Final Fantasy IX - ProJared

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A review of FINAL FANTASY IX, the often overlooked final installment in the PlayStation 1 trilogy of Final Fantasy games. It brought us the surprisingly deep story of Zidane, Garnet and Vivi. Was it overlooked for good reason? It's always been one of my favorites; is Final Fantasy IX one of your's?
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Final Fantasy IX is a 2000 role-playing video game developed and published by Squaresoft for the PlayStation video game console. It is the ninth game in the main Final Fantasy series. The plot centers on the consequences of a war between nations in a medieval fantasy world called Gaia. Players follow bandit Zidane Tribal, who kidnaps Alexandrian princess Garnet Til Alexandros XVII as part of a gambit by the neighboring nation of Lindblum. He joins Garnet and a growing cast of characters on a quest to take down her mother, Queen Brahne of Alexandria, who started the war.
The game was developed alongside Final Fantasy VIII. Envisioned by developers as a retrospective for the series, it departed from the futuristic settings of Final Fantasy VI, Final Fantasy VII, and Final Fantasy VIII by returning to the medieval style of the earlier installments. Consequently, it was influenced heavily by the original Final Fantasy, and features allusions to the rest of the games. Despite this approach, the game did introduce new features to the series, such as "Active Time Event" cutscenes, "Mognet", and skill systems. Final Fantasy IX was the last game in the main series whose music was composed solely by Nobuo Uematsu.
Final Fantasy IX was released to critical acclaim and is considered one of the greatest video games of all time. Often cited by critics and fans as one of the best Final Fantasy games, it also holds the highest Metacritic score of the series. Final Fantasy IX was commercially successful, selling more than 5.5 million copies on PlayStation by March 2016. It was re-released in 2010 as a PS1 Classic on the PlayStation Store; this version was compatible with PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable; PlayStation Vita support arrived in 2012. Ports featuring minor gameplay and graphical enhancements were released for various other platforms in the late 2010s.
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►Theme Song - "Goodbye Summer, Hello Winter" by FantomenK
#finalfantasy #finalfantasyIX #finalfantasy9 #ff9

[@projared]

►► Thanks for watching everybody!! As always, it means a lot to me whenever you LIKE/SHARE/SUBSCRIBE and all that!! 💖 ► As usual, I'll begin streaming the next game in the series, FINAL FANTASY X, right away over on Twitch! Join me over there and follow! 👉 twitch.tv/projared ►► If you'd like to see the ENTIRE playthrough of Final Fantasy IX, you can watch the archives over on my gameplay channel!! 🎮 kzbin.info ► Fall behind a little bit? Get caught up in the previous reviews! ►► FINAL FANTASY VIII -- @t ► FINAL FANTASY VII -- @t ►► For even more updates, follow me on twitter.com/ProJared and over on instagram.com/projaredgram ! ► [ONE LAST EDIT] Yes, I will be talking about the MMOs: Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XIV. They won't be skipped!

[@krakixel]

Hey Jared? Warner Chappell is not some guy. It's a branch of Warner's WMG. Careful who you contend with on this cause they're the ones with the money... DISNEY'S MONEY.

[@dannyhargreaves1326]

The Black Mages version of Assault of The Silver Dragons, Vamo, and Hunters Chance are really amazing. Just because they sound like old school Rush!

[@TrueLooneyman]

I'll be honest, I've not played any of the main series Final Fantasy games before Jared, but seeing this made me want to try out this one. How much would you recommend this game for a new player to the series? And would you recommend the Nintendo Switch port of the game? (It's the only system I could get the game on because finances and I have checked, the game is on the Nintendo Switch eshop)

[@GSwirlz]

What song is playing at 19:26

[@JoeBlow-ev6ue]

You did right by my boy. But damn your pronunciation of most every name.

[@givemeabreak432]

"VII is the most important one, VI is my favorite one, but IX is the best one" is just a 10/10 line.

[@Zephhi]

Kinda true af but IX is just my fav as well

[@J0SHUAKANE]

that is being humble, 6 is way better. 9 is too short.

[@JDphones17]

@@J0SHUAKANE do all the sudequests and minigames

[@backdoorwolf666]

Damn right.

[@movezig5]

@@J0SHUAKANE I don't know, 6 kind of overstayed its welcome for me a bit. Maybe I just grinded too much to learn spells.

[@notafbiagent473]

Holy shit, we went from a 8 month wait to a 1 month wait. Jared’s upgrading

[@BigJono21]

That's actually his plan for the rest of FF, aiming for one per month and be done well before year's end.

[@nolankanski9116]

No, he just spent the 8 months playing triple triad. now that he's playing IX, that's not an option

[@senseidryan]

Just like the shorter gap in release from FF8 to FF9. Art imitates life.

[@hypershadix1]

With Clement it’s backwards, went from once a month to once every 5-8 months

[@notafbiagent473]

@@hypershadix1 who’s clement?

[@elendless]

You can't hear Steiner's song without reminiscing of the "clank clank clank" metal boots.

[@obi-wank-enobi]

The party of ff9 reminds me of a dnd party. A bunch of strangers who meet each other by chance starting off not trusting each other but soon learn to count on each other and help each other with their personal problems. And before they know it they are fighting alongside each other to save the world from calamity.

[@TheCheeseMovesSideways]

Freya and Zidane are an exception. The're basically the Paladin and the Thief that accidentally bonded on their journey after the Paladin captured the Thief mid-thievery. Love those two

[@Anuojat]

Given how much influence FF took from dnd... I am delighted to hear that. ^^

[@zeez145]

"Here's a bear, it's a 2/2" You really can recognize a magic player from miles away.

[@Evilriku13]

or a Hearthstone player

[@ExeloMinish]

@@Evilriku13 Hearthstone doesn't have literal decades worth of 2/2 for 2 mana bears

[@equipbasicsword]

I chuckled at the vanilla 2/2 bear.

[@narsheguard6417]

Magic players are like vegans.

[@SkippD]

Well it certainly doesn't match up to a 6/4 for 6 mana...

[@369destroyer]

"I don't need a reason to help someone" has cemented itself in my mind as a code to live by in all honesty

[@faurier]

@@bezoro-personal True, happened to me

[@369destroyer]

@@bezoro-personal Well I'm gonna last as long as I can. At 30 I've remained strong despite life's BS. So maybe one day I'll falter, but till that happens I will do as much good as I can

[@AndZiety]

for years, that was my virtue... until I realized the people around me aren't Final Fantasy characters...

[@whatswiththisnewhandlesthing]

@@AndZiety Elaborate

[@matthewmcree1992]

You made me tear up a bit 😢. FFIX has perhaps my favorite video game story of all time, and as a kid (8 years old when it came out and I bought it immediately after release) and that particular quote always stuck with me. And I've tried to live by it subconsciously because it's so simple to remember and humanity has so much potential for good, and if all people lived to do good rather than for self-aggrandizement, imagine the world we would live under. I'm actually playing FFIX for the first time in a few years right now via emulator, and it's still as good as I remember. It's all about the exploration and the story (and getting the next cool new piece of equipment 😂).

[@DarrenJensen1]

I always found it interesting how Zidane's and Vivi's story arcs parallel eachother. They both learn that they were created for the purpose of destruction, but they both react in different ways. Vivi recognizes that he can chose to be whoever he wants to be and decides to be a person who protects his friends. Zidane on the other hand completely draws into himself and pushes his friends away until they come together to remind him that he is not alone

[@Ender41948]

It's interesting since Zidane, the more mature one, we would expect to react more maturely and calmly, and yet he's the one that shuts down the most. It can show that sometimes the most easygoing, nice people can also be the most vulnerable.

[@arasonyth3243]

Zidane always supports everybody and when everything comes onto his shoulders he finally collapses. Vivi is struggling every single step of the way and is constantly supported. When its Zidane that needs help, he doesn't know what to do because he was always busy helping others and never took care of himself. I never thought about it that way but you're right, they have a parallel story and it's really interesting how they deal with it.

[@annabella1650]

@@Ender41948 I think some of it is the sheer scope of destruction Zidane was designed for. Realising you’re meant to destroy the world is a lot to take in, especially after discovering your entire species may not have souls.

[@hellobastion1518]

Great comment, made me really think

[@CosmicTornado1]

Kuja also has this parallel, except instead of just feeling bad about himself he decides to try genocide instead. That's why I think it was so important for Zidane to be with Kuja in his final moments- even though Kuja knew only malice due to the similar upbringing he had as Zidane, Zidane wanted to show Kuja what the world showed him through his own upbringing: absolute kindness

[@julioe3636]

Final Fantasy 9 was and still is my Dad's favorite Final Fantasy games of all time. Growing up, I would see him play this game and enjoy every moment of it. I got the game recently and I cannot wait to experience the adventure that my Dad had with this game.

[@dualblade14]

Hope you had/are having a good time with it!

[@JohnDoe-bp6xe]

That is so cool

[@99frojo]

Cool dad

[@goatiboat]

@Drew Taylor Seconded!

[@stevenpappas02]

Update?

[@crazyheros5738]

I swear this game has only gotten better as I've gotten older. As a teenager I never really got the whole theme of the game was about life and death. Zidane, Kuja, Vivi, Eiko, Freya, and Garnet stories are all about different aspects of death, dealing with loss, and our own inevitable demise. I never even realized Vivi died before the ending movie plays and the narration was basically Vivi's last words and when I played it as an adult and figured that out it hit me hard.

[@Barkit]

I always thought Garnet was the one narrating at the end.

[@reaperking7748]

Now Im sad

[@justanotheryoutubechannel]

SPOILERS

[@chrisgilliver1]

And that is precisely why it is the best Final Fantasy game and one of the greatest games of all time. The way Vivi searches for meaning knowing that death is iminent is a lesson for us all.

[@woodmonkey826]

I didn't realise that vivi died so this comment hit me like a truck

[@BaufenBeast]

The opening theme for FF9 is called "The place I'll return to some day", as if it knew that everyone will eventually replay this game.

[@vintheguy]

Don't think I will Liked most of the music and the combat was, fine?

[@EvilWolf2]

@@vintheguy IX has the best soundtrack of any Final Fantasy past or present, that's not just my opinion that was a unanimously agreed upon fact until Square started hyping the remake of the most overrated game in the franchise. Nobuo Uematsu literally wrote 100 tracks for the game and picked his best ones.

[@vintheguy]

@@EvilWolf2 Opinion of a lot of people = fact 😎😎😎

[@TranceCore3]

@A Stranger I had to write a 10 page essay about my favorite soundtrack, I chose FFIX. way too much to write about when it comes to this game's ost.

[@MetallicStar6]

Wonder if that was just coincidence?

[@JugbandGates]

I dont think Quina is only comic relief. Quina represents what everyone in the cast strives to achieve: happiness. Everyone has some sort of moral dilema or existencial crisis at some point. Quina doesnt, for her she just lives her at her fullest, goes with the flow, she just considers everything to be either food or not food, and she is just happy with that.

[@robdiquattro5590]

Yesss! As a child I found Quina the dumbest. With every subsequent year of life and play-through it becomes clearer she’s the wisest.

[@Saturns_Return]

eating is enlightenment

[@ItsRetroPlanet]

Now that's something genuinely beautiful.

[@alfredgomez3128]

She's the least burdened, her journey just being going out into the world and exploring. It's why I loved her enlightened vision scene, something that Zidane couldn't see despite seeing everything else.

[@Evilriku13]

true.. but when food is all that matters to you, isnt that a little less then everything one can or should have for live? Cuz, and I know it sounds dark, it feels like Quina may be unhappy and just eats for the sake of compensating. Like if I would met someone who's only passion is eating basically, I would question the person for the why and if there is anything else in their life that is worth caring for, and if they would answer with no, then.. I would feel sorry for them, to live with that kinda ideology for basically all your life. Sure he/she is just the joke character after all.. but even joksters can have more then just playing the fool they were originally designed to. I wouldn't design Quina like that if I had to revision him/her, so that food is still a priority to that character, but not everything or that u discover that there is more to it then just "eating food".

[@LoneWolf81684]

Of all the FF games, this one was the most emotional one for me. In hindsight, I feel like Vivi was a precursor to what we would see in the Nier games. That existential crisis.

[@dinkledonker801]

I think one of my favorite moments was early on in disk one: I thought Garnet was gonna be a temporary character, since you didn't get to name her like everyone else and I was I was bummed thinking she'd be gone But then, in a moment of defiance against the life that was decided for her, she decides to go by a new name. Working something as simple as naming a party member into a key narrative point was awesome

[@Barkit]

I agree. It’s just ashamed that the game didn’t utilize this name change like it was supposed to. 90% of the time anyone referred to Garnet, they knew who she was and negate the change and the narrative being it. …Not that I’m complaining though because Dagger is such a dumb name that I always kept her name as Garnet in the game.

[@RoninXDarknight]

@@Barkit The name change wasn't so much about hiding her identity as it was about her re-inventing herself though...something that was further symbolized by her cutting her hair.

[@rubemevangelista3868]

I'm gonna make use of this reply section (since I didn't see anyone else mention it) to say that Garnet has no right looking this fucking good in this game's cutscenes. I know Jared has said it multiple times, but goddamn I'm still impressed this came out on the ps1, she looks fantastic

[@rubemevangelista3868]

@@RoninXDarknight damn that scene almost hit me as hard as Katarina cutting her hair in RS3

[@darkmage07070777]

"That Elixer that I'll consider maybe finally using once the credits roll." I feel personally attacked.

[@chaosakazero]

Using a rare healing item I don't understand this concept

[@sakasil2]

Only time I ever used one was ozma.

[@PowerArmorV113]

But what if I need it AFTER Ozma?

[@victortugelbend812]

Who actually uses elixirs? I want to meet these maniacs.

[@sofaris576]

Since there are no X potions I used them when I had no healer around and hi potions where to weak. I remember specificly that shrine guardian Zidane and Quina face. Quina was so weak she got taken out right away and I knew it would be pointless trying to revive her so I just kept attacking with Zidane and when his HP got low I used an Elixier. I used plenty in that fight. Good choice. I won and I still had plenty left. I think I also used one ore two in that not alone scene. It takes a while before Garnet shows up.

[@NintendoCapriSun]

Steiner and Beatrix are by far the most beautiful FF couple in existence.

[@brodown64]

Hi caprisun

[@countryboyred]

Beatrix is my all time favorite Final Fantasy character. She’s such a badass.

[@ladynikkie]

Even though you play her temporarily I wish she was a permanent member.

[@okagron]

That whole sequence of them fucking up monsters while Protecting My Devotion plays in the background is amazing.

[@ReikuYin]

@@ladynikkie I like that she had Shock, making her kinda like General Leo. A good hearted general on an opposing side. But did not suffer Leo's sad fate. Such a nice call back.

[@Kelorel]

The "You are Not Alone" moment at the end of IX, is the best written moment in Final Fantasy history imo. No other moment in the franchise has ever made me cry as consistently as this one did. It was the climax of a very well written story building to that very moment. Absolutely spectacular. Final Fantasy IX is the best game of the franchise to this day.

[@maddroxgokudera1519]

Best part about "You Are Not Alone" is that the song is played by 8 instruments. One for each character. and they all come and go throughout the song. But only the beginning two instruments that start the song last through out the whole song.

[@tukman16]

Interesting...

[@BakedSalmonNetwork]

Thats such a rad bit of trivia. Nit that I would expect any less. There are not enough games that elevate themselves to such a high level of art.

[@Jose-se9pu]

Always found it funny how in recent years developers keep talking about gaming now being the medium where you can tell the story via gameplay...FFIX did it 21 years ago, the monsters Zidane faces in that section can kill you in a single hit, which is there to show Zidane needs his friends as much as they need him.

[@dragames]

@@BakedSalmonNetwork It's not rad, they made that completely up. Uematsu made the song independent from ff9 and they decided they wanted to use that one and asked him if they could use it in ff9 anyways. and there's 7 instruments used, even with the percussion. And the only instrument that is used from beginning to end is ONE percussion instrument. If someone's said shit like this to try making the scene sound more impactful it's actually worse its based on lies.

[@Kugo]

Steiner is my favorite type of D&D player to play with

[@jacobmonks3722]

My favorite part is when he is sneaking Garnet past the gate to Lindblum and when a guard stops him, the options are: Kill Don't Kill

[@joshshin6819]

Steiner is your what? why was this funnier on reddit?

[@suburbanindie]

@@jacobmonks3722 in the gysahl pickle sack?

[@suburbanindie]

Lawful Stupid

[@557deadpool]

@@joshshin6819 bruh

[@movezig5]

... I actually replayed it twice already... maybe it's time to do it for the third time? Also, I think Zidane is a good example of a character with a "flat character arc." The story isn't about how _he_ changes, but about how he _changes those around him._

[@Dharengo]

There are a handful of stories where the protagonist fulfills more of a mentor role than a true hero’s role. These kinds of stories can be amazing to observe if done right.

[@rfmerrill]

I AM YOUR CHARACTER EARRRRRCCC

[@sarafontanini7051]

PLus....what's wrong with being nice, dependable, friendly and always making sure to help people? He doesn't NEED to develop, he's already a great character as is.

[@reloadpsi]

They give him just enough flaws and everybody else just enough limelight to make it work. One hair in the wrong direction and he'd be a total Mary Sue. Hell, later in the game you learn that he was built from the ground up to essentially be one, but he rejects the task given to him for that and instead uses it to help other people be the best version of themselves.

[@JazGalaxy]

This is very true. But also, vivi and Zidane are basically one character. Neither one could really be called the main character of the game, and yet both are the main character of the game. They are also two sides to the same coin. So I think the arc only kind of comes into focus when you consider them together. Vivi comes to accept his death as Zidane shows him the world and Zidane becomes more grounded as he learns the gravity of life from vivi.

[@kseromore]

words cant describe how much i love the "learn skill from item after x number of battles" mechanic. it feels so rewarding and fulfilling.

[@BlueZirnitra]

Head and shoulders above junctions and materia. I'll even take it over sphere grid/license board. The more convoluted the mechanics are, the more it gets in the way of the charm and story.

[@robertbryant4669]

@@BlueZirnitra The sphere grid, license board, and even (ugh) the crystarium tree are all actually pretty straightforward, particularly in comparison to junctions and materia. I don't think any of these are particularly better or worse than the others; it's a matter of personal taste. For my part, I prefer systems that allow me to customize my characters' roles in the party, rather than being locked into a single role for the entire game. That said, anything is better than the leveling system in II.

[@TheCheeseMovesSideways]

​​@@BlueZirnitrait hits the balance between Materia and Junction in that you get it from exploring and master it from fighting and they manages to turn both weaknesses of the system into a less tedious and more rewarding concept than before. Materia was simply not that rewarding as you get it from buying and exploring mostly and that's it, just slot it in you're done. There IS a rewarding experience in a sense but it wasn't a fulfilling one, while Junction is a broken system that you can cheese from the getgo basically nullifying the reward and sense of progression that the system was originally going for. Even if you try to use it properly it was simply too tedious and obtuse that you're more prone to hate it than love it. With FFIX they offered you both the sense of reward that Materia gives by letting you find the abilities yourself via exploration and gives you the sense of fullfilment and progression from the Junction system by making them unlockable permanents as you battle and progress through the game. It's really a wonderful system

[@leonhartestudios8484]

Real talk. The scene involving Zidane and “You Are Not Alone” came at a turning point in my life. Because of this scene...I’m still here. I owe my life to this game.

[@Greatanotherchannel]

Story Time

[@bobbykotick1163]

Liar

[@GearTech147]

@@bobbykotick1163 The fuck does it matter if they are? Just let it be.

[@Primarina341]

@@bobbykotick1163 youre attitude is cringe

[@DiabloCloud]

You Are Not Alone In my case it came way later in life, but reliving that moment made me understand myself and see worth in the important things. You are not alone, buddy

[@tonythatoneguy3861]

This is something nice on an otherwise horrible day. Thank you Jared R.I.P Kentaro Miura

[@theguy3851]

We'll miss him.

[@pakiaki9775]

"He died doing what he wanted, no matter what right? I bet he was happy"

[@quickman2663]

HAI YAI FORCES!

[@greylithwolf]

Fucking WHAT!?

[@funnysillycat2355]

@@greylithwolf yep hes gone

[@stevenmattrell3448]

“Hey everyone, regular Jared here.” Wait. There’s more than one?

[@JohnSmith-ox3gy]

There are atleast three: the pro Jared, the punished Jared and Jared Jared.

[@timothymckane6362]

Always has been.

[@WardenKaz]

There's solid jared, naked jared, punished jared, venom jared, liquid jared, solidus jared. And that's not even counting all the reboots that have occurred that reset the storyline

[@CinemaSeven]

@@WardenKaz My favorite Kojima series, Metal Gear Jared.

[@jro3299]

He's already 4 parallel dimensions ahead

[@wicky7591]

Jared is looking much better. Glad to see the channel is still going.

[@harrisonho8934]

I've read online that both Hironobu Sakaguchi and Nobuo Uematsu consider this to be their favorite Final Fantasy game they ever worked on, with Sakuguchi saying that this game is closest to his ideal vision of what Final Fantasy should be, and Uematsu stating that this game had his personal favorite soundtrack of all the Final Fantasy games he had worked on.

[@JimPTheOne]

No words for how I admire Jared, he had a wonderful rebound in life, got back to his schedule, and keeps delivering. You rock man. You are an inspiration.

[@SethRPD]

Lol are you serious?

[@EmeraldaKasim]

@@SethRPD Yup.

[@SethRPD]

@Kyle Katarn Uhm. No.

[@Vampgl1]

​@@SethRPDum...yes. and yes again. You were wrong. Be a man and admit it.

[@Gerd0]

Seeing Garnet's portrait be updated to a more confident, smiling one was ridiculously satisfying for me. Almost more so than the actual story moment necessitating that. It's like every time I went to the status screen I can see how far she's come. The whole cast is great, and picking a favorite for me is like a parent trying to pick their favorite child, but I'd say I like Garnet the most. (And it's a shame I insisted on being silly and calling her "Knife" instead of just going with "Dagger").

[@Jose-se9pu]

When she cuts her hair is such an iconic scene.

[@SephiRevolver]

You can go and rename her if you want to her real name if you have the Namingway card lol

[@bananajoe9951]

That ending with all the little black mages, this story was deeper and more hard hitting than I thought it could be.

[@stormstrider]

Zidane was my hero. Period. In an age of gritty, edgy, emo-git antiheroes, Zidane was my role model of just doing what's right because it's the right thing to do, and it's okay to appreciate the ladies while you do it.

[@I_Am_The_Social_Reject]

Zidane is my favorite. Fun, goofy, perverted, loving, bad ass, charming. Just everything I want lol.

[@eckitronix]

If anything I strive to look like Squall with no scar and just normal people clothes but otherwise basically be Zidane, if that makes sense. I tried to get a stupid edgy haircut to get attention from the edgelords in town and then be not even close. I just described what Noctis kinda was didn't I

[@StephenMarinelli]

This is why Ramza Beoulve was always my favorite minus the ladies man part. Just good for goods sake. True north moral compass and who or what interferes with that code is now the enemy. Wether friend or family, if you’re no good, you become the enemy very easily. Righteous as fuck. The path of the paladin. Love that shit.

[@riemaennchen]

"You are not alone" is such a fantastic song. Easily my favorite in the game.

[@klop4228]

It would be mine if Melodies of Life weren't a thing :P

[@TheDirtbaggrif]

But the blue fields and village of Dali though

[@Sawngawkuh]

@@klop4228 What's neat is how a bit of the Melodies of Life leitmotif is in You're Not Alone. Everybody wins.

[@Walamonga1313]

Assault of the Silver Dragons is better than any other track in the game. And in Final Fantasy as a whole. Not up for discussion.

[@Walamonga1313]

@@Sawngawkuh Dude, it's also in the world map theme. And I never realised until somebody mentioned that Melodies had it. Blew my mind lol

[@ethancox1315]

This was super fast, and I'm glad it was because I needed something to cheer me up after the news about Kentaro Miura's unfortunate passing.

[@theguy3851]

We'll miss him.

[@b3rz3rk3r9]

God rest his soul.

[@time4manmode945]

Yeah i found out when i read about the miura memorial in ffxiv

[@jamesmiller5331]

Who?

[@b3rz3rk3r9]

@@jamesmiller5331 Kentaro Miura. He's best known for the Manga Berserk.

[@pmgmsd]

I rewatch this periodically and still just to hear the excellent delivery when starting that "FFIX is the BEST one". I've known that since I played it, but it feels good to be validated.

[@ryanadams0922]

Dude me too. As someone who didnt understand final fantasy and had no interest even to go as far as put right hating it, one day I came across it when I was like 11 or 12 and decided "FINE ILL TRY IT" I started at 9 and played it. It was weird but I could not stop thinking about it that I had to have it. Glad to know I picked the best one and by accident it fell in my lap.

[@Churrowhisperer]

You shouldn’t let a stranger’s opinions validate your own. I personally think 6 is the best one for example, but you’re allowed to think 9 is the best regardless of what Jared says.

[@pmgmsd]

@@Churrowhisperer Oh, by no means am I allowing someone else to dictate what I feel. Again, it's the setup and delivery that I particularly enjoy. Your message is still a good one, though!

[@foochai2130]

How dare you watch the video over and over again for the same reason I watch it for every once in a while. It hits HARD.

[@BlueZirnitra]

@@Churrowhisperer why? It feels good for your feelings to be echoed and acknowledged by someone else. It made them feel good. Why would you suggest they shouldn't feel that way? It's all opinions, but sharing an opinion feels better than being alone in it. If they're being true to themselves it doesn't change anything anyway.

[@shivashiham7880]

I don't like Amarant but I do like the dynamic between Amarant and Freya. It's funny to see how they went from "Let's throw down" when they first met to basically being buddy-buddy in the kind of "I want to stand here away from everyone else and you want to as well, so let's stand here away from everyone else together."

[@inter-partyconflict9540]

While his role in the story was incredibly sleight, his abilities and aesthetic in combat were, bar none, the best in the game. I ALWAYS used him in combat when I had the option.

[@t_g_gamerftw5075]

@Kyle Katarn as I recall he actually wasn’t supposed to by the last party member, which was actually supposed to be Blank the temporary party member and Zidane’s crew mate who gets petrified. However this got scraped at some point, (if I recall correctly due to conflicting fighting styles with it being too similar to zidanes, and stainers as wielding a blade) which I have to say is a bit of a shame, as I feel that there is a lot more dynamics to be had between The crew and Blank. His brotherly relationship with Zidane, the guilt of Steiner and Garner for essentially destroying his job, and hurting his family, before his noble sacrifice to save them in the forest, driving their redemption to save him from his petrification. Blank can teach Vivi and Eiko the meaning of family as he perceives the tantalus group and Zidane, and what it means to be willing to sacrifice to protect those you care about. His approval or lack there of Zidane’s relationship with Garnet, since she was a part of their mission from Cid, and thus shouldn’t have kept ties with royalty once it was over as they are bandits. He can converse over the plays that Garnet likes. There is just so much more that he brings to the story as a potential party member.

[@dragames]

@Kyle Katarn You're sorta right FF in general has always had last minute addon problems... except in the case of 7 (where it was Tifa who was the last minute character. however, she took aspects away from Aerith and Yuffie rather than just thrown in on her own 'new character insert' and that helped her fit in with the story) They just needed an 8th character and for some reason felt a monk/ninja character needed to be there to fill in the roster... which didn't make much sense considering they made two summoner/white mage combos, they had room for a lot more class types to choose from, and those burmecian Red Mages were looking pretty good to me as a choice. Anyhow, they thought "hmm, we need a FOIL to Zidane" so they made one up pretty quickly. COnsidering that everything in ff9 was done pretty much as a rush job, that's saying something (I honestly feel ff9 would have been a much better game had it not been rushed and I strongly disagree with it being 'the best' game. It's the most overhyped in my opinion. People may like ff7 the most, but are still able to criticize it. The fans for 9 refuse to acknowledge there ARE a lot of problems with it, even in its story. EVEN in the 'you're not alone' segment, there's some glaring issues such as Zidane's "No I'll be alone" right into "Ah, okay. I'm better now!" it was a rushed resolution that ruined what could have been a truly moving scene (and people claiming this scene kept them from committing suicide... sheesh, talk about making it way more important than it is) But back to the point, he was created last minute to be a Zidane Foil and they failed at it, and also failed to make him have a background or anythin that wasn't "Zidane oriented" And saying Amarant was 'good' because it gave Freya something in the second half of the game isn't meaningful at all. They were both thrown away much earlier than that. Freya at least had a point for an hour... and Amarant never had any.

[@ReikuYin]

Sorry to Necro this but the Blank bing the final character can actually be felt in game as Blank's stats will actually affect Ammy's when you get him. So if you really wanted to grind up blank by having other team members downed and having him get all the exp, Ammy would be a terror.

[@matthewhanf3033]

Hearing Jared say 9 is the best one brought legit tears of joy to my eyes.

[@armorvil]

Not to my eyes. I like the game a lot, but I really don't think it's the best. Ultimately the story is pretty meh, the battles are too soft (slow and bad sfx), replay-value is low because the ability and equipment systems don't allow for much customization, I'm not a fan of the graphic style, and I find Zidane uninteresting. He is basically a Gary-Stu. Oh, and that heavy bass line he praises... ...at the start of every battle, it gets annoying. It worked in the older games because it was softer and quicker. Just my opinion though. I still had a blast the first time I played it, but I'd rank FF7 or FF10 higher.

[@Zephhi]

@@armorvil Nah

[@matthewhanf3033]

@@armorvil that's fair, but 9 is near and dear to my heart. There's thankfully many excellent games in the franchise to enjoy. For 10...blitzball...that is all.

[@Walamonga1313]

@@armorvil I don't think it's the best either. I think it has some pacing issues, and minigames suck (but that's common in FF) especially when it's required to do Tetra master to progress. However, 9 is still my favourite by far. It's the only FF I've beaten more than once (3 times so far, already kinda wanna replay it). FF9 is more than a game, it's an experience. A beautiful one.

[@teixeira6132]

@@armorvil Agreed. And what about the last-minute-elements, like another world, twin brother and Necron, the final boss? FFIX was rushed on the last segment and that's why, IMO, he can't be considered the best one in the series. A wonderful game, an awesome tribute to the series back then, but not the best.

[@vincentpatrick5780]

I always felt like FF9 never got the love it deserves. Thanks for doing it justice, Jared.

[@ddjsoyenby]

he is a pro jared so that makes sense he would ;D

[@daylanxa7983]

I want to know where this idea of it never got the love it deserves comes from. It's often like always seen as the best people have this weird idea that it's underrated but it legit always gets talked about and brought up as the best one by it's fans all the time everywhere.

[@vincentpatrick5780]

@@daylanxa7983 The idea comes from back when FF9 first came out. No one I knew really talked about it, versus the huge hype I remember from when FF7 and even FF8 were released. Yes, it's true that in the present day, more people have "woken up" to the greatness of this game, but it always disappointed me when I was younger that I didn't really have anyone to talk to about this game the same way I did with FF7 and FF8, despite it being my favorite of those 3. Make sense?

[@daylanxa7983]

Bro people non stop shit on 8 you aren't allowed to like 8 and haven't been allowed to like it in people's opinion for years. It's the one that gets absolutely no love

[@vincentpatrick5780]

@@daylanxa7983 huh, I didn't know that. I remember that Squall was super cool back when FF8 first came out and all my friends wanted a gunblade, lol

[@cloudparter]

The entire sequence near the end of the game with Zidane being down and out is one of the best sequences in storytelling in any video game. The optimistic hero is having a life and existential crisis and needs his friends and support the ones he's been supporting all game and they come up to the challenge and heed the call. Legendary game.

[@polyphoniphilia]

I physically can't watch/play this scene without crying, it's impossible.

[@hazrover]

I find it to be an incredible depiction of when depression hits you hard & I can relate with the stuff Zidane says. That whole segment makes me cry combined with that amazing music, & when his friends come to back him up. It's stunning.

[@Soul_Resonance]

Not gonna lie "You are not Alone" is arguably one of the best scores in Final Fantasy history, it was one-off but it had an incredible impact, you felt the scene as it played out and when you hear it you feel the scene over and over again.

[@Honeyguts88]

Rose of may is the best lol

[@switchtalent123]

I was just mashing buttons till I could get to the boss wondering when zudaine was going to stop being a lil bitch

[@PastoKage]

The "You are not alone" moment is hands down one of the best in the whole series.

[@link_esteban]

I support this

[@paetheas]

The final cutscene in this game is a masterpiece, in my opinion. Despite seeing it over a dozen times it still makes me cry every single time. FF IX is my all time favorite video game and nobody is better than Vivi.

[@joshshin6819]

everyone in ff6 is better than Vivi. except for Umaro and Gogo but only because well they had no development.

[@zebrapowerlegal7429]

@@joshshin6819 I mean, with characters like Terra I can understand but the entire cast? Vivi doesn’t deserve this much hate.

[@ichigo9171]

“That elixir I might use when the credits finally roll” I relate to this way too much.

[@sofaris576]

I am so proud of myself when I use rare healing Items. On my first playthrough I used a couple of Elixiers during that fight where its just Quina and Zidane and during that You are not alone sequence. Feels so good breaking a bad habit even if its just a little bit.

[@jc.1191]

@@sofaris576 I guess a lot of us have that habit.

[@ciberkid22]

@@sofaris576 Same lol. In the fight with Garland he just kept focusing on Eiko and killing her every time I revived her, so I had enough and finally used an elixir on her to grant reflect to the party before he could wipe us out.

[@tjtoic]

I remember that moment when Zidane was in despair. It really hit hard. No flashy cutscene. Just an amazing song, amazing writing.

[@EmeraldaKasim]

Played it when i was 17 high as Fuck. My weed tolerance was still like a baby. I cried so hard and I remember that night so vividly. Going to Terra is definitely my favorite part of the game.

[@Wafflemage]

Just that song alone gives me the feels.

[@Estel-z1c]

If the mood takes me, that scene and that music can make me cry. Its absolutely beautiful. Really hits hard.

[@MacNava]

I know he's not a Normal Boots member anymore, but he always will be in my heart

[@Absolutely_Nobody]

He should be. He did nothing wrong.

[@matthewhanf3033]

Yeah, too bad they caved into cancel culture.

[@Froge0]

I still really like Jared (I mean, I'm still subbed) but I understand why he's not there anymore. Jared will always have a cloud of negativity hanging over him, and I am pretty sure Jared himself quit NormalBoots to make sure that cloud didn't hang over his friends and affect their careers.

[@ix8750]

@@Froge0 I feel the opposite, I feel like Jared has an aura of inspiration about him rather than a cloud of negativity. Proving that you can still come back to who you once were after dealing with very harsh adversity. That said from a business standpoint I see what you're saying and I agree I think Jared did too.

[@bingbong5076]

Just like Jon, Jared will get better than his time in Normal Boots

[@Salt_Mage]

Man, Freya and Amarant’s stories being cut due to time crunch is such a shame. Amarant even has a CG screenshot on the back of the US game case that never appears in game.

[@ino_mation]

That render doesn't really fit story wise anywhere in the game as it is. It was used likely because they needed something fitting Amarant more than the little they had, same as how Quina's character profile render is in a field and never seen in the game. Amarant's is Alexandria's bell tower being blown up. Amarant has no connection to Alexandria, but technically he was there when this happens on Disc 3, but there's no reason to showcase him in the cutscene. A random shot of Amarant during that scene just wouldn't make sense. So yeah, it doesn't appear in game, but it's likely it technically did happen, they've just no reason to show it on screen during such a scene that otherwise hardly involves your party. But they wanted a fire/explosion for him because "The Flaming Amarant!" Amarant has story, it's just one you have to piece together from what they tell you. He doesn't join us until the end of Disc 2, nearly already Disc 3. There's not a lot of time to tell it to you directly. But even going back to when he first appears being hired by Brahne, they're starting to tell us his story. Amarant is sadly seen as completely worthless and having no effect upon the story, when he holds such a big place in concluding the Brahne/Dagger storyline, has his own story initiated and concluded by his relationship with Zidane, and serves the purpose of showcasing Zidane's nature, as well as foreshadowing Zidane's actions after the final boss of the game, making us go "Yeah, that makes sense he'd do this"

[@sakasil2]

Technically amarant's story wasn't necessarily cut, square came out and said that he was literally included because the hierarchy thought he would bring in the western audience. So it wasn't really that it was cut just a last minute addition that square was forced to make.

[@ino_mation]

@@sakasil2 Who at Square said that, also when and where? Are you sure you're not mixing up with Vaan from FF12? I've never heard anybody make this claim regarding Amarant, and it doesn't even make sense.

[@chrisgilliver1]

Freya's story felt complete to me.

[@taigaaisaka6305]

FFIX is the one that was screwed the most by rushing it. Freya and Amarant are the most glaring, but literally everyone but Zidan and Vivi have their stories cut short, barely developed or rushed. A good example is how Garnet loses her voice because trauma, then nothing at all happens to her personally that would help her get over that, she just gets it back, because. Steiner disappears and then suddenly he's no longer the duty always no matter what douche, Beatrix is introduced, starts to have development and, again, disappears then she's with Steiner and they are a couple. Eiko has literally 0 purpose at all aside from telling Garnet about the summons, that and making jokes about Garnet and Zidan liking each other are her whole contribution to the game and her whole character trait. Quina is just one giant meme. Yeah', she's funny, but again, her only contribution to the game is being the "Oh so random, that's funny" character and nothing else. If any Final Fantasy game deserves a remake, is FF9, if only to actually add everything that they had to cut short and fix all the inconsistencies. Like when the Queen take a blast straight to the face in the cutscene, her and the whole boat explodes to pieces, yet right after, somehow you find her next to a escape pod.

[@slkjvlkfsvnlsdfhgdght5447]

why the hell do not more games use this ATE system? it sounds absolutely amazing! it adds so much depth and humanity to the characters and makes it feel like the world doesn't just stop everything for you

[@QuadratusTiberium]

ATB but yeah

[@slkjvlkfsvnlsdfhgdght5447]

@@QuadratusTiberium isn't ATB a way to determine turn order?

[@uhhhpersoniguess]

Definitely agree. If the rumored remake comes to fruition, I really hope they keep ATEs

[@slkjvlkfsvnlsdfhgdght5447]

@@uhhhpersoniguess man, i do NOT remember what i was talking about, 😂

[@herbythechef7624]

@@QuadratusTiberium theyre talking about the active time event, not active time battle

[@Blinxk]

I can still hear the “clank clank clank” in Steiner’s theme even with the edit in the video. Goodness I love this game so much

[@apollojustice5338]

Needed this after hearing about Kentaro Miura's passing. RIP.

[@hanino6453]

Who is that?

[@sinned6us]

@@hanino6453 creator of the manga Berserk

[@arasonyth3243]

Just found out from this comment. What a tragedy, way way too young. Rest in peace.

[@movezig5]

Agreed. It was especially devastating knowing that Berserk will remain unfinished. It's such a masterpiece, and even if someone else tried to finish it, no one but Miura could truly realize his artistic vision.

[@dragames]

@@movezig5 I felt this way about Guin Saga.

[@Massivecow1337]

Vivi coming to terms with the inevitability of death, and the uncertainty of it, really hit me when I was a kid. It's a good lesson and seeing such a likeable kid character overcome his doubts was so refreshing. Steiner is my second favorite and I'm so happy that someone else likes him too. Everyone I talk to tends to rank Steiner very low.

[@Judg3m3nt]

Yea, anytime I said I liked Steiner I'd listen to people bash him in response.

[@aninymouse1651]

Steiner is a true man. I can relate to him more than anyone else.

[@flafffreeman5279]

I will not abandon you! And I shall follow you to kingdom come if I must. You remember that! These are the words that cement Steiner as my favorite character in FF9. It also how much he has grown as a character. And probably snapped Zidane hard at that point in the story. He, an synthetic life form with not royal blood and a thief at that, gets a knight vow. I’m not even sure Beatrix ever got that lol

[@Walamonga1313]

Steiner is my favourite FF character. I love his unyielding sense of duty and devotion. He also has the biggest character growth imo. He goes from rusty, grumpy but loyal knight to the best ally Zidane and co. could ever have. And I'm so damn glad he and Beatrix had a happy ending, those 2 along with Vivi are my favourite FF characters. Yes, in the whole series.

[@flafffreeman5279]

Dam I said Beatrix? Silly me I meant Queen Brahne. A little bit of a mix up there. That fight scene when Steiner and Beatrix defend their castle...still one of my favorite FF scene to this day.

[@h31i05]

This is not only my favourite FF game, it is one of my very favourite games of all time. Music, visuals and yes.. the story, everything is so epic

[@Luke3108]

The Italian adaptation was so unique that still nowadays people quote it by heart: Steiner uses Latin expressions, Quina speaks the roman dialect, Markus has a German accent etc

[@GodOfOrphans]

Neato. Dragon Quest as a series does something similar with it's English translations, many of the characters have distinct accents and dialects.

[@jcultimo]

Cinna with the Roman accent

[@BakedSalmonNetwork]

That sounds amazing.

[@joaonitro5149]

@@GodOfOrphans Dragon Quest 4 has so much dialects that sometimes it's hard to understand npcs.

[@Mr1995Fabio]

Spanish adaption has andalusian speakers, old spanish speaker and a argentinean. And there are character with always finish a sentence with onomatopoeia.

[@rafaynoman1180]

Freya: "Being forgotten is a fate worse than death". Oh boy, aint that the truth.

[@DirectorOfChaos9292]

I will no longer be a mere memory

[@ZealKingdom]

The first time I played FFIX, I went in with no prior knowledge of the characters or story and named Amarant "Bastard." Needless to say, his line declaring "People call me 'The Flaming Bastard'" had me on the floor.

[@Terestrasz]

I once named Vivi "stupid" so Puck said "Yeow! Look at all the idiots!"

[@Jose-se9pu]

Square literally stated the character was forced by the marketing department because they wanted to appeal to western audiences.

[@ChimeraMK]

@@Jose-se9pu So what you're saying is that the reason why he's hardly in the main story is because he's a last minute addition?

[@hendrycksputt7165]

I named him "Shitbag"

[@sakasil2]

I've always called steiner rusty "that is Sir Adelbert Rusty to you!"

[@Beef_Ravioli]

This game is truly something special, it's incredible how well it's aged, and how timeless its characters and story are. Its messages about life, about death, and more importantly, how we deal with and live our lives are beautiful. It really hits hard with Vivi and Kuja. Both have to deal with very similar situations: Both are artificial beings with a very limited lifespan. Kuja, fearing his newly discovered mortality, tormented by the thought of dying at any moment, all alone, lashes out against creation and seeks comfort in ending it all. Vivi is faced with the same predicament, but instead manages to find strength in those around him and decides to make the best of the scarce time he has left. He decides that he wants to live his life. I always found it interesting how Vivi is presented as the protagonist more than Zidane in instances like that. He is the first character we control, we learn a lot about the world through his innocent, wondrous perspective, and he also narrates the ending, where he doesn't lament the fact that he knows he's about to meet his end, because he lived fully and thoroughly to the very end. Every character goes through a conflict regarding life, death, or loss, and man it's beautifully told. It always manages to tear me up like few other pieces of media have.

[@theamazingcowlet]

Adding to that, the soundtrack is easily Uematsu's best, most emotional work to date

[@rafaynoman1180]

Another cool thing about the game is its sound design. Like when your walking you can hear different foot steps not just each just character but also depending what surface they're walking on. I remember Walking as Zidanne on the Tantalus airship and listening to his steps on the wooden board or listening so Stieners armor clanging as he runs around. It may not sound like much but for something on the PS1 it was awesome.

[@Arlenthasala]

The part with Zidane losing himself always brings a tear to my eye over how much I relate to that feeling. In fact I can't help but just fully relate to his character, which must be part of the reason why I just love this game so much.

[@DonPancho1]

Ooh wow, i like your profile pic. I almost forgot about samurai pizza cats

[@brunohenriqueazevedoborges5490]

3:51 "The airship is named The Invincible!" - while showing us footage of the Hilda Garde 3.

[@BakedSalmonNetwork]

You nerd. 😂 well played.

[@gwarriorfromhell]

I've been on a serious Final Fantasy kick lately. I'm playing through 9 again and I keep finding new things I love about the game every time I play through it. It really is the series love letter and the best one made.

[@Dharengo]

Sora: My friends are my power. Zidane: I am my friends’ power.

[@thesurvivorssanctuary6561]

That's beautiful, and shows off the maturity of the characters. Kingdom Hearts is a phenomenal game for communicating fundamental: social, metaphysical, and psychological, concepts. As such, it has a very simple and childish protagonist who acts younger then his approximate age. Zidane is just a good dude who's already lived a bunch of life, and who's ultimately come up with admirable answers to many of life's most difficult questions.

[@Mr3DLC]

i know that kh is turning away from final fantasy properties but I would love to see bartz from ffv as a keyblade wielder imagine mastering fighting styles inherent in people you meet or fight with bartz going so far as to imitate their lines :)

[@kalythai]

@@Mr3DLC If Bartz doesn't wield 8 keyblades at once and use dual wielding rapid fire spellblades, I would be mildly disappointed.

[@Mr3DLC]

@@kalythai penultimate form:)

[@zmandragon]

Together they would be unstoppable. That's why they never met in the kingdom hearts universe.

[@markhenderson9507]

Fun fact: Tetra Master's battle system was too complex for even the official strategy guide. Instead of explaining it, they gave you a link to a website (which no longer exists). Edit Also, I love how when you ask the moogle what the numbers on the cards means, he says, "Figure it out for yourself," even though nothing in-game tells you.

[@Invidente7]

That strategy site was INFAMOUS for doing THAT all the Time instead of a proper guide.

[@Michael-bx8up]

There's a cool thing you can do here! Wanna know about it? Play Online has the answer! Want to know where the chocographs are? Play Online. Hidden boss locations? Play Online. Boss strategies beyond just simple obvious tactics? Play Online. How to actually use Quina? And learn her spells? Play on plying Online!

[@Evilriku13]

It is to some degree still complex, but not as random as Jared makes it out to be, so I wonder what his research was. Same with him calling out Sakaguchi leaving after FF9 when he even sticked around till 2003-2004!

[@TheMike0088]

@@Evilriku13 to my knowledge, while that is true, IX was the last time sakaguchi was the director IIRC.

[@chrisharris144]

Thank god for GameFAQs back in the day. I still have a binder with printouts of the guides the guys on that site wrote for this game.

[@tarodeculture]

17:00 After I played FF7 and 8, when I started FF9 and heard the battle theme for the 1st time, I said to myself "THIS is Final Fantasy". Even my sister who doesn't play games often was able to recognize that bass immediately. I kind of wished that you delved further into Kuja's story. He's actually my favorite villain in the franchise, and I felt for him a lot when I finished the game.

[@Ka_Five]

Thank you for giving Steiner some love. He is also one of my favorites from IX! My very first playthrough when I was a kid, he was the only character I renamed, and I named him Nomar after my dog at the time, who was my favorite dog. I don't change his name anymore, but that memory of him being "Nomar," to me so many years after his passing still hits home for me. Love Steiner for keeping him alive

[@joeslickback]

Hironobu Sakaguchi: I like 9 of course (slips $100 in is shirt)

[@darkpyro786]

Gotta love ProZD

[@erikasakura7721]

"They all talk to each other like actual freaking people!" And this is why quite a few of the Tales of... games are some of my favorite rpgs, the skits!

[@Petronia911]

Tales hosts the best characters for sure. Love me some Tales.

[@SiliconSlyWolf]

9 also has one of the most fleshed out worlds at times. The main towns you keep revisiting, and seeing things develop and change over the course of the game. Its like all the NPCs in it have lives they live independent of your group's story.

[@snowrider9018]

It’s true that Final Fantasy IX is the EPITOME of Final Fantasy games, you may even call it Final Fantasy Endgame because it’s the last game with its original creator. I agree with EVERYTHING you said about this game Jared! Thank you!

[@deanxile]

"Imagine Any Single Person Outright Ignoring Tetra Master And Hit This Wall" **Sweats**

[@pharmcat8484]

Comfortable... Final Fantasy 9 is not just “good,” it’s comfortable. And I’m once again impressed by how well you can dissect, interpret, analyze and review a game like this in such a clear and concise manner. Someone paid attention in high school English.

[@annabella1650]

It’s the best hand to play during the cold nights, with a cup of hot chocolate and a blanket.

[@12ealDealOfficial]

A game's coziness factor is something I notice more as time goes on. I like to play games with a beer or snack nearby, and a lot of PS1 games that are either load or text heavy are so chill to kill an hour or two with. 3D games are never quite as laid back.

[@557deadpool]

Ironically the game like that for me is Digital Devil Saga

[@raoullupin5412]

@@12ealDealOfficial Persona 5 Royal and before my 3DS croaked Fire Emblem Awakening are my comfy, cozy games!

[@CoralCopperHead]

"comfortable" implies something that grants comfort. I've never played a game that anyone has described as "comfortable" while feeling that same thing, mostly I feel 'challenged,' or 'engaged.' The closest the a game has made me to 'comfortable' is 'bored.'

[@victoriousf.i.g.3311]

Steiner and Beatrix fighting their way out of Alexandria and proclaiming their love for one another always brings me to tears

[@JonniBoy33]

So I just completed this game. I’m 26. I’ve only completed ff7 prior. As much as I love ff7, I can’t help but say this game is life changing. So beautiful how they tackle real life issues as far as racism, suicide, and the means to just live life even if you don’t feel that there is purpose. Thank you for this vid. I will forever cherish this game for sure! Ps that ending twist made me shed a tear I’m not going to even lie!

[@Gilrodah]

“To be forgotten is worse than death” -Freya

[@etharchildres3976]

Who?

[@Gilrodah]

@@brookswilliams5239 that was quoted in the original booklet that came with the PS1 release as well. I think I still have mine in storage somewhere.

[@etharchildres3976]

@@Gilrodah Yes, the joke being that I have forgotten Freya, the fate “worse than death”

[@brookswilliams5239]

@@Gilrodah Yeah it was and I still have my original copy as well

[@nilsnoske6460]

The theme of not being alone is strong, but I realized you never mentioned the theme of "Freedom of Choice to do, what you want with your Life". While watching you play it, I felt this theme was ever present in the game. :)

[@Drakin292]

I don't know how true it is, but I recall hearing somewhere that several characters (Amarant and Freya almost certainly ) had to have their character arcs severely cut down due to time constraints. I really hope if we ever get a remake of this game like they did with FF7 they'll at least give us those stories back, even if not much else changes.

[@clay4816]

I have been waiting literally years for you to cover this game. My FAVORITE final fantasy. And I completely agree that this has been one of the most underrated games in history because of the time it came out. And yes Vivi is always the best.

[@jro3299]

People on the style: "The game is chibby, it looks like its for kids!" Queen Brahne: **Genocides a whole city**

[@KaibaSeto.]

There's also Power of friendship shoved in the story,so i guess it evens out

[@JohnyMCness]

2 whole cities And one partially via big succ0

[@HyperTailsX]

man no kidding, nearly every major city in this game gets absolutely totaled

[@GerardMenvussa]

Don't you know? Mature games can only have a maximum of 5 colours on screen at a time :p

[@sarafontanini7051]

@@GerardMenvussa mature games aren't allowed to have anyone smile, have fun or even have any jokes that aren't crass, crude or dark. Because being mature means not being able to have fun at all, right?

[@lordfriedrick7911]

And now i'm gonna trigger some PTSD: Queen Brahne was not impressed.

[@SuperRagingThunder]

I felt this on a primal level.

[@sakasil2]

What is funny about this is that I still enjoy that part. It gets me jumping... Though that wasn't always a good thing since there was a low support strut in my room way back when and I got a concussion slamming my head against it while doing that duel scene. I can still feel the corner of that strut slamming into my head it was a 1'x1' piece of wood and metal jutting out in the middle of my room. It fucking hurt. So I guess yes you did just not in the way you were thinking.

[@thetoaster6413]

And I took that personally

[@jzblue345]

To this day I could never get those 100 nobles on a regular console.

[@cloudparter]

Did it on my first try. Git Gud xD

[@eternalphoenixlp9482]

The part with "You are not alone" absolutly wracked me back then and still does. My eyes still won't stay dry whenever i hear this powerful song

[@db_524]

Same.

[@yes7281]

One thing I've always loved about a handful of the characters in this game is that some of them reference multiple jobs at once. For instance Freya is a dragoon class in gameplay but has the look of a red mage, Steiner plays like a knight or paladin class but when Vivi is in the party he can use spell blades like the mystic knight or dark knight from previous games. This is definitely my favorite final fantasy and second favorite game period and I agree that it's the best one of the series.

[@spazzwazzle]

Dude for real, I'm surprised to hear no one else bring this up. Combining the healers and summoners was an interesting move as well, and most of Tantalus are a combination of thief plus some other class. Quinna being a blue mage AND culinarian was a really unique twist as well.

[@AmaryInkawult]

The music in FFIX slaps so hard it could awaken people from comas

[@danielmales123]

Ff 8 has more epic music but 9 has that old school music that feels nostalgic

[@danielmales123]

@A Stranger ff8 combat is great combat to better than 9

[@graciaman]

IX has been, since its launch, my favorite. I don’t think that will ever change. A masterpiece and truly the most fitting swan song to PS1.

[@ClaireDiVODer]

OMG! Someone who finally sees the value in Steiner’s character! Steiner is my personal favorite character in the entire series!

[@voborny]

Steiner's arc is pretty spectacular

[@Richterdgf]

“Vamo Alla Flamenco” was also brought back to serve as the main theme for the Dancer job in FFXIV. It plays quite frequently in cutscenes for the Dancer’s specific quest line.

[@annabella1650]

Vamo Alla Flameco is probably one of my favourite tracks from the series, and is one of the few I can see people dancing to.

[@raonielfo]

Vivi: "Sorrow. How do you prove that you exist...? Maybe we don't exist at all..."

[@TheGunmanChannel]

This game is so easy to mod on Steam and looks incredible in HD.

[@ThorsShadow]

This! A million times this! If anyone is reading this and maybe hasn't played FF9, yet: Get yourself the Moguri mod (a graphics overhaul, that also fixes some graphic bugs) and Alternate Fantasy. You need Moguri installed in order for Alternate Fantasy to work. The changes AF makes to the game, make it so much more awesome, that I think one should enjoy that version of the game right from the start.

[@FBIStatMajor]

On steam it's practically as good as a Nintendo 3DS in quality. Someday there's going to be voice acting mods too i hope

[@TrvisXXIII]

@@ThorsShadow I don’t own a PC and I’ll have to settle for the Vanilla, so this is a no for me.

[@TrvisXXIII]

@Kyle Katarn no thanks, not trying to go out my way to buy a PC. I have 3 consoles already, and I’m satisfied with them

[@jonkeener50]

PC Rules!!

[@dantrigger]

I was 18 years old when this game came out, it has stayed with me all this years, besides FF6 this is the second one I have replayed the most and it's without a doubt the best one on PS1, not even close, I hated when people dismissed it because of the art style.

[@dafewger]

This is my favorite but 7 has a lot more end game content. 8 was just thrash imo, the only PS1 Final Fantasy game that I didn't finish. Also if you haven't played Final Fantasy Tactics - it's a must play, and has a better story than even 9. Final Fantasy Tactics was Game of Thrones before Game of Thrones.

[@jc.1191]

I prefer it's art style. I think 7 looks absolutely terrible in every way. I'm probably one of the only people who don't even like it.

[@jc.1191]

@@dafewger I hated 8 too. I knew in about 15 minutes it wasn't for me.

[@lucascadigan-carranza2019]

Final Fantasy IX is my absolute favorite game in the franchise and you touched upon every reason why. It made me so happy to see this video this morning.

[@Dionysus24779]

I know the ending bit was a joke, but I would actually love an "extended thoughts" video to go even more into detail on things like Steiner's Development, Zidane's optimism and trust in others, the general themes of the game and how they are presented in the stories, like how the Black Mages take in the Genomes to teach them what they learned, and so on and so son.

[@GameTacoFTW]

I love hearing people talk about games they admire and are passionate about. This whole FF marathon is great.

[@OzymandiasWasRight]

9s everything I wanted out of FF when it came out and it still is. This was an excellent overview of an underappreciated masterpiece.

[@CosmicTornado1]

I like that FF9 has so many coherent themes in its story that I've seen three people claim three different themes as the game's "core theme". I think that's something very special about FF9

[@danielmales123]

Ff 9 is about existance and friendship

[@sakasil2]

@@danielmales123 it's more than that, way more, there are themes of forgiveness, life and death, struggle to know yourself, redemption, fear of what we are, what institutes home, and a great deal more.

[@danielmales123]

@@sakasil2 yes ff9 is deep with a lot of themes

[@Irish_Ian17]

Every year, Once A Year, I replay this game.

[@littykitty040]

The characters in FFIX are some of my favorite in any RPG. Steiner is absolutely dumber than bricks and hilarious. Vivi's arc is compelling, while also being a wholesome boi. Zidane combines a likeable protagonist with a total sleezebag. Freya is rat waifu. Love her design and her arc.

[@zzz43344]

If I may add: Garnet is absolutely beautiful in every single way and I loved her story arc, Eiko was adorable and lovable, Quina is THE most hilarious party member I've ever seen in a JRPG, and Amarant is...Amarant...(seriously, was there *any* reason for him to be in the game?)

[@CoralCopperHead]

Ratwaifu was literally my first videogame crush.

[@zzz43344]

@@CoralCopperHead I hear ya, Freya was gorgeous and amazing!

[@RubyDoobieScoo]

@@zzz43344 Amarant was just there to contrast with Zidane, that said Zidane, Vivi, Steiner and Amarant is clearly the strongest party set-up.

[@ElFreakinCid]

I just love how many people these days are openly admitting how hot and beautiful Freya is. ♥

[@iankobe]

It's so crazy to me that my favorite FF is being reviewed in 2021. This makes me so happy and this FF deserves a remake. Period.

[@AyOoO_AG]

Everything beat by beat but with modern graphics & same cartoon style like Jared mentioned ahhhh man ! that would be fucking awesome ! Or imagine the whole game, playing it with the same graphics as the original cutscenes ahhhhh man 🔥🔥🔥 But square got they heads up their asses I highly doubt a remake for this will happen thou -_-

[@nikketasnowden]

Guys, I hear they ARE planning in remaking this next...not sure it's true, but my friend says it came from a decently reliable source. So we'll see.

[@iankobe]

@@nikketasnowden I hope your sources are credible! One can only hope this would happen...!

[@nikketasnowden]

@@iankobe I hope so too. It's my favorite one.

[@iankobe]

@@nikketasnowden same here bro

[@DavidList]

"You are not Alone" is the best track from the game and I've yet to find an arrangement that does it justice.

[@DawnOfTheOzz]

Today hasn't been a good day, so it's rather nice to curl up to a ProJared video and just laugh the sadness away.

[@protonevoker891]

“Here’s a bear; he’s 2/2.” Nice MtG reference.

[@svenornitier]

Well, TBF, a 1/1 Chinchilla with deathtouch and first strike WILL win against a 2/2 bear.

[@TheMixedPlateFrequency]

Man, i was just playing Final Fantasy IX on steam earlier again. I have to say, over the many years and going back to recently playing it. I think I have much more appreciation for this game and I think I am going to put Final Fantasy IX as a number 1 for me, out of all the other final fantasy games i played so far.

[@kirkdavies4823]

My friend showed me this in my mid 20s and I have to agree. This installment is definitely my favorite for all those reasons. Great summary sir 👏

[@DrDolan2000]

I do prefer a more "realistic" style when it comes to character design, but I can't deny how freaking adorable the characters look in this game; especially during cutscenes

[@yizhang7027]

They look better in game than in CG

[@carmenwinstead693]

they look hideous.

[@drinkswatere]

@@carmenwinstead693 they have charm. To each their own.

[@stonesheeva7158]

@@carmenwinstead693 Everyone is entitled to wrong shitty opinions.

[@carmenwinstead693]

@@stonesheeva7158 opinions can’t be wrong you nut, its an OPINION. you’re getting your facts and opinions mixed up

[@Laithsmiths]

I haven't even started watching, but all I wanna say is: this is it. The one I've been waiting for so long, and I'm glad you've come a long way from everything that's happened and up to this point. Progress cannot be denied, good sir.

[@tjm692]

I have spent so long not watching this video because I wasn’t sure I wanted to see you review it. This is one of my favorite games and the fact that you specifically mentioned the ‘You’re not alone’ scene made me so happy. That scene hits me so hard when I think of how it mirrors my own struggles.