Disc 4... Unecessary?

[The Crystal]

I like everything about FFIX, but I can't stop thinking the last CD was unecessary to the story.

First, everything is so random. Memoria, Crystal World, the Original Crystal, Necron. Concepts introduced only in the 4th Disc. And a new conflict too(stop Kuja from destroying existence, something he never wanted to do prior to that point).

Second, the change in scale of the story. Most FF games begin with a little conflict, and little by little grow in scale, until the point you have to save all the planet, or galaxy, or the universe. But that doesn't happen with FFIX. During the entire game we are fighting to save the world, and suddenly we hear about a crystal, and have to save the entire universe/existence! WTF!

I think the game could have ended with Garland and Kuja's defeat in Terra. The 4th CD was unecessary, to me.

And before anyone ask, no I'm not bashing the game. It's one of the best titles in the series, and I love everything about it(including the last Disc).
But I had this thought about the end of the game, and wanted to share it.

Now, what you think? Agree? Disagree?

[Vivisteiner]

^Hmmm...personally I think that Disc 4 was necessary. Firstly, I dont think the leap from saving the world to saving the Universe is actually that huge. Either way they're both massive, but once it gets to that scale you hardly notice the difference between the two (to an extent).

You say that it should have ended at Terra, but I would find that ending too rushed. Also, the assimilation would still have continued, and there would need another portion dealing with stopping that - and it would most likely be anticlimatic.

Personally, I dont think Memoria and Necron did that much to the overall storyline. It just introduced new ideas which i thought fitted in with the general idea. Memoria also provided some excellent boss battles.

I do agree though, I dont think Necron really was necessary at all - in fact, it was pretty strange. But either way, I dont care too much.

[charliepanayi]

FFIX does not have a 'big' storyline of saving the world right from the start in my opinion. It begins with a kidnap plot and nothing more, but the wider picture and the introduction of Kuja is not brought in until later. I always felt that FFIX did the best job of slowly escalating the task the characters must face.

I enjoy the ending to the 3rd CD too, as the Mist returns, and the entrance to Memoria is a stunning FMV. I can see why some people may feel the game could be compressed slightly, but I think there's so much impressive stuff in CD 4 (Memoria may be forced in, but it's great fun to go through) I enjoy it being there.

Necron is pointless, though the reasons for its motives (embracing death and an end to existence to end suffering) are also in many ways motives for Seymour and other villains in FFX.

[ReloadPsi]

Disc 4? There was a whole unnecessary scene in disc 3 where Garland convinces Zidane that he's an asshole who needs nobody in the time it takes you to read this sentence, then after a bit of uncharacteristic whining he turns back in as much time. Sorry, rant over.

The thing with the final disc on the PSX games: all they had on them was their endings, so much so that different parts of the world had to be blocked off.

[cloud21zidane16]

I agree with Vivisteiner, ending it at Terra would have been far rushed.

[Karellen]

It wasn't really unnecessary. It just seems that way because it was rather poorly integrated into the overall plot. Really, the final disk of FFIX is exactly the same as the final disk of the other PSX final fantasy games; they almost purely contain the final dungeons. The only difference is that FFIX brings up a whole load of new concepts during the final trek that hadn't really been mentioned before, where as the others don't really introduce anything new at all.

[loza]

Disc 4? unnecessary? rubbish! Sure disc 4 was a little different to the story BUT it rapped things up! if it had been finished in memoria:
a. yes the story would have been rushed
b. it wouldn't have made much sense that Kuja became tranced and blew himself up!
c. It would be a black sheep in the line of Playstation games!
FF7 disc no.: 4
FF8 disc no.: 4
FF9 disc no.: 3

Even though i love FF9 and i REALLY wanted Zidane and Dagger/Garnet/Sarah to get together i still thought the ending was SO corny!!
^_^
Thats my only problem with the game, the ending ^_^

[Karellen]

Final Fantasy VII only has 3 disks.

[loza]

Final Fantasy VII only has 3 disks.

opps...

[Lynx]

well i think everything was jsut kinda leading up to disc 4 quite perfectly. ill admit necron seemed random at first but when you think about it disc 4 kinda tied up all the loose ends.

[Shoeberto]

For me it seemed like all three of the PSX Final Fantasy games just kind of fell into confused messes at their very end. This seems to be the kind of trend I've found in a lot of Japanese fiction, though: Awesome premise, sweet build-up with a lot of mystery, but then you find out the background and it's just a mess of half-made ideas. Cultural thing, I guess.

But yeah, I was so into playing this game until the fourth disc. I just couldn't bring myself to care once I hit it.

[KuRt]

The whole Necron thing was totally unnecesessary if the whole cd4 is not unnecessary. You never even heard a word of necron until you kill kuja and think that's it but NO! there comes this random dude. I think they just wanted to make the game a bit longer by adding some stupid things like necron and the whole cd 4 actually. It was unncecessary.

[Monol]

Even though i love FF9 and i REALLY wanted Zidane and Dagger/Garnet/Sarah to get together i still thought the ending was SO corny!!
^_^
Thats my only problem with the game, the ending ^_^

That was my favorite part! Hooray for corny!!

[The Unknown Guru]

I love the ending/Necron. I'm the type that likes the philosophical stuff, so I drool over Necron's ramblings every time I read them. Who cares where he comes from, he's insightful!

[Bolivar]

Although I agree ending on Terra could have been good IF done well; you simply need that Final Dungeon in FF. Well, at least you used to.

And Memoria is one of the best. If you played other FF's (or better yet all) it signifies that everything comes from memories, and those memories are embodied in the crystal, to me disc 4 is the icing on the cake - this game was a reward for FF fans (yet you don't need to be a vet to enjoy).

Necron, like other parts of the game and final dungeon, also has other FF's as his foundation. The system to end all existence. An artificial imbalance of light and darkness took place, and there he is. Yet hope comes out as the victor in the end. That's just Final Fantasy for you.