Reviewer: Ray

E-Mail: SeraphX@msn.com

Comments: My God. I simply did not know what to expect with this one. I was still hurting over Squaresoft's mediocre follow-up to the 1997 smash hit Final Fantasy VII (let us not mention the name for it is a grave sin to even call it a Final Fantasy). Anyways, I'm gonna cut through the absurd melodrama and get on with the show. Getting back to the story, I had been itching to play an RPG on my ol' PSX when I noticed that FF9 was slated to be released in November. Being the faithful FF'er that I am, I immediately picked up a copy despite the disappointing eighth installment. I popped the first CD in, chuckling at the goofy-looking cover to the game. I mean, c'mon now, what a pathetic-looking bunch of heroes! I began to wonder if this one was fated to be as ludicrously boring as the previous game. The initial screens interested me, but it wasn't until I commenced my trek into the new world that all my doubts were erased and I once again entered gaming bliss...

The game engine is nothing new, aside from an "all-new" Abilities system (a marriage between the Esper and Materia system, reminiscent of the GOOD Final Fantasies... Thank God that Junctioning crap is over with). It is basically the same hack-slash-heal-spell RPG with crisp graphics. Hey, whatever man! This formula has worked for eight other games so why not again, eh?

So as I delved deeper and deeper into the game and lost precious hours of good sleep (Silveromen and Ryo, you know what I'm talkin' about), I began to appreciate the well-woven yet light-hearted tale that was the underlying story to the game. The characters, contrary to my first impression, are solid and have more personality than 8's characters (not too hard to do that though). Zidane is a freaken sex-crazed adolescent incapable of witholding his hormone attacks. WHAT A MAIN CHARACTER!!! Yeah, that's what I'm talking about! Finally, someone I can relate to! Hehehe... the supporting cast also has solid characteristics... Garnet, Steiner, Freya, etc... all have splendidly-written stories to go along with their personalities. Hey, with a weird-lookin' bunch like that, you better have good backgrounds!!!

The pre-rendered backgrounds rock and the only thing new to the scene is the increased amount of animation in backgrounds. This adds more flavor to the already-rich environments of the game.

Unfortunately, the only bad thing I can say is that this is quite possibly the shortest Final Fantasy out there. I beat it under 40 hours... but that's without doing the secrets! So, with that personal contradiction I say... BUY THIS GAME NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gameplay: 9

Graphics: 10

Sound: 9

Music: 10

Replay Value: 8

Final Score: 9.5