10 Reasons To Replay Final Fantasy IX After 20 Years
8. Likeable Protagonists
To spend 40 hours on a game, it helps to have characters you like spending time with. Final Fantasy IX has this, and then some.
Unlike the mopey protagonists of VII and VIII, Zidane is a cheerful and witty rogue. You’d actually want to go for a drink with him. This isn’t to say that he’s one dimensional; underneath his cheery demeanour is confusion and conflict on the same level of Cloud and Squall.
There’s also Steiner, whose ideology is constantly being challenged. His transformation through the story is gradual and, importantly, believable. Vivi, Garnet, and Eiko are unsure of their place in the world, and their journey is part self-discovery. Even food obsessed Quina and mercenary Amarant have deep and complex story arcs.