PS1 A thread all about Final Fantasy IX!

[Mopeybloke]

I played the actual PS1 version, which is not the best one to play nowadays, as the PC release and modern system’s release has many quality of life features that do away with the slowness that IX has in its original form (it can sometimes be rather slow).

I have to disagree here. The combat windows updating at 60 FPS, and being made for gamepad instead of touchscreen, as well as the entire interface being suitably low res like the rest of the game make the PSX release the best one to play. With the comprehensive ATB improvement hack [which will hopefully be added to repo], it's the way to play.

 

[TamagotchiTamaHero24's icon TamagotchiTamaHero24 TamagotchiTamaHero24]

I have to disagree here. The combat windows updating at 60 FPS, and being made for gamepad instead of touchscreen, as well as the entire interface being suitably low res like the rest of the game make the PSX release the best one to play. With the comprehensive ATB improvement hack [which will hopefully be added to repo], it's the way to play.

I have to play that hack sometime.
FFIX is such a great game, but I think its imperfections have only added to the game over time. People want to “fix” FFIX, which has created a fandom that is very dedicated.

 

[PSVitaForever]

First memory: I didn't have a ps1 and I saw ads for this game in a shop... I thought it was wonderful, so nice medieval-like images and those strange characters...

Years later... I played it first time on emulator on pc, but didn't get far; when I bought a ps2 I bought a physical copy of ff9, but there were problems with second disc when changing, so I gave up.

BUT, when I bought a psp, I bought ff9 digital on a sale and I've been finally able to play from start to finish and I totally LOVED it.

Let me share this to honour the game:

 

[OPT1MUS]

Oh maaan... I LOVED this game! It also made me cry.
Awesome, there's nothing more to say: It will always be in my heart.

 

[Darzhgrod]

If you want your fantasies finaled, 9 is tippy-top tier. It has peak moogle representation. When I want a moogle, I reach for a Final Fantasy IX.

 

[Pjira]

Freya is best girl

Truth, I wish the game didn't forget about her halfway through the story.

 

[Stingy Perry Stingy Perry]

A lot of people will hate me for saying this but I’ll say it anyway.
Final Fantasy IX is the peak game for the series on the PS1.

 

[TamagotchiTamaHero24's icon TamagotchiTamaHero24 TamagotchiTamaHero24]

Truth, I wish the game didn't forget about her halfway through the story.

I said this earlier in the thread and was directly told that, going off what we know about the production pipeline Square had at the time, it seems that much of the story for IX’s later half wasn’t finished.

Makes sense. I always felt that the game was lopsided to the start and the second half is full of things just… kinda… happening?

It’s sad to think that, possibly, there’s a world where IX got the breathing room it needed in development and we got a story that incorporates the full cast far better. But forgetting cool cast members is somewhat of a staple for FF, isn’t it?

 

[Mopeybloke]

A lot of people will hate me for saying this but I’ll say it anyway.
Final Fantasy IX is the peak game for the series on the PS1.

 

[Lena CE]

Skimming this thread definitely gave me motivation to go back and finish FF9 sometime before the year ends. I enjoyed most of what I had played but the person I ended up breaking up with the person I was playing through it with around the end of disc 2 or the beginning of disc 3 (whenever Brahne fails to defeat Kuja) and I just never got around to finishing it.

Gonna be a lot of fun revisiting it since it's been a few years and my memory will have faded just enough for it to mostly feel like a fresh playthrough :D

 

[sun0wl]

I said this earlier in the thread and was directly told that, going off what we know about the production pipeline Square had at the time, it seems that much of the story for IX’s later half wasn’t finished.

Makes sense. I always felt that the game was lopsided to the start and the second half is full of things just… kinda… happening?

It’s sad to think that, possibly, there’s a world where IX got the breathing room it needed in development and we got a story that incorporates the full cast far better. But forgetting cool cast members is somewhat of a staple for FF, isn’t it?

This sums it up quite nicely. Most of the few discs are a masterclass in pacing and plotting, but the end is just an avalanche of literal existential crises lol.

On that note I finally beat FFIX today...Feels sad to finally bring the story to an end but I wanted to finish it and start another playthrough to relieve the beginning again. What a fantastic game.

Side note, it was so interesting to watch the credits and see all the non-Japanese team members. Being mostly made in Hawaii made the game really unique for more than one reason.

If you want your fantasies finaled, 9 is tippy-top tier. It has peak moogle representation. When I want a moogle, I reach for a Final Fantasy IX.

View attachment 84369

100%, I could watch moogles in this game take out and throw down that save book on loop lol. Their sound effect is beautiful, too. It's definitely my fave moogle design. I really want the keychain. Hoping they bring out more FFIX moogle merch for the anniversary.

 

[Tronky.it]

Forse uno dei migliori Final Fantasy mai fatti insieme al VII e al X (che sto giocando solo recentemente), uno dei pochi giochi che è riuscito a farmi emozionare quasi (davvero quasi) alle lacrime per il finale, e un ottimo gameplay che va a sostituire quella cacata di Junction System introdotta con l'ottavo capitolo.

Ho comprato questa settimana a 7 euro la versione Steam dopo l'ultima volta che completai il gioco per PS1 nel 2020-2021. Giocare con la modalità turbo x5 era veramente assurdo e fastidioso. Poi scoprii Memoria Mod Manager, e... accidenti, mi ha salvato la vita oltre che migliorarla del tutto!

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Perhaps one of the best Final Fantasy ever made along with VII and X (which I'm playing only recently), one of the few games that managed to make me almost (really almost) moved to tears for the ending, and an excellent gameplay that replaces that crappy Junction System introduced with the eighth chapter.

I bought the Steam version this week for 7 euros after the last time I completed the game for PS1 in 2020-2021. Playing with the x5 turbo mode was truly absurd and annoying. Then I discovered Memoria Mod Manager, and... damn, it saved my life as well as improving it completely!

 

[YourWishes]

Going through my third playthrough currently with some newcomers, holds up and is both a classic and a great mid-era FF game. Friends enjoy the character building, especially Steiner

 

[MasterEn]

Skimming this thread definitely gave me motivation to go back and finish FF9 sometime before the year ends. I enjoyed most of what I had played but the person I ended up breaking up with the person I was playing through it with around the end of disc 2 or the beginning of disc 3 (whenever Brahne fails to defeat Kuja) and I just never got around to finishing it.

Gonna be a lot of fun revisiting it since it's been a few years and my memory will have faded just enough for it to mostly feel like a fresh playthrough :D

that's the end of disc 2. so you were just at the halfway point.
memories are an important theme in the game. there needed to be just one extra point or place to highlight that and the final dungeon would be more impactful overall.

 

[pingugaming]

final fantasy IX will stay with me till the very end. it was the first time that i felt truly invested in the stories of a ragtag group of characters. they didn't feel like the average "we are the perfect heroes for the job" tropes that you see often in fantasy stories. they all had their own demons to deal with and goddamn, the entire vivi story made me cry so hard that to this very day, that lil guy is still my favorite rpg character ever. what started as a lighthearted and goofy adventure about "kidnapping" a princess from a tyrannical queen turned into something that changed me as a person. so thank you FF IX, from the bottom of my heart

 

[Cardboardtubeknight Cardboardtubeknight]

Happy 25th anniversary to it. Still haven't forgotten you Vivi

 

[χKai]

I started playing IX again the other day.
Stopped when I got to the Jump Rope minigame because I wanted to see what items I could get.

I never 100%'d IX, so I kinda wanted to go back and do that.. I don't think I'll be able to get that Excalibur 2, though.

The last two times I played through with someone else, each of whom was a girlfriend I had back then. With each of these playthroughs, we had gotten through the game and all the way to Trance Kuja. Each time I wanted to go to bed in real life and beat the game after I woke up. Each time, the other girl decided to switch to 1P and beat the game without me.

I had beaten the game before that by myself, but how the hell does this happen

 

[MasterEn]

I never 100%'d IX, so I kinda wanted to go back and do that.. I don't think I'll be able to get that Excalibur 2, though.

you need to get to the end of the game in under 12 hours to get Excalibur 2 and from what i remember, it really isn't worth it. and i think the only way to do that was to open the disc drive whenever possible to skip loading fmvs or something.

 

[Mopeybloke]

Not being worth it is an understatement as it actively ruins the experience.

 

[MasterEn]

Not being worth it is an understatement as it actively ruins the experience.

i've never went for it; it sounded like it ruined the game to speed run a full blown rpg; for a sword that is marginally better than one you can get normally.
i'd rather get beatrix's weapon instead of a sequel sword. at least her sword looked cool. no one can wield it, but my favorite character uses it and it would be neat to have it.