Final Fantasy IX Review (2025) — A Timeless Masterpiece

Final Fantasy is a series I’ve loved since the PlayStation 2 era. I began my journey into the series in Final Fantasy X’s Spira, before making my way through the immersive and distinct settings of Ivalice, Eos, Valisthea, and Midgar. Not every game in the series has hit me the same way that Final Fantasy X’s beautifully tragic narrative did, but they all have a reserved place in my heart in one way or another. This year, I decided to play Final Fantasy IX for the first time, a game I had very little knowledge about apart from Vivi’s cameo in Kingdom Hearts 2. Little did I know that this game would make a massive impact on me, disrupting my list of favourite games of all time.

Final Fantasy IX places us into the boots of Zidane, a member of the Tantalus Theatre Troupe, a group of thieves who mask their wrongdoings by performing around cities of Gaia. Performing at Alexandria Castle for Princess Garnet’s 16th birthday, their intention is to kidnap her for Regent Cid of Lindblum, but upon meeting her, she requests to be kidnapped because of the increasingly erratic behaviour of her mother, Queen Brahne. Upon their action-packed departure from Alexandria, Alexandrian knight Steiner and Black Mage Vivi both end up on the same airship as Tantalus and the now “kidnapped” Princess Garnet.

What makes this story so admirable is the cast of characters that comes with it. Zidane, Garnet, Steiner, Vivi, Quina, Freya, Eiko, and Amarant make up a diverse and exceptionally unique party dynamic that had me struggling to decide who to take with me in the four-party slot that I was allowed. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses in battle, and some sections of the story definitely play into that. But it’s the relationships that form between unlikely characters that ultimately tug at your heart, be that Quina and Vivi, Freya and Amarant, or the very close bond you see develop between Zidane and Vivi, and of course, Zidane and Garnet. 

Final Fantasy IX’s art style is brimming with charm and would have pushed the PlayStation 1 to its limits upon release (the game was released across four discs!). The crisp, detailed pre-rendered backgrounds assist in building up the world that you can’t help but fall in love with instantly. Revisiting the different cities throughout the game never felt cumbersome because there was always something you missed on your first visit there.

The ATB system from previous Final Fantasy titles returns in Final Fantasy IX, a battle system that took me a while to love. Engaging in combat felt slow to begin with, waiting for ATB gauges to fill up had me a little impatient, but over time, I felt comfortable with FFIX’s battle system and consider it one of my favourites in the franchise now. Learning new abilities by equipping new armour and accessories forces players to change their loadout constantly. It makes finding new equipment quite stimulating. 

The limit break-type ability in Final Fantasy IX is known as ‘Trance’, a state of mind that is powered by the heightened state of emotions. Each party member has a trance that allows an additional set of skills to be used. Vivi, the black mage, can double-cast black magic while Steiner is buffed and deals triple damage. The trance states are fantastic and often turn the tide in tough fights. While I’m not a fan of not being able to choose when this activates, the lore behind trance justifies this choice.

Gaia’s overworld is sprawling with random encounters between points of interest, and while at first glance, the overworld looks empty, it’s as you progress through a certain mini-game that you realise there’s actually a bit more to it. The world as a whole has beautiful landmarks and cities that are delightful to explore. Whether it’s the nocturnal city of Treno, the bustling streets of Lindblum, or the mystical and ominous Iifa Tree, the landscapes and how they are depicted are breathtaking.

Final Fantasy is nothing without its ridiculous mini-games. Chocobo Hot and Cold is a treasure hunt of sorts, navigating small areas for hidden treasure with your best bird, Choco the Chocobo. Hot and Cold is perfect for those with patience and drive, as it takes a very long time to complete the mini-game. Even using the Remaster’s fast-forward feature still had me playing for hours and hours to reach completion. 

Tetra Master is a card game you can play in Final Fantasy IX, and while barely featured in the story, players who can work out how to play the game will add dozens more hours to their playthrough. I never fully grasped how to play Tetra Master, but I still had fun participating in it. If a remake is on the cards (pun intended), I hope they refine Tetra Master and make it less challenging to master. 

Legendary Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu leads the soundtrack, and if you’ve heard any of his work on other Final Fantasy titles, you know that his ability to capture the heart and emotional story beats of various scenes across video games is unmatched. Booting Final Fantasy IX up and hearing “The Place I’ll Return To Someday” at the main menu always gave me a cathartic release without fail. “Vivi’s Theme” captures the character effortlessly, really emphasising how clumsy he can be and how innocent and lacking in confidence he is. This soundtrack has been on repeat ever since finishing the game. Will Nobuo Uematsu make my Spotify Wrapped for the first time? Most likely.

Final Fantasy, as a series, has peaks and valleys across its sixteen mainline titles, but they all have one thing in common: heart. Final Fantasy IX has unrelenting charm that is difficult to replicate. As the player, I formed immediate bonds with the cast of characters. They are all so different, but you can’t help but fall in love with them all during your adventure with them. Vivi, in particular, has one of the best character arcs in video game history, and I will die on that hill.

It is now, 25 years after release, that I say, Final Fantasy IX is one of the best games I’ve ever played. If you haven’t played it, then this is the sign that you should.

You can watch my full playthrough of Final Fantasy IX here.