A Traditional Final Fantasy
First and foremost, the thing that’ll appeal most about Final Fantasy IX to players is how it sticks to the original identity of what Final Fantasy was. In fact, this may be the most “Final Fantasy” game of them all, especially after following the darker sci-fi routes of VII and VIII. This means that Final Fantasy IX is all about a world filled with magic, kingdoms, mystery, and more. Gone are the technically advanced worlds found in the other two PS1 titles, in favor of a lighter world. Everything about Final Fantasy IX is the realization of the series’ themes and settings. Moogles save your game, summoners play a vital role in the story, and different races inhabit the world of Gaia.
This idea applies to more than just the story, however, as Final Fantasy IX is also traditional in the sense of characters and battles. Each of your party members has a distinct role to play in battle with specific abilities and strengths. This ranges from the Black Mage Vivi to the Dragoon Freya. This is a big change from the systems of Final Fantasy VII and VIII, opting for a more traditional job-based approach, except this time your characters “jobs” are all predetermined. If classic Final Fantasy is something you love, you should definitely be playing IX.
