My Favorite Final Fantasy Game...

[Narcotic]

I consider IX to be the worst. A trite, typical and two-dimensional storyline with a trite, typical and two-dimensional cast.

I think you are misunderstanding what FF IX did. It was bringing together all of the elements of previous FF's because it was the last one on the PSX console. It brought together everything from FF1-FF8. That is why they brought back the idea of black mage (vivi), Mogs and many other elements from original FF's. Final Fantasy IX was developed alongside FF VIII, but took a different path to return to the series' roots with a more traditional fantasy setting. Consequently, FF IX was influenced heavily by the original Final Fantasy game, and features allusions to other titles in the series. The music was scored by then regular series composer Nobuo Uematsu (Excellent stuff by the way).As the series' last game on the PSX, Sakaguchi envisioned a "reflection" on the older titles of the series. FF IX is also considered by Sakaguchi to be his favorite game as "it's closest to my ideal view of what Final Fantasy should be".

With that said, you can see how i take to heart the fact that you view FF IX as a "trite typical two dimensional storyline with a trite typical two-dimensional cast". You misunderstood what the game was trying to do.

 

[Jaxel]

So the fact that the developers WANTED it to be "a trite, typical and two-dimensional storyline with a trite, typical and two-dimensional cast", makes it okay that it turned out as "a trite, typical and two-dimensional storyline with a trite, typical and two-dimensional cast"? I dont think I mis-understood anything. From what you are saying, I am understanding IX EXACTLY as I am supposed to... as "a trite, typical and two-dimensional storyline with a trite, typical and two-dimensional cast".

The Gooch has always had an inability to adapt his stories to the changing times. VII and VIII were the first games in the FF series that brought significant change to the RPG genre. The Gooch has always hate change, we can see this with IX, as well as many of his new games with Mistwalker like Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey. He's creating these old style games that just fail for today's audiences.

Also, if you ask Uematsu personally, he will say VIII is his best work.

 

[iKotomi]

The problem with Final Fantasy games is that at the core, the plots are just excuses to beat up a lot of monsters. And somehow a bunch of losers that never read books start crying about how Aeris dies and become convinced that all the subsequent stories were somehow more crappy than 7's. Even FF6, my personal favorite, has a horrible plot, but at least its gives a passable excuse to go kill Humbaba.

 

[Freaky]

I consider IX to be the worst. A trite, typical and two-dimensional storyline with a trite, typical and two-dimensional cast.

There aren't many multidimensional characters in the FF series period, including VIII. Though I do agree the story was typical in IX, the presentation was great and seemed consistent. I can't say the same for VIII.

Also, the school turned into an airplane.

 

[Jaxel]

There aren't many multidimensional characters in the FF series period, including VIII. Though I do agree the story was typical in IX, the presentation was great and seemed consistent. I can't say the same for VIII.

Also, the school turned into an airplane.

In VIII, the school turned into a spaceship.