30 best Final Fantasy games

Best Final Fantasy Games #3 – Final Fantasy IX

Final Fantasy IX is fascinating to me because of the period it was born from. RPG structure from earlier titles (visiting new towns, battling in dungeons) mixed in with relatively contemporary gameplay mechanics such as Active Time Events to give a better understanding of the story at large. Characters away from the active party finally had something of worth to the player, as these ATEs allowed you to collect items and make decisions that affect the story’s conclusion.

What I found visually interesting about the game is the dichotomy of its presentation. You would get these iconic party members with medieval-era classes such as black mage and bandit, yet the game transported players into a world that mixed those elements with steampunk machinery and technical wonder. From a gameplay structure, the game’s questing system was so dense that some of them were so hidden it took thirteen years to uncover them all.

The differing ideologies and philosophies shared by the cast, how they search for a sense of identity individually and as a team, plus the well-written dialogue makes Final Fantasy IX one of the series’ greats. It’s considered the best in the eyes of the franchise’s creator, although there are two more titles nearer and dearer to our hearts.