FFIX fails to get back to the series' roots

When people say that IX went back to Final Fantasy roots, I agree with it partially because VII and VIII were very much different and were very futuristic when compared with I to VI.

When FFIX came along, it was much more like I through to VI than it was to VII and VIII if you catch my drift. If I had to categorise them, I'd put them something like this:

I, II, III, IV, V, VI and IX.

Then...

VII, VIII, X, X-2 and now XII - (Which are more futuristic in their worlds).

I'll sum them up from what I know about them.

FFI - I don't know much about. Haven't played it much, but it was the first of its kind, and therefore true to itself. One fine point is that is has four "heroes".

FFII - I've not played much of this one either, but it's almost identical to I in the way it works. And again, it has four heroes - but this time they have some kind of personality to them and already have names.

FFIII - Only just started to play it on the DS. Never had a chance to play the original. Still, it feels completely traditional to its predecessors. And of course for the third time running, four heroes (that are named like in FFII).

FFIV - I've played most of it, and it feels like a true hero fantasy story to me. You know, Cecil and Rosa, and then the powerful evil Golbez. Again, traditional.

FFV - I would brand it the same as FFIV, though there are four true heroes which reverts back to how FFs I, II and III worked.

FFVI - It felt like it was set in a time like the 1600s-1700s. A sort of Industrial Revolution kind of setting. It was much different to its five predecessors, and had many more playable characters, each with an inspiring personality. It was still done in the traditional FF style to date.

FFVII - Ah, now we're seeing change. The world is starting to become a bit more 3D, although the environments were pre-rendered. It's not top down anymore to say the least. It sells more copies than any other FF game, and it's world is set in a dark, very industrial future. It still copied most ideals from the earlier games. The difference was the very dark industrial setting.

FFVIII - Suddenly everything goes futuristic again, but in what seems to be a much brighter world. You can't really see evidence of pollution, and the world itself appears to be quite content in the long run. Buildings look bright and colourful. Balamb garden first appeared to me to look like a futuristic church, and the bells sound like there is a wedding going on. This game didn't feel quite so Final Fantasy like as the others to me. Maybe the graphics and drastic change in the world gave that impression?

FFIX - Now we're getting to the point. Ask yourself how much this game has in common with VII and VIII. In my opinion, very little. When I compare it with every game before VII, it feels like its world has returned to the way the others worked. The world was much more medieval/renaissance, and the airships served a much wider purpose. I like VIII, don't get me wrong, but flying schools fighting one another just didn't really do it for me. That's what I feel is meant by going back to Final Fantasy roots.

I can't be bothered to go over the others really. X and X-2 felt similar to VIII in terms of the bright and colourful world, and XII feels like a graphically up to date version of Vagrant Story rather than a Final Fantasy game. In addition to that, the airship scenes and imperial city of Archades reek of Star Wars no?

Speaking of Disney movies, Garnet's singing was very Disney Princessish.

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Originally Posted by DM_Melkhar

When people say that IX went back to Final Fantasy roots, I agree with it partially because VII and VIII were very much different and were very futuristic when compared with I to VI.

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I would say that calling any of them futuristic is baseless. the worlds in VII and VIII contrast high technology with low tech, as has happened in every FF world since I. In Sky Fortress, you have computers analyzing Tiamat, and robot soldiers trying to stop you every step of the way.

Alot of the technology in VII isn't futuristic, their vehicles are all very crude. alot of shinra's machinery was supposed to have a World War II look to it. In VIII, you have futuristic civs like Esthar, but then you have modern ones like Galbadia, and older ones like Windhill.

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Originally Posted by Bolivar

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Originally Posted by DM_Melkhar

When people say that IX went back to Final Fantasy roots, I agree with it partially because VII and VIII were very much different and were very futuristic when compared with I to VI.

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I would say that calling any of them futuristic is baseless. the worlds in VII and VIII contrast high technology with low tech, as has happened in every FF world since I. In Sky Fortress, you have computers analyzing Tiamat, and robot soldiers trying to stop you every step of the way.

Alot of the technology in VII isn't futuristic, their vehicles are all very crude. alot of shinra's machinery was supposed to have a World War II look to it. In VIII, you have futuristic civs like Esthar, but then you have modern ones like Galbadia, and older ones like Windhill.

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Though I agree with you Bolivar, I think he was getting at the point that the ratio of technology to medieval was a little more even and in VIII's case higher than previous games. I mean VII and VIII were the first FF's that allowed you to use guns for your characters. To be honest VI also should be lumped into the hi-tech department since it's world is decidely "steam punk".

But the first five games in the series only had one or two locations with decidedly high technology, and most of these places are usually the works of "long forgotten civilizations that perished eons ago".

IX does have quite a bit og hi-tech going on for it, but at least it's based on tools and equipment the overall level of technology of the world should have. The only things that are decidely too advanced for the world, are airships, the airship hangars in Cid's kingdom, and the machine that manufactures the Black Mages. But at least both have some roundabout explanantions. Airships at least seem to once again come from a lost civilization from the forgotten continent (the one where you fight Ark) and the BM machine was developed by Kuja who actually hails from an advanced civilization.

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Originally Posted by Wolf Kanno

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Originally Posted by Bolivar

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Originally Posted by DM_Melkhar

When people say that IX went back to Final Fantasy roots, I agree with it partially because VII and VIII were very much different and were very futuristic when compared with I to VI.

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I would say that calling any of them futuristic is baseless. the worlds in VII and VIII contrast high technology with low tech, as has happened in every FF world since I. In Sky Fortress, you have computers analyzing Tiamat, and robot soldiers trying to stop you every step of the way.

Alot of the technology in VII isn't futuristic, their vehicles are all very crude. alot of shinra's machinery was supposed to have a World War II look to it. In VIII, you have futuristic civs like Esthar, but then you have modern ones like Galbadia, and older ones like Windhill.

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Though I agree with you Bolivar, I think he was getting at the point that the ratio of technology to medieval was a little more even and in VIII's case higher than previous games. I mean VII and VIII were the first FF's that allowed you to use guns for your characters. To be honest VI also should be lumped into the hi-tech department since it's world is decidely "steam punk".

But the first five games in the series only had one or two locations with decidedly high technology, and most of these places are usually the works of "long forgotten civilizations that perished eons ago".

IX does have quite a bit og hi-tech going on for it, but at least it's based on tools and equipment the overall level of technology of the world should have. The only things that are decidely too advanced for the world, are airships, the airship hangars in Cid's kingdom, and the machine that manufactures the Black Mages. But at least both have some roundabout explanantions. Airships at least seem to once again come from a lost civilization from the forgotten continent (the one where you fight Ark) and the BM machine was developed by Kuja who actually hails from an advanced civilization.

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Very true. I wouldn't say it's a matter of being futuristic/past, but the medieval civilization as you pointed out is definately something missing from VII and VIII. At the same time, those games use areas that would actually be considered older, less advanced, such as Windhill in VIII or Cosmo Canyon & the Chocobo Ranch in VII.

I think that the contrast between highly and lower advanced civilizations is something that's been used more due to the increase in technology in games over the years - they're able to put more detail & effort into them now than in the earlier ones. Now they're able to portray different types of older civilizations, such as Polynesian in X or the Egyptian/Mesopotamia type places in XII.



Getting back on topic, I think that's Sakaguchi's blunder in this game. While Kitase and Nomura were able to contrast the advanced/what-would-be-considered-less advanced aspects within and amongst societies, Sakaguchi just kind of made the stereotypical FF game. When in fact, it's that creativity and newness that itself has always been crucial to the FF feel, especially since VI.

edit: that failure to take a chance is probably one of the reasons the execs at square were debating making this game separate from the main series.

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Originally Posted by Trance_Kuja

I laugh at anyone who says Sephiroth is even a good villain let alone better than Kuja. Sephiroth kills people and wants to hurt the planet..... Kuja on the other hand starts off starting wars and tricking people (not like that slash everyone Sephiroth). Kuja then wants to take power from his master (another part of his personality, yes personality something sephiroth lacks). Then he ends up facing his own mortality and decides to destroy everything (good reason, not Sephiroth's 'because mommy said so'). Kuja is the best villain in Final Fantasy history (not oppinion as his views and personality make up a great villan, Kefka is just crazy which isn't a redeeming for a MAIN villain).

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I agree with this, except I feel that Sephiroth is better as a character than Kuja, mostly cuz he's a badass. But in terms of being a villain, Kuja takes second (next to Kefka, obviously) due to his brilliant tactics, while Sephiroth's "plan" was just to cast a big spell and get the power that comes with it, but I do like hack-and-slash villains to an extent.

For me personally i find that FFIX is purely 'fantasy'...as much as i love the other games they all seem to be in some way (such as FF7) a bleak post apocalyptic kinda feel....they are not all like this but it just gives me the impression that most people are in depression....FFIX just has a completely diffrent feel for me and seems more of an adventure..although im not saying any of the others are worse in any way....

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Originally Posted by KasaiDraco

Speaking of Disney movies, Garnet's singing was very Disney Princessish.

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Is that a bad thing?

Very bad. Horrible. Did you play kingdom hearts? :tongue:

^Yep, a total flop.

Didn't sell a copy, if I remember correctly.