FFIX is kind of a mixed bag. It's has a great cast, an original artistic style, stunning graphics and a wonderful score but it also has some pretty lousy gameplay and a story that eventually collapses under the weight of its plot holes and contrived melodrama (ie just like FFVII/VIII). I not quite sure where I would rank it compared to the other PSX FF games. It's leagues ahead of FFVIII but if it's better then FFVII, it's not significantly so. Definitely not on the same level as Tactics.