so cheese.
    >I hate Quina, it's a dumb and unappealing character, and to make it even worse... It's the Blue Mage of the party. BM are one of my favorite jobs/classes cause you have to actively look for the spells to grow the character. One of the most awesome class behind the worse character of the game.
    >And finally i think the game feels slow.

    It start strong on me, nostalgia on 100%, but the more i play, the less i want to keep playing it.    … Expand
  97. AndreaM84
    Aug 1, 2020
    10
    This is THE RPG. Period. No game will ever match the beauty of this gem. Even today, even in a million years, no game will ever be able to match FFIX.
  98. Vanta77
    Sep 20, 2018
    10
    Best storyline and characters in the history of jrpg and one of the best games ever.
  99. Letfio
    Oct 20, 2018
    10
    The best game ever developed. A perfect story, lovely character, long-lasting gameplay and a absolute fantastic soundtrack. Buy it, play it, love it.
  100. Kunray
    Feb 15, 2019
    10
    A very nice RPG with very good story, gameplay, music and many sidequests that represents and returns us back to the roots of the final fantasy series.
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Awards & Rankings

2
#2 Best PS1 Game of 2000
1
#1 Most Discussed PS1 Game of 2000
3
#3 Most Shared PS1 Game of 2000

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
94

Universal acclaim - based on 22 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 22
  3. Negative: 0 out of 22
  1. GMR Magazine
    100
    The crystals return to the series, along with a four-member party, blue magic, and black mages. [Feb 2003, p.97]
  2. CNET Gamecenter
    90
    Continues the series' long-standing tradition of quality in one of the most compelling RPGs ever. This is the last Final Fantasy game that will appear on the PlayStation, and SquareSoft has definitely saved its best for last.
  3. Gamestyle
    90
    A masterpiece of an adventure game. For anyone not to fall in love with it would truly amaze me. Everything is set just right and you are drawn into the story right from the very offset.
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