Do you recommend FFIX?
- Thread starter Phlakes
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9 has a lot of positives. I honestly think its one of the best playing FF games except for a few small gripes like the trance system being horrid, the carpal tunnel inducing chocobo mini game, and most of the world being brown. Now, with that said, the characters are fairly unlikable (IMO) and the art style is really polarizing. If you don't mind everything looking so cartoonish and all the characters having hydrocephali, it's one of the solid members of the series. It's certainly better 10, 12 and 13.
Honestly though, if you haven't done them yet, I'd recommended 4, 5 or 6 over 9.
Honestly though, if you haven't done them yet, I'd recommended 4, 5 or 6 over 9.
Oh, don't take the Spoony Analysis too seriously. Yes he does bust its balls but it is done for the sake of comedy (he even admits this in some of his out-of-character vlogs and such). 8 has problems, they all do, and despite some of the emoness, magic junctioning and stupid plot holes/points, it plays well. I'm not going to say play 8 over 9 or vica versa. If you're starting to become a fan of the series, most of them both before and after VII are worth trying. And like I said above, the SNES era ones are pretty impressive on their own and many people will argue are far more enjoyable than the PSX and forward era.Phlakes said:
Yeah, 8 and 9 are both really really good if you enjoyed 7.
IMO they aren't quite as absorbing, but that's not to say they aren't very absorbing and there's loads of stuff to do as far as sidequests go etc.
IMO they aren't quite as absorbing, but that's not to say they aren't very absorbing and there's loads of stuff to do as far as sidequests go etc.
Yes. Yes. Definitely. Yes. Go play it. This instant.
Its absolute genius - my 2nd favourite game of all time and its only marginally behind no.1. The story is incredible, the characters are well-made and likeable, the music is great, the combat... well its standard FF time-action-battle, the music is great. Its pretty long, but if you enjoy it as much as I did then you wont be wanting it to end!
Its absolute genius - my 2nd favourite game of all time and its only marginally behind no.1. The story is incredible, the characters are well-made and likeable, the music is great, the combat... well its standard FF time-action-battle, the music is great. Its pretty long, but if you enjoy it as much as I did then you wont be wanting it to end!
You know I think he liked VIII, he's said he played through it at least twice and he has those triple triad cards and the figurines...Tarkand said:FFIX is my favorite installment... it's actually the only FF after the jump to disc (FFVII and above) that I'd recommend.
And in my opinion, FFVIII is actually the worse of the bunch... see the Spoony Experiments, 11 part, over an hour long analysis for more detail [http://spoonyexperiment.com/category/final-fantasy-viii/].
I have played and beaten the first eight Final Fantasies, but unfortunately I have never played IX. It better be good!
Wouldn't want to see him talk about a game he hates then!wolfy098 said:You know I think he liked VIII, he's said he played through it at least twice and he has those triple triad cards and the figurines...Tarkand said:FFIX is my favorite installment... it's actually the only FF after the jump to disc (FFVII and above) that I'd recommend.
And in my opinion, FFVIII is actually the worse of the bunch
FFIX would probably be an example of a game he didn't like. He gives a reason which he admits is just personal taste and never mentions it again.Tarkand said:Wouldn't want to see him talk about a game he hates then!wolfy098 said:You know I think he liked VIII, he's said he played through it at least twice and he has those triple triad cards and the figurines...Tarkand said:FFIX is my favorite installment... it's actually the only FF after the jump to disc (FFVII and above) that I'd recommend.
And in my opinion, FFVIII is actually the worse of the bunch
I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. I understand why people liked it, but try playing IV then IX.
To me, all IX will ever be is an expanded IV, with less memorable characters.
...At least VIII wasn't recycled Characters/Plot points/Aesthetics.
Go play V-VI. I'm pretty sure they will run really, really well on your totally legal comp-PS2! Or even for Wii!
To me, all IX will ever be is an expanded IV, with less memorable characters.
...At least VIII wasn't recycled Characters/Plot points/Aesthetics.
Go play V-VI. I'm pretty sure they will run really, really well on your totally legal comp-PS2! Or even for Wii!
FF9 is an excellent game, but very 'retro' - it's high fantasy rather than sci-fi like FF7.
FF8 is... well, it has a good (if confusing) plot, and a REALLY WEIRD mechanical system. FF8 would take a while to explain, but if you liked casting spells with Materia in FF7, you might dislike FF8's junction system. When I first played the game, back when it was originally released, I HATED it. I replayed the game years later, and enjoyed it alot. So... yeah. I was also coming off of FF7, so perhaps that is a good indication.
If you're using a less powerful system, I'd actually recommend FF6 (FF3 American) as similar to FF7 (in that it's Steampunk). Of course, the graphics are significantly less nice due to it being a SNES game.
Anyway, whichever you choose - enjoy!
FF8 is... well, it has a good (if confusing) plot, and a REALLY WEIRD mechanical system. FF8 would take a while to explain, but if you liked casting spells with Materia in FF7, you might dislike FF8's junction system. When I first played the game, back when it was originally released, I HATED it. I replayed the game years later, and enjoyed it alot. So... yeah. I was also coming off of FF7, so perhaps that is a good indication.
If you're using a less powerful system, I'd actually recommend FF6 (FF3 American) as similar to FF7 (in that it's Steampunk). Of course, the graphics are significantly less nice due to it being a SNES game.
Anyway, whichever you choose - enjoy!
I actually didn't care for IX; I got about 1 hour into it and couldn't continue. I just couldn't get into the characters like I could for other FF titles. It seems to me though that FF IX is one of those titles you either love or hate, so I would give it a try, you might like it.
I haven't played IX, but I've played VIII, and I want to warn you: FF8 is horrible.
Reading this thread kinda makes me want to try out FF9 though. It seemed sort of like the middle child when it came out, overshadowed by 8 before and 10 after, so I never payed much mind to it.
Reading this thread kinda makes me want to try out FF9 though. It seemed sort of like the middle child when it came out, overshadowed by 8 before and 10 after, so I never payed much mind to it.
I'm one of those rare people who dislikes FFIX. I found it uninvolving and just couldn't follow the story at all. It felt like ones of those games where you feel the developers don't trust you, the player, not to fuck up the story, so you're left slack jawed watching cut scenes whenever anything remotely important happens.
(I realise that could be said of most RPGs, but it felt particularly blatant in FF9.) Since the OP hasn't played it I'll spoiler the next bit
During the final disc I remember fighting increasingly powerful monsters and thinking 'I've no idea where I am, what I'm doing or what I'm supposed to be achieving." So I put it down and never went back.
(I realise that could be said of most RPGs, but it felt particularly blatant in FF9.) Since the OP hasn't played it I'll spoiler the next bit
Kefa (is that his name? It's been a long time and I forget) shows up and makes a big speech. Player panics because it's got to be near the end of the first disc and there's going to be a big fight and it's been ages since the last save point and... he zaps you all in a cut scene and then buggers off for the next six hours.
Or Garland (?) who shows up out of freaking nowhere (Who is this guy? Why is he in a spaceship (?) Why should I care what he's rambling about?) and does something in a big dramatic cut scene, and then buggers off for the next... well, you get the idea.
Or Garland (?) who shows up out of freaking nowhere (Who is this guy? Why is he in a spaceship (?) Why should I care what he's rambling about?) and does something in a big dramatic cut scene, and then buggers off for the next... well, you get the idea.
I can't fucking stand VIII but I'd recommend IX in a heartbeat. As I said in the 'scenes that make you cry' thread that ending made me cry tears of joy. Like a fucking baby.
Actually what I really recommend is getting a DS and buying the DS versions of III and IV then finding a copy of VI for the GBA. All three are awesome.
Actually what I really recommend is getting a DS and buying the DS versions of III and IV then finding a copy of VI for the GBA. All three are awesome.
I can't too much into the plot. It's back to a High Fantasy setting. The game is also very retro-style--going back to a story similar to older titles, and it's got quite a few references to previous games as well. However, these references are done very well--most of the time, if you don't get it, then you won't even notice that there was a reference.
As for gameplay:
When you get a full party, you will have four instead of three. Try to rotate party members when possible...there will be moments when you're forced to use different members.
Limit Breaks are replaced with Trance mode, where a character will start glowing and get multiple abilities. This lasts for more than one turn.
Characters have pre-set classes. They each have abilities they can learn--you unlock them by equiping gear which has an ability attatched to it.You can use the new ability while wearing that piece of gear, and fights will earn AP that goes toward learning the ability permanantly.
There's a neat synthesis system in which you combine items to make new ones (I can't remember if this only applies to weapons. It's been a while since I've played). Pretty minor, but I always thought it was cool.
There's a system in the game that lets you watch scenes in other areas. Typically, they are not important to the plot at all, but they are ammusing.
There's a TCG minigame. It serves little point to the main quest--I think you get into a card tournament at one point, but I can't remember if you are forced to win. I thought it was a fun game.
Overall, this is my favorite Final Fantasy game. I love the story, the gameplay, and the music! Hold on, let me get a quick example of the soundtrack...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vW3QK6CTg2g
There ya go!
Edit:
As for FFVIII, let me explain where most of the hatred comes from. The plot focuses mainly on the characters instead of the broader story. There is foreshadowing for a lot of stuff that happens, but you have to REALLY pay attention to notice it. Otherwise, it seems like one random, unconncected event after another.
To help out with that devisive issue, Square replaced grinding levels with grinding magic...and equiping magic correctly. The first part of the game has a lot of tutorials to teach you how to do this.
If you don't mind a plot that focuses on the characters so much that the plot is hard to notice, or a complex system that you'll need to learn to play it, then give FF8 a try...after FFIX, of course
As for gameplay:
When you get a full party, you will have four instead of three. Try to rotate party members when possible...there will be moments when you're forced to use different members.
Limit Breaks are replaced with Trance mode, where a character will start glowing and get multiple abilities. This lasts for more than one turn.
Characters have pre-set classes. They each have abilities they can learn--you unlock them by equiping gear which has an ability attatched to it.You can use the new ability while wearing that piece of gear, and fights will earn AP that goes toward learning the ability permanantly.
There's a neat synthesis system in which you combine items to make new ones (I can't remember if this only applies to weapons. It's been a while since I've played). Pretty minor, but I always thought it was cool.
There's a system in the game that lets you watch scenes in other areas. Typically, they are not important to the plot at all, but they are ammusing.
There's a TCG minigame. It serves little point to the main quest--I think you get into a card tournament at one point, but I can't remember if you are forced to win. I thought it was a fun game.
Overall, this is my favorite Final Fantasy game. I love the story, the gameplay, and the music! Hold on, let me get a quick example of the soundtrack...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vW3QK6CTg2g
There ya go!
Edit:
As for FFVIII, let me explain where most of the hatred comes from. The plot focuses mainly on the characters instead of the broader story. There is foreshadowing for a lot of stuff that happens, but you have to REALLY pay attention to notice it. Otherwise, it seems like one random, unconncected event after another.
To help out with that devisive issue, Square replaced grinding levels with grinding magic...and equiping magic correctly. The first part of the game has a lot of tutorials to teach you how to do this.
If you don't mind a plot that focuses on the characters so much that the plot is hard to notice, or a complex system that you'll need to learn to play it, then give FF8 a try...after FFIX, of course
I'll simply say this: Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of Final Fantasy, cites FF9 as being "the closest to [his] ideal view of what Final Fantasy should be" and considers it to be his favourite in the series. (source [http://uk.psx.ign.com/articles/077/077571p1.html])
It's a fantastic game, easily among my top 10 games of all time, of course I'm gonna recommend it.
It's a fantastic game, easily among my top 10 games of all time, of course I'm gonna recommend it.