10 Reasons Why Final Fantasy IX Is The Best Game Of The Series

Above all else, above the battle system, the graphics, the soundtrack, when you play a Final Fantasy game, you're coming for the story. IX knows this and paces itself well, hitting you with gasp inducing moments, then giving you enough quiet time to digest it all, before going right at you all over again.

In spite of the bright art style and happy music, IX is not afraid to get dark and downright brooding with its own narrative. All of the characters have different loads of baggage they carry into their adventure with them. Hometowns are destroyed. Places that should be considered sanctuaries get corrupted. Preconceived values are challenged. At times every character genuinely has to confront the hopelessness of their own situation.

IX will take the player to these emotional lows though, all for the success of bringing them even higher. Players find reward in seeing this party of disparate souls sort out each other's baggage and move forward, learning to support and be supported by their friendship, an energy that carries them to and through that final battle.

Now with the remaster available online, more players can enjoy IX than ever before, with improvements to both the visual fidelity and the gameplay (albeit without full analogue control!). Even though the high-production remake of VII is topping download lists, players unfamiliar with the series should remember that while one game got all the publicity like it was the best, there was another that actually was the best.