Final
Fantasy IX
As with the other games in the series, Final Fantasy
IX has the ability to grab your attention from the
time you fire it up until the last boss is put down. Previous
entries into the game's lineage took a more dramatic cinematic
route to do what a role-playing game does best--tell a
story. That style led to some complaints from headstrong
fans and role-playing gamers alike. In response to this,
while not sacrificing what new technology they've built
into the series, SquareSoft has backtracked a bit. To put
it simply, they've gone back to their roots.
But even players with no experience in this series can
pick this up as a new game. Final Fantasy IX's story
follows a group trying to stop Brahne, the evil Queen of
Alexandria, in her quest to rule the world. Zidane, a skilled
thief, teams with a young mage, a royal knight and a princess,
who all soon discover that the queen's threats are fronting
an even more sinister plot involving a powerful sorcerer
named Kuja. It's your job to control the eight playable characters--each
of whom begin the game with one weapon, one piece of armour
and one special power--and to uncover Kuja's motives before
he carries out his deadly plan.
The game's opening sequence sets the stage for what's to
follow and, as we've come to expect from the CG wizards at
SquareSoft, what is an utterly amazing visual scene. Long-time
fans will revel in SquareSoft's decision to return to the
disproportional-character look of the past.
Like VII and VIII, Final Fantasy IX uses
the ATB (Active Time Battle) system. With each character
learning the abilities and commands appropriate to his or
her job class.
An Active Time Event (ATE) lets you see events that are
happening elsewhere. For example, while you are controlling
the main character in a town, you can view what the other
characters are doing in another part of the same town. This
function provides additional information and behind-the-scenes
details about the story and the characters.
The game's visual splendour touches even the most ordinary
scenes, such as shadows in the street alleys and the mazes
of cobblestones. Final Fantasy IX's colour palette
does a remarkable job in creating interest on every single
object, location and person.
This will be SquareSoft's last venture on the PlayStation
for the Final Fantasy Series, with its awesome graphics,
a good story, and random battles that reveal curious bits
about each character, Final Fantasy IX is an epic
adventure that'll have long-time fans of the acclaimed series
beaming with pride and joy. As for everyone else who has
yet to experience the Fantasy, now is the time! --Stuart
Miles
Final
Fantasy 9 Characters
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