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Lttp: Final Fantasy IX

mcjmetroid

Member
Playing this on Gamepass on xbox

I'm finding this very enjoyable at the moment and enjoying it s lot more than say Dragon Quest XI which was good but didn't really hook me all that much.

I'm only about 10 hours into it and it's my first time playing and ive only ever played
Final fantasy III on ds
Iv on ds
And the horrible XV

I'm really getting into the story.
The combat is good fun and I love that main battle theme. The active time events is a great little edition.


I like the editions of "safe travel" and " high speed" in the HD editon. It allows you to speed up battle and have no random encounters.

I do wish for the HD editions they had the battle in 60fps and the overworld map. It also can take 5 seconds sometimes to load random battles and an option to turn off the circling camera before each fight.
It's not perfect but at least the menus look great as well and it allows you to drop it and continue from the last place you entered. The original must have been a pain in the ass for save points.

What did you think of IX and did you play the HD edition?
 

JonnyMP3

Member
Played 7, 8 and 9 back on the PS1.
Personally, after playing the 2D ones on the Snes and then having some futuristic take with 7 and 8...
9 was actually really comfortable and familiar. It felt like a proper FF game again to those that grew up on 1-6.
It also didn't take it self so seriously like 7 and 8 either. It looked fantastic as one of the last PS1 games as well.
 

mcjmetroid

Member
I liked it well enough but the combat and skill system were pretty awful.
So far so good on my front. There is at least s tiny bit of strategy to it and s bit if a challenge ( to me) compared to something like dragon quest.

It helps that the characters and movements are still animated better than the latest Pokémon and the sound effects have that old school punch sound to them.
 

Kev Kev

Member
playing through it again right now. im about 4 hours in and im loving the shit out of it

i just bought 7, 8, 9 and 10 on ps4 during summer sale and i had no idea everything was HD'ified and was so fucking stoked when i started playing and saw that! so cool, its like im seeing things for the first time. cant wait to get into 7, 8 and 10. enjoy OP these are some of the best games of all time
 

Kev Kev

Member
I so want FFXVI to go back to this style. Midevil fantasy. Turn-based battles. Engaging story that isn't overly complex and doesn't take itself too seriously. Expressing emotions through the OST instead of B-tier acting.

I miss the Final Fantasy games from SNES and PS1.
i was just thinking this playing through IX earlier today. honestly, i think text is a big part of what gave these games life for me. having VA's is cool and i think it can be done right... but man, there is just something about having to give them some personality with my own imagination that works so well. i kind of just want new FF in this old style.
 
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mcjmetroid

Member
i was just thinking this playing through IX earlier today. honestly, i think text is a big part of what gave these games life for me. having VA's is cool and i think it can be done right... but man, there is just something about having to give them some personality with my own imagination that works so well. i kind of just want new FF in this old style.
Agreed and the ability to skip through text as fast as you want really helps as well.
 

Quasicat

Member
Liked it better than 8, but not as much as 7 with the PS1 titles. I really loved the story behind Vivi the most, but all of the characters were memorable. The music was some of the best done by Uematsu and the ending song was even played at my wedding.
I will say, as much as I love that game, I really hate the jump roping section and was very disappointed to see an achievement attached to it. That is one thing in that game that I gave up on very quickly.
 

teezzy

Banned
6, 9, and 10 are some of the greatest games of all time and all very distinct from one another

Have a blast! I just replayed not too long ago
 

SilentUser

Member
I so want FFXVI to go back to this style. Midevil fantasy. Turn-based battles. Engaging story that isn't overly complex and doesn't take itself too seriously. Expressing emotions through the OST instead of B-tier acting.

I miss the Final Fantasy games from SNES and PS1.
Exactly what I want too, but I think it won't happen :(

OT: I replayed it this year on PS4. Lovely game, some of the characters are among my all time favorite (Vivi ❤️), the perfect setting (medieval fantasy is the best!). But I think this gane has the worst OST of the 3 major PSOne Final Fantasy. It is a very good soundtrack, but 7 and 8 are surreal imo.
 

Bo_Hazem

Banned
I remember throwing all the disks in the trash back in PS1 time after few hours, but can't say it's a trash. It's just not my cup of tea.
 

kunonabi

Member
Wrong. It was extremely simplified and it was amazing.


It's slow as dirt and the skill system is basically pointless for the longest time since everybody is pretty much using the same few pieces of armor and learning the same skills. There is very little room for actually trying to do distinct builds in the early going. I gave it a pass as youngling since I was so letdown by 7 and 8 but these days it's a real chore to get through.
 

JORMBO

Darkness no more
I've slowly been picking away at it since it's the only mainline FF game I haven't beaten. The combat just takes way too long so I lose motivation. Everything feels like it is running in slow motion.
 
9 is my most favorite FF.

As a kid playing the game about 20 years ago or so, the characters became my friends and finishing the game felt a lot of pain saying goodbye to my friends.

The story talks a lot about the meaning of life, friendship and perseverance. The joy of exploration, discovering the unknown and visiting places and culture that are dreamy and fictional really hooked me as a kid.

The song in the end was really apt to what I was feeling when the game ended. "Alone for a while, I've been searching through the dark. For traces of the love you left inside my lonely heart."

And yeah I cried, a lot.
 
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Final Fantasy IX was my personal favorite in the series growing up.

The first time you enter the overworld after escaping the evil forest and listen to the music is a magical feeling.




Easily my favorite characters in any Final Fantasy as well. Tetra Master was also a really fun, addicting minigame like Triple Triad.
 
Final Fantasy IX was my personal favorite in the series growing up.

The first time you enter the overworld after escaping the evil forest and listen to the music is a magical feeling.



I still remember that feeling. A lot of things in FF9 are magical.

Entering Lindblum was also magical. Leaving the mist continent was also magical after thinking for some time that the entire game is the mist continent.
 

Nico_D

Member
I've been playing this for about 30 hrs and have had a great time. Until last night when one of the things I most hate in (turn based/atb) JRPGs popped up. Once again.

I arrived at Mt. Gulug. The game forced me to pick my team before going in without knowing what's there waiting for me. All my characters are around level 30, some slightly below like 28 or so. So I explored the dungeon and found a dead end with Gaia Gear. Happy, happy. Then I start going back when a forced fight with two Red Dragons stop me. And later another boss fight with two red dragons more. They keep spamming Twister killing my whole team before I have time to use Shiva or healing spells, over and over. After trying for 30 minutes and getting increasingly frustrated about it, I turned on the max dmg cheat and got on with it.

But it spoiled the thing for me. I really hate the way how in far too many JRPGs it is a habit to suddenly put you up with some ultra strong enemy for which you aren't prepaired for and give them very strong moves and one-hit spells. Oh, and they always has to have 10 000+ health. Even worse is if and unfortunately when it turns out you have played the game wrong up until that point: you have the wrong spells and wrong skills from the skill tree/board or whatever and you are almost unable to advance in the game.

Sigh.

Rant aside, I do like the story and the characters and I was thinking about getting FF X next. Does this happen there? Can I pick up the wrong skills and shut myself out from progressing?
 

Moonjt9

Member
I’m also playing through this on PS4 at the moment. I played it back in the day on PS1 but couldn’t remember much of it like I could for 4,6, and 7 which are my favorites.

The first thing that caught me off guard is that the game is pretty hard at the beginning! Enemies deal so much damage and I struggled a bit, even resorting to using the cheats to get through a tough boss after dying repeatedly.

The characters and story are really good so far and the settings are so well made. I don’t know if it’s nostalgia or what though, but I keep thinking how it’s just not as good as 6 or 7.

Still enjoying it though!
 

Teslerum

Member
I've been playing this for about 30 hrs and have had a great time. Until last night when one of the things I most hate in (turn based/atb) JRPGs popped up. Once again.

I arrived at Mt. Gulug. The game forced me to pick my team before going in without knowing what's there waiting for me. All my characters are around level 30, some slightly below like 28 or so. So I explored the dungeon and found a dead end with Gaia Gear. Happy, happy. Then I start going back when a forced fight with two Red Dragons stop me. And later another boss fight with two red dragons more. They keep spamming Twister killing my whole team before I have time to use Shiva or healing spells, over and over. After trying for 30 minutes and getting increasingly frustrated about it, I turned on the max dmg cheat and got on with it.

But it spoiled the thing for me. I really hate the way how in far too many JRPGs it is a habit to suddenly put you up with some ultra strong enemy for which you aren't prepaired for and give them very strong moves and one-hit spells. Oh, and they always has to have 10 000+ health. Even worse is if and unfortunately when it turns out you have played the game wrong up until that point: you have the wrong spells and wrong skills from the skill tree/board or whatever and you are almost unable to advance in the game.

Sigh.

Rant aside, I do like the story and the characters and I was thinking about getting FF X next. Does this happen there? Can I pick up the wrong skills and shut myself out from progressing?

Uhm....

None of those are forced IIRC. They're all triggered by going off the path to get the best items (As you mentioned with Gaia Gear)
 
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Nico_D

Member
Uhm....

None of those are forced IIRC. They're all triggered by going off the path to get the best items (As you mentioned with Gaia Gear)

The second one definitely is. On the way to the boss down the well.

The other one is too if you go there. Of course you can reload a previous save but the point is, you shouldn't punish players for exploring. And if you do, the enemies should be fair and not require a certain level or gear.
 

Werewolf Jones

Gold Member
The second one definitely is. On the way to the boss down the well.

The other one is too if you go there. Of course you can reload a previous save but the point is, you shouldn't punish players for exploring. And if you do, the enemies should be fair and not require a certain level or gear.
Have you fought the enemies who use Mustard Bomb on you in that area? If you haven't you'll be screaming when you do.
 

sephiroth7x

Member
For me at least, it is the last great Final Fantasy game. Many state they love X and I have no issue with it, but IX was the last truly fantastic from start to finish FF for me.

It had a great theme of mortality and loss that was really highlighted through Vivi and to boot, it has a cracking soundtrack, is possibly the best looking game on the PS1 and a solid battle system. Its pretty perfect in fairness.
 

Nico_D

Member
Have you fought the enemies who use Mustard Bomb on you in that area? If you haven't you'll be screaming when you do.

I did. Fight and scream. Not as bad as with the dragons though. At least I stole Mustard Bomb from them, wasn't able to get the Twister.
 

Teslerum

Member
The second one definitely is. On the way to the boss down the well.

Oh yeah, I remember now

The second one definitely is. On the way to the boss down the well.

The other one is too if you go there. Of course you can reload a previous save but the point is, you shouldn't punish players for exploring. And if you do, the enemies should be fair and not require a certain level or gear.

Can't say I agree with that. You're far into disc 3 at that point towards the end of the game. The game is reasonable to assume you're adequately leveled and have at least some wind resistant gear in your backpocket. Nor are you softlocked. I personally think that's plenty fair.

That said I'm probably being snarky here as I've never really got blocked by them and thus frustrated. YMMV.
 
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NeoIkaruGAF

Gold Member
Replayed this recently on X1X. It’s still a nice game, but it’s horribly slow as it is. The QoL “cheats” are a godsend. I’d never muster the energy to replay FF9 to the end in its original form.

The story and characters are still very charming. I didn’t remember a lot of things about the story, and I’m glad I could replay it all without needing a hundred hours.

They could have done something to improve the framerate on the world map, though. It’s a fucking disgrace, absolutely awful on an OLED screen with all the stuttering.
 
Replayed this recently on X1X. It’s still a nice game, but it’s horribly slow as it is. The QoL “cheats” are a godsend. I’d never muster the energy to replay FF9 to the end in its original form.

The story and characters are still very charming. I didn’t remember a lot of things about the story, and I’m glad I could replay it all without needing a hundred hours.

They could have done something to improve the framerate on the world map, though. It’s a fucking disgrace, absolutely awful on an OLED screen with all the stuttering.
Playing this right now on my SX and have noticed a weird issue where if you don’t press a button after 5 seconds it starts jittering, at least the music stutters like crazy.

It was fine while playing on the One X the other day. Agree with you on the world map, it’s jarring going from a smooth 60fps game to this and seeing it in what, roughly 15fps or something? Not good.
 

fatty

Member
I’ve played most of the series up until XII and FF IX hits a lot of the nostalgia points from the earlier games and to me that is a great thing.

The ending for FFIX is probably my favorite and one of the only ones I actually remember. The room was just a tiny bit dusty at the time.
 
Played 7, 8 and 9 back on the PS1.
Personally, after playing the 2D ones on the Snes and then having some futuristic take with 7 and 8...

Completely agree....


9 was actually really comfortable and familiar. It felt like a proper FF game again to those that grew up on 1-6.

... WHAT? How did it feel like the earlier games? I can't find any similarity other than "is an FF game" and "is not a futuristic one" and bright colors (mostly relevant for FF4 and FF5 really). Thinking about it, the only games I can see a definite similarity to are FF4 and FF5. FF6 is far closer to FF7, being a part of the modern turn of FFs.

It also didn't take it self so seriously like 7 and 8 either. It looked fantastic as one of the last PS1 games as well.

FFVII taking itself seriously? Did we all play these games? FF9 and FF7 are the same in that regard (both were serious as well as comical). Personally I don't see much of a difference between FF4-9, other than a turn for more fleshed out dramatic storytelling from FF6 and onwards. If any has a big similarity with FF9 it's FFIV with
the main character being an "otherworldly person", having to deal with a "brother" gone crazy/manipulated, with a final boss fight that is technically after killing the main villain (though in FFIV's case they're the same person, just his hatred personified after death, but as Ultimania tells us that's basically what Necron to some degree was responding to in Kuja as well). There's also the overall plan to populate the world with Lunarians/Terrans. Summoner(s) and summons having a big part of the overall story. More defined class roles. A switch in who the villain is from what seemed like the initial villain.

I just don't see what the big difference between FF7 and FF9 once you take out the futuristic aspect. Perhaps you're thinking of classic FF figures and things like that, which I could agree that FF9 was more inspired by FF1-5 or perhaps a throwback to those titles (before the more mature turn with FF6). Especially since you have the classic black mage, the white mage outfit, Gilgamesh, Namingway card, the Red Mage, "Rally-ho", etc.
 

Nico_D

Member
Oh yeah, I remember now



Can't say I agree with that. You're far into disc 3 at that point towards the end of the game. The game is reasonable to assume you're adequately leveled and have at least some wind resistant gear in your backpocket.

Well honestly I wasn't aware there even is wind resistance in the game which is kinda my point. How to get something if you don't know it exists or that you need it in some dungeon towards the end of the game?
 

Teslerum

Member
Well honestly I wasn't aware there even is wind resistance in the game which is kinda my point. How to get something if you don't know it exists or that you need it in some dungeon towards the end of the game?

I mean its not like there's an absolute abundance of em (which is why I can somewhat understand the problem), but Steiner's starting armor literary has it (halves wind damage). So,....
 
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AJUMP23

Gold Member
I actually think this is one of the most enjoyable FF games. I loved playing it in back then. I still have Vivi doll that I got for signing up to some square enix websight.
 
Playing this on Gamepass on xbox

I'm finding this very enjoyable at the moment and enjoying it s lot more than say Dragon Quest XI which was good but didn't really hook me all that much.

I'm only about 10 hours into it and it's my first time playing and ive only ever played
Final fantasy III on ds
Iv on ds
And the horrible XV

I'm really getting into the story.
The combat is good fun and I love that main battle theme. The active time events is a great little edition.


I like the editions of "safe travel" and " high speed" in the HD editon. It allows you to speed up battle and have no random encounters.

I do wish for the HD editions they had the battle in 60fps and the overworld map. It also can take 5 seconds sometimes to load random battles and an option to turn off the circling camera before each fight.
It's not perfect but at least the menus look great as well and it allows you to drop it and continue from the last place you entered. The original must have been a pain in the ass for save points.

What did you think of IX and did you play the HD edition?

FFVI-FFX was the golden era. A lot of people loved FFXII but it kind of lost me, and FFXI, while great now, was pretty bad in v1.
 

AJUMP23

Gold Member
Have you played it recently?

I have not. But I don't expect my experiences of yesterday to hold me the same way they use to, today. I am to busy with a family and life in general to replay older games I loved.
 

TheContact

Member
Sakaguchi said it's his favorite FF of all time. It's certainly the most polished FF on the PSX. People who liked the earlier entries of FF will get more out of it than those who didn't play it. I personally thought 9 was the weakest title in the PSX lineup but it's probably objectively the "best" one.
 

JimboJones

Member
Only thing I hated in this game was the fact that the limit break or I think it was called trance just activated automatically. You couldn't count on using it when you needed it most, mostly ended up wasting it on random weak monsters.
 

Zog

Banned
I have not. But I don't expect my experiences of yesterday to hold me the same way they use to, today. I am to busy with a family and life in general to replay older games I loved.
Play it again, see how slow the battle system is.
 

Teslerum

Member
Play it again, see how slow the battle system is.

Yeah, but that also doesn't change anything about what he said. As a kid (and for 2000) it wasn't that bad.

Even nowadays I got by easily on 2 100% runs. (100% without doing the battle achievement, because fuck defeating 10'000 enemies when even a 100% run only gets you around 1000.) Though I do admit that I used Fast Forward for trash mobs.

I do wish they'd have updated the animations when they ported the game for modern systems so we could get proper 60fps battles.
 
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Zog

Banned
Yeah, but that also doesn't change anything about what he said. As a kid (and for 2000) it wasn't that bad.

Even nowadays I got by easily on 2 100% runs. (100% without doing the battle achievement, because fuck defeating 10'000 enemies when even a 100% run only gets you around 1000.) Though I do admit that I used Fast Forward for trash mobs.

I do wish they'd have updated the animations when they ported the game for modern systems so we could get proper 60fps battles.

How people felt about it 20 years ago is worthless IMO if it doesn't hold up today.
 
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