When I first played this game some ten years ago, I cherished it as my favorite entry in the FF series. In some respects I still hold it as the best the Series has to offer (this may be a critique on the state of the FF Series currently). Ive always felt this should have been the direction of the Series going forward.

What seperates FFIX from the games that came before (VII, VII) is the simple formula of color, cast and not taking itself too seriously. To me this is the main flaw between current DC movies and Marvel movies. FFIX is like Marvel in that its settings, characters and story are colorful, full of life and humor and just work for the path in place. I look back at games like 7 and 8 (great games in their own right) and they just seem dark and rainy, like a brooding teen taking himself too serious.

As for the core elements of the game:
Story: One of the best in the Series. From your journey around the Mist Continent you will visit nations so different in culture and architecture yet all grappling with the greater problems within the land. From the moment you light the candle on the Prima Vista you begin a journey that truly is an adventure.

Character: A mismatched pairing that just seems to work. Full of great people who each want something different but all share a common path. Openly two of the best comic relief characters in the entire FF Series. Steiner and Quina

Gameplay: You learn your skills from the equipment you find and purchase. The nice thing about this game is you can make it as easy or hard as you want based entirely on how much you prepare. The characters all fill a certain role in your combat party (Thief, Black/White/Blue Mage, Knight, Lancer etc.) and for most of the game you kinda have to work with what the Story gives you. This wasnt a revolution when the game was first released but it did make the characters feel more varied (As opposed to being able to make someone anything you wanted).

This game also does a great job with making an engaging set of mini-games to play throughout the story. In addition, some of the best music throughout the Series is present from the title screen all the way to the credits.

Overall, I would highly recommend this game to anyone who likes a good old classic rpg. I wish Square-Enix would consider making a future entry with this game firmly in mind. But, until then, FFIX is the gold standard in the Series for me.