Minor update!

Disc 2 is done! Soon I'll be onto one of my favorite FF moments. I've also acquired my final party member of Amarant Carol. Soon, I'll have my whole team assembled though. Mage central has been okay, but I've missed my brawlers.

Pros:
  • I feel like you can always tell when Sakaguchi plays a more heavy hand in a game's development. Part of it that's his game's have a certain warm charm that other games don't, but more importantly, his stories tend to be a bit more philosophical in nature as opposed to just pure melodrama. I think back on the difference between FFI and the first two DQ games. DQ was a bit more narrative focus with some bits of lore sprinkled here and there, but FFI just had these themes and moments that make you wonder. I think specifically the ending where your timey whimy exploits ultimately erase all memory of your exploits through history, and I just find that type of ending stays with you longer than DQ's happy ever after you saved the day type endings. Likewise in IX, it's been really interesting watching the game really roll up its sleeve and dive deep into these themes. More so than the titles that surround it. Like IX and X both explore themes of death, but X's deals more with a social understanding of it, and daresay, treats it more like a metaphor for tradition. Whereas IX really starts to dive into the existential ideas of life and death and what it means to live a fulfilling life. It's one of the reasons I really adore this game and likely why I've still enjoyed Mistwalker's output despite not being as solid in a lot of places that FF tends to be.
  • The Iifa tree is such an underrated location and has some cool atmospheric music with that 80s synth. I also like how the Iifa Tree core boss has an obvious weakness to fire, but it's actually a bad idea to use it on them as it unlocks their most dangerous attack.
  • Amarant has an amusing intro to the team. I forget how fun it is watching him trying to figure out Zidane who is far simpler and more wholesome than Amarant believes.
  • I vaguely remember in my last playthrough that Amarant felt lacking, but I'm not really seeing it that here. He doesn't hit as hard as I would like even with certain enemy type buffs, but I only have his second weapon and I've been using Throw a bit more, which easily makes up for the damage difference. Throw is almost always an overpowered ability in FF, and IX is no different. I did manage to get most of Amarant's basic skills learned, so barring accessories, he's at least equipped now with current level gear.
  • Speaking of my last comment about the battle system, and how I keep going back and forth with how I feel, I get the other side of the coin with how the speed affects status effects, because Amarant is murdering things fairly quickly due to the Poison status. I've been watching a lot of monsters die before their next turn due to the funky ATB mechanics.
  • It's interesting to think the ending of Disc 2 is when Kuja finally steps on the main stage as the villain.
  • I also forgot to mention how much I'm loving all the Moogles.
  • Bahamut's introduction is amazing, and IX has my favorite design for the King of Beasts. His mini-battle with Kuja and then the destruction of Brahne's fleet is an underrated FMV for sure.
  • The closing monologue of Vivi in Disc 2 is another underrated moment where you get to see some real complex emotions at play as Vivi is wrestling with his desire to be happy that Brahne is dead, but heartbroken to see how her death affects Garnet. Vivi is easily one of the best written characters in the series.
  • The boat scene between Zidane and Garnet is cute. It's nice watching the two slowly fall in love but neither really knows how to deal with it.


Cons:
  • So close, yet so far. It's annoying how the enemies at the Iifa Tree teach some useful Blue Magic, specifically Lv. 5 Death, and yet Quina is no longer accessible once you meet Eiko.
  • Sad that you acquire Leviathan at the end of Disc 2 but have to wait until Disc 3 to see it in action.