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

Many RPGs struggle with making the entire party feel relevant. Often times players will just find whatever does the most damage, throw in a healer for diversity's sake, then call it a day. Again, even though IX follows a lot of conventions, it's been around the block long enough to know how to avoid the trappings of those tropes.

Using Zidane like an actual thief nets you some of the best equipment in the game. The knight, Steiner, combines his chivalrous offense in tandem with Vivi's magic to scorch enemies with a flaming blade. Freya, the dragoon can deliver death from above, while Quina can straight up eat an enemy and add its power to their repertoire for future encounters.

These distinctive abilities hearken back to the class-systems of earlier Final Fantasy games like III and V. In this version however, the class that each character has mirrors their character in game. In addition to that though, it offers a refinement of the system by tying itself back into the narrative of the game and its characters. The story might hinder one character in the party's abilities, but give a boost to two others, making players consider who they roll with, and how their abilities can compliment each other.

Just like the equipment, the roles that each character plays add a significant layer of depth, that can only reward a player for exploring it. It's like finding a more scenic shortcut to your destination, riding it is more fun, and surprisingly, even more practical.

This level of investment on your part helps you appreciate what each character brings to the table. They're not just some action figure that speaks in text boxes, they have a function that's vital to beating the game. When the story finds its ways to affect that function - by taking a character away from the party, for example -- every player feels it.