Just making it into the 2000's bracket by a couple of months, aside from a graphical downgrade IX has barely aged a day. Although FFX remains a pretty strong contender for this article headline's crown, too many people were put off by the flat voice acting and convoluted story for it to rank above this masterpiece of RPG game design. The last of what are essentially referred to as The Big Three of Final Fantasy's alongside the world-changing VII and the polarising VIII, IX corralled everyone back under a banner of fantastic characters, perfect motivations and one hell of a gorgeous art style throughout. Speaking of art-style, the appeal of main hero Zidane's tale lies in every pixel of the scenery you explore, and every modicum of the bouncy anime-esque animation that powers the combat and exploration segments. Tie the entire package together with a sense of humour that makes the whole thing !*$% loveable, and you've got a title perfect for any newcomers who may not have seen it all the way through just as much as the rest of us who may have forgotten just how joyous this title still is. Replay it specifically for: The sheer love you can have for a character with no face - small Mage Vivi remains one of the best RPG characters ever created, and his story of nervous self-discovery when faced with certain death-inducing odds is one that many fans still regard as an unmatched franchise high-point.
