FFIX fails to get back to the series' roots

[Bolivar]

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.

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.

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.

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.